Well, i made it back in 1 piece!! Thank You Jesus! Haha
After living in 10 different nations & carrying my 45-50lb backpack everywhere, i am happy to be back in California, USA! I have been back for almost a week now, & have been spending my time reconnecting with my sister, mom, dad, grandparents, relatives & my friends. I have also been catching up on much needed rest & sleep & still battling with 15 hour difference jet lag from Malaysia! And serving in my community when i can. I have A LOT to filter through. Everything i have done & seen…all the peoples’ faces around the world who i have met & been apart of their lives…images of their faces flash through my head & heart. I am very grateful for every minute, hour, day, week or month that i got to be blessed by hearing their stories, learning from them, crying for them, praying for them & living life with them. ALL divine appointments from the LORD. All significant to me. Every one of them a gift, even if that encounter was brief. They forever changed my life. And i know their lives were changed by God’s love also.I have been able to share God’s love with the prostitutes in the Red Light District in Thailand, play with orphans from all over the world, do house visits in the most dangerous of slums, see God miraculously heal a mute man & a paralyzed woman in Malawi, see witch doctors give up their Satanic practices & follow Jesus, pray for people who were suicidal & see them have hope, feed & clothe the homeless, love the unloved/outcasts, preach to hundreds of prisoners, see my faith grow stronger than it ever has been, encourage/pray with/serve with brothers & sisters in Christ around the world & so much more!
Remember how i sold my car 2 months before i left for World Race? God provided me another car! He also provided me another tent (gave mine away in Philippines to a homeless family in Manila).This tent is going to be given away to a new World Racer who we met while living in Malawi, months #5 & 6.His name is Brian Cooke….please check out his blog site & support him any way you can! (prayer wise and/or financially..or just leaving encouraging verses/comments on his site. Check out his story!)
http://briancooke.theworldrace.org/
Since then he has placed his trust & faith in Jesus & just recently got accepted & will be leaving for his 11 month journey October 2011! God is so good & faithful to provide for His children! This July 1st-10th i’m flying out to Tennessee for World Race Training Camp, to help serve, pray for & encourage the new World Racers heading out & to share stories of what God has done this last year! Brian will be there & i am so excited for him! God has changed his life completely around & God has amazing plans for his life this coming year.
Speaking of FAITHFULNESS & PROVIDING……i want to give a huge THANK YOU to all of my amazing,generous supporters! For those of you who…..
*prayed for me once, monthly , weekly, or even daily…THANK YOU!
*sent me encouraging verses/words through Facebook,phone calls, blog comments, emails, etc..THANK YOU!
*helped me organize/ serve/contribute towards my fundraiser events….THANK YOU!
*if you donated any money amount towards my $14,300 (which was raised in LESS than 6 months…praise God!) or donated towards my personal expenses monthly/gear i had to purchase… whether it was a few dollars or a large amount…THANK YOU!!!
You all were just as much a part of my journey & building His Kingdom & changing lives! I want you to know that & THANK YOU for not only giving cheerfully your time, encouragement, & finances….but THANK YOU for BELIEVING IN ME! THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO LIVE OUT MY DREAMS….IT WAS THE BEST YEAR OF MY LIFE!!!
I FELT your prayers. Your prayers are what got me through. May the LORD continue to BLESS you abundantly for your giving, obedience & sacrifices. I know He has blessed me more than i can say with you & with the life changing experiences i have had these last 11 months in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Ireland, Romania, Malawi (2 months), Swaziland, Philippines, China, Thailand, & Malaysia.
What’s next? I’m praying where God wants me…..one option is applying to be a 6month intern/missionary (or longer) at the Dream Center in Los Angeles starting September.It is a non-profit org. I will let you know if i get accepted or not. I will need to raise funds for that before Sept. I am still praying about God’s direction/wisdom, but i feel strongly called to minister there with the homeless on Skid Row /prostitutes/gang members/juvenile hall-troubled youth/drug addicts/abuse victims/poor families & much more. I will probably get involved with prison ministry in LA also, when/if i move there. For now i will continue to write blogs on here but if i do create a new blog site ill keep you updated.
Some of the BIG yet SIMPLE lessons i learned these last 11 months:
*humility. (it’s not about me)
*Jesus Christ is passionately in love with me & everyone else on this earth & wants our whole heart, mind & soul.
*Discipline.
*faith like a child.
*TRUST.
*giving up CONTROL.
*perseverance.
*God has PERFECT timing.
*NOTHING is impossible with God!!!!!!! Luke 1:37
* I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil. 4:13
*the power of the unity of the Body of Christ
*abide in Him..don’t strive. Just BE who He created me to be.
*it’s NOT about religion, it’s about a relationship. This i knew in my head but didn’t always live it out or understand in my heart. Experienced MORE of what that looks like.
* living in community of believers can be the hardest ministry…but it’s just as important & love must be sincere.
*without LOVE i am nothing.
*there’s only one race=the human race. We all desire to encounter REAL love & be accepted & have purpose.
*FULL dependence on God.
*how much i am a SINNER in NEED of Jesus.
Here’s my new email: [email protected]
Although my World Race ended……my adventure with following Jesus has just begun..stay tunned! Thanks for investing in my life & the lives around me! I have been praying for each one of you also, so i am invested in yours! God bless you!
Love His Servant,
Michelle Smith
