The Monsters Under My Bed Don’t Bite After All

Let’s chat for a second about something that was a fear of mine coming into my race. There are something like ten people on my squad that launched on the World Race in January of 2020, but were pulled off the field because of the pandemic. Initially, I was angry that I’d have to launch with them and I pre-conceptually assumed that they would act like they run this mug, causing me to lose the experience of navigating the race for the first time with my whole squad. But my man Jesus stepped in at training camp and formed a few of my deepest relationships with relaunchers. He does work like that every so often and while it frustrates me, I’m really thankful for the tenderness of His direction to provide me with experiences and relationships that I would miss simply because I couldn’t get over my sinful humanity. 

Are you ready for how the Lord really stirred this pot? 

My original team was made up of three relaunchers and three new racers. A few days before launch I learned that one of the other newbies wouldn’t be joining us this year and upon arriving at the airport on the day that launch began, I learned that the other new gal wouldn’t be joining us because she tested positive for covid. So yes, you are doing the math correctly. I am a lone World Race babe in Guatemala with three relaunchers. I’m living life with the monsters that lived under my bed and I’m learning that these big bad relaunchers don’t actually bite. 😉 

One of my favorite parts of the race so far is something that we call “feedback.” (If you’re a current or alumni racer reading this, I’m not joking. I love feedback. PLEASE call me higher, homies.) It’s a really neat time where we sit down as a team each day (maybe every other day if you’re slackers), ask the Lord what He wants us to share, and we speak affirmations and growth over one another. We are only a week into this thing, so the majority of our feedback is bent to the affirmative, but it always leads us into good conversation. 

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

A few nights ago, as we wrapped our feedback time, one of my teammates, Lindsey, asked me how I felt about them talking about their past race. At that moment, I realized that I’d never shared my original issues regarding relaunchers with them, so I took the opportunity and we had a really neat chat about those fears and expectations. There was something freeing about having that conversation that I didn’t think I needed to have. I believe there was something sweet from the Lord hidden in that conversation just for me. 

Maturity is the word that I’ve been praying over myself for this year. As I prayed into 2021, that’s what I believe the Lord was sharing with me. I was, indeed, caught off guard at first, but now that we are about twenty days into the year, I believe I understand a bit more. I have so much to learn and grow in this year, both spiritually and physically. My team has caught me in my physical immaturity a few times and have been diligent to call me higher in the moment and while I initially find myself upset with them, I am thankful for their continued commitment to seeing me grow and mature not only as a man, but as a son of God. Age really is just a number, but this team is truly the best example of mature men and women of God and I’m truly so grateful for the fact that I get them all to myself for a little while. (pls join us soon though, Alli. Pleading with God for that negative covid test.) 

Would I have said that last October? No way Jose! But the Lord has done some really neat work in my heart to bring me to this place and I am so excited to be stretched and molded into a more mature man of God over these next months. 

I’m sharing all of this with you as a glimpse into how the Lord is molding my heart AND to prep you to meet my INCREDIBLE team over the next few weeks! They’re really so cool and I’m pumped for you to meet them! 🙂 

That’s all for now. Would you join us in praying for our teammate that is still in the states awaiting her negative covid results so that she can join us on the field? I’m also still fundraising, so check that bar at the top of my blog page and drop a few dollars if ya don’t mind! I’m beside myself at your willingness to sacrifice a few dollars to partner with what the Lord is doing in my life and how He’s bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth. 

Until next time, 

AWM