Many people write to me asking me how everything is going on
the world race. Most of the time I give them simple answers because of time
limits on internet access or I just don’t know how to respond. Well this is me
responding…
In my life I’ve had to endure difficult times just like
anyone else, but doing this world race is by far the hardest thing I’ve ever
had to do. I’ve grown up without a father and struggled to find my way in this
world as a man. I’ve had to give up school activities in high school so I could
go to work and earn enough money to put myself through college. During college
I worked 35-40 hrs. a week and did side jobs fixing up people cars to pay for
rent, gas, etc. All those things were a piece of cake compared to daily life on
the world race. Never have I had to daily put aside my own selfish desires and
dreams for the betterment of those around me. Whether that is the people I came
to minister to and share the gospel with or my teammates. I know some people think this trip is a giant vacation or a
temporary escape from reality. I’ve never been on a vacation that:
- ·
Involved consoling and praying for an entire
family who just had a family member die. Then being asked to go over and pray
for the person that died. - ·
Involved me holding the hand of a dying aids
patient while I urgently presented the Perfect Gospel of Jesus Christ to him. - ·
Involved 8-10 hours of house construction every
day to provide a place to sleep for a single mom and her four kids. - ·
Involved
teaching 65 orphans the bible and trying to get them to understand that they
have a Loving Father in Heaven!! - ·
Involved
creating relationships month to month then having to say goodbye each and every
month (it was especially hard when those 65 Kids all cried at once). - ·
Involved the Holy Spirit showing up time and
time again revealing truth, visions, and prophecies!!
Each team on our squad is responsible for having a meeting
at some point during each day; we call it “family time”. It’s where we are
supposed to say what’s on our mind and spirits; challenge one another,
encourage one another, share praises, share failures, sins, etc. I’ll be honest
and say that this is where I struggle the most on this journey. I find it
incredibly hard for me to “want” to be there for those meetings. It’s not that
I don’t want to hear what my teammates have to say, it’s more that I don’t
“want” to share. My entire life I’ve had to deal with my own emotions, sins,
problems… I don’t know how to confide in
people with every detail of my personal life. I’ve thought about this a lot and
have come to the conclusion that deep down I feel as if people don’t care. I
know that this is not truth and that the people on my squad care and love me.
But I think that this is the mentality that Satan has tried to instill in me, a
mentality of self-reliance. A mentality that says “You have to take care of
your own baggage”. When in reality I’m called to give up my “baggage” to God.
I’m called to seeking out the wisdom of other believers to help me in my walk
with Christ. I’ve heard so many people say the phrase “take up your cross
daily” as if we are to bear the weight of our burdens. If we continue to bear
the weight of our sin and troubles then what did Christ die for??? The bible
says in Romans 8:2 “For the Law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has
set you free from the Law of sin and death”. To live a life of worry is sin,
sin leads to spiritual death/ separation from Christ. So what are we called to
do? It says in Matthew 11:29-30 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry”.
So I’m changing that phrase to “daily place your burdens at
the foot of the cross” (longer but more truthful). From now on I will place my
wants and desires before the Throne of Grace and ask Christ to give me His
wants and His desires. Christ desires me to “want” to be there for my sisters
in Christ, the bible says in Proverbs 27:17 “As Iron sharpens iron, so a person
sharpens his friend. I have something to offer each one of my girls just as
each one of them has something to offer me. I desire to be the Man of God they
need to help them grow in their journey.
Please pray for my team and I, pray for protection, boldness
of speech, courage, continued health, patience, and wisdom. We also need people
to join with us financially so we can stay on this race; the Lord has more for
me on this journey. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have competed well; I have
finished the race; I have kept the faith!”
Please if you have a second, comment on my blog it blesses
me to hear what you have to say. God bless
