One word comes to mind when I think about this past year:
Deconstruction.
As I spent each month traveling from country to country, my idea of the life I wanted to rebuild back home began to deteriorate.
God used these 11 months to show me what I was putting more value in instead of Him. How I was trying to build a life in accordance to what our culture insists will ultimately fulfill us.
Go to school. Get a job. Get married. Have a family. Now spend your life seeking affirmation from others, accumulating material possessions and entertaining yourself through various experiences.
But Jesus is a countercultural kinda guy. Instead, He says:
“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
Please hear me correctly – I’m not saying that it’s wrong to pursue a career or a family. But when we prioritize these goals as our main reason for existence, we’ll just be left unsatisfied and needing more. More success. More things. More experiences. More love.
I’m also not saying that if we seek God’s heart and will above our own that He will then give us all of the things we want. That’s manipulation. And there’s no room for that in a real, loving relationship.
So what am I saying?
When we lay down the expectations of what we think our lives should look like, only then will God have the space to reveal to us the passions that we were too distracted to notice. The desires that He created in us that make us who we are. That, when developed, have the power to bring more meaning to our lives than any of the aforementioned “life goals” we tend to chase.
In his book The Signature of Jesus, Brennan Manning explains it like this:
“All that we have and are is one of the unique and never-to-be-repeated ways God has chosen to express Himself in space and time… With endurance and perseverance we must wait for God to make clear what He wants to say through us.”
We all have an opportunity as creation to release our own unique image of The Creator into the world when we fully embrace the pieces of His heart, the passions, that He infused in us.
So if this was a year of deconstruction, what’s next?
Reconstruction.
The World Race was amazing. Life-changing. And I’m deeply grateful for all of you who followed and supported that journey. But I believe that was just the beginning. A stepping stone into fully walking in the purposes God has for my life.
To love people deeply.
To see people healed from the experiences that have shaped who they’ve become.
To lead people into a place where they can tangibly feel God’s love for them through the act of worship.
I’ve been exposed to what makes my heart full. What I believe I’ve been designed for. And now I want to rebuild my life with the intention to develop those desires into their fullest potential.
—
This September, I will be moving to Gainesville, Georgia to pursue more training and development of those passions that I was created to share with the world through a second-year program with Adventures in Missions.
Center for Global Action (CGA) is an 8-month leadership and discipleship program that equips followers of Christ to recreate biblical community through teachings, scripture, and activation. CGA is divided into different “tracks” to help us focus on our specific passions and giftings. I have been selected to join the Worship track, where I will have the honor of learning how to create and lead worship experiences through music and other forms of art.
The financial obligation to participate in CGA is $8,650. This includes program tuition, housing, and a 2-week international mission trip (destination TBD). I will be getting a part-time job when I move to Gainesville, however this program will be my full-time obligation.
Similar to the World Race, I am looking for people that would like to partner with me prayerfully (spiritual development is no joke), financially (you can donate by clicking the orange button at the top of the page in my fundraising bar), and by following/sharing my blogs. Please consider sowing into what God wants to mature in my life so I can more effectively impact the lives of those around me.
From my heart,
Liz
