We arrived in Zambia on May 31st.
This was also the day we went into month 6 of the World Race.
It’s truly unbelievable how fast it feels this is going by.
Today is day 157 so we are just shy of being half way through the race.
Being half way finished with an almost year long mission trip is a very strange feeling. Some days are so long but the months go by in a flash.
It’s easy to start letting my mind think about home and what’s next.
- Will I still work in missions after the race?
- Should I think about going back to my job at Discover?
- Maybe I should think about going back to school.
- Should I consider working with Adventures in Missions?…maybe Squad leading or something else?
- What about my personal future…when am I going to get married and start a family?
- What the heck do you want for my life God?
These are questions that I think about. Sometimes I wish I didn’t and could stay fully present on the race, but it is hard.
And with the uncertainty of life after the race, I find myself in a slump. I think just about every Racer will tell you they hit the “mid-race blues” around month 5/6.
The way my Squad leader put it made so much sense to me:
“The World Race has started to lose it’s sparkle.”
It isn’t quite as glitzy or crazy anymore.
Travel days are long and tiring, but it’s normal.
Being on a bus 5-10 hours longer than planned is pretty average.
Third world poverty has become fairly typical.
Walking through piles of garbage to get to the village, it’s just another day.
Children begging for food or money, seen it before.
Bucket showers, psh, no biggie.
Squatty potties, time to work them quads.
Rice and beans for the 20th day in a row, sweet.
Teaching “Father Abraham” to a herd of African children, been there.
Sharing my testimony to a church via translator, done that.
Preaching a sermon to large congregation, I got this.
Life on the race has become normal. Most of us have adjusted to things like I’ve mentioned above.
But God did not call us to a life of being average.
I did not come on this journey to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I came so that God would teach me that discomfort means growth.
And yes, I have grown, I have been uncomfortable, I have probably changed more in the last 6 months than in my entire life.
But it that enough? Is that all Christ has called us to?
Here’s how I imagine that conversation going:
Kate: “Alright God, I think I’ve made enough progress for the next 6 months, heck maybe even the next year.”
God: “Ummm, whatttt?”
Kate: “Yeah, I have grown a lot, look at me. I’m definitely not the same person that left America 6 months ago.”
God: “Yes, true. But there’s still MORE.”
Kate: “What? More? Isn’t this all? I feel like I’ve learned enough. I’m changed. Isn’t that what you wanted for me?”
God: “Kate, I have so much more for you. You are a part of a holy priesthood…a chosen generation. There is more than this.”
Kate: **crickets**
So I have asked myself this question (and I ask you as well):
Have I maximized the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
If not, and I do nothing about it, then I am minimizing His death and resurrection.
Jesus died so that we could live, and live abundantly. Not so that we could get comfortable with our with discomfort.
I am calling myself out.
I want MORE. I want to be crazy bold. I want to live everyday on fire for Christ.
I am going to maximize His death and resurrection. Daily.
“…I came that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
JOHN 10:10
