So ya might be thinking hmmm isn’t Emily home, the world race is over why am I receiving an email from her blog?! Don’t worry this isn’t spam it’s me. I’ve just been reflecting lately. I’ve been mourning I’ve been trying to navigate reentry in a new city, a new job, a new home. I realized that I never told you about one of my most impactful stories.
Now before the world race I’m pretty sure I had only heard the word, prophecy, a handful of times and honestly was a little apprehensive toward it. So anyways I was with the whole squad around a campfire in Zambia, we were camping for the week. I was just told that I was going to be a team leader and had all these responsibilities that I wasn’t sure I could handle.
My squad leader sat me down and told me that she had a prophesy to speak over me. She told me that she could see that I was growing into a strong tower that God was going to grow and stretch me in many ways. I didn’t tell a soul and honestly didn’t really know what it meant.
Now the month before, in South Africa, I was told that my mom was asked for her hand in marriage. It was a wake up call for me for sure. I realized that I hadn’t fully dealt with losing my father. I was still holding on to the pain and anger. I had no clue how to change that besides spending time with God. I needed to surrender it to him fully and slowly over time He began healing me.
No joke my friends that I had gone through five months of living together told me that once we made it to toward the middle and end of the race the change in my life was visible. It looked as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I walked with more peace and pep in my step. I no longer looked weighed down. I seemed free. That was super encouraging and freeing to hear from the people around me. I felt it on the inside but it was cool to see it was reflected on the outside.
Now fast forward to month 10 on the race. I was on a team with some of the same people, some new. We decided to go around and share encouraging feedback to one another. And guess what? Three separate people on my team told me that I was a strong tower. I was like wait a minute now…
My mind went straight to that prophesy Leanne had made. What God had said through her truly did come to pass. It wasn’t something that happened by coincidence. God truly had transformed me into a strong tower. Now I asked them why they felt like I was a strong tower and they told me that I was a reliable foundation that people can depend on and can feel comfortable around and without me our team would feel off balanced.
Now I say this not to boast about myself but to boast in the Lord. The beginning of the race I was carrying the weight of pain, insecurities, lies about myself and wasn’t in a good spot. I had continually told myself that I was fine and that I was good but that was a lie. I didn’t believe that I was equipped enough to lead other people. That was also a lie. I was apprehensive that God truly does speak through prophecy and He proved me wrong yet again.
My biggest take away from the race that I will carry for the rest of my life is to not put God in a box and to always try your best to love others. He is our true Healer and Comforter. He is what got me through and will continue to get me through the super tough and the awesome days. Life is so much better when we choose to speak the truth of God’s word over ourselves even when it’s hard to believe it.
Life is so much better when we choose to press into our relationship with Him instead of stiff arming him. Life is too short and it’s so much better with God as your bud. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to You. He’s a loving and gracious Father.
As I step into this new chapter I’m learning a lot about leadership. One of my company’s key phrases that I try to live by is to “be interested rather than interesting”. You are not the center of the universe. Everyone wants to talk about themselves that’s the norm. Wow it’s a wake up call. It continually reminds me that being intentional with others and loving them well looks like listening to them, not just always talking about myself. Jesus was such a good listener so I’m trying my best to follow His ways all of my days. (guess I’m a poet)
That’s all for now folks. Thanks for the support!!!!
