“His design for your life pulls together every thread of your existence into a magnificent work of art.” Ravi Zacharias
Last month in Malawi we had a film crew come visit us. They were getting footage to put together a new World Race promo. For the few days they were with us I couldn’t help but imagine what the video will look like. Rightly so, I think it will include the grand moments. The moments we prayed over people in villages. It will include the beautiful lake that was our view for the month. It will probably include footage of worship. The other countries they shot in will hopefully showcase the beauty of the country and uniqueness of the culture. There will be inspiring words spoken by my squad mates. The video should and hopefully will be inspiring. In my head it will show the race as romantic and adventurous.
And I love that, I can’t wait to see what they put together. But while I wonder about what the video will be like I started to think about what’s it’s actually been like.
It’s been exciting and romantic. It’s been an adventure. It’s also been difficult. Team leading isn’t really what I thought it would be. There have been moments when I feel more alone than ever. It shouldn’t be that way in community but sometimes it is. It’s only month three but I’m already growing weary of the goodbyes at the end of the month. I feel like I’m fighting with the calendar. Every day closer to another goodbye makes my stomach hurt.
As amazing as it is to play with children and pray over the sick, sometimes those children only stay long enough for me to say no when they hold their hand out for money. Sometimes the sick don’t get healed.
The thing is, there are a million moments that the cameras missed. And for me, the small ones count.
The ones that count are the early mornings drinking instant coffee. Long travel days, sleeping on the floor with 45 of my squad mates. Laughing with my team while we cook dinner. Sleeping in a library this month and waking up with books all around me. The moments that at first glance don’t look grand at all.
It’s the moments that maybe aren’t picture worthy. The time I walked away from the orphan who was still an orphan after I left her. Or when I watched my teammate drive away on a bus to leave the race.
I love the way Ravi Zacharias paints the picture of our lives. He talks about how a weaver threads together all of the colors to make a grand tapestry. He talks about how each thread counts. The bright and exciting colors maybe wouldn’t look so bright if there weren’t the darker ones in there too. Before the threads are weaved in place sometimes it’s hard to see the point because when you look at a single thread you think it doesn’t matter or it’s too small to count.
But they do. The small ones count. The threads that seem like they’re the wrong color are important too.
“Let God hold the threads so that you will someday see the beauty and the marvel he had in mind when he created you.” Ravi Zacharias
I love this. I love counting joy in the small things. Noticing the flashes of glory that the Lord sends.
I hope as you read my stories you’re able to get a taste of what the World Race is all about. It’s about God and love and the crazy momentous moments. It’s also about the small moments. To continue on, I have $2,000 to raise by April 1st. I ask that you consider donating, that you too could be a part of this story the God of creation is weaving together.
