Tomorrow I leave for Chiang Mai, Thailand!!! Now I know I left you all on Wednesday so you're probably wondering how I am still in country, but I have been in Atlanta, Georgia at launch. Launch has been an opportunity for the World Race staff to give us more opportunities to grow and learn about all things that we will come into contact with through the these upcoming 11 months.
Launch has been, well, overwhelming.
Overwhelming in the sense that I said farewell to everyone and everything that I love and know, and jump into my new everyone and everything for the next 11 months. At the airport as I was leaving and my mom and I were both crying, my mom said she was not saying 'goodbye', she was saying 'I love you until I see you again'. This is so true. The few weeks after graduation and before flying to Atlanta for launch, God provided SO MUCH LOVE in the form of people, events and simply weather. I got to have some of my most beautiful quality time with some of the most precious people in the world to me. It was an incredible blessing to accomplish so bountifully all the things I had wanted to do before I left for this adventure of a lifetime. I would love prayer for grace and peace in letting go of these relationships to an extent for this next season of my life and to find balance in continuing contact with my loved ones at home while at the same time leaving space for God to teach me and grow me here on the World Race with my new family (my team, Vessels, and my Q Squad).
Overwhelming because I am finally getting all the information I was dying to get during training camp and before getting to Atlanta. As much as I am soaking all the lists and lectures up, it is a lot of information to take in. Going so far as to play out scenarios that have happened to other racers with our teams about having a teammate get hit by a car and getting her to the hospital, being robbed, or contracting malaria. It is getting real, and serious. While I am not completely responsible for all of this information because we are a team and a family and we share the burden of responsibility, a lot of times it comes down to me for the final decision. This is why I would love prayer for Godly wisdom in whatever situations that come up, and to lead with a servant's heart, not one looking out for my own benefit.
Overwhelming in the fact that I have been reunited with my 50 squad mates and there is so much life to catch up on and experience together. I know I have 11 months but that doesn't seem like it will be enough sometimes- these people seriously blow my mind with their enthusiasm for pursuing God with their lives! I would so appreciate prayer for discernment and humility in being able to learn from them and grow with them.
Overwhelming how much God is pursuing me to grow in my relationship with Him. He has been drawing me closer to him and teaching me how to depend fully on him for every moment and every decision of my life. I have been being overwhelmed by his love for me, the people around me and the nations we will be reaching. I absolutely need prayer to continue chasing after this and listening to what God is teaching me and telling me.
God has already impacted me so much in the past few days while we are still in country, I cannot even imagine how he will continue to work while depending fully on him for all my needs. I will update you once I am THAILAND!
