As the World Race continues to get closer and closer I have begun to think more and more about what this next 11 months will entail. The more I think the more I realize I truly don't know, but for all of you detail oriented people let me tell you one detail I do know. I will be landing in China on September 11th ready to serve The Lord in whatever capacity He wants.
Many of you may be wondering Winnie the Pooh? Well I have struggled for a long time to come up with just what I wanted to say before I leave and my wonderful girlfriend pointed out this Winnie the Pooh quote that became the catalyst for this blog.
"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."
-Winnie the Pooh (A.A. Milne)
The goodbyes to so many people and things have been difficult, but then I realized it's only difficult because I have so many things I am sad to leave. However one thing I am not sad to leave behind is my past. One huge takeaway from training camp for me was to adequately grieve my past, both the pain and the passing of a good season, to fully embrace the present and future. As I head out on the World Race I am excited to tell you I have come to a place ready for this next season of life because I can say "it is well with my soul" to all of the past.
Everything I have heard about the World Race is to have no expectations because you have to remain flexible every day and ready to respond to wherever God wants you to be for that day or that month. I am realizing I have some expectations, but I believe some of them are good. I have a renewed expectancy for God to show up in power and blow away all expectations I will inevitably build up. What a pleasure to serve a God who knows no limits and has all capabilities! I come into this year expecting Him to change me from within, mold me into His likeness, and use my gifts, talents, pain, and shortcomings to eternally impact someone else for the glory of His kingdom. My prayer is for Him to do anything in me so that He can do everything He wants to do through me.
Fortunately I don't have to do this alone. I get to go with a squad of 46 others and a fantastic team of 5. I can't wait to see how my team, Team Throne Unveiled, challenges me and helps me grow in many different areas of my life. All of them have such different gifts and represent an opportunity for me to grow in so many different ares. It will be a pleasure to serve beside Emily, Kyle Linley, Rebekah, and Sharion , all of whom I am sure to call best friends at the end of this journey.
Introducing Team Throne Unveiled (from left to right): Kyle Hyche, Linley Sullivan, Sharion Scott, Rebekah Burney, Emily Miller, and me.
As I prepare to head out I ask you to be in prayer for me and my team as we say goodbye to all of the many things we will leave behind, both people and activities. Pray for our safe travels to China and for the softening of hearts to the many we will serve in China as we go to "declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples." (1 Chronicles 16:24). Stay tuned for more updates about my team and China details. I promise I will be blogging more while on the field so click update alerts and enter your email to take this journey with me.
