I’m sitting on the floor of my room. All that is left is my bed, boxes with my clothes and a few things, and my backpack for the Race. Sunday, 8/23, I move home to my parents house. And then in 15 days I leave for Launch. The Race just got real.
This house I’m sitting in has become my home and the people who once graced its halls, my family. This place has been my stability through my parents moving to Oregon, two crazy years of college, many 21st birthdays, raising GDB puppies, and so many other things.
Seeing all my furniture and other possessions sold off, making multiple Goodwill runs, and putting what is left into boxes that I know won’t be opened for at least a year has been humbling.
Deciding what is most important to you is humbling. Seeing all the STUFF that I have acquired and deciding what is actually important and what can be trashed or donated or sold puts my materialistic tendencies up for judgment.
I am currently reading Kingdom Journeys by the CEO of Adventures in Missions, Seth Barnes. I just read this passage that says:
When we abandon the things that give us comfort, God brings us to a brokenness, which allows us to unpack the baggage others have saddled on us. We begin to discover our true self. Brokenness finishes abandonment’s job; it strips away the false self. It allows God to transform us into a new creation.
This next year is God’s opportunity to take me way outside of my comfort zone and transform my life. And in two weeks the journey begins. What better way to prepare for this journey than to write myself a pre-race letter.
Dear Pre-Race Me,
Your life has been dwindled down to a backpack and a daypack. Your connection to comforts is being severed and you are leaving behind the culture you have grown up in for the past 21 years.
You’ve named your backpack Ted Too and he’s decked out in an indy patch you bought on Etsy and keychains purchased by your favorite people. You’ve woven as much comfort into the gear you chose to bring as possible, through a pillowcase made by your best friend, letters from your people, brightly colored everything, way more toiletries than you will ever probably need, Barbie band-aids from your holiday party and so many clothes your back is going to grow muscles it never had before.
You’ve freaked out and gotten way too excited. You’ve taken your gear on test runs and it even survived training camp. You’ve tasted the food and packed a bottle of seasoning salt. You’ve moved out of your home and into your parents guest room. You’ve said “see you laters” to friends and soon “see you laters” to family.
You are ready to go!
But guess what?
You packed too much.
You took too much technology.
You read too many blogs and watched too many videos.
Because no matter how prepared you think you are, you have no idea what is coming. You have no idea how this trip is going to change your life.
This trip is going to change your life.
I hope that this trip deepens your connection to Christ.
I hope that it opens your mind and your heart to the people and cultures you meet.
I hope that it ignites the fires of your passions.
I hope that it expands your taste buds.
I hope that it teaches you to be daring and bold.
I hope that you have great adventures.
I hope that you find family in your team.
I hope that you discover yourself through the eyes of Christ.
I don’t know who you will be come July 2016, but I can only imagine that God is going to shape and mold you to be exactly who He created you to be.
You’re ready! Go!
