There are many expectations with The World Race. Everyone has them – both Racers and those at home pouring over blogs waiting for those huge God stories that make your heart pound and make you want to go on such a crazy adventure…to experience the big and wild things of God firsthand.
I didn’t even come into the Race with the usual expectations – for my team, for a country already on my heart, for a dream, or specific goals….but I did (and do) have expectations for God to show up in powerful ways…because that is who He is. For Him to reveal Himself in a way I have not yet seen…because He is bigger than we could ever comprehend.
I love it here in Bulgaria. We have been blessed to serve beside several churches with huge hearts for their local community, and we have been able to be involved with many different ministries: helping at an art school, street ministry, prayer walks, manual labor, meeting practical needs, and prison ministry.
This month has much more freedom and variation than last month in ministry and developing relationships. And I have brought much laughter to the local café owner and her patrons by my repeated – and apparently very bad – attempts to pronounce the names of Bulgarian pastries.
Recently, I have had a number of people ask me challenging questions like ‘what is the big lesson has God been teaching you this month’ or ‘what amazing things has God been doing?’
These questions are challenging because there is an impression of expectations attached, and this makes you face your own expectations. Those expectations that are high for God to do huge things this month. But often our definition of what is ‘huge’ is based on seeing definite and even immediate results. We tend to measure God stories by how grand they seem by our sight. I do not know the impact that is being made here, but I know God has brought many precious people across my path:
The dear church families and youth that we have assisted and who have loved us so well
My ‘garden elf’ Eddie that we loved on for an afternoon
Clavia, a sweet older woman who we assisted with groceries and who then had us stay and visit
at her home for a while over ice cream and watermelon – we are separated by language, but
she is completely delightful
The Nigerian sisters and Iranian woman that I got to pray for in a refugee prison
The kids we get to love on every day for a month at the art school
The people that we run into often and have gotten to know through our daily presence in
Bankya and travels to and from the ministry sites
God’s ways may be quieter than anticipated this month….but His ways are always bigger and higher than we can imagine. Sometimes He comes in the wind, or earthquake, or fire – unmistakable power and glory. But sometimes He comes softly, as a still small voice – even on the World Race. God’s big things often happen in the small things, and the hiding places that we go to with Him.
The challenge to trust, no matter where you are, that each of our days are ordained – and that as we keep our eyes on Him, He delights in showing His glory, however He chooses.
