The View.

Woah. 

This. is. finally. happening.

I am leaving in 5 days. just 5. only 5. 

The details:

On Tuesday September 4th I fly out of LAX at 8:15 am and land in Chicago O'Hare around 2:30pm. 
(I am arriving a day early for leadership training with other World Race team leaders & treasurers as I will be serving as Team Treasurer for my team: redeemIng D.U.S.T.)

On September 5th, the rest of the World Race crew arrives, meaning all the racers are coming to Chicago!! WOOT.
We will have a few days of preparation, debrief, and final goodbyes before we LAUNCH.

As is custom for Adventures in Missions, we aren't really given details.
One of their motto's is that a racer (me) must live with "NO expectations."
We just go in faith, trusting that all will be well because Jesus is the pilot of this. Chessy, I know, but true. 🙂

So, I don't know what day exactly I am flying to Africa. As soon as I do, I'll relay that via Facebook and Bon Voyage, I'm off. Secondly, I don't know what country I will be going to, either Botswana or Zimbabwee. 
Yes, I realize that maybe it is a bit crazy not knowing but that's part of the adventure, at least that's what I keep telling myself!  ; )

Here is my updated race route:


Zimbabwae/Botswana – Sept

When I have more details, and I am able to, I will inform all of you 🙂
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 A little "heart check":

It's baffling to me that this journey called the World Race really began over 2 years ago and soon the 11 month journey around the world will begin. I have a feeling I will experience the heights and depths of love, joy, pain, purification, and ultimately the mightiness of this God I so love. In these moments, I am trusting that over these past few years the Lord has been preparing me for this grand journey. Even still, I know I have so much filth in my own heart that will invetiably surface while I'm on the race, but in the process of being refined, what I am really looking foward to is growing closer to Him. Perhaps they go hand in hand… 🙂

This race feels like a giant feat, a huge mountain I am about to climb, and it's scary. Yet I am trusting that the climb will be worth the blood, sweat, and tears, though I'm sure at times on the race I will probably want to give up.

I must keep in mind the view. 

The view? you ask. Let me tell you a story…

At the beginning of this summer, back in May, I went up to the mountains here in California for a little cabin get away with some of my closest friends. Something like 8 girls all slept in a little bedroom, ( I feel like even then was training for the race), played games, watched movies and just enjoyed each other. Any who on one of the days, a group of us went on a hike and well it was hot and the hike felt a lot longer that it really was, and I remember peeing in the bushes because, well, that's nature's toliet. And I just remember not wanting to make the entire climb. I was tired, emotionally, physically, all around tired, but my friends kept saying they wanted to make it to the first marker and then we would head back down the mountain. So I put on my big girls panties, didn't complain, and hiked up.

I wanted to stop as we hit the switchbacks and I got scared when the path narrowed and slipping to your death became reality. But as we rose the heights, I was taken by the view. We crawled out on some rocks and soaked it all in.
It was stunning. The green trees were so majestic, they seemed to sprawl out everywhere and the mountains surrounded us. Everything- the majesty of His creation- seemed to be pointing upward as if they were singing and praising Him.

And now I feel as though I am being told,
"Remember the view."

It's wasn't an easy climb for me, neither will be this race. 
But I know looking back on it all,
it'll be worth it.

Remember the view.