As a staff, one of our favorite things is welcoming World Race squads home as they come off the field at the end of their 11 months. We love hearing their stories, listening to their struggles, and sharing in their joy. We also know what reentry is like – coming home after so many months away can be amazing but also overwhelming.
This week we’re celebrating the return of our four January 2013 MNOP Squads. They’ve made it around the world, seen and done incredible things and experienced so much more of God than they could have expected. And now it’s time to come home.
So MNOP Squads, this one’s for you. Take heart as you begin the process of reentry, and take this advice from KJ Blair, a wise alumnus from the July 2012 H Squad – all that really matters in these next months is fixing your eyes on Jesus.
You did it! You just backpacked around the world for 11 months living on $10 a day. You lived through the never-ending travel days, sweaty tents, mosquito bites, squatty potties, curry-flavored everything, rice and beans…
Remember 11 months ago, how daunting it seemed to leave your family and friends? To miss weddings, births, and birthdays? To leave your job or school? To give up the luxuries of home? To raise $15,500?
And on the Race, remember those days you just wanted to go home? The days you cried because you felt so homesick? The days you hated your team? The days it was impossible to stay positive with that frustrating contact? The days you felt like you couldn’t possibly make it another six/five/four months?
I’m sure you can look back over the past 11 months and see how much God has grown and shaped you during those times – how he has taught you things about his character and about your identity in him, how he has taught you how to love others.
The World Race puts us in a place for God to shape us and transform our lives in ways we never expected.
The World Race makes it easy to make God a part of your every day life, to spend hours reading the Bible, worshipping, journaling, or having one-on-ones.
It’s easy to pursue God when you are surrounded by 50 amazing young adults doing the same thing. It’s easy to pursue God when you aren’t distracted by the “luxuries” of home.
But what happens when you do get home?
I’ve been home for six months, and since I’ve been back, I’ve struggled with replicating the spiritual growth I had on the Race. In a lot of ways I have fallen short of what I expected my post-Race spiritual life to be like.
Life is just different here.
I’m no longer surrounded 24/7 with people calling me to higher standards. There is no more feedback. Prophecy went from being normal to strange. There are no open-ended worship sessions. Church seems strangely lacking in the Holy Spirit.
When I got home, I spent hours and hours telling people what it was like to be on the Race, what it was like to live the World Race lifestyle, and to have all the time in the world to spend with Jesus. We talked about what I learned and how I grew. But as days turned to weeks turned to months of being home, those conversations continued to be focused on the Race, not on what God was teaching me now.
Growing closer to Jesus became something that happened, not something that was happening.
The passion with which I was pursuing God on the Race slowly faded. It was kind of a subconscious thing that happened over those months following re-entry, but before I knew it, I was going days at a time without praying or reading or journaling.
Intentionally setting time aside for Jesus in the midst of school and friends and day-to-day life is hard, much more so than it was on the Race. It seems like here there is always an excuse to not give time to him.
And as I’ve spent less time with Jesus, I have become more timid in following him, in listening to his voice. When I feel led by the Spirit, I now consistently come up with an excuse to not follow through. It has been so easy to slip into complacency.
In spite of all that, though, God has blessed me beyond belief. I found a church and a solid Christian community within the first few weeks of living in Chicago. I’ve built relationships with people who are following Jesus, and it is motivating me to pursue him more. I’ve been praying to be re-energized and I’ve started listening for his voice again. I just wish it hadn’t taken me six months to get my spiritual footing.
I want you guys to know that although your lives may get a easier and more comfortable back here in the States, in a lot of ways it becomes a whole lot harder to pursue Jesus.
As you get home, be prepared to stop the complacency before it sets in. Pray for your squad mates. Encourage one another to keep pressing in, to keep seeking God. Get plugged back in with your church or find a new one. Go to Project Searchlight and see how everyone is transitioning.
Really, just spend time with Jesus.
Photos via kirlyque, clayholst, heycaseyjones, brittanylatray, jolenebell, jordynsheffield, megmagnolia, addilynne, lsully144, skylet221, hannahgracesteele, kentcranford, em_kay_hil, and jess_schue
If you’re a returning Racer from MNOP Squads, make sure you head on over to our World Race Alumni Facebook page, click Like, and join a community of people who are here to love and support you in the next chapter of your journey.
And if you’re a friend or family member of one of these returning Racers, check out our post from last week about ways you can love them well in this season.
