Hope everyone is keeping safe! About a month has passed since the announcement of my race changes and I've had some time to process. 

With everything shut down delayed or canceled. I have had a lot of people asking me about what is happening with me and the world race. My trip has been delayed to depart in October 2020. It is taking me a little bit of time to process all of this and find peace with the continuing changes and uncertainty in this time. But a dear friend and mentor (Shoutout to Christine??)  reminded me “ this didn't surprise God. He knew, in His plan all along, the day you would leave”.  I've never been great with unexpected changes and this pandemic has certainly derailed quite a few things,  in all of our lives. But I've also been able to reflect and find so many positive things within this period of stillness.

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord”

-Psalms 27:14

One of my biggest revelations was that I would have had to come home. Let me give you some context:

Joining the world race in August of 2020 was not my first choice for The World Race. I had applied to  be a part of the team to depart August 2019. If things had gone according to my plan and I had not been told “ not yet”  by God,  I would have been pulled off the field 8 months into my race.  

This last year, I have been doing a lot of work within myself to better understand... me. Without this last year I don't think I would have been able to handle being taken off the field very easily or well. God knew this and so He made me wait. Now as I prepare to leave in October I have been able to see so much good. God has given me more time that I didn't think I needed. My summer was supposed to be packed to the brim with training camp ( more details on that later), running an entire summer camp, attending weddings, visiting family and friends, and moving out of my apartment. There were so many things that I wanted to fit in the summer and I think I would have left the states completely exhausted, which was the last thing I wanted to be. 

Now, I have time. I still get to attend all of the weddings ( those have all been delayed because of covid-19 too) I don't have to rush to try and visit all of my family and friends. And only God knows what else I'll be able to do. 

On my desk I have a sign I was given to me by a friend for my birthday and it says to embrace the journey. I was so focused on the journey of the race itself that I became blind to the journey before the journey begins.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “ plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you hope and a future.”

-Jeremiah 29:11