At the beginning of the World Race I could never imagine myself on a coed team. I’ve always been very comfortable with myself as a woman as well as the company of other women.
Much of this is derived from my upbringing. I had a sister close in age and my best friends were always girls. And when I grew up I went to beauty school where the female population was 99%.
Anyways, my last 3 months on the race I am on a coed team and this has been the biggest blessing.
For the first 19 years of my life I idolized marriage. I prayed for God to make me the BEST wife ever.
When I was 19 God opened my eyes to my wounds.
By wanting to be an amazing wife over desiring to be presence of the God in his throne room, I couldn’t see the value I had. My desire back then was to be pretty and pleasing and because I love the spotlight, I desired to be guys’ entertainment.
As a result of my desires and mens’ struggles, a pattern occurred where guys would deceive me with their affection and compliments, then took what I would give them, to finally laugh at my foolishness.
When God’s grace met me in my brokenness I realized how wrong I had been. I made a choice to ONLY give God my heart.
At that time I think that was a wise choice. But eventually I became fearful of sharing my heart with any male. I was hard hearted and hopeless that loving, pure male friendships were out there.
On the World Race I have lived with 3 guys for 3 consecutive months. And when I say lived with I mean like… we have LIVED. We fellowship together in the mornings, break bread together at lunch, eat dinner together, work together all day, sometimes share a bedroom, and always share the bathroom. Like we are together almost 24/7.
They have seen me get upset, they have seen me trip (a lot), they have smelt me wear the same workout clothes for a week and half straight with minimal showering in between, they have seen me wearing basketball shorts with nerdy glasses and unshaved armpits, and they have even seen……. my poop!
Seriously! Last month our toilet at ministry didn’t work and we ate so many beans and i backed up the toilet not once, not twice, but three times! Seriously, so embarrassing!
These brothers of mine love me, like really love me. They have no agenda. When I broke the toilet I wanted to die I was so embarrassed and I was like “I’m so sorry!!!” And they were unphased. Like I think Tyler said “why” and that was it.
On my ugliest and smelliest days, Kevin will hug me, Tyler will ask “how are you doing today, Sierra?”, and Levi will walk behind me (I’m the slowest walker of our team) to make sure everyone is together.
One time I voiced I was really bored and immediately Tyler came in my room and sat down on a bed and listened to me talk for an hour about myself while I brushed my hair.
Sometimes Kevin takes me out to eat or do stuff and he will unexpectedly pay for me.
And one time for ministry Levi and I cut down trees with dull machetes for hours in the blazing hot sun. We had blisters that busted open and blood and puss rubbed all over the machetes and we would trade off. I called us blood brothers. And when we were done our hosts told us we weren’t supposed to cut down the trees.
They love to listen to me. They love to bless me with their generosity, and they love to struggle next to me. They give and serve and put me first and all they want in return is to get to know me more, to listen to me more, and spend more time with me. Just because.
These three men are part of the miracle of restoring my hope. They are true examples of Jesus’ love and taught me so much. I treasure their friendships beyond measure.
