This is the halfway point. 4.5 months ago, I left my home in Michigan to follow the calling the Lord put strongly on my heart, to be a mouthpiece for the Lord and bring His kingdom. Though I knew that I would be teaching about Jesus, praying over others, and serving, I had no idea how much God would grow me and completely break down my walls to show me what intimacy with Him, Community, and a kingdom mindset looks like.
In just 4.5 months, so much has changed. Before this thing called “the World Race”, I didn’t have a strong relationship with my Heavenly Father, I was uncertain of my Identity in the Lord/spiritual gifts I had, and walking out in confidence to proclaim Him and His goodness. Comparison, Fear of rejection and judgment were always things that held me back. I stumbled a lot with walking out in spiritual discipline, and I probably will for the rest of my life, because I’m not perfect; God doesn’t want perfection, he wants my heart and my devotion.
Before embarking on this journey, I was afraid of changing, because I wanted to be the same me when I returned home so that everyone would recognize me and still want me in their life. Thankfully, I don’t think like that anymore. Rather, I strongly desire to grow in anything He has for me. I want to pray over strangers, I want to boldly walk out in my gifts, I want to tell people about a Father’s love that is so deep that He sent His son to die on the cross for our sins. I don’t want to, I need to, because that’s what the Lord has called us into.
I want to be in more uncomfortable situations, because the Lord does not grow us when we’re comfortable. No. He grows us when things around us are unfamiliar, when our walls are completely broken down, and when circumstances don’t seem to be in our favor. That’s when he wants us to call on Him.
The race has stretched me and reminded me that a strong Christian community is a huge necessity in our walks with the Lord. Laughter, discipleship, accountability and the ability to call one another higher to honor and serve others and the Lord; that’s important. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not easily broken Ecclesiastes 4:12. Community is not always a pretty thing, it means being able to say the hard things, working through it when things get ugly or difficult, and being there to shoulder each other’s burdens. Everyone needs a strong Christian community. The race has taught me to always be thinking about what I can do to build the kingdom. Ministry does not have an “on” or “off” switch, it’s everywhere and all around us. We cannot escape it. Everyone needs prayer, everyone needs encouragement, and everyone needs to hear the message of victory and love that the father lavishes upon us. I’ve grown more in loving deeper without conditions, and being Jesus to those around me. I’m not afraid to pray aloud or over strangers anymore (it used to give me anxiety). fear hindered me from boldly declaring things from the Lord. I’m not letting anything hold me back anymore, because I’m confident that the Lord uses me for His kingdom, and that’s why we’re on this earth. This race has also grown me in intimacy with the Lord. This looks like devotion, and time spent with Him, it looks like trusting in Him and just relationship. God doesn’t need us, he wants us. This is so important, because you have to let God pour into you before you pour into others. Think about a bucket of water, this signifies God’s kingdom and his holy anointment, and we are cups. Do you want to dip the cup (yourself) to fill it so that you can pour out onto others just to become empty again? No, instead, you want to be inside of the bucket, inside of the kingdom, and in step with the Lord. He is the bucket. (Shoutout to my coach, Eileen for her amazing sermon, love you!). I have been walking through intimacy with the Father, and I have become so much closer to Him and it fills me and leaves me more whole than I have ever felt in any worldly relationship. He doesn’t leave or forget me, he walks right beside me and speaks truths to me in my trials.
I have learned how to deny myself in order to serve others, whether that’s strangers or the precious people in my community. I’ve learned to pick up and carry my cross, it’s not pretty or easy and we aren’t called to simplicity as Christians, we will be judged and mocked by those who don’t understand, but the victory is already won! “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. I have learned how to follow Him, not to just be a “Christian”, but to be a DISCIPLE; to seek out others in their distress and call on him, to love one another, and to make disciples of all nations. He doesn’t call us to be lukewarm or to just dip our toes in the water, remember… be IN the bucket. Fully immerse yourself in His goodness. The Lord doesn’t want an “appointment” to meet with us only once a week on a Sunday morning for an hour, he wants your every day, your every single moment. He wants devotion and a relationship with you! You are His Sons and daughters and he delights in you. Take off your Sunday morning “I’m great” masks… there are people all around you in your community who want to pray for you. I want to pray for you. Be disciples.
I desire so much from the the Lord in the next 4.5 months. I’ve grown in confidence in praying bold prayers for anything and anyone, and I want to grow more in this. I’ve grown in spiritual discipline (prayer, worship, reading scripture…). I’ve asked God for a spiritual gift that intrigues me (the gift of prophecy), and I had the plan to fast for this gift. I began to write out prayers for certain people and asked the Lord to speak to me and tell me what they need to hear from Him. I believed that God would bless it. Today, I wrote an anonymous prayer/letter full of truth and scripture to someone on my squad, God gave me her name the night before, and today she found out it was me and told me that it was full of prophetic things and the verses that I wrote were verses that she has been meditating on. Okay Lord, I know you can work, but dang. I desire to walk out in other gifts that maybe the Lord will bless me with in the future. I have grown in walking out in faith and in the presence of my Father every single day. It’s a life devotion, it’s a friendship, a relationship and I am swimming in the deep end with the Lord. I’ve grown in letting go of what I cannot control and what I can’t hold onto any longer, I’ve learned how to forgive like Jesus forgives; Ephesians 4:30-32. I’ve learned that I need to fight for relationships with others when they are worth fighting for. People who pursue the Lord with you are people worth fighting for.
Growth is sometimes painful and uncomfortable, but growth in the Father produces good fruits. Growth is also a beautiful and freeing thing. We’ve all experienced it, don’t be afraid to let Him break your walls down to build you up and humble you by letting Him just constantly lead you. He’s a good God, His promises don’t fail and He loves us enough to provide and fill us with our every need. He’s faithful.
No, I’m not the same girl who left four and a half months ago, but I’ve been strengthened, humbled, discipled, and grown in the Father. I’m a woman who walks out in faith to proclaim His love and His goodness. I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for me the next four and a half months, and I’m excited to walk out everything I’ve learned at home too.
I have a challenge for you, yes… keep reading. A challenge to let your guard down and let someone in your community pray over you, let His goodness overflow. Pray over someone, anyone… let the Lord lead you to someone and speak sweet truths over them. Ask the Lord to give you a word for someone and write a note to them with verses or a prayer. I ensure you that you will be growing the kingdom when you follow these challenges, and it will produce good fruits. Thank you for being disciples and remembering that it’s about being the church.
Thank you for reading!! I love your comments
God bless you
-Rebekah
