The TRUTH about the World Race

It's not a secret that I had some serious reservations about becoming a Christian. I was NOT into the list of rules, regulations, and the turtle-neck I thought would be waiting for me along with a Bible and a lack of a social life upon my salvation. 

In coming on the World Race- I had similar fears. I made several of my friends promise to physically threaten me if I decided at any point to become granola, crunchy, stop shaving my legs, or if I got socially awkward in any way.

I honestly wasn't sure I would make friends. I thought that anyone who would sign up for a trip like this must be slightly insane.

I just thought things were about to get weird. 

I was wrong on all accounts. Looking around last night, it was abundantly clear that I was wrong. 

 There's no word to describe it other than 'family.' 

 Everyone's laughing, running around and joking with each other. Everyone is wearing the same clothes they've been wearing for months (sometimes without washing them) accompanied by random articles of clothing picked up from countries along the way. Most people are at various stages of dirtiness, but everyone looks absolutely beautiful, radiating with a glow that is the confidence bursting out of the center of their hearts. 

Some people have their eyes closed, some are crying, some are dancing. There's one guy up front with a guitar... although 'up front' is a loose term as there are 45 people crammed into a tiny room. 

 Everyone is worshipping. Some are asking for forgiveness, some are singing out and using their voices for the first time and some are encountering Jesus- real life Jesus- in a stronger way than ever before. 

All over the room, people are finding out just how much Jesus loves them and that he's not mad at them for the ways they've jacked up their lives. They're stepping lighter, and walking taller, all of a sudden free for the first time from the junk they've done and things done to them. 

 It's a place where when you're sick, there are 45 people praying for you. A random girl staying at our hostel worked up the courage to ask one of our squad-mates if we'd pray for her. So without hesitation, she was brought into the middle of a circle where we all put our hands on her, and sang a tumor out of her head. 

It's a place where you can break down and cry while your squad-mates pray for cancer, divorce, or death in your family. 

 This is a place where men are called to be men. Where they're strong and dignified and confident. It's a place where women are valued and heard, and men love them and pursue them well. Everyone has a place. 

This is a place free of shame, free of condemnation, and free of guilt. It's a place where we can learn about the love of our lives and learn that we're his greatest love too.

 It's a place where we're pushed, pulled, refined and broken, only to be made whole and new and complete. 

This is a place where we hear from the Lord and then speak those things out over each other. It's a place where truth and love reigns and words of life flow like honey. 

It's a place where you're given gifts you couldn't even fathom and where you become the person you were always meant to be. 

It's a place where prayer is powerful, worship opens the heavens, our spirits pour words out of our mouths, building us up and prophesying over us things that our minds are too small to understand. It's a place where prophecy and words of life activate parts of our hearts we didn't know were there. 

It's a place of love where people aren't looking out for themselves but for their brothers and sisters. 

 This is a place where when people have conflict, or when something goes awry (as things tend to do), issues are brought to light. They're discussed and they're dissolved with love, honor and respect.

 It's a place where people look at you and tell you honestly who you are. It's a place where people look into your heart and pull you forward into something you didn't know you were capable of becoming. 

It's a place where dreaming is encouraged, and minds are expanded, and nothing is beyond the realm of possibilities. 

 This is the world I live in.

 This is the truth about the World Race. But it's not just the World Race. This is what real life as a Christian is supposed to look like. Being a Christian, a real disciple and follower of Christ means joy, love and peace beyond understanding. 

 Being a part of the body of Christ means that you have family- people who will respect you, honor you, love you, and tell you the truth. They'll pray for you- ACTUALLY pray for you- not just say they will. 

 This is a life that has nothing to do with rules, nothing to do with religion, nothing to do with restrictions. There are no turtlenecks involved. 

 This is a life that is rich beyond belief, full of love beyond measure, and full of grace that abounds. 

There's a song that I'm obsessed with by Ian McIntosh that is called "what does it sound like?" and it talks about "this is what it looks like when heaven comes down." And that's what the World Race is all about. 

The way we live our lives, the way we go from one day to the next, the expectation and love that we're learning to walk in... THIS is what it looks like when heaven comes down.

 This is the truth about the World Race, but even more, THIS is the truth about what it means to be a follower of Christ.