There are a lot of things that I miss from home. The instant comforts that the US has become professional at providing are easily remembered in times where the contrast in my current living situation is greatest. But putting all of that aside, there are things about the race that I have gotten used to having that are not going to be the same when I get home. These things make me nervous to come home and live without:
1. Accountability: Where would I be without it? Certainly not here! I am grateful for the team that surrounds me and calls me to greater things.
2. Community: Although it does take some getting used to and I have definitely complained about it, living in a community has taught me so much about looking out for each person around me. Being aware of other people’s needs take some of the focus off of yourself.
3. Character Building: I mean seriously, who experiences some of the things I have? “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” has never been more applicable. Try me.
4. The Magic: I have to actively remind myself where I am and what I am doing. It’s not everyday that I get up to run in the morning and it happens to be on a dirt road in Swaziland while the sun is rising. Dodging herds of cows while I run also serves as a great reminder.
5. Jesus Time: It is going to be hard to go back and remember to carve out time each and every day to spend with Jesus. The thing is, I need this time, and I feel off without it. I have a bad habit of putting that time as the last on the list of my priorities when things start to get busy. It is much easier to find this time on the race and I am praying that it will translate easily into my routine at home.
6. Sisterhood: I have friends for the rest of my life that I have met on this crazy race and none of them live in Utah. It is going to be so strange to get used to not having sisters around me 24/7.
7. Prayer Default: Whether it be an injury, a feeling, a dream, a hard day, a good day, a sickness, discouragement, cool moments, celebrations, divine conversations/appointments, etc., prayer is the default reaction and action that is taken and it’s awesome.
8. The Stories: There are so many things that happen each and every day that I get to go home and share with my team.
9. O.M.C.Z.: Out of My Comfort Zone. All the time! Do I even have a comfort zone anymore? I think it ditched me in month 4.
10. Cultures: I have experienced so many different cultures on this race, and they are all so unique in their own way. The traditions that I have had the chance to be a part of in each country and continent have been so amazing. The food that I have gotten to eat has been interesting. The social norms that I have learned have been different. For everything I have learned, I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to do it all through experiencing it myself.
11. The Adventure: I mean seriously, this is some crazy sh…crap that I have been doing. Crazy in the best sort of way, of course. Travelling the world, spreading the Word, working in feeding programs, sports ministry, nursing home care, daycares, children’s homes, orphanages, agriculture, bar/sex trafficking ministry, and more. I have boarded down an active volcano, ridden a horse through African plains, went shark cage diving, bungee jumped off a bridge, ridden an elephant through the jungle, hiked to waterfalls, swam in a volcano crater, canoed through bioluminescent plankton, cliff jumped in Guatemala, took a moped up a mountain, worked out in a Cambodian Olympic stadium, ran a 10k in the dark in the Philippines, and I still have three months to go!
With that being said, I want to give a shout out to all my supporters through all of this. Thank you for your donations, your following of my blog, your comments on my Facebook posts, your emails of encouragement, and your love. 8 1/2 months down and 2 1/2 to go!
