Launch. It’s a word that probably to you creates a picture of a shuttle or jet or rocket ship blasting off into the air. For World Racers, it’s this 3 day event that happens in the hotel right next to the Atlanta airport where we get the last necessary training before we leave for the World Race. It seems like every staff member trying to stuff as much information and spiritual training into all of us before we leave.
The fact that it is right next to the airport seems like a tease to me. We are here, we are packed, we are ready, we want to go, buuuutttt waaaaaiiiit… you need to sit in these hotel rooms for hours and hours and listen to training and topics that you already know.
This was my attitude. Pretty negative right?
Every meeting seemed repetitive, unnecessary, and very long. Then, OF COURSE, God shows up and rocks my world.
This is Megan. She is on my Squad. She is not on my team but one thing we have in common is the word JOY. The word was given to her as a nickname at camp because she embodies it herself. We connected at Training Camp over a ring that she wears on her left hand that says JOY. I shared that it was my middle name and that I had it as a tattoo and that the Lord was constantly teaching me about it.
After a long meeting about safety and finance, me and Megan were walking back to our hotel rooms for a break and she stopped in the elevator, took off her ring, took my hand, and placed it on a finger.
“I really felt the Lord wanted you to have it” she said. I was baffled by her generosity and so thankful for something that would remind me of my name and the fruit of the Spirit that is my testimony. I thanked her, I smiled, and took it back to my room. This is where I found out that my scrawny and boney fingers could not keep this ring on my finger.
I found Megan again at our next meeting and explained that it didn’t fit but I was thankful for her gift. We both walked away confused as to why God would want me to have a ring that didn’t fit.
The day continued, we got more training, and again I had a bad attitude and just wanted to leave and go to Haiti already. In the evening we were given a chance to worship and hear a message from Bill Swan who spoke about walking in the authority and power of Christ as we go on the Race. He talked about how in biblical times, when a king left for war or an important trip, he would leave one of his rings with a trusted and loyal official and that would show the kingdom that that person held the authority and power of the king as he was gone.
Megan began squirming in her seat.
Bill dismissed us to get in pairs and pray for each other and before he could even say go, Megan tapped me on my shoulder and demanded to be my prayer partner. We sat down and she shared in utter JOY and excitement how she THOUGHT that God wanted her to give me the ring with joy on it because that was my name and the commonality we shared, but as she was listening to Bill she heard God say,
“That’s what I was talking about Megan. I want you to give Jamilyn my “ring”so that she walks with authority and power in MY NAME.”
Wow. YES LORD. I needed to hear that! I definitely have fear, anxiety, timidity, and worries about walking with this power and authority that Bill was talking about. Could I really heal the sick, cast out demons, and hear the Holy Spirit? Am I able to do that? I don’t know. Probably not. And God knew I need to hear that YES. He has chosen me, He has given me power and authority and I go in HIS NAME. These things are possible. I go with more confidence now.
Okay God. I hear you. My attitude hasn’t been the best during Launch, but I hear you. I see what you are doing. Even in my negativity, you still continue to teach me.
So I went back to Megan and asked that even though it didn’t fit my skinny fingers, if I could still have the JOY ring to carry around my neck. I stopped in my tracks. Oh my gosh this is the second time God is putting the word joy around my neck.
If you have read my previous blogs, you read one that was titled The Girl with Red Shoes with Joy Around Her Neck. You can read that here: http://jamilyncummings.theworldrace.org/post/the-girl-in-the-red-shoes-with-joy-around-her-neck
In that blog, I had a giving key with the word JOY on it. The giving key program is about wearing a key with a word engraved in it that the Lord wants you to work on. Once you feel you have conquered that word and you have learned how to embody it, the next step is to give it to someone you feel the Lord wants to teach that word to also. My friend bought the JOY key for me at Training Camp and through God’s guidance, I ended up feeling very lead to give that key to my little brother who God showed me desperately needed His joy again. So he carries that with him.
Yet, here I am again with JOY around my neck. Funny how God does that. And although I did not pack my red shoes, I packed these:
If you know me you know I HATE the color pink. I do not own anything that color and try to avoid it as much as possible. It might just be the tomboy in me, but it’s true. Yet, somehow I bought these for my entire year. And these shoes will be the ones I wear most often, in ministry, in exercise, in travel. Are you loling? Cause I am. Here’s the thing that makes me okay with wearing these shoes all. year. long. This year will be about stepping into what God has for me, out of my comfort zone and out of my normal, probably doing things I don’t really want to do. Apparently that means wearing pink shoes almost every day.
So here I am. Leaving for Haiti tomorrow, wearing my pink shoes with the word JOY around my neck again, read to walk in the authority and power in the name of Jesus. Let’s go.
