Before my race, I could not wait to be where I am now. Someone who had just traveled the world for nine months, gone on all these crazy adventures like flying over Mount Everest or going on an African safari, tried some really weird foods (like the chicken feet on my last day of ministry), someone who met amazing people, seen some crazy stuff, had the “adventure of a lifetime.” And now I’m here, on the other side of the nine months, and I’m completely changed, but I’m not changed by the program, I’m not changed by the world race, I’m not changed by traveling, or my crazy adventures, I’m changed by the only thing that could truly transform, and that’s Jesus.
The lord gave me a verse and a word for this season of the race while I was in India, (and actually has a crazy testimony attached to it about me getting accepted into college, but that’s a whole other story for another time), which is Romans 12:2 which says “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,” and the word that I got for this season was “renewal”.
Before I explain more, Im going to be honest for a sec, the world race Instagram page looks like the dream, the life anyone would be crazy not to want. It displays images of adventure, beautiful sceneries, and people who look like their having the time of their life. But here’s the tea sis, the race is NOT pretty, it’s not all smiles, it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. It’s hard. I know I just got real depressing, but it’s the real, raw truth and I wish I could get on here and say “the race is amazing! It’s so much fun! It is the best thing ever!” But I would be lying, and that’s not fair. It’s hard when one of your teammates snaps at you, it’s hard getting a kidney stone in nepal, its hard doing a ministry that you don’t like, it’s hard to say goodbye to everything familiar, it’s hard seeing the brokenness and sorrow of this world, it’s hard seeing a man be oppressed by a demon or a woman who has 3 beautiful children have cancer. It’s. Hard. But man, did the lord use it to renew me.
So, here I am. Nine months and 4 countries later. I did the thing. And yes, was it hard, but it was the most transforming thing I have ever done. In the hardship, I could’ve turned and conformed to “things of this world” like movies, food, people (and for others it’s alcohol, drugs, sex), but instead I walked through the fire and turned to Jesus. I cried out to him, and he answered me every. single. time. When I let Jesus in, when I let him cut out things that don’t belong, when I relied on him, I was transformed.
Through this incredible journey, the Lord showed me SO much, and I wish I could put it all in one blog, but it would turn into a book, but I’m going to try my hardest. Before my race, I claimed to know the Lord, but I had no clue that being a true follower of Jesus was more than going to church once a week. The Lord showed me that he desires to know us intimately, he wants so much more than just a 5 minute prayer at the end of our day. He wants our ENTIRE HEARTS. Before my race, I was the God of my life. I was afraid in all honesty, because being a true follower meant that I have to give up what I want, I no longer make the plans for my life. I knew that if I wanted to be a true follower of Jesus, I had to pick up my cross daily and die to myself. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound pretty to me. I was afraid because that meant I no longer get to be comfortable. But, once I gave Jesus my entire heart, not just half, once I said I’m committing my entire life to you, once I died to myself, that’s when I experienced true life. And man if it took God taking me around the world to find true life, then it was SO worth it. Once I found Jesus, I got FREEDOM! I got freedom from the chains this world had put on me. I let go of shame from my past, I let go of pride, I let go of bitterness, I let go of sadness. And I finally realized that he is the only one who gives me joy and true satisfaction.
Before I even started this thing, I thought I’d go home perfect. I thought I’d go home having all the answers, that I would be an amazing Christian, that I would have it all together, I kind of felt this pressure that I’d put on myself to prove something. But if these last 9 months have shown me anything, it’s that I am SO far from having it all together. And thank God that I never will, because it means that I need him desperately, and wow is that humbling. Yes, I did it, I traveled for 9 months, and I experienced some incredible things that I will cherish for the rest of my life, but I’m still a human being. Thank the Lord that he is God, and I am not, and he gets all the glory for the last nine months. He did amazing things, one of them being moving mountains in my heart. And yes, the 9 months are coming to a close, but Gods not done working on me yet. And praise him that this isn’t the peak of my life or the best thing that will ever happen to me, that he has even better things in the season to come.
So, if your reading this, and you want to be changed too, you don’t need to do the race, you don’t need to go to another country, you don’t even need to leave your front door. All you have to do is invite Jesus in. Invite him into your heart, the places that are scary and hurt, the places that need to be healed, seek him first, put him at the center of your life, spend time in his presence, and I promise you, you will walk out renewed, changed, and you will expirence true life that doesn’t fade, more life than an Instagram page portrays.
Thank you all, for your constant support, prayers, and love. I’m forever grateful that YOU helped me on this really hard but amazing journey. You partnered with what God is doing to move mountains in nations, and he is so grateful for how you’ve supported me. I love you all, and I can’t wait to see you in 4 days!!!!
Love,
Mak
