I’ve been on the race for 6 months now, and here is a little list of some of the things that I’ve learned. There are many more, but these are some of my faves.
- Living in community is hard, it takes sacrifice, patience and a whole lot of grace
- Saying the hard things may sting a little in the moment, but they are so good in the long run
- Being chosen is always a good feeling, fight for the ones worth fighting for
- Dishes is one of the most fought about topic when living in community
- Doing something that scares you a little isn’t always as scary as you think it is
- Don’t waste the days, the days are long but the months are short… time flies by
- You will make some friends and you may lose some. You don’t have to like everyone, but you have to love everyone
- Invest in your hosts because they have more of an impact than you think
- Swim with sharks, bungee jump, sit at the edge of a waterfall, when will you ever do this again?
- You can go a lot longer without a shower than you think
- Life is a battle and we are called to fight. Forces will try to work against you, be prepared.
- Appreciate the months for what they are worth, the good, the bad, the ugly
- There is so much more to the world than what we think
- Yum Yum Caramel Crunch peanut butter is a gift from God, stock up while you can in Africa
- A little grace goes a long way
- Try something you don’t really like doing, and ask others to join you and hold you accountable to sticking with it for a while. I joined run club during the month we spent in South Africa
- Try not to have expectations because more often than not they will let you down
- Sometimes when I get frustrated I cry, and that’s ok
- If you like wearing jeans at home, you will want to wear them wherever you go… even if it’s a million degrees and humid
- Learning to find rest is important to ministry, and life in general
- You can’t give your best from the bottom of the barrel. Find new ways to fill your barrel so you can give your all
- Whatever “the dance” is at the time, you will do it wherever you go. I’ve done the whip & nae nae in every country we’ve gone to.
- Forms of transportation can range from a bus to a train to a trike motorcycle to a donkey. Embrace the ride
- Learn to say things with Truth AND Grace, your words have more power than you think
- God is faithful in the little things and the big things. Don’t be afraid to ask bold prayers and believe that God will answer them
