On the World Race, AIM has a thing we call feedback, which is when we call one another up into greatness for the Kingdom. This is something we do in teams and on the squad with one another. It is ways that God speaks to us about how we can be greater for His Kingdom. I have had to learn the difference in feedback from the Lord and having personal issues with teammates. Feedback is something I came into the Race so excited about and to see God make me better through teammates. There are two kinds of feedback: positive which is encouraging one another and constructive which we challenge one another for the betterment of ourselves for the Glory of God and the Kingdom. I am always ready and want to receive them both to make myself more in the image of Christ. Something that was shared with me at training camp from my beautiful coach, Selena Day, was that this year is about becoming more in the image of Christ and less of ourselves. This hit me hard and is something I have taken on as a personal challenge to do for myself this year.
My team leader Emily challenged each of you to seek the Lord for both positive and constructive for us from the Lord. So the next morning the Lord woke me up early at 6am to spend time with Him and receive words from Him. As I sat listening to the Lord He gave me both: positive, the steps of faith I am taking and the growth I have chosen on the World Race, and constructive: that there are 3 more months on the World Race and how much more God has to do in me. He is NEVER being done pruning me. Then I dove into His Word where I have been studying Job this month and learning about the challenges God put on Job. I have loved seeing how Job responds with truth and words that are from his heart. Reading chapter 35 this morning the Lord revealed something HUGE to me in the last verse.
“Job opens his month in empty talk; he multiples words without knowledge”
Job 35:16
By this verse I had written ‘me!’ and I’m not sure when I read this verse or underlined it but that my words have been empty a lot of my life. But in month 4, South Africa round 1, God showed me so much about how He wants to use my words for the Kingdom and this can only be done through thinking before I open my month. Since then I have made such an effort to pray into my words and ask God to use my tongue for the glorification of His Kingdom and Name. I have been both challenged and encouraged from my team in my efforts in this part of my life. My first response when I read this was how much fruit I have seen in 4 months and that I still have plenty of prunings to be done with my tongue. I continue to challenge myself daily in only using words that encourage, build up, and lift others up. The Lord continues to reveal and show me how I can reflect the love of Christ better with my words. Truly understanding how my words reflect the love of Christ in me, they are easily the most powerful vessel I have control of in my life.
This is feedback that I received from the Lord and ways that He has shown personal growth in myself. I praise His name for all He is doing, has done, and continues to do in my daily! The World Race has been such a wonderful time to improve my walk with Christ and learn more about Him. My words are the biggest way the Lord has shown me ways of improvement for the Kingdom. Allowing my words to be used for His glory is a continual challenge and learning curve, but I love becoming more in the image of Christ.
