Inspired by the Young

It’s been almost a month since Drew and I spent a week at training camp for the World Race Gap Year that is launching in September. Training camp was amazing, if not a little overwhelming. Information was given to us at rapid speed updating us on what the culture is like at Adventures in Missions. We had an afternoon to spend with some of our leaders that will be launching with our squad of 48. There was a strong connection from the very beginning as we shared our stories of God transforming us over the years. Even though we had only met these young people, and only spent a week of our life with them, they have made their way deep into my heart. They have so much to teach me, even though I am old enough to be their Mom. Cynicism hasn’t had the chance to grow in their thinking, partly because they are still young and hopeful, but more importantly because they have seen first hand the power of Jesus Christ. They don’t see Jesus as a boring god but know Him first hand as a miracle worker, creator and God of all. They have lived lives apart from Him and have no desire to ever go back to the status quo of expecting nothing and getting nothing. They pray and expect to hear from God. They listen and do what He asks of them – even if it is hard. I miss them like crazy because they inspire me to live a crazy life expecting God to move mountains too. The great thing is that they have already set a fire in our squad to believe God for big things on their journey. They have set the tone to be transparent and vulnerable with each other, to grow deep in their relationships. It is truly a beautiful sight to behold.

Training camp was more than I imagined it would be. Adventures in Missions has it pretty organized after doing this for so many years, however they are always striving to improve it which is really great. There were about 300 racers worshiping each night and connecting with God in a whole new exciting way – you could feel the energy in the room. It was interesting watching the dance of sorts happen as these young people tried to figure out how to connect with total strangers in a healthy way, to drop the masks that had been their prop for years. To realize that they were not the only one who wasn’t feeling like they fit in, to pry their eyes off their own insecurities and see that others have them too. To discover they need each other. To open up about wounds, choices, lies and destructive relationships to find freedom and love instead of judgement. I heard stories of healing, forgiveness and rebirth. We left feeling such love and admiration for these young lives. What a thrill to join them on this journey God has them on. We will be stateside reading blog entries and face timing when needed. We also get to join them on their debriefs 3 times during their nine month trip. How fun that we get to come alongside them encouraging them to finish strong and to be totally surrendered.

As exciting as all that is, there is something going on right here in Minnesota that has us equally stoked. Over this past year we have been meeting with a small band of young adults that are wanting to go deeper in their faith, to grow in their understanding of God and be with other like minded young people. We meet in our home, not a grand setting but a place of quiet refuge. These young adults are like family to me (well some of them are actually family). Most of them are not the adventure seeking type that are attracted to the World Race, they are solid young people who want to know how to live out their faith in their schools and places of work. They inspire me. Over the summer we have invited young adults in the area that we have connections with to come once a month for a BBQ and worship night. I was expecting maybe 30 the first night but somehow over 50 young people showed up! The last BBQ we had was the day after coming home from training camp – talk about hitting the ground running. It was a smaller group of about 35 but the time was sweet and intimate. I don’t exactly know what is going to happen as a result of the relationships that have connected through this time but I know that it is good. Our desire is to come alongside this next generation and spur them on to love and good deeds. To walk in obedience by the power of the Holy Spirit. To be the generation that shines the love of Christ to a lost world.

I was feeling a little discouraged early yesterday. I finally had slowed down enough to feel. The high from training camp was long gone. The highlight of my day was finding my kitchen after 4 days of being on our mission to our city, which left my house looking neglected. I started thinking about our squad and how they might be struggling too as they are looking forward to launch in September. I prayed for them as I often do. Later that same day a young friend of ours came over with a friend of hers. As soon as she said her name I knew who she was. 3 years before, this young girl had hung herself from a tree. She died that day. Somehow she was brought back to life but put in a coma to heal. I remember seeing the prayer request on Facebook and crying as I prayed. I read her Caring Bridge site every day, waiting to hear if she would make it. The news wasn’t good. Visions of her being in a vegetative state or paralyzed from the impact on her neck. I prayed, many prayed. How often have I prayed for people who post their needs on Facebook, never to hear the answer. But yesterday an answer to prayer walked into my home. This beautiful, radiant 19 year old girl who loves JESUS was standing before me reminding me that THIS is what I live for. No one is too far gone for Jesus. No one is beyond reach. I want to be a person that helps these young people learn to fight the battles that are out there trying to take them down. I know that I am just a Mom with no formal training, but I know personally the ONE who is able to fight alongside them. I want to see people as God does, living victorious lives for HIS Kingdom.

There are a few things I want to leave you with:

• God is POWERFUL! He still heals and raises people from the dead! Believe it!
• God wants to have a personal relationship with you that includes a 2 way conversation.
• Prayer works! Don’t give up if you don’t see the answer in the timing you think it should or the way you want it to be answered. God has a much bigger and better perspective then we do – Trust Him!
• There is enough in this world to beat people up – show kindness, love and forgiveness to those around you.

The End of the Race – What’s Next?

