Untitled

[splendiferouscupcakeexperience]

Reading in the Holy Land Gardens replica #holylandgardens #oldtestament #newtestament #hiddentreasures #mississippi

[watershedplus]

On rare years when the conditions are right in the arid landscape of the Badlands, in the American West, wildflowers burst into a display of colour for just a few days. The vegetation in the region has adapted to the climate, with just a small amount of moisture the desert can become coloured with sweeping fields of Scorpion Weed, Beeplant and the flowers of the Pincushion Cacti. These blooms can be very short-lived to conserve moisture.

Photographs by Guy Tal

From here

[splendiferouscupcakeexperience]

I went to move my furniture, but it turns out I mostly just have books. Close enough. #bookstagram #bookworm #readingaddiction #readingaroundtheworld

[splendiferouscupcakeexperience]

Thailand:  pray it out

Wingapo friends!

Month two of the race we spent in Chang Mai, Thailand.  My team and I spent the month working with a ministry that does outreach to the bars and the women that work in the red light district.  I wrote some blogs while in Thailand about the outreach side of ministry.  Despite all of the stories we have from going out, some of the most memorable (and I suspect impactful) moments were much earlier in the day.

Every morning we got up and prayer walked around Chang Mai.  We split off into smaller groups or pairs and wandered around the streets praying over the bars and the women.  Many times, these were the powerful moments.

Ministry is a quick way to feel small in a very big world, and bar ministry will do that on a whole new level.  Seeing how many people were damaged and effected, seeing how vast the scope is, how many problems there are to address, how much fault there is, but also how little blame can be cast, you quickly realize that anything you do is not going to make a difference.  Only God can do that.

Prayer walking was something so simple and in-glamorous, but so powerful.  By humbling myself and admitting there was no possible impact I could have; I was blessed enough to have the Lord allow me to see where/how He was already moving in the city.

Every morning, I would walk the streets whispering scripture over the pavement, blessings over the workers, prayers over the customers, and listening for how the Lord was speaking to me that day.  He spoke peace and love for the women and children; He spoke restoration for the bars and the city; He spoke of peace and redemption for the customers.

Thailand taught me a depth and a love of prayer that reshaped the way I think of God and intimacy with the Holy Spirit.  The simplest thing turned out to be one of the craziest and most powerful moments on the World Race.

[splendiferouscupcakeexperience]

Cambodia:  See you tomorrow, teacher

Wingapo friends!

Much earlier in the race, I wrote a blog about evangelism in Cambodia.  It was certainly a big part of our time in Cambodia, but working with Apple School was equally important to us (the Wildflowers).

When we were told we would be teaching English, it was the scariest thing we could have been told.  It was a comedy routine to watch us all sit around a table and panic over lesson plans.  Despite our apprehension, we showed up to Apple School.

The teachers and students both welcomed us.  We taught anything from the alphabet to irregular plurals and nationality.  It did not take too long to realize that while we were only moderately effective in the classroom (weird but loving the students does not teach them English), we could be effective at teaching the teachers.

Much of the English learned in Cambodia is incredible grammatically, but due to the lack of native English speakers and differences in sounds used in Khmer vs English, there is difficulty with English pronunciation.  With the help of the teachers at Apple School telling us what would help them, we put on a workshop on how to use the phonetic alphabet.

What was cool about this, was we got so much time with the teachers. By this point we had already started to make friends during breaks and while teaching, but this workshop gave us a block of time with just the teachers.  Together, we were silly; we practiced tongue twisters; we laughed as silly sounds; we made ridiculous faces, and we all learned the phonetic alphabet.

Many of my favorite memories of Cambodia were laughing, eating, learning, and spending time with these teachers.  To the teachers (and students) of Apple School:  thank you and we miss you!

