I’m in one of those long lines of attached metal seats; the ones that if they didn’t have their connected armrests would be perfect for napping during layovers. The duty free we had to walk through to get to the gate was stocked full of family size bags of Kit-Kats in the center of perfumes and cigarettes.
And here I am wishing I could nap in these seats but being denied by their armrests, trying to figure out what just happened. It’s already been three months. Which one affected me the most so far? How are all the people doing that I’ve said goodbye to? I’m already starting to forget some of their names. And even after I’ve been thinking of them for so long. The places I’ve walked on. The people I’ve walked them with. The hearts He’s allowed me to see. The ears and eyes He gave me after I so desperately prayed for Him to do so.
But all I can really do is smile. Even if it is in complete confusion, smiling back at how we’ve all affected each other’s lives so beautifully. In ways we may never even recognize. Not only the people we’ve been sent to, but the people we’ve been sent there with. These 55 or so people I’ve been sharing this journey with blow my mind daily.
Some of them wear flowers in their hair and choose skirts in stores based on how well they twirl. A few of them, who like me have brought instruments and haven’t enough confidence yet to write a song. Others who laugh so loud that they give you a GPS on their location even if they are hundreds of yards away. Many who don’t shower more than every 5 or so days, if that. A few who have put so much into ministry that they are absolutely heartbroken to leave a country and already have set plans to return after these eleven months. Quite a few who can’t stand being without wifi. Women who are insecure and women who walk with confidence. Same goes for the guys who continually put their pride on the line for us women.
But all of us are trying our dangdest to be more like Jesus. To understand what His love for us actually is and to pour that back out on to the people who we come in contact with. All of us have places where we want so desperately to grow so that we are fully equipped to serve this Kingdom for the rest of our days. Every person on this journey is seeking. They are hungry. They are beaming with joy in different areas and that makes it so perfect to work together instead of always trying to do it alone.
…from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective – working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. EPHESIANS 4:16
I’m blown away by these people daily. The ones who I’m growing with in hunger and thirst for this oneness, and the ones who we encounter as we work towards that. We’ve been sent to all of these nations to work together for the Kingdom. Not to work for ourselves. But God is just so wildly gracious enough to give us our own sweet journey anyway.
We are wildly blessed, ya’ll. I just love this group of men and women I have the pleasure of serving with. I hope that you check out their blogs as well to see all the perspectives of what this World Race looks like.
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You all have supported me from the very beginning of this journey and I cannot be more blown away by your generosity.
I still have $3,752 left to raise before I am fully funded and can go to Africa in July. Now I'm headed to Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia. If you feel led to give, you can click on the the Support Me link to the left.
I am so thankful for you.
