Days off on the Race are awesome.
We get one per week. You’d think my favorite days off are the ones where we visit capital cities or go on excursions like that beautiful scenic hike on the Romanian mountainside.
Nope. Not for me. I wouldn’t trade the days of exploration, but it’s now month four and I’ve come to the conclusion that my favorite days off on the Race are the ones where I get to lay on a bed and stare at the four walls around me.
This morning I woke up in a semi-nice, semi-shabby hotel room that cost me $15. But it came with a single bed & pillow, air condition, wifi, and no company. Heaven.
So far today I talked to my mom on the phone, went downstairs to meet other racers for breakfast, came back to my room, had a decent amount of quiet time, and sewed all the holes in my clothes while Jon Foreman serenaded me. The amount of holes in my clothes quickly increased when I came to India due to:
1. The extra material in the long flowing punjabis we wear all day every day
2. rushing to exit the tuk tuks as I throw my money at the driver, snag my leggings, and scram before he can argue with me for not paying more. [They’re not supposed to charge more than 10 rupees but they try]
3. I’m not the most elegant often times
and
4. I’m not the most elegant often times
But I’m okay with the holes because sewing feels relaxing and productive and not a big deal at the moment..
A year before I came on the Race I began learning to rely on God when it was just me, Him, and no major responsibilities. This month has taught me why I needed to rely on God during that time. Because now I really need Him to carry my burdens and I’m so thankful that depending on Him isn’t some foreign concept. When I started to feel overwhelmed at the beginning of this month, I stopped myself before letting my thoughts spin in circles and the words that came to my mind [thank you Holy Spirit] were “let go.”
So I did. I prayed and surrendered my fears of not being able to solve people’s problems, not having the most outgoing extroverted personality [comparison], not being a good enough team leader. I also surrendered my team mates and the struggles that they’ve shared.. instead of trying to work them out in my head.
And surprise, it’s so much easier to be.. me! Sometimes I forget how freeing it is to let God handle everything, but He willingly offers and wants to. I can only do my best and let Him take it from there.
The other day I read the ‘Jesus Calling’ devotional for the day and I thought, “that totally applies to my life today!” #thingspeoplewhoreadJesusCallingsay
It read: “Sometimes the way before you appears blocked. If you focus on the obstacle or search for a way around it, you will probably go off course. Instead, focus on Me, the Shepherd who is leading you along your life-journey. Before you know it, the “obstacle” will be behind you and you will hardly know how you passed through it.
That is the secret of success in My kingdom. Although you remain aware of the visible world around you, your primary awareness is of Me.”
Want to know what else makes a day off so much more excellent?
When all I think about is God, my playlist for the day, and the holes in my punjabis.
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