[splendiferouscupcakeexperience]

A huge part of my walk with God has been learning how to journal prayer and worship. These past 11 months, I carried, collected, and treasured a small arsenal of journals. Some for intercession, some for scripture study, some for personal prayer, some for worship, all for God. Going into this next blip of life, I can't wait to journal and pray even more. #journaling #prayer #writeon #advertureisrighthere

[splendiferouscupcakeexperience]

The Camino has some amazing churches along the way. It's a treasure to see them all. Sometimes we even get to sleep in them #perregrinos #elcamino #iglasias #belorado

[splendiferouscupcakeexperience]

Fun fact: I'm reading in the country Voldemort his in until he went searching for the philosopher's stone where Helena Ravenclaw hid her mother's diadem. Also Paul was here. #somanynerdtears #albaniaissounderrated #lifegoals #helenaravenclaw

[splendiferouscupcakeexperience]

PSA: I visited the amphitheater that is conjectured to be the place where Paul spoke while passing through Illyricum #imgeekingout #peeingmypants #galavantingwithgamgam #itouchedhistory

[splendiferouscupcakeexperience]

Reading at castle ruins in Lipova, Romania #readingaroundtheworld #romania #galavantingwithgamgam #castleruins

[splendiferouscupcakeexperience]

Reading around the world in Prague #galavantingwithgamgam #prague🇨🇿 #readingaroundtheworld #whyamilookingatabook

[splendiferouscupcakeexperience]

Adventure days in the Ukraine are bomb. #11n11 #galavantingwithgamgam #imatacastle #guysiwantacastle

[splendiferouscupcakeexperience]

"Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm" (Abraham Lincoln).

[splendiferouscupcakeexperience]

If you ever have a chance to read in a castle, you should #readingaroundtheworld #ukraine #castle #galavantingwithgamgam

[splendiferouscupcakeexperience]

Zambia is beautitful

[splendiferouscupcakeexperience]

How Working at Disney Prepared me to be a Missionary

At Disney, we used to use the phrase “make magic” as a send off.  Coming on the race I was completely determined to make every moment magical.  I have read blogs, heard people describe, been lectured to about the race becoming everyday life.  I was/am determined to not let this happen.

I remember arriving in Cambodia month one trying to figure out the new currency, the exchange rate, figure out what things should cost (not the tourist cost), local transport, a new language.  Magic made itself.  Two months later, transferring currency, exchange rate, and local transport was all successfully (and almost reflexively) navigated within hours of arrival.

The race is so much easier when the small things become easy.  Eating on $5 a day or less, sure.  Figure out a new currency, got it.  Learn basic greetings in a new language, no problem.  Communicate where you need to be with no language overlap, done.  The magic makes itself when the simple things are a miracle.  When the everyday things become everyday, you have to make your own magic.

Honestly, I appreciate a good challenge, so I have found the more I have to put into making the race worth it, the better it is.  When I have to work hard and invest to “make magic” then the magic that is made is worth it.  At Disney I learned that making magic for someone that was already excited was great, but easy and not super rewarding.  The great rewards came from finding a person who was having a hard time and turning into a great time; that was making magic.

On the race the same concept applies.  When I am bored, when things are frustrating, when the only internet café within half an hour is not working I find the person that looks like they need it the most, and I try to turn his/her day around.  Sometimes, that is smiles and eye contact walking home.  Sometimes it’s a conversation (and a treat) with your teammate that walked two miles with you to the not in service internet café.  Sometimes it’s a conversation with a ministry host, or making faces at the kid in front of you on the bus that has been staring for hours.

Just like at Disney, on the race, you are responsible for how your race is.  Just like at Disney, when you feel bad, it is time to turn your attention outside of yourself.  Just like at Disney, sometimes the 15 minute ride to work/ministry takes an hour.  These things happen; it is the handling of the situation that counts.  Disney honed my ability to handle high stress environments in a self-less and self-making way.

All that to say:  “Adventure is out there!”  Magic awaits…just around the riverbend.

[splendiferouscupcakeexperience]