Despite popular belief on the Race we are not usually fortunate to partake in the GTL routine. Like always though there is a ‘but’.
But, this month has been a little bit different than most. Starting for one, I’m surrounded by all men compared to always being outnumbered by females. As you can conclude this month has been the infamous “Man-Month.” Which is exactly how it sounds, the guys are on teams together and the girls are on teams together. So, this month I was on a team of 8 men.
We lived in a small, simple town called Gua Musang in Malaysia. While here we worked at an English Center teaching English and had the privilege of homeschooling our contacts kids. (Ages 5, 11, 12) Outside of being teachers we had the flexibility in our schedule to hang out as men together, go explore the city or lack thereof, go find caves in the mountains nearby, or go to the gym…yes I did say gym. I can say I was the proud member of a Malaysian gym next door to our “apartment”. Might of not been the nicest gym, but nonetheless it was a gym. So the biggest thing this month was the ability to develop a routine similar to home…I use the word similar loosely.
My GTL routine was as follows:
Gym:
Considering it was ‘Man-Month’ this was perfect timing. We were able to be men and hit the weights and get a good sweat in, in the already 90+ degree weather. This was something I really missed from my usual routine at home. With a gym next door it made it so simple and easy to be consistent.
Teach:
We were lucky enough to receive a schedule from our contact of when we taught or ‘worked’ which usually ranged from 11:00am to 7:30-10:00pm with usually afternoon breaks in the middle depending on when you worked each day. Not starting the day basically till 11:00am was a huge blessing for me due to me not really being a morning person which if you know me pretty well, you’ll understand. So the flexibility to either sleep in or start my morning off not rushed with some good God time was perfect and reenergizing.
Lounge:
This month was unique in the way we were able to just relax and hangout as men. This does not have very often; especially on a squad that is outnumber females to males 2:1. It reminded me of my college days, living in a house full of guys. It came at no better time, to be refreshed and just as iron sharps iron, we were able to pour into each other and encourage one another as brothers in Christ.
Although, my GTL routine may have been a little different than usual, it gave me a little taste of home. It has been a rejuvenating, relaxing, and adventurous month. Being able to have routine this month was a huge blessing and something you don’t realize until you don’t have it. God has been so good in giving what I need every single month no matter how different it may look each month.
Proverbs 27:17-As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another
