365 days ago I was in Tennessee at Training Camp with 42 strangers about to launch on a journey that would change my life.
….I had no idea….
Now that I'm on month 11 of the race, it's easy to reflect on the last 11 months and replay all the changes that's happened back home, changes within me, changes with family members, everywhere.
It can be so slow that you don't know that your life is better or worse until it is,
or it can just blow you away
and make you someting better in an instant…" – Life as a House
I can't sit down and verbally list all the ways that this year has changed me, it's impossible, but nonetheless, change has happened. Truth has been spoken over me more ways then I can describe and it's taken me a year to be sculpted into a better version of the women of God that I was made to be. There have been tears, laughter, breakdowns, questions, soul searching, and more trusting than I've ever faced before.
When I go home in 25 days people will be married who weren't 11 months ago, friends will have had babies, are now engaged, divorced, people will have moved to various towns or different countries even…How do I sit down and try to tell a person what's happened in my life the past 11 months? Would you be able to replay the last 11 months if I asked you?
I'm going to try my best to give a short, minimal, brief glimpse into some of the change God did in my heart that month.
MONTH 1: PHILIPPINES – the beginning!!
Month 1 I had no idea what was going down.
I was still fresh out of the states, my clothes
were still whole and I wasn't homesick at all.
looking for anyone who spoke English, it was all God. We didn't speak the language, couldn't read anything, new nothing about the culture, and had no access to internet.
podcasts and studying the bible. This was by far the "worst" month of my entire race, yet the lessons we learned this month made it worth it.
the beginning of my love for Africa
I had no idea what to expect when I got to Africa. South Africa is very westernized and not at all what I had in mind, but it is easily the most beautiful country I've ever been to. We were fortunate enough to get a tour of most of the coast line.
Mini debrief in Noordhook, South Africa!!! <3
Good bye Team SOLID, Hello Team 220
MONTH 4: MOZAMBIQUE
letting go
Our contacts were amazing this month and let us have so much freedom in ministry.
easy way out
(my sister in Christ Zandile, since then she's gone to be with God, I cannot wait for our reunion)
MONTH 6: ROMANIA
community & laughter
Transitioning from the heat of Africa into the freezing blizzards of Europe was awful. However, because Romania had just had the worst snowfall they'd seen in 10 years, we were left with a lot of community bonding time. I learned to laugh again this month. Halfway through the race, freezing, and homesick God knew I would need laughter this month to get me through.
breakdown in Serbia. I was
over it and ready for an out. I
had to confront a lot of pent
up confusion and
homesickness and getting to
the root of stuff is insanely
difficult for me. But my
teammates stood alongside
of me and pushed me
through. (I love them!)
a glimpse of home
Kids malnurished, teens contemplating suicide, elders uncomfortable in their own skin.
I had the opportunity to truly be God's hands and feet this month and love on his children on earth.
