I'm Not on the World Race Anymore

Location: Medellín, Colombia
Team: Steve, Tanner, David, and myself (yeah, being the only girl has its blessings and curses)
Mission: Spread the Love and Light of God

We arrived in Medellín, Colombia on Friday. The Seminary we are staying at is beautiful!  It is on the side of one of the mountains and so much of the city can be seen from the balcony (it's not quite the roof but it'll do). Just about everything for the first three days has given me flashbacks to my time in South America while I was one the World Race- the view, the work (painting), the language (and lack thereof on my part), the food (mangos, naranjillos, empanadas- oh my!), and the people. There's only one thing, I'm not on the World Race anymore. I didn't think about it much for the first four days. It wasn't until last night when I was journaling, asking God why I was here that it hit me.

Let me back up.

Tuesday our team joined a group from a local church and went out evangelizing door-to-door. We had a good time, made new friends, and saw forty-four decisions to follow Christ! Unfortunately, I was not feeling invested. I was going through motions of giving my testimony, allowing for translation, presenting the Gospel using an EvangeCube, and listening as the local team member prayed with the person. It was a great experience, but very exhausting. It was not how I would have done things based on my Race experience.
That's what led me to wonder why God sent me on this trip. It was as I was questioning that God hit me with a novel thought- this trip is not the World Race. Though I learned so much while I was on the Race, it is time to let go of the Race itself. I cannot make every trip I go on fit into my "World Race" shaped box. I can keep the lessons and the memories, but I have to move forward. God challenged me to take off the "World Racer" title and live the "Kingdom Builder" title.
Both last night and this morning I asked God to remove anything of me, including the World Race, and instead fill me with His Spirit. He did! I was still exhausted as we went door to door, but I had joy in what we were doing. I got to see beauty, excitement, and encouragement as I walked the streets of Medellín with my team spreading the Light and Love of Christ.
I may not be on the World Race anymore, but I am doing something even better. I am building the Kingdom of God.