A year ago today I woke up on my 22nd birthday on a mattress on the floor in the Philippines. It was my first full day of the World Race and I could only dream of what the year would hold for me.
I remember waking up in a room with my new teammates in a house with people I’d never met before wondering if anybody knew it was my birthday. And yet, I remember feeling more known in that moment than ever in my life. I remember thinking to myself “nobody here could know it’s my birthday, but the God of the universe does, and that’s more than enough”. I felt so incredibly known and loved by God and realized that this is what it meant to be totally satisfied by Him.
I wrote a letter to Papa that morning and shared with Him all my thoughts on this new year of life. I asked Him for a couple things too.
I asked that this would be a year of the most beautiful stars I’ve ever seen.
And He brought me to the mountains of Lesotho.
I asked that this would be a year that I would be willing to feel pain in order to love the best I possibly could.
And He introduced me to some street kids in the Philippines.
I asked that this year I would be so so aware of His presence in whatever I do.
And He showed me that even taking care of flamingos in South Africa can be an act of worship.
I asked Him to help me know His authority and to walk boldly in the authority He’s given me.
And He brought me to Swaziland to show me who I really was.
I also asked Him to help me to bravely and courageously love with an open heart.
And He brought me to Latin America (also known as the new love of my life) and introduced me to some of the most beautiful people and places I’ve ever had the pleasure I’ve knowing.
Without even being fully aware, this year God totally made all of my dreams come true.
After almost three years of waiting, He brought me on the World Race.
After seven years of waiting, He brought me to Swaziland and reminded me of my true identity.
After twenty two years of life, He brought me to South America for the very first time and gave me my life’s purpose.
But most importantly, this year He showed me that I can dream with Him – that no dream is too big or too crazy because He is literally the God of the impossible – He is the WAY MAKER (*así eres tú*), and He WILL do the impossible just to make us smile.
This was a year of learning that Jesus was a man empowered by Holy Spirit just like I am – a year of truly realizing that I can do even greater things than Christ, because He gave me His Spirit to do so. It was also a year of realizing that I get to trust myself because I have been given the mind of Christ. That means that these dreams and desires I have are actually from Him, and I get to dream big with God to make them happen.
22. What a year. The year I travelled the world, met some of my dearest friends, fell in love with South America, discovered who I am and who I’ve been created to be, and just began to dream about where God could take me in life.
Now, I’m home. And who knows where God will take me in year 23, but I can’t wait to find out.
To year 22 and to the World Race, thank you for being one of the best years of my life. ?I can’t wait to see what God has in store for 23.
