…to defeat the Huns! (Sorry, couldn’t resist. Quick sidenote to my squadmates–if there is a moment in a conversation to reference a Disney movie, I will most likely do just that. Be prepared!! Hahaha, I can’t help myself. Eric, I’m sorry, but I just can’t “let it go!”)
We are now well into the first month of 2015. My life now consists of work, church, and preparing for the World Race. Even though our trip is still months away, there are many things that need to be accomplished now. I shared with one Bible study already about the World Race, and am preparing for other speaking engagements. I’ve respected pastors before for many reasons, but now I have a whole new level of appreciation for how much work goes into a single sermon! While I have spoken in front of groups before, it has never been more than fifteen minutes total. Most of the speaking engagements I have planned are short amounts of time, but I do have one in which I will be sharing as the main speaker of the night.
It’s a lot to prepare for.
I’ve been spending a lot of time preparing for this year by spending more time with Jesus, praying, worshiping Him, and reading Scripture. Jesus has been answering my prayers in powerful ways, which always amazes me and causes me to praise Him even more. My to-do list is getting longer rather than shorter, but I wouldn’t trade this season of preparation for anything. These months of preparation are as much of an adventure as the things that I will face once I leave the country. Sure, I’m not exactly living in a foreign nation yet. My days do not consist of language barriers, exchange rates, long travels, or the general craziness of being a World Racer overseas. My days consist of various World Race preparations, customers, co-workers, spending time with my family, serving with my church, and Jesus. My days consist of continuing to allow Jesus to do what needs to be done so that He will be able to use me fully in places that I have only dreamed and prayed of. Even in the mundane moments of my “typical” life, Jesus is preparing me for and already bringing a “new thing” into my life.
There is a scene in the movie Mulan in which the new army recruits are facing their first day of training. Their leader shoots an arrow to the top of a very tall wooden pole. Their task is simple–retrieve the arrow. The first recruit is just about to start climbing when their instructor stops him. The instructor says, “One moment, you seem to be missing something.” He then straps a heavy weight onto one arm of the recruit. “This represents discipline.” The instructor straps another weight on the recruit’s other arm. “And this represents strength. You need both to reach the arrow.” Preparing for the World Race is no different than the soldiers trying to retrieve the arrow in Mulan. Discipline is needed–spiritually, in order to fully focus your heart on Jesus and what He’s calling you to do. Strength is also needed–mentally and emotionally. There are about a million things rattling around in my head as I continue to prepare for this journey–“When should my next fundraising event be?” “Who do I need to send a letter to?” “Who should I follow up with?” Don’t even get me started on the process of deciding which gear to purchase!!! It’s so easy to become overwhelmed and check-out emotionally. As I continue the work of preparing for the World Race, I can only find the strength and peace I need by running to Jesus. He is my strength and my source of discipline/focus. With Him, I can do all things–even scale a pole to retrieve an arrow.
The past few years, Jesus and I have developed a yearly tradition. At the beginning of a year, Jesus shows me a portion of Scripture or concept that will set the tone for the year (or years) to follow. This year was no exception. Within the first day or two of 2015, Jesus had shown me one particular portion of Scripture (without me seeking it out specifically) eight to ten times. People were posting it on their Facebook pages and blogs, talking about it in conversation and prayer, and sending e-mails about it. I couldn’t escape the verse, nor did I want to. The verses He showed me are Isaiah 43:18-21. “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up, do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to My people, My chosen, the people I formed for Myself that they may proclaim my praise.” My life is on the brink of becoming much busier than it’s been, which is hard to imagine, knowing full well how busy it already is at times. I am being prepared to step into a new adventure, one that will not always be roses, unicorns, and butterflies. I am being stretched and grown in my prayer life in huge ways. “World Race preparation” is not an easy stroll in the park–it is a time of Even so, the cry of my heart is simply, “Yes, Jesus! Let’s get down to business. Prepare me, even now, for what is to come!”
And so, Jesus is preparing me.
