As I sit in the Johannesburg airport waiting for our flight to Bucharest, Romania byway of Qatar, thoughts of leaving Africa swirl around in my head.
It's a little bittersweet ending our chapter in Africa and beginning our last stage of the race. Our three months in Africa (Tanzania, Malawi, and Swaziland) have flown by while seeming like an eternity! I've heard it said that this year on the race will be my FASTEST, SLOWEST year of my life – I absolutely agree with that statement.
There have highs and lows, good moments and not so good, things I want to remember and things I'd be okay forgetting. I've experienced three vastly different cultures while seeing a commonality between them.
It's crazy to think we will be surrounded by WHITE people everyday in Europe yet we will still continue to stand out like a sore thumb.
I'll be faced with new challenges, new obstacles, new cultures, new beliefs, new morals, new languages, the list could go on ….
One thing will be the same – MY GOD! He never leaves me or forsakes me. He has gone before me, he's with me and he stays behind.
He's been working and preparing the way for us for an eternity – he's been softening hearts (mine and others) for the work at lies ahead.
God I pray for your spirit to pour out over me and those I will meet this month. Give me new eyes to see things as you would have me see, show me where you are working and how I can partner with you to accomplish your purpose. Show me how I can best be used this month. Show me what season Europe is in. Give me new insights, wisdom, gifts, convictions, and boldness this month. Speak to me in new ways. Thank you for the gift of newness! Thank you that this next season is not contingent on the last 8 months. It doesn't matter what I have or haven't done – you can use me in mighty ways to shape eternity. I want to step up in new ways – grant me more boldness, more joy, more love to pour onto others, show me how to be more sacrificial and how to be more Christ-like. I want to allow the power of the Holy Spirit to enable me in mighty ways to do things I can't do in my own strength. I want to finish strong Lord!
"Only ask and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession!"
Psalm 2:8
