the 7th time ive packed my whole life & moved locations
the 7th time i had to leave my new friends and places that had a piece of my heart
the 7th time i had to say Hi, My name is Erica ill be apart of your life for the next month
the 7th time i had to start from stratch from a place that seems so familiar but
so strange all at the same time
so strange all at the same time
welcome to month 7 of the race…my mid-race crisis
Coming to Malaysia-i was sad about leaving Vietnam where i had made so many great relationships in a short amount of time..Vietnam for me was the month that changed the race..it was the first month that i had actually thought "i could come back here someday".
But just like month 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 it ended and it was time to move on..move on to meeting new people to starting new relationships to being completely vulnerable and giving it 100% of myself while keeping my sanity and our team working to stay as close as possible..without being that weird "O YEAH! we are SO great!" team..but rather the team that is REAL with each other & people we come in contact with..
how was month 7 going to be different that 1-6? how can i make this one matter? how can i sit and allow God to do miraclous things in my life without being in a routine? because everyone comes to a point on their race where it becomes the same ole same ole..and i wanted it to be different i never wanted a country to blend it with the next..but unforunately through being tired and having a piece of my heart in so many different countries..ive reached that point-the point of satistfaction-the idea that if i went home right now i would have learned everything i came to learn..and noone says that you have to finish all 11 months of the race..the Lord can call you away at anytime..but i dont believe in my heart that this is my stopping point..this isnt the checkered flag waving in my face..i still have 4 1/2 more laps to go!
so here i am..a 7 month missionsary knowing the basis of how to poop in a squattie pottie with 100% accuracy, how to introduce myself while telling how many siblings, dogs, and what my parents' names are all in the first 5 minutes, how to unpack & pack my bag in 10 minutes tops!, and i can basically fall asleep anywhere..that takes talent! ive learned everything i need to know right?? arent all those things important && going to be amazing stories to share when i get back? the answer is YES! its so great that i have the hang of this whole missionary thing! i really can live out of a backpack..
who would have thunk it?!?
who would have thunk it?!?
but NOW more than ever i want to change my focus-find out why God called me here..HIS TRUE PURPOSE for me here…i want the next 4 1/2 months to be the BEST months of the race-i want to lay myself down EVERYDAY and ask the Lord what he wants to teach me that day..i want to push the extra mile and really dig deep with people i meet and my team..i want to go to a higher place, the place that the Lord has set up for us-i truly believe i can learn more in these next 4 1/2 months than ive learned the past 6 months if i just allow the Lord to teach me! ive been on the race 180 days so far…ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY days!!! thats like a gazillion years..but what am i going to do with the next 130 days?
i promise over the next 4 1/2 months or 130 days that i will:
- have preference for my team/squad over myself
- i will delight in new relationships
- i will give everything i can to ministry
- i will look for oppurtunties to serve
- i will allow the Lord to guide my steps
- i will be grounded in prayer first & foremost
- i will take more pictures 🙂
- i will share more stories through my blog
- && i will become the WOMAN of God i came on this trip to be!
so this is my mid-race crisis and my plan to tackle it! rather than sit in the fact that i havent always given my best..i want to put my best foot forward!
i love yall!
xoxo,
ericaleigh
P.S-THANK THE LORD!!!! I AM FULLY FUNDED!!!! HE IS SOOO GOOD TO HIS CHILDREN!!!! THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PRAYERS &&& SUPPORT!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
