If you’ve been following my blog for a while now, maybe you’ve begun to notice – as far as practical information goes – there hasn’t been much. This is largely because – as far as practical information goes – I don’t know much. To be frank, the amount of information I don’t know is truly amazing. Now honestly, I don’t like blogging about practical information. It seems shallow and unimportant in the long run, but I guess you all have a right to know. In fact, blogging about anything these days is painstaking. The only way to get in the mood is to pray intensely and blast a certain worship song on repeat while I write. Honestly that's the only way I can get anything out. This week's can be found here, courtesy of squadmate Jessica Francis. It's a good one.
“Just wait” they say. “You’ll get there when you get there” they say. In all honesty, I knew this would be a struggle for me, but I didn’t know it would come so soon. I have to confess, I have already spent hooouuurs badgering our team leaders and anyone else who knew more than I did for extra hints or tidbits of information. I kind of justify it by indignantly telling myself, “Hey I’m good at this stuff, I’m well traveled and have planned many a trip, I deserve to know.” Of course that doesn't justify anything. But because I really have nothing better to do, I have gone to great lengths snooping around and doing some detective work on where we’ll be, who we’ll be partnering with, how long our flight will be, where we’ll layover, when we’ll get there, etc. It’s been kind of my way to kill the time. Plus I'm really good at it.
My team (after a couple of iterations).
Team Braveheart
Fearless leader Thomas Haygood (aka T-good) (in the black shirt).
Then you got (from left to right) SHERI FUNK, Laura Angst, Cindi Williams, Me, Caitlin Martin, and now Samson Tharakan, our most recent addition (hence the hasty photoshop) who is just incredible.
WAIT WHAT’S THAT!? You want to know my entire squad a little bit better? Well, luckily for all of us, my wonderful squad mate and ‘Consuming Fire’ team leader Erin Fritz has gone to painstaking lengths to diligently introduce every single one of us, by team, in her blog right HERE. You have to check it out, it's incredible.
Our ministry. Our location. Our flight info. What we’ll be doing, who will be there, when we’ll leave, where we’ll go to next.
Some of it they’ve told us. Some of it I’ve figured out. And some I just have no idea. I’ve put it together below in a comprehensive table. If you still don’t know what the World Race is or why I’m doing it, check out my HOME PAGE.
You now know everything I know about our itinerary and what we’ll be doing.
In two days, my teammates will start arriving at my place, and we’ll all head over to begin launch Wednesday afternoon. It’s an exciting time to be sure, so exciting it’s hard not to get all worked up and lose focus of just how to handle myself. My best friend just got engaged, I'll be out of the country for a year with people I hardly know – I wouldn’t say I’m stressed out. I wouldn’t say I’m nervous, or running around either – but the waiting has made me a lot of things I can’t say I’m proud of. Nosy, impatient, high strung, single-minded, antsy, restless, VERY VERY IMPATIENT, direct, frank, controlling, needing to know everything – there's just no time. There’s no time.
AIM staff makes a really big deal about having no expectations. Absolutely none. And while my respect for AIM staff is through the roof, and I admire their intentionality and passion more than anything, there are a few expectations I just refuse to let go.
I will know more about God and know God better than I do now.
It will be very difficult, all the time.
I will be exhausted.
When this is all said and done, I will see things very differently than I do now.
I will have to be inordinately flexible.
Things will not go as I expect them to.
I will love my team intensely, even if we don’t get along.
I will have to give a lot, and I will undoubtedly get a lot.
I will probably be forced to learn how to work through being bitter and frustrated.
I will be grown into the person God wants me to be, whether or not that's person I want me to be.
I’ll be doing a lot of dancing.
I will continue writing excessively long blog posts (sorry)
I will learn how to respect and love every single teammate and person we meet.
This whole experience is going to change my life, and change the way I live.
We will be extraordinarily unified in Christ. One heart one mind.
It will not be a perfect experience as I see perfection in any way – but God will be behind every second of it.
I know we're not supposed to have expectations, I know that, and someone tell me if I'm crossing the line. But none of us would be here if we weren't expecting big things from our God.
Finally, I just wanted to say how THANKFUL I am to everyone who has been supportive of this trip, verbally, prayerfully, financially – as of now, I am FULLY FUNDED and it is just overwhelming. A big shout out to all my monthly supporters, if you can keep it coming through February, that will push me over the top. The Lord has made it so clear this is what He has for me, and I am so inordinately thankful to all of you for making this possible. If you were thinking of supporting me but never got around to it, I know about 50 other people who would love you eternally for helping them out, and it would be such a blessing to them for you to be a part of their story. Send me a message, let me know, I’ll put you guys in touch.
Much love,
Danny