My son Kyle has been home from his World Race Gap Year journey for about 3 months now.  If you would like to read about his journey, here is the link: KylePetersen.theworldrace.org.  He had an amazing nine months living in community with his team (family).  I can honestly say that he is not the same young man that he was when he left.  The maturity, love and conviction that have come to the surface in my child amaze me every day.  God is calling him to train to be a leader and go back on the race as a leader.  I’m excited for him to have a picture of what the next step looks like as he follows that vision.

The race was a time of growing, of living in community with purpose, being vulnerable, available and stretched.  Kyle misses the community living and the deep relationships that come from being together 24/7.  I listen as he struggles to assimilate back to the busy American culture of more work than adventure.  I know that there were hard times on the race but now looking back those are faint memories as the joy filled days of constant people are what he longs for.  He thinks that no one can understand what he is feeling – the grief, the loss, the longing, the void, the anticipation of the next step.

As I listen to my 21 year old son, I find myself relating in many ways to all of those feelings.  My youngest child just graduated high school and we have an empty nest to face in the next few years.  I would have never dreamed in the beginning that we would choose the route of homeschooling our kids but that is where God lead us.  Over 21 years ago I left the work place to be a stay home Mom – to lead and disciple my tribe.  We did a radical thing when we walked away from traditional school to learn at home.  Our goal from the beginning was to parent with purpose, to be vulnerable, to be a safe place for our kids to grow in who their were meant to be, to love them unconditionally, to make the most amazing memories together and to point our kids to Christ.  Oh there were hard days, but when I look back I long for the joy filled days of living in community 24/7.  There is a richness in my relationship with my kids that has come from a common journey – and now this portion of the journey is over.  I couldn’t be prouder of the journeys that each of my 4 children are on, we have done our job to the best of our ability and God has blessed it.  Their individual Kingdom journeys are just beginning, and yes they will intertwine with mine often, but it will never be the same as those relaxed precious moments of learning on the couch day after day.

As much as I grieve the loss of that sweet time we have shared as a family, what I am really feeling is an uncertainty of what the future holds.  My husband and I need to have community with a “tribe” of like minded people.  We don’t want to live to pay the bills and fall into bed exhausted without connecting on a relational level with anyone.  We are created to be in relationship and the busier I get the emptier I feel.  I’m not looking to parent all over again – that season is finished.  I am waiting on God to show us the next step for us as a couple.  In the meantime we are building into young adults in our life – encouraging them to live out their faith in a radical way.  The blessing of being around young adults is that their passion rubs off on us and inspires us to continue to grow in our own Kingdom journey.

Generosity

Life has been passing by quite quickly.  My second son is smack in the middle of his World Race Gap Year.  He has spent 3 months in Albania with his team of 7 (which is part of a squad of 50) living in community and serving the local church.  Now the team has moved on to an island in the Philippines.  Wifi isn’t as plentiful in this new location so my information is limited.  I do know that every day they head out with a ministry called “Lighthouse”.  The island of Leyte was hit by a devastating typhoon 3 years ago which killed about 20,000 people.  For 3 years this ministry has been feeding the children of this area.  They make up batches of lugaw (rice porridge type food) load it up in the back of a truck and head out to schools and villages where kids meet them with a container for their portion of food.  The racers serving on this island get to come alongside this ministry and love on these kids for the weeks that they will be living there.  In the meantime they are also helping with a construction project, going into schools and serving wherever needed.

These racers are all 18 – 22 years old.  They all had to raise almost $14,000 to have this experience.  If you look only  at the pictures of the beautiful scenery and their adventures on their off days, it gives you only part of the story.  What you don’t see are the days of feeling homesick and weak, the holidays away from home, being with people 24/7 that you only met a few months ago, lack of sleep, strange foods and basically living life outside of all comforts that these racers have always known.  This is not an easy journey.  But this is the journey God has them on and He will use every tough thing that comes their way to mold them into young people that will both represent the body of Christ and lead the next generation.  It gives me so much hope when I see so many young people choosing this route of living a life of love.

When Kyle first started talking about joining the World Race the price tag was very intimidating.  It was extremely encouraging to us how fast the money came in as people from our family and church rallied around him and gave so that they too could be part of this Kingdom journey.  The generosity that we have seen has been amazing!  It has made us want to be generous in return because we know first hand what a blessing it is to know that people are praying and supporting the desires God has given.  Thank you if you are reading this and you have been a part of sending our son on this trip, I don’t know if we will ever fully know how valuable this will be.  Not all the racers have the same support system that Kyle has had in the way of giving.  One of Kyle’s teammates still has about $3000 to raise to continue on the race.  I would encourage you if you are able to give to him and help him to finish this race strong.  (Follow this link to a tax deductible donation:   http://lincolngrwinski.theworldrace.org )  Even if you are not able to give money your prayers are a generous offering as well.  

God has been reminding me lately that He is not generous to me or my family because we deserve it or because we work hard to raise funds….He loves us and sometimes He just wants to bless us.  He uses generous people to fund generous people to go and love generously!  Won’t you join me in spreading this love?

• Pictures from Natalie Hodde

If you would like more information about the World Race go to https://www.worldrace.org