With 2 weeks before launch, I decided to spend the week in Georgia at the AIM home office serving Z squad and A squad who just returned to the states at the beginning of this month. Not only was I looking forward to spending time with some of my L squad family but I was really looking forward to the opportunity to spend the week with these amazing people who just returned and getting insight, and advice from them. Over dinner the first night I couldn't wait to start asking questions.
"So how was your experience on the race?!?!" I asked maybe a little TOO excitedly.
We finished dinner almost in silence. We cleaned the kitchen in silence, drove to our home for the week in silence. We came inside spoke briefly to Mr. Goode (our host family) and grabbed our books and Bibles and headed to the dock. It was PROCESSING TIME.
After about an hour or so we started talking and processing together, and all 3 of us had a mental/emotional/spiritual breakdown. After so many months of planning how could we be so naive and overlook some pretty obvious situations? Now don't get the wrong idea, the question was not met with all negative responses. It was just as much the positive responses that left us speechless.
As I watched the sunset tonight I was still processing everything from yesterday, and even conversations from today. God showed up out in the middle of the lake and spoke to me. Just like I wanted to get insight NOW on things I would face in the future from alumni racers, I often times look to God and want Him to give me the plans for the next few months, or even the next year. And I am not ready for what He has in store. There is no way my mind can even begin to comprehend what lies around the next corner. God shows me what I need to know for today and at the end of the day that is ENOUGH.
Do I regret asking the questions I've asked? No. I fully believe God will use the answers and the emotions I've experienced for those answers to prepare me and my team for what we will face over the next year. I have to be willing to let Him though.
Will I continue asking questions over the next few days? Most definitely. Today I received the greatest advice I have received since beginning on this journey. When asked what one piece of advice you would give a racer just beginning the journey, the alumni answered….CHOOSE JOY! Only I can choose what kind of day it will be, no matter what the day throws at me, only I can choose to be happy and rejoice in it or choose to have a bad attitude.
I CHOOSE JOY!!
I leave in 2 weeks!!! As exciting as that is, reality hasn't really hit yet. I guess it will when I say goodbye at the airport, or maybe when I start looking for my cell phone in Chicago, or maybe not until I get to Guatemala.
I am still praying for about 30 people to give $100 towards my trip. This can either be a 1 time gift or can be broken up into 5 months with $20 a month. Please pray about answering God's call to "go" with me through you support. And then click the SUPPORT ME link on the left side of this blog!!
