Today we were escorted by our hosts around Cape Town. We saw Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for many years. We drove around Table Mountain, one of the great wonders of the world. We visited a vintage craft market to see and buy beautiful African art, jewelry, and clothing pieces from local artists. We gazed in amazement at a spectacular sunset over Sunset Beach. All in all, We experienced a wonderful day of great company and sight seeing in beautiful South Africa, and as we drive back home I stare thoughtfully out the window with my headphones in and reminisce on what my world has consisted of the last 11 months.
I realize that less than a month ago I was walking from door to door in the remote village of Ranaka, Botswana asking strangers if they’d let me sit with them to talk about Jesus. Less than a month ago I witnessed young African missionaries being commissioned into their calling and partnered with them to minister and worship at public school assemblies. Right before that I spent a month working with babies at an orphanage, husking corn, building chicken coops, and mentoring 9-13 year old girls at El Shaddai Orphanage in Swaziland. Months prior consisted of bar ministry with prostitutes and sex trafficked victims in Thailand, hosting Vacation Bible School in Nicaragua, spending hours crossing through multiple rivers and climbing steep hills on foot to reach the unreachable in Nepal, and scouting the country of Malaysia to find people and organizations who need laborers and partners in Christ. And now, I’m working with a family who has spent almost 40 years dedicated to feeding and serving their community from their own living room, garage, and driveway, even when it means that they themselves will go unserved or unfed.
Over the past year I’ve seen and done things that I never even dreamed were possible for my reality. I’ve pushed myself beyond my limits emotionally, spiritually, and physically and experienced the amazingness of God’s grace empowering me to do His will with His strength, after I’d used up all of my own. Now, I sit and reflect on the many times that I’ve wanted to quit, the times that I doubted that I was even worthy enough to serve God the way that I desperately desired, and the moments when I woke up, looked at my environment and wondered how is it even possible for me to be here. I am filled with wonder at the beauty of my Savior and King when I think of how I was once this weak and selfish human being who abused God’s daily mercies, someone who felt like they knew what was best for them and didn’t need or want the help of a “community”; but now, a heart transformed person, willing to sacrifice everything for the next opportunity to share His truth with others. And I get that opportunity … every day!
I once had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t in the middle of a dream, but after almost 11 months of this life, having the amazing opportunity to share God’s truth around the world, it’s become normal to me. While it’s a lifestyle that I’ve been fortunate and willing enough to partake in, I’m saddened by the fact that many will never open themselves up to it. I realize that the laborers are indeed few and convince myself that this is not normal. If it isn’t normal, then what is it? WHAT is this life that I’m living? It’s Life! This is life! It’s life that I’M LIVING! It’s the abundant, spirit-filled, Christ inspired, crazy, radical life that God created me, created US, to live.
So why is it so abnormal? Because most of the world never tap into the extraordinary story that God has written for them. They sit on the sidelines and read the stories of others, all the while secretly wishing they could be the super hero in a story of their own. I’m sure some of you have even read my blogs or glanced through my Instagram photos thinking how cool The World Race is and convinced yourself that you could never do something like that. I’m sure of it because I’ve done it as well. I read of the bible heroes and look at the lives of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Jr and Mother Teresa (some of my greatest inspirations) and say ‘Man, they lived great stories. If only I could …’
Finally, I decided to change my “if only” into a “when I do”. I now understand that the people I’m amazed by and aspire to emulate are no different than you or I. They dared to dream and believed that their crazy, fairy tale dream could actually happen. They dared to live a story worth telling, so now I am doing the same. As much as I’ve been inspired by others, I don’t want to be them or do exactly what they’ve done. I have my own dreams, most of which involve me doing more than what’s already been accomplished by others. Isn’t that what life in Christ should be about anyway? A life of MORE! Isn’t that what God promised? I should neither be intimidated by my dreams nor shocked by my reality. This is my life. I may have to pinch myself from time to time, but yes, this is my life. Regardless of who I once was or where I’ve come from, this is my story; and with God’s help, I’m going to make sure it’s a story worth telling.
