I launch for the WR in just over two weeks. You’re probably wondering how I’m feeling and if I’m ready. (I know this because those seem to be the two questions that I’m always answering now.) So, let’s get this out of the way: my feelings change by the minute, but could be described as mostly excited, with an occasional outburst of sheer terror and disbelief about how radically my life is about to change. As for being ready, well, hmmm… I can report that I have extra toothbrushes, malaria meds, and an army of people lovingly praying for me. So, yeah, I’m ready.
People are also asking if I’ve raised all my support yet. I still have about $4,000 to go, and although it would be great to be fully-funded by launch, it isn’t required. We have various deadlines, and I’m pretty much in the clear until March 2012, when the total is due. Praise God, raising funds has been a relatively smooth process for me! If you would, keep my entire squad in prayer as they are also trying to meet our deadlines. I don’t want to lose any of my new family to lack of funds, and I know that God has people positioned to help, so, be praying! Also, if you’d like to contribute to one or more of my squad members who still need to meet our latest deadline, please send me a message and I’ll let you know how to help.
Now that those questions are answered, you might be wondering, “Rebecca, how’s your heart?” (Haha, okay, only like, 5 or 6 of you are wondering that, but, I put it in there to amuse you few. Everyone else, stick with me!) My new journal* has been filling up fast with all the things God’s doing in my life, and I can only share a little bit here. (Unless you want to read, like, 23 blog entries. Yeah, I didn’t think so.)
A part of the reason I believe that God called me on the WR was to deepen my understanding that he loves me. I mean, I get it: God loves me. But just like any relationship built on love, ideally, love should grow and strengthen and develop over time. To remind me of God’s love, and how our relationship is an active, living, growing thing, I have a board in my room (pictured here) where I post reminders of times when God’s love has broken through to me in a new way. I expect to have a bunch more things to put on the board when I return next year, because going on the WR is going to put my experience of God’s love on hyperdrive.
With this in mind, I was reading Kay Warren’s “Dangerous Surrender.” In it, she describes how she went from being a normal, safe Christian to becoming “seriously disturbed and gloriously ruined” for the Kingdom of God. It’s a great book, perfect encouragement for what’s about to happen in my life. At one point, she mentions Matthew 25, where Jesus tells the disciples that whatever they do for “the least of these,” they do for him.
Now, when it comes to serving others, we often talk about “being Jesus” to people (meaning that our service may help others feel the love of Jesus in a tangible way). But there’s another part: I can show love to Jesus! My heart aches to keep loving Jesus more, and ministering to people is one way to do that. Warren says,
“You can’t physically give Jesus shelter, fix him a meal, or put a clean shirt on his back; you can’t visit him in a prison cell or offer him a drink of water. But when you do it for them- for the least- you are doing it for him.”
Isn’t that awesome? I get to not only be Jesus, but also see Jesus in the faces of everyone I meet. And when I see him, I can show him that I love him. Wow. God knows how hard it is for us to grasp that he loves us, and how much easier it would be if he were here, right in front of us. As it turns out, He is.
And I can’t wait to say, “I love you.”
*FYI, I’m using a journal that some of my friends gave me to take on the race. They filled the front & back with pictures and then wrote messages to me inside. Their messages are covered up with the directions “Don’t Read Until the WR,” and I can report that I haven’t! I’m almost looking forward to the first day I’m really homesick, because that’s the day I plan on reading all their notes. Ahhh, I’m blessed!
