First, from what I have seen in the past few weeks of talking to the other racers I expect to get friendships that will last for the rest of my life. At first I was nervous about all of the people I didn’t know that I would be traveling with, but we have been blessed to have all connected extremely well just in the few times we have talked so far. There are so many different personalities going on this trip, it’s going to make the year so much fun! I am excited to see who God chooses to be on my team.
I expect God to rip my face off, figuratively speaking. I expect that I will see things that will totally stretch my faith and make it grow. I will be put in situations that test my limits, both physically and spiritually. But that is going to be SO good for me. I need to be stretched, maybe even torn a bit, and DEFINITELY pruned down by the Master of the Vineyard.
I expect that my worldview is going to change drastically. I’ve never ventured out of North America and I know that it is going to be much different actually seeing these countries then just hearing about them. It will be different to see a child in Africa whose parents died of aids, instead of hearing about it through non-profits. It will be different to look a prostitute in the eye in Thailand and tell her about the love of God, instead of hearing a report about prostitution and thinking, “Man, someone should help those girls”. It will be different to see people personally affected by the LRA violence then to hear about it through documentaries. It is going to be so intense, and so good.
Those are the major things that I expect to get out of that trip. I know that with the help of God I will see those things, plus many more, multiplied a thousand fold. I’m ready for my heart to be ripped out for the world, and I am ready to bleed for someone besides myself.
