I think I like Thanksgiving even more than Christmas. Because it’s not just about yummy food, it’s about being thankful… for that food, for the people around you, for the life you have. Being so far from home makes Thanksgiving feel really different, but it has also made me more thankful than ever before, the very thing this day is about.
It’s been almost 3 months since I left the country, and this journey has been incredible… I’ve had moments of laughing so hard I can’t breathe, moments of being so happy I think my heart will burst, moments of such heartbreak I think my heart will burst again for a very different reason, and moments that make me think about life and my place in all of this. Looking back on all the experiences I’ve had and the people I’ve met, I realize just how wonderful my life really is, how many blessings I have. And in the spirit of Thanksgiving (and 11n11), I want to share some of them… so here they are: Eleven Things I’m Thankful for.
1. The chance to be on this Race. I couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful opportunity or adventure at a time when I was fresh out of college, restless, and craving change. I didn’t know then exactly what I wanted, but this is more than I could have dreamed of. There are so many times I have asked, “Why me? Why was I so blessed to have this chance?”
2. I-squad and Team Sista Fierce. I have a wonderful squad mentor, two amazing and wise coaches, three squad leaders you can’t beat, 5 fierce sistas I can’t imagine the Race without, and 29 other absolutely incredible people who make up I-squad. Everyone brings something so valuable to our group, and I am so thankful that God hand picked all of them to be part of my life.
3. Adventure. One of my most favorite things, and this is a non-stop adventure for 11 months! All the small moments, the big moments, the unexpected moments, and the things that make us say, “When on The World Race!” because there’s no other way to explain what just happened and probably no other time it would.
4. Faith in God… and the hope we have from it, the love we feel by it, and the fear we don’t have to have because of it. He is SO good.
5. Abundance. I’ve been learning that we live in abundance… that we have so much more than we actually need. So why are we so afraid to give things away? David Platt has a quote that says, “God has given us excess not that we could have more but so that we could give more.” Instead of being upset that I have so much more than some of these people who seem to have so little, I’m learning that there’s a reason I’m fortunate and it’s just a question about what I do with what I have. Perfect for Thanksgiving!
6. The beautiful people who live in these places. Even through all the dirt, poverty, and danger, there is so much beauty. It’s in the belly laughter from kids with bare feet and torn clothes, in the toothless smiles of the elderly, the little girls who sleep in your arms, the courage and faith of the contacts we’ve met… all the moments that touch your heart and give you goosebumps. One of my teachers, Njoki, told me that “God loves us and blesses us through other people.” She is so right. I pray that they feel God’s love through me, but I know for a fact that He is loving me through the encounters I have with these people.
7. All the lessons. This would be a whole other blog post, but I’m so thankful for all of them. Lessons about love, about trust, about courage, about valuing who I am. When I signed up for this trip, I though I’d change people’s lives. Little did I know that God would use this trip to change me more than I could even hope to change others.
8. That this trip is a story for people at home too. I have been blown away and humbled time after time about how God is using this trip to impact people who aren’t even here: my family, my friends, people I’ve briefly met, and people I’ve never known. If me being here leads one person to Him and His great love, everything about this year will be worth it.
9. “God moments.” I don’t believe in luck, and I don’t really believe in coincidence either… I believe that sometimes God does things He doesn’t want credit for. And so these “God moments” are all the times something happens when you say, “That was God. There’s no other explanation for it.” There have been so many this trip, and each one makes me grateful that He’s always here.
10. My family. If you know me, this one doesn’t need a word of explanation. Knowing that I’m going to be so far away for so long has made me appreciate them even more that I did before, and I didn’t think that was possible. Each time I talk to them, it’s a little piece of home. Each message they send reminds me that they’re proud of me. And each time I think about them, I thank God that He chose each of them for me. The way they put aside their own feelings to let me chase my dreams and what I believe in doing, the way they are proud of me even when they miss me so much, and the way they genuinely support this journey… I couldn’t do this without them, and I don’t think they’ll ever know how much it really means to me. Because if the people I love the most didn’t believe in what I’m doing, it would be really hard to do it. And since I know you’re all going to read this, Thank you. I love you so much!
11. That while God could do this all on His own, He is allowing me to be part of it. Because His love is that big… I’ll never get over that.
And today, I’m especially thankful for all of you who are reading this. Knowing I have people following this journey is so much of what will keep me going when it gets hard. I hope you all know how great of an impact your prayers, blog comments, and messages are having. Just knowing you’re there and part of this journey means the world! Thank you for believing! I pray God will use this story in your life too.
So today on Thanksgiving, please remember its not just about the yummy food; it’s about being thankful… for that food, for the people around you, for the life you have. Take a moment wherever you are today to remember why you’re thankful.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone 🙂
