I asked all of my squad-mates & leaders to take their not-so-candid picture of their feet.
Honestly, I do not even fully know why.
SHOUTOUT to my squad for being so willing to snap a shot of their feet.
And yep, I agree this feet collage is a bit odd (but, so am I)…
yet, I still believe our feet are a wonderful representation of so MANY things!
I can tell you these feet have been through a lot.
They are so strong and tough. And peewu, they may stink at times.
They tell a story of the places we’ve been, the faces we’ve met, AND OH SO MUCH MORE. (Thank you, Jesus!)
Dearest Family & Friends <3
First of all, on behalf of I[gnited] Squad, thank you, thank YOU, THANK YOU!
Thank you for all the love & support you have freely given us.
Please know each message, each like or
EACH ONE
means more than you know.
Believe it.
You may think – well, they’re on an adventure of a lifetime – they don’t want to hear about this or that.
SCRATCH that thought away!
TRUTH is!
We love YOU!
We want to hear from YOU!
The thing most do not realize is that people who are away just want to be treated “normal.” We want to know your daily.
Also, it makes us feel “normal,” as we experience things that are not so “normal” to us.
We are just doing the daily like you – just somewhere else.
So, I want to encourage you to reach out to any family or friends that are overseas or even states away or even miles away – when you think of them – reach out to them.
The little things do matter.
Back to the feet…
These weird little (or big) things (called feet) have been our way of getting around (Again, thank you JC!).
We have literally been carrying around (hey there! trusty big pack & daypack) our entire lives these past 11 months on our backs.
& thanks for our feet for carrying us to and fro.
The Lord has led our feet to start this cRazY journey called the World Race, a short (or long) 11 months ago in August 2016…
or even from the beginning of my journey of becoming accepted into the World Race on November 5, 2015,
then shortly after being added to a private Facebook group of strangers (hey i-squad!),
then heading to Gainesville, GA in the beginning of June 2016 for training camp to meet these strangers for the 1st time,
to being placed on my 1st team, 2nd team, and 3rd team,
to stepping onto that plane in August 2016 heading to a country that I have never even heard of before this.
I can tell you these feet have literally taken us throughout the World Race…
BUT
even more so…
throughout life
Life does NOT begin or end when the World Race is happening.
The World Race is a beautiful and challenging chapter/season/fill in the blank of our lives.
It is a part of our journey.
AND the Lord used it as a tool that shaped us into who we are today – but guess what?!
It does NOT stop there.
The Lord graciously continues to shape us, mold us, TRANSFORM us into the men and women of God that He intends us to be.
I am NOT the same Emily Ann Dashner.
as I was yesterday,
or even today,
or the next.
Because the Lord changes me.
As I get closer to the Father, I become renewed, refreshed, NEW.
AND one of the numerous traits about Jesus is that…
we may change & seasons change —
BUT
Jesus remains the same! Praise HIM! (Hebrews 13:8)
Being away from home short under 1 year (hello #11n11) & knowing life truly does move forward with or without you – can be very hard (say hello! to missing engagements, weddings, deaths, births, the BIG & little things of the “normal” daily life).
On a more personal note — while I have been away — I have gained a sister-in-law (hello Mackenzie!)
& I can share with you that it was and is still hard to imagine that I missed that big day on February 3, 2017 (while being in Namibia, Africa), my brother’s wedding. Luckily, though that was just one day, so praise Jesus for the concept of marriage and how marriage is for a lifetime, so I indeed will get to know her because she is now apart of my life also.
Dear Mackenzie, I CANNOT wait to meet you. Please know that when it comes closer, I may become nervous to meet you, but I am excited to get to know you. The Lord has comforted me in knowing that I will become quick friends with you. I know that Michael treasures you, so I know that I will also. You both are in my prayers. I love you. See you soon! -Emily
Family & friends, please have grace on me (us) — as I (we) return home & recognize not only the change that has happened at home & beyond, but also the change that has happened inside me (us).
My prayer for my life is —
– to be constantly TRANSFORMING into who the Lord wants me to be
– being changed or renewed from a life that no longer conforms to the ways of the world to the one that pleases God
– MORE of JESUS & less of me (John 3:30)
– To go higher literally & figuratively with JC (ask me about my tattoo)
– to love
– to be mission-minded
– to never be settled — always sent
– to reach the unreached
– to be led by the Holy Spirit moment by moment (Romans 8)
– to see the unseen
– to replace lies & doubts with TRUTH (Proverbs 12:19)
– to believe in the unseen (John 20:29)
– to recognize God’s voice in different ways (John 10:27)
– to see glimpses of heaven on earth
– to live fearlessly
– to be joyful
– to give more than received
– to have a heavenward gaze (Psalm 135:18)
– to be like Lazarus, NOT the rich man (Luke 16:19-31)
– to be a doorkeeper (Psalm 84)
– to be a pilgrim (Hebrews 11:13)
Please pray for these feet (people) as we hit US (or UK) soil and transition back home or to somewhere new.
Please ask us specific questions.
We want to share with you.
Please extend grace to us as – we may not always have the words and other times your words may spark a wildfire inside us.
“To journey without being changed is to be a nomad. To change without journeying is to be a chameleon. To journey and to be transformed by the journey is to be a pilgrim.” – Mark Nepo
“How beautiful on the mountains are the FEET of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” – Isaiah 52:7
— you may think, oh yes, she would end with this verse — how cliche — but INSTEAD —
just think about THIS. Beautiful. Picture. —
AND BE just THIS. ISAIAH 52:7.
Let your feet (the LORD) lead you…
P.S. your feet are beautiful.
