Five years ago I was an athlete, defined by my performance on the field. I was a good student, I stayed out of trouble, I believed in God, but my identity was in my role on the ball field. At some point that life became empty and my eyes were opened to the life God has for each of His sons and daughters. It was then that I began praying for Him to break my identity, to redefine me.
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Today is the halfway mark. I have been abroad for five and a half months, with five and a half months left of the World Race. What an adventure it has been.
Five years ago God began answering my prayer. Five years ago I began to walk in freedom; today God reminded me of my prayer, and His faithfulness. Five years ago, I was an athlete.
Today, I am a leader.
I am a goat farmer,
a playground, and a teacher.
I am a student, a pillow, and a chef.
I am a janitor and a photographer.
I am a pig farmer, a preacher, a babysitter;
I am a friend.
I am a face painter, a door (for those sketchy midnight bathroom stops), and a fan.
I am a camper and a prayer warrior.
I am a missionary. I am broken.
I am a worship leader,
an athlete and a fly swatter.
I am a sister.
I am a gardener and a painter;
I am a risk taker.
I am a world racer.
I am a child of God.
I am free.
The past 6 months have reminded me of the freedom Jesus Christ has given me. Five years ago I never would have imagined preaching or singing in front of a church. I would have been afraid share the Gospel with strangers. I used to let the world define me, but when my heart is fixed on Jesus, I am not bound by the limitations of my mind, or this world.
We may be half way through the World Race, but my race is far from over. My race doesn’t end when I step onto American soil. My story is still being written; I am not the author and it has never been about me.
“I don’t want my life to be explainable without the Holy Spirit. I want people to look at my life and know that I couldn’t be doing this by my own power. I want to live in such a way that I am desperate for Him to come through. That if He doesn’t come through, I am screwed. “
FRANCIS CHAN
