I am in the Dominican Republic. With my teammates, my squad, my hosts. I’m with my family.
The world race has been a lot of things in just 21 days, but one of my favorite things it has been is a place full of friendship.
Psalm 36:5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.
Days of ministry, rest, and adventure have gone by, and so much has happened. I have experienced waves of homesickness and tiredness at the thought of how long this journey will be. But what I really want to tell you about right now is the deep oceans of gladness and the rushing peace that never fails to meet me. I want to tell you about a few people and the ways they have brought this joy into my life.
Alyssa McGrail, my soul sister. This lady has a mind and heart filled with wisdom and power and love all from the Lord. My squad was outrageously blessed by our hosts and we were brought to a quiet beach that looked and felt like a dream. We sprinted from the sand into the water and cartwheeled into the waves, just so we could say we cartwheeled into the Caribbean.
Kara K, a true friend. Her excitement to pursue friendship with me shows me what grace and love look like when they come from the Father. One thing I love about her is her constant willingness to make memories. From snorkeling around a small sand bar in the middle of the ocean, to showering under a waterfall in the jungle, to walking down the beach with pineapples in hand, our memories are some of my favorite treasures.
Kara M, someone I could share anything with. We had been talking one morning about what our best day would be. As we talked about how to make our best days happen, and we decided a “best day bucket list” would be the best plan. One of our items on the list was a bonfire at night. Well, God is good, and chose to bless us with a bonfire that very night.
Paige, absolutely the most beautiful and inspiring human. She is honest, vibrant, and vulnerable. She is so trustworthy. Paige is constantly asking me to tell her stories and fun facts about myself, but my favorite thing is hearing all about her. She remembers the things in life that are filled with joy and laughter and she loves to share that with everyone. We ran to the playground, made soap together, and walked to the corner store to buy treats.
God is a God of great delight. He delights in truth. The truth, the promise, is that if you delight yourself in the Lord, HE will give you the desires of your heart. 21 days ago, when I really left home for the first time ever, I chose not to have full hope in how good, generous, and kind God is. I had incredible fear that this season of life would be void of friendships, of deep, joy-filled laughter, and of beautiful memories made with people I will never forget. All I had was a mustard seed (and maybe not even that) of faith that the beauty and growth that might come from this trip would be worth paying such a price. Stepping out into an unknown that seems dark, cold, and lacking in joy is always frightening. But all I can do is look around me and be amazed. I am surrounded by faces that radiate with joy and with worship for Jesus. He is overwhelming my heart with delight. I have told Him my desire for friendships and He has given me more than I could have ever asked for or imagined.
Isaiah 61:10-11 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress and a bride adorns herself with jewels. For the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.
