A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
-Proverbs 17:17
As many of you know, I’ve had the privilege to spend the last couple years participating and serving the World Race with my brother and friend Soloman. This is not our friendship in a post, it’s only a tribute.
Here’s to many more years of brotherhood, but here are some of my favorite memories with you man.
Month 2 India:
Where Our Friendship Began.
Who could forget the infamous Bihar Boyz®?
That week changed my life, and God kept highlighting how when we prayed over people together, crazy stuff happened. You would see things that I didn’t see and vise versa, the result was that we saw hundreds set free and experience the Father. We laughed, almost died, brushed our teets, slept on a piece of plywood while the neighborhood had a rave all night, had delicious water buffalo chai, fit 23 people on a tuk tuk, and I discovered a new level of brotherhood with you.
Month 5 Mongolia:
Into the Wilderness.
Remember that time we fed an entire Israeli family lard that we thought was cheese? Yeah Mongolia was a struggle in some ways. But such beauty was surrounding every part and the Father was growing new places. We cried, faced new intimacy and struggle, paused in Wonder, threw rocks down mountains, witnessed the most intense night sky of our lives, and I saw that your friendship was worth fighting for.
Month 6 China/Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan:
The Road Trip of a Lifetime.
Rawr.
We were forced to make the most out of a long haul and difficult situations during this crazy couple weeks of travel. Between almost getting taken in for questioning by the police, to naked tea parties, to frustrating language barriers, to getting stuck in wierd hotels/stuck at the border for hours, this would have been enough to drive anyone crazy if it wasn’t for seeing God provide in the craziest of ways. God showed me how to find Joy in these difficult times through you my friend.
Month 9 Jordan:
Heart Language.
I’ll never forget this donkey race to the Monastery.
I saw your heart come alive this month. The dream of going to Jordan became a reality. Working with refugees was heavy, hearing all the stories, seeing all the pain, but being the face of Love to them and bringing Joy into the room was priceless. You taught me how to fight for my dreams this month.
Month 10 Spain:
Walk It Off.
“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” Luke 12:27
So confession, I started an unfinished photo project on the Camino. I took this picture and thought it was hilarious because there’s just a fuzzy Sol in the background of this beautiful flower. I remembered this verse about the wildflowers and Soloman, and then it dawned on me. This would be an epic photo project. But alas, I never finished it. But as a bonus, I thought I’d include some of my favorites from one of my other photo projects; Soloman Baby.
I hope you don’t mind me sharing these with the world. Ooops!
Round 2 Month 3 Sri Lanka:
Play.
This day was wild. One of my favorite times of exploring and being free. Dirt bikes, naked cliff jumping, elephants, monkeys, peacocks, secluded beaches, crocodile rock, and the waves that threw us into the sand. You’ve always been so good at being with people, and that day was such a beautiful day of being.
Round 3 Training Camp, America:
New Places, New Challenges.
This memory is one of my favorites because it reminds me of how much you choose to give away. As we got to be a part of M Squads training camp, I saw you over and over again pouring into the squad and praying over them. I remember talking with you one morning about how you received something from the Lord and minutes later I heard you giving it away to a squad member. You’ve always inspired me with how freely and quickly you give away what the Lord has given you.
Round 3 Month 1/2 Morocco:
Fishes and Loaves.
This meal was so impactful for me. I remember sharing with you how I was afraid to challenge people and had a subconscious fear of rejection. Your friendship, listening ear, and encouragement to bring those things out changed my walk and brought out new growth in me.
Round 3 Month 4 Lebanon:
Close to Home.
Oh Lebanon. When we found out that we could possibly visit your family that you’ve never met, I remember feeling the excitement and thinking “I want to go.”. Your invitation to be a part of that beautiful moment meant so much to me and it reminded me of how far we had come. That’s a Thanksgiving I’ll never forget.
There are so many memories that I could have mentioned in this sappy post, Blink 182 on the Caspean, butt bandages, voxer glory, all the late night conversations, worship nights, S&E’s Moroccan Bistro and Songwriting Experience, fishing in 19 degree weather, skinny dipping in alpine lakes, and so many more. But all I guess I’m trying to say is that my favorite thing about you is just your hugs and your hugs alone.
I’ve never experienced a season like this or have been able to walk with anyone so closely before, and it has changed my life. Thank you for letting the Father use you to shape my walk.
In closing, I want to revisit that Proverb that this blog opened with.
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”
I have never been able to see, experience, or know such a depth of what Proverb is saying until I got to walk with you this past couple years. Our friendship pulled me through a lot of hard moments, and let me face adversities I never thought I would ever conquer. Thanks for being my friend, and my brother.
– Eric Danger Musil
