Mom and me at American Players Theatre.
11 months.
11 months until I hug my beloved family and friends. 11 months until I sleep in my bed. 11 months until I drive my car, use my cell phone or eat my favorite foods.
I’ve traded my apartment for a tent, my bed for a sleeping pad and bag, my wardrobe for a week worth of clothes. My life fits into a 40-pound bag. And I’ll probably get rid of half of it.
I’m as clean as I’ll ever be. I don’t have dirt under my nails or bug bites to scratch. My pack has no odor and my clothes are perfectly rolled into their packing cubes. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be; yet I don’t know if one can ever be ready for what I’m about to experience.
11 months.
11 months ago was when I first heard about this crazy mission called the World Race. I didn’t think it was possible to pack your whole life in a bag. It is. I talked it over with friends and family. I processed. I continued to process. I applied. I was accepted. I’ve planned and prepared. I went to Training Camp. I said my goodbyes (2 months is l-o-n-g time to drag out goodbyes). I packed my bag. I got on the bus. I got on the plane. I’m going, I really am!
This is my time.
Everyone whose heard about what I’m doing has said, “This is the time to do something like this…before you get married and have a family to divide your time.”
The idea of time is something that has been on my mind recently. I can hardly believe it’s been almost a year since I started considering the World Race. I’m sad that I’ll miss out on the next 11 months of people’s lives back home- weddings and babies and such.
I wrote a poem about it. If you know me, this isn’t typical. But, maybe it will become the new norm…we’ll see.
This the Time
This is the time, they all say,
Before a husband and kids get in the way.
To do the will of the Lord
To advance His Kingdom forward.
Before there’s diapers and little one to chase,
God’s call in my life I will embrace.
So I go.
This is my time, I have no doubt,
For this is what my life is about.
To act justly
To love faithfulness
To walk humbly with God.
So who knew it would hurt so much
To say goodbye to the ones who have touched-
Touched my heart in a way
that words alone cannot portray?
But comfort comes knowing this [God’s] family can NOT be divided
Because it is in God’s promise we have sided.
Songs often have the ability to capture exactly how you’re feeling. That song for me right now is The Anthem by Jake Hamiliton. A key lyric is this:
“Wake up child, it’s your turn to shine, you were born for such a time as this.”
Click the album below if you want to listen to the song. It’s my time. Thanks for joining me on the journey!
