Our team is here in Bali, Indonesia for the remainder of our time on the Race. Primarily based in Ubud, a once sleepy little town on the island of Bali made popular by “Eat, Pray, Love”. It was our second day here and we were all still searching and wondering and praying about how we were going to do ministry here. And then we met Garrett.
Thank God for random technology designed to connect strangers in foreign lands.
“Are you Sara?” He said as we crossed paths on the street, our team was headed to the place we had planned to meet up with him. And there he was a little taste of home in the midst of a very chaotic city all the way on the other side of the world. We should have known that he’d be something special when he didn’t run after I told him we were hard to miss because we were six american girls, a few with very strong southern accents.
I don’t know what we were expecting, but we definitely got more than expected in his friendship. A fellow believer and so at ease in the midst of a community that can be overwhelming for those of us who have lived it the last 11 months. God knew exactly what we needed and Jesus showed up through him.
In Becoming Myself Stasi Eldridge writes:
“I have prayed for friends. I have sought them out and pursued them. At times I have been desperate for them. But the best ones have come to me as a surprise, unexpected answers to prayers I had forgotten I’d prayed. Friends are gifts to us straight from the heart of God to our own, and no one is better at giving perfect gifts than he is.”
Before I left for the race, God took me through a season of appreciation. When I decided to go on the race I was a little discouraged with the lack of community I felt I had, but when I actually looked around I saw that God had brought me a beautiful—albeit, unexpected—community that I could never have planned on. As the days until I return home become less the people I’ve missed are the thing I am most excited about getting back to.
Garrett was another one of those unexpected answers to a prayer I didn’t even know I prayed.
I think its fair to say that one of the biggest concerns about returning home for myself and my squad mates is being able to find this type of community at home. And then here, halfway around the world God plopped poor Garrett in the middle of our paths and said, “if I can put the people you need here in Bali, why do you doubt I will provide them at home?”
This type of community of believers here on the world race is rare, and unique, and more than a little weird. And I’ve lived in this weird bubble for so long now that I began to forget that there are other people in the Christian community out there that are just as weird.
But reminding me not to doubt who God will put in my path when I get home is not the only answer to an unspoken prayer Garrett brought with him. Garrett likes to read and brought several books with him from home. And being the generous friend that he is he offered to let one of my teammates read a book he had just finished called “Everybody, Always”.
On my list to read, but not a priority to buy online during the race Everybody, Always is the second book written by the author of Love Does, Bob Goff. This book was exactly what I needed exactly when I needed it. As soon as Jenna finished reading it — and even a little before—I started diving in.
God has often found a supernaturally uncanny way of speaking to me through what I’m reading. And this book was so timely its scary.
This month for us is all about finding/making our own ministry and preparing for the freedom that we will find in doing life at home. For a girl who likes to quantifiably show what she’s accomplished and struggles with no schedule this is HARD. And while I knew God had things for me to do this month, I know what he wants most is for me to learn how to walk out life as ministry. And if we look at the example that Jesus set for us in this that is literally to Love everybody, always. That ultimately is what I want my life and my legacy to be.
Bob Goff is able to bring real tangible bold examples to light of times he’s succeeded in doing that. And God has encouraged, challenged and even commissioned me to live life like that while I’m here and when I get home. Furthermore he’s put people in my life to look to who also do this. Garrett, squad mates, family, friends at home, ministry hosts, cafe workers.
Goff also writes in his book something along the lines of God answering prayers by sending people…it’s great, really well worded and all, but I didn’t snap a picture of it and it’s a borrowed book so I can’t write in it so I can’t find it, but he’s right. Sometimes we spend so much time waiting for an answer from God, a clear message, but his answer is who he put in our lives to remind us of who we are and where we are going. To deliver a message or let us borrow a book.
Garrett lives in Georgia and while I hope that our paths may cross again when we get home, I’m not holding out for it. Instead I’m extremely grateful for what God brought me in his presence and friendship here and now. If you’ve been asking God for an answer to something take a look around at the people in your life, what do they have to offer that God wants you to take? If you aren’t learning from the people around you, you’re missing out.
