This is my first blog from the States since I first set off on the Race 11 months ago. It’s weird to be back in America not so much because of the culture shock or anything, but more so with the reality of the Race being over. The last week and a half has just flown by and the Race has come to an abrupt end. I feel like I’ve just been kicked out of the house and now have to find something else. It’s exciting to be back home and to take what I’ve learned and grown in this past year and integrate into the next stage of my life, but that time has come a lot sooner than expected.
My Race finished with a 3-month stint in Southeast Asia: Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia. I’ve never had a great desire to go to Asia and this leg of the Race was the one I was looking the least forward to. Not that I would have ever refused a trip to Asia, but there were many other places/parts of the world that I’d rather travel to. But ironically, Southeast Asia was my favorite!! The people, the culture, the food, the language, the atmosphere, everything about it I loved and now I long to come back at some point.
I remember back in Swaziland, right before we headed out to Asia, my friend told me he kept hearing the word Asia when he thought of me. He wasn’t sure if it meant I’d be called to Asia or if I’d find my calling during my time in Asia, but he encouraged me to really be open for what God had for me in the final stretch. As I look back on my experience in Asia, it’s cool to see how spot on his word was.
If you’ve been keeping up with my blogs at all, you’ll know Thailand was a country that I fell in love with and hope to come back to in the near future. Cambodia was also a place I enjoyed tremendously and Malaysia although didn’t match up to the other two, is a country I could see myself coming back to. I met many amazing people during those months, many of which I hope to continuously keep in contact with.
As the Race ends, I want to remind myself yet again what God has shown and taught me. I don’t want the Race to be a unique experience that stays in 2013. I want it to cross over and continue to push me deeper and deeper into the Lord. Here are some highlights the last 3 months.
Thailand:
· God’s given me passions for fighting sex-trafficking
o Want to be used to bring God’s Kingdom into this injustice
o Few things break my heart more
· God’s given me a heart for Thailand
o Fell in love with the kids we worked with
o Hope to intern with Remember Nhu in the future
Cambodia:
· God’s given me a spirit of boldness
o Should be unashamed in sharing the gospel
o Have a fear for God and not for man
· Walking in the power and authority of the Spirit
o Continuing to exercise my spiritual giftings
Malaysia:
· The gospel is something that’s lived out
o Actions speak louder than words
o Building relationships is important
· Dream BIG!
o Don’t put limits on God
o God has placed desires and passions in me
o God has big plans for my life
Southeast Asia was the perfect way to end the Race. God revealed to me a part of the world that I have a heart for and showed me ministries I was passionate about which were things I was hoping to figure out when I first set off on the Race. I have hopes and dreams and ideas of what the future may hold, but I pray that none of them will distract me from the most important thing in life: a relationship with God. I pray my life will always revolve around that.
