Month 11 of the World Race has the potential to be rough. Not only are we trying to finish the race strong, but we are trying to figure out where God wants us once we are back in America.
Normally, I (Emily) would be freaking out more than I am. Probably because I have some experience trusting God and following the peace that he gives me when he has the plans prepared before me.
Most of you know that for nearly a year before we even applied for The World Race, I really did NOT WANT TO DO THIS. Jamos felt the call. I felt the need to get mad and make up a million other plans for our lives so that we did not have to go around the world – to scary places- with 50 other people on The World Race.
What was keeping me from saying yes? Fear.
Fear of selling most of our stuff. Fear of raising $32,000. Fear of quitting our fabulous jobs that had health insurance and a 401K. Fear of not having a strong enough faith to be a missionary. Fear of getting sick. Fear of bugs. Fear of germs. Fear of entering 3rd world countries and getting harassed and my bags stolen. Fear of living in such close community with people. Fear of allowing teammates to be a part of my marriage. Fear of a family tragedy happening while we were gone. Fear of sleeping on the floor. Fear of eating strange food. Fear of going to the bathroom in a LONG DROP toilet….
Come on! Where does fear come from?
Fear does NOT come from the Lord.
I prayed that God would change my heart and that he would give me PEACE as we entered this phase of our life. Guess what? God did– I said YES and now we are finishing up the most incredible journey we have ever been on.
I wish I could really communicate to you how the things I feared MOST on the race, were just lies from the devil. The reality of MOST situations that I experienced on the race were memory makers and had joy wrapped so tightly around them.
Each of those fears now has a reality marked over it. Let me show you just SOME examples:
Fear of selling most of our stuff. I wouldn’t mind selling more of it when we get back. I lived out of a backpack for a year. To live, you don’t need much stuff at all.
Fear of raising $32,000. We were able to raise $33,000!
Fear of quitting our fabulous jobs that had health insurance and a 401K. Serving around the WORLD was my job. I got to love babies, clean toilets, teach English, read books, pray healing, see healing happen, dance with African women in Mozambique, celebrate birthdays with men at drug rehab in Ecuador, serve youth in Bolivia, knock on people’s doors in Peru and tell them about Jesus in Spanish, drink coffee with college students in Albania, dig in the dirt all day in Romania, pull weeds in South Africa, fall in love with Jacob in Swaziland, befriend a lady boy in Thailand, and teach English in Cambodia. I’d say this was a pretty fantastic job for a year. You can’t put a price tag on that- even in my 401K.
Fear of not having a strong enough faith to be a missionary. God equips those he calls. I would not say I am anything special, except that I said YES to him.
Fear of getting sick. I got sick. I threw up in Peru. I had a fever in Ecuador. I had a cold in Cambodia. I had diarrhea at least a few times a month in each country. I just finished my deworming medication. I take Malaria medication almost every month. It is a part of life on the race and makes really good stories.
Fear of bugs. Just yell out to a teammate and they will come smack it with your shoe. You also learn what spiders/lizards eat the mosquitoes and then those bugs become your friends. Just yesterday I opened the door to our squatty potty and thought a piece of paper fell from the ceiling. When I looked down a chameleon jumped on me and was clinging to my LEG! And, if you find bugs in your food, just pick it out and keep on eating!
Fear of germs. When you see all the running noses of the kids at an orphanage- you all of a sudden no longer see germs- but those sweet eyes and smiles that just want to snuggle so close to you. It doesn’t matter if they cough on you or wipe their snot on you. You love them.
Fear of entering 3rd world countries and getting harassed and my bags stolen. Ah, just look each person in the eye and be smart about your stuff.
Fear of living in such close community with people. It is one of my favorite parts of this race! I love having 6 other people around me ALL THE TIME. It took some getting used to- but living life in community is fantastic. Being real with people- iron sharpens iron right?
Fear of allowing teammates to be a part of my marriage. If you did not realize it- Jamos and I are in our 4th year of marriage and we surely do NOT have everything figured out. We still have disagreements as well as fits of laughter and romance while on this race. While we have had to open our marriage to 5 other teammates and an entire squad of people, they have shown us nothing but respect and honor in our marriage. They speak life over us and encourage us SO much. They see the life and love in our marriage even in the moments of frustration. Our marriage has been blessed by this experience.
Fear of a family tragedy happening while we were gone. I struggled with this. I was so afraid of something happening while we were gone, it almost kept me from going. I had to give this to God and I pray constantly for my family. I also love reading
Psalm 112:7 “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”
Fear of sleeping on the floor. I am sitting on my sleeping mat right now- on a concrete floor with concrete walls all around. It doesn’t really matter where I lay my mat, I will sleep on it.
Fear of eating strange food. I think the craziest food I ate on the race was Guinea Pig in Peru. And, I survived. Most of the time, I will eat what I am given- but I may pick out the chunks of meat and eat more of the rice…
Fear of going to the bathroom in a LONG DROP toilet….I actually enjoy the experience that Turkish toilets/squatty potties can bring. It spices up the mundane bathroom experience. Though, if in the midst of monthly diarrhea, I would love a normal toilet.
Although we have no firm plans in this moment, Jamos and I know God has some good things up his sleeves for our lives. Jobs that will ignite the passions that are within us, a career that will allow us to enter this next season of life in America with joy.
Pray with us as we enter this new phase.
Pray that the lies of FEAR satan tries to put on our hearts will be stomped out by the creator of LIFE.
A sweet little girl in Cambodia
Photo my Allison: Our W squad sign we carried around the globe!
Riding moto's in SE Asia
My Squad: a group of AMAZING friends!!
