At the beginning of the race we were given the opportunity to order a key, a key for the journey.
This key is made by a race alumni who prays over our names (those who order) and puts a prophetic word on the key and gives it to the racer at launch. When we were given the opportunity to order, I didn’t really understand what the key was really about so I didn’t order one.
Once we started the race, I saw how these prophetic words were shaping my squad mates and it was cool to see the words play into their lives. I started to regret quickly not getting a key.
So I ordered one.
One of our leaders brought it to our 1st month debrief at the beginning of Ecuador (month 2) and as I pulled it out of the pouch I read the word “CHOSEN”.
Month 1 in Colombia was full of me translating and being put in a place of vulnerability and discomfort in translating so my immediate thought was, ‘oh yeah, I’m chosen to translate, what other things is God going to choose me for?‘
Then as we worked in Ecuador at Dunamis, I was focused on figuring out what God was choosing me for. What were the gifts he’s given me that He wants me to use and step up in? How was I specifically chosen by Him and for His purpose? I thought, ‘I’m chosen to be a leader in choosing joy‘…which isn’t false, He definitely wants me to lead in that but I was working so hard to figure out what I was chosen for…almost wearing myself out.
Then Peru came…and I fell in love with sweet Carlos. Maybe I was chosen to work with special needs kids? Or adopt a special needs child? Those are definitely things I need to pray about and maybe that’s something I’m chosen to do…
But then one night, God spoke.
On one of our last nights with Tim and Holly we did communion with them. These 2 humans have so much love for us it is incredible and as we sat doing communion, just basking in the love and forgiveness of our Savior, Tim spoke up. He said something to the effect of
‘it hurts me to know some of you girls have been hurt by men in the past. That they have used you or hurt you in some way and then left you broken. But I want you to know that you are God’s. No matter how many men or people on this earth reject you, God will always choose you.‘
In that moment, God said,
‘you are CHOSEN by ME! I will always CHOOSE YOU.’
I lost it. Yeah, I might be chosen for ‘things’ in my life…to do certain things, to be certain things, to be called todo something…but 1st and foremost I am simply CHOSEN by my maker. Then a song played that states ‘chosen not forsaken’ and God hit me with it again.
‘YOU are CHOSEN by ME and ALWAYS will be!’
I didn’t have to figure anything out, I still don’t have to. All I need to do is sit in the fact that I am chosen by Him yesterday, today and forever and let Him lead my life. If that happens, then my moments of ‘this is what I’m chosen for’ will come without ever searching.
Thank you, Father for choosing me. For choosing me before I ever chose you, before I understood and while I was still striving and trying to do it all myself. I choose you every single day. I choose to allow you to lead my life into things that I’m chosen to do simply because I am CHOSEN by you. YES, YES, YES!
Amen.
