Every single day we make a large amount of choices. We choose when to get out of bed, what to eat for breakfast, our attitude and so many more. The choices you make all day are endless. On the Race, your choices can make or break each month or even your race as a whole. Making choices was a large part of my race. Some of the choices were easy, and some…not so much.
When you leave for the race you will leave with the excitement of everything that AIM has promised. Community, ministry, discipleship, adventure, and growth are a few. One thing you might not expect is that it won’t just be handed to you. They set up the environment where all of these things are possible but ultimately the choice comes down to you.
You get to choose into the community.
There will be teams that you are on that there is very little that you have in common with the people you are placed with. There will be team members that really challenge you. It will be difficult to love them well, and at times you will really be looking forward to team changes. The reality is, your next team will still have difficulties they just won’t be the same. But they ALL have something to offer. You will get to choose to look past the differences and annoyances to see who God has created your teammates to be. When you do ministry together, live together, eat together, and workout together this isn’t easy. This is where feedback comes in. It is a time when the people you do life with every day get to speak truth into your life about who God created you to be on the days that are tough, and the Devil wants to steal your joy. Your teammates are the people that will be around you and in this 11 months get to help you become more like Christ.
You get to choose into discipleship.
Your squads Coaches, squad leaders and squad mentor are all there for you. REALLY. They want to be support for you, to Skype with, to pray with you and for you, use them. At debriefs, sign up for those one on one’s. They have little nuggets of wisdom to share with you. Sure, you might miss out on something fun that the group in going to be out doing, but if you desire discipleship, you have a choice to make. Ask a squad leader to hold you accountable to a new spiritual discipline, or an area that the Lord is growing you in.
You get to choose into ministry.
Some months there will be very little ministry that is given to you. There will be two teams with one contact and the assigned ministry they give you doesn’t take more than a couple hours a day. So, what do you do then? You could go back where ever you are living that month and lay down with a book or your teammates’ laptop and check out for the day. Or you could look around you, there will always be people to love, people who need to know they are loved by God. Some places the streets will be packed with people who just need to hear that! Your contact is another great place to start or the other people around them. They are working full time in ministry, they can use some encouragement. Ask how you could help them personally, if the culture allows offer to babysit their kid so they can have alone time. Even spending time with them, getting to know them and eating meals with them will make them feel so loved.
Every day of the WR, and every day of life we are faced with choice after choice that will determine how we draw closer to God, how we are molded, and how we will love others.
What are you going to choose today?
