Hello hello!
Greetings from Luang Prabang, Laos! Our team made it here on Wednesday after almost a full 24 hours of bus rides – it was quite the experience. We left Chiang Mai, Thailand on Tuesday morning at 8AM and arrived at the Thailand-Laos border around 2PM that same afternoon. Once we navigated Thailand immigration (a few of my teammates got stopped because they didn’t have all the departure paperwork they needed) and hopped on a bus across the border/river through “no man’s land”, we entered into Laos about an hour after we arrived. We then waited for our next bus at 6PM which would take us to our final destination for the month – Luang Prabang.
Luang Prabang is a city located in the north central part of Laos (if Laos is shaped like a coconut tree, we are a coconut on the tree…) and is a popular destination for tourists (there’s a lot of historical and natural sights). From the border, it took us over 15 hours by bus to reach the city – and oh the memories made on that ride! We had broken seats, squished legs, shattered windows covered by tar, at least three local passengers vomiting violently onto the floor and then the bus broke down sometime during the night (there are unconfirmed claims of smoke billowing out from under the bus) – all a part of the VIP experience! But we made it here safely as did my bag – and that’s really all any World Racer (or traveler in general) can ask for!
I’m currently working on my Nepal recap blogs – but in the meantime, I just wanted to share a song with you. It’s called “Greater” and it’s performed by MercyMe. During my month in Nepal, I finally found true freedom in Christ (and I’ll be dedicating an entire blog to the subject) – freedom to be me, to be exactly who He created me to be (though I’m still trying to figure out exactly who that is); freedom to walk the path He has laid before me; freedom to wake up every day and say “Father, what do You have for me today?” and “Lord, give me the strength to say ‘yes’ to anything You place in front of me, anything You ask me to do.” I’ve always enjoyed the beat of the song – but when I listen the lyrics now, after all the things I’ve already experienced on the Race (mostly community) – it speaks to me even more.
There’ll be days I lose the battle (like speaking out of anger to one of my teammates)
Grace says that it doesn’t matter (because with His guidance, I can CHOOSE differently next time)
‘Cause the cross already won the war
He’s Greater
He’s Greater
I am learning to run freely (not chained down and enslaved by my shortcomings)
Understanding just how He sees me (as a blessed daughter of the King)
And it makes me love Him more and more
He’s Greater
He’s Greater
I’m grateful for everything that He is teaching me in this time on the Race – and I look forward to sharing that with you. I’d like to leave you today with a challenge – in all things, no matter what the circumstances, choose joy. There will be days that you will lose that battle – and when it happens, call it out in yourself and correct it. I can’t tell you how many times in a day I choose to do this – and how often I have to go back to my teammates and apologize for my poor choice in attitude. But I can tell you how much of a difference it has made in my community. And it’s worth it.
Until next time!
For His glory,
Nat
