Our night started out pretty normal. I slid into my hammock around 10 after team time, turned on my ipod, put on my eye-mask and crashed. At about 12:30 my teammate Andie comes around to wake me up and tell me something. It took me awhile to register what was going on and I had to ask her to repeat herself a few times. She was saying that there was a lot of lightning and she thought it might rain soon, and she didn’t want me to get wet. Me having my ipod in and my eyemask on of course had no idea, and was lethargic enough that I didn’t care, so I rolled back over and went back to sleep. Several of us were staying outside in hammocks and tents to escape the heat, and a few people grabbed their rain flies just in case, but no one went in. Then about 1:30 am I was startled awake by a ton of wind and a few raindrops, so I scrambled out of my hammock and went inside, followed by everyone else and their tents. After everyone made it in and we closed all the windows, we all just stood at the front door to our building and ooh-d and ah-d at the show God was putting on for us. This was a pretty great African thunderstorm, complete with roaring thunder and a huge lightning show against a purple sky. And we all stood there together, about two teams of Racers and two squad leaders at 2:00 am, because that is what you do on the World Race. It wasn’t until I got up the next morning that I realized God had gifted me again.
Awhile back…in Romania I think…one of our squad leaders was leading a talk that centered story in 2 Kings about The Widow’s Olive Oil. It’s in 2 Kings 4. In the story, a widow comes to Elisha because her husband is dead, and she is about to lose her two sons as slaves to pay off a debt if she can’t find any money. She is told to ask all of her neighbors for jars, and not to ask for too few. She then brings the jars home and begins to fill them with oil. The oil continues to pour until she has filled the last jar. Part of the message here is that God challenges us to bring him our jars, but not to bring too few. He wants us to ask him for things, but He wants us to dream big and ask big. If we only bring a few jars, we are showing our lack of faith and trust in the Lord. It takes big faith to come with many jars and to trust that he will fill them all. It’s easier to ask God for something small, and then see if he fulfills it. We always want to have a backup plan, or to not make our expectations too high because we don’t want to be disappointed. But that isn’t faith! That’s not real trust in the Lord! He asks us for everything and for us to hand it all over and to expect him to go big and blow us away. I had been having trouble trying to figure out how to apply this to my journey lately, but God is showing me without my actual request that he wants to bless me with the things I desire.
God has been reminding me a lot this month about how much he loves me and that He desires to talk to me and speak to me through his word. But now that we are nearing the end of the month, He is showing me all of the desires of mine that he has fulfilled, even though I didn’t even ask for them. I have been craving a good chocolate cake for a few months now, and I have been almost overwhelmed at my options here in Livingstone. One of the cafés where we get internet has several different cakes, and they have one of the best chocolate cakes I have ever tasted (sorry dad). Katie and I shared a piece one day, and then another day decided we each needed our own pieces because they were so good. I may be sipping an excellent chocolate milkshake as I type this…there are also chocolate muffins, chocolate milk, chocolate bars…need I say more. My desire has been fulfilled above and beyond.
I’ve also really wanted to be able to sleep in my hammock on the Race. Many of you know that’s how I sleep at home, and I’ve missed it. I was finally able to have a space to hang my hammock and sleep outside this month under some mango trees which has been glorious.
I love thunderstorms and have been really looking forward to a big African thunderstorm. It’s the hot season here, so it doesn’t rain that much, but last night God sent that awesome storm I talked about above.
I’ve also really wanted to start running more on the race, and this month we are staying with team Arm the Masses, and Sara from that team has been getting up with me every morning without fail to work-out together. And, well, her name is Sara so how perfect is that?!
All of these things I have definitely been wanting for nearly the entire race, but I never thought to ask God for them. I mean, they aren’t exactly things I need, just things I love and desire. But even so, the Lord knows my heart and he has blown me away with giving them all to me anyway. So I am feeling challenged to ask for big things for Asia and for the rest of the Race, and to not sell God short. This has been a really rejuvenating month, but I don’t feel like a whole lot has happened – but then I’m reminded that I didn’t ask for anything big to happen. So I’m bringing big jars to the Lord, and I’m excited to see what He does with them.
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8
Financial updates: I have two teammates who are with me right now that need to reach their next financial deadline by October 21! If you love me then you love them and want to keep them on the Race with me. They are Andie Cortez and Erin Peters. You can click on their blogs on the left side of my blog, and then click the support tab to send them a donation online.
My last financial deadline is December 31 and I still need about $700 to stay on the Race.
Thank you and love you all!
