It's pretty rare that two different squads cross paths on the Race these days, but my squad (A-Squad) and U-Squad got to meet up this past weekend in Chisinau, Moldova to hang-out and worship together. It was a perfectly timed weekend off and perfectly timed weekend with another squad who has gone before us and nearly run the Race through.
They were stoked for us to go harder, to do greater things, and to stretch and expand the Kingdom farther than they ever did. It was said over and over again that our floor is their ceiling. Their humility in making that statement and wanting every bit of it to be true for us was the best representation of the attitude I think the Church is supposed to have. It was a picture of people passionate about the Kingdom, but more importantly, passionate about their King. Thanks U-Squad.
And this view changed everything; in seeing them, I walked free of the fear of change in myself. I walked free of the fear of being unrecognizable. I walked out wanting to be changed to be more like Christ, however ridiculous that ends up. Like one of my favorite Lecrae songs talks about, I was reminded of the joy in playing the background and in that perspective a lot was shaken off myself and my team.
So for this month, I get a second take at playing the background. By the nature of the pace of the World Race, you’re here then you’re there, without a moment or a chance to go back and do things differently. But I’ve gotten a second take at making the rest of the month different.
And although there is change, we will be finishing out our next two weeks of life living much like we have the first: living in Ocniţa with Andrei, a pastor and history teacher, and his wife Larissa. We share a cozy home and are blessed to say we have running water and occasionally a fire-run central heating system. Together with Beauty For Ashes, we will finish our after-school English program where we get to play outside and play sports, converse, and teach English using the Bible. For our last week here we will be helping Andrei with some evangelistic outreach and prayer for the community. I think also somewhere in there we will go to some Russian baths and may take a dip in the river bordering Ukraine. POLAR BEAR SWIM FOR THE WIN.
God is doing a lot here, in a country a lot of people probably couldn’t even pinpoint on a map, or let alone even knew existed. People are coming to Christ, those addicted to alcohol and drugs and those who thought they were content without Him. Conversations are happening daily where people are asking more questions and wanting to know more. And that’s how it rolls, we just play the background.
Background by Lecrae Featuring C-Lite
