My favorite worship song right now is a song called ‘Gratitude’ by Brandon Lake. Below are some of the lyrics.
All my words fall short
I got nothing new
How could I express
All my gratitude?
I could sing these songs
As I often do
But every song must end
And You never do
So I throw up my hands
And praise You again and again
‘Cause all that I have is a hallelujah, Hallelujah
And I know it’s not much
But I’ve nothing else fit for a King
Except for a heart singing hallelujah, Hallelujah
I’ve got one response
I’ve got just one move
With my arms stretched wide
I will worship You
I’m overwhelmed by the level of gratitude I feel in my heart these days. I get emotional just thinking about the sweetness of our God and His provision. This year has been the greatest year of my life to date- and possibly furthest from the mainstream world’s definition of ‘greatness.’ I’m so grateful for the World Race and the way it has changed my life; I’m even more grateful that it’s just the beginning.
This year, God has provided friendship and authentic community with other believers that won’t let me settle for a half-hearted walk through life. He’s fulfilled my dream to travel to the nations and speak His name with the freedom He’s given me. He’s handed me truth, adventure, challenge, hard conversations, heartache, redemption, plenty of wake-up calls, my heart’s desires, and the most joy and laughter I’ve ever experienced. He’s made me more curious, tender-hearted, patient, humbled, and unsettled with mediocrity and falsehood than ever before. He’s emptied me of bad habits and heart issues and filled me with identity, love, and hope for the broken world and people around me. He’s fueled future dreams and preordained blessings all over my life. I’ve learned big things and little things and acquired a childlike wonder for the still unknown. He’s shown me His voice, His will, and that His way is always better.
I’ve been privileged to watch people meet and accept Jesus for the first time. I’ve sat with the weeping at a loved one’s funeral. I’ve been God’s instrument to bring both physical and emotional healing to people through prayer. I’ve listened to testimonies of terrible injustices and heartbreak that have been replaced with abundant life through Christ. I’ve had my share of both trials and jubilation and never felt so fulfilled. I’ve taken about 15 COVID tests, slept in roughly 25 different beds and 3 airports, and taken countless taxis, buses, trains, planes, and ferries.
To sum up some of the things I’ve learned, below are 35 takeaways that I’ve seen come alive this year on my World Race 2.0.
1. Authentic relationship involves risk and active pursuit.
2. With great freedom comes great responsibility.
3. Love is sacrificial. Period.
4. God is always speaking. Our role to actively listen.
5. There is a time for everything. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-14)
6. Emptying is actually Filling in the Kingdom of God.
7. The greatest form of worship is living honorably and blamelessly.
8. No longer being our own defense gives way to our Defender.
9. The enemy’s most powerful weapon is the instilling of doubt.
10. You are only as loved as you are seen and known.
11. Freedom is contagious.
12. Sensitivity is not a weakness, but a strength.
13. We already have everything we need to create earth as it is in heaven.
14. Every gift, talent, and ability we are given is for the service of others.
15. God ALWAYS uses what the enemy meant for evil for His good- even the parts of our stories we really don’t like.
16. Universal reconciliation to God starts with unity within the Church.
17. Humility is not downplaying our strengths; it’s being honest about our weaknesses.
18. We can’t fully become ourselves by ourselves- we need each other.
19. Truth and love are inseparable. The truth is always most loving.
20. We all share an equal role in contribution to the world’s brokenness and therefore a shared responsibility to redeem it.
21. Positioning yourself as a student is the fast track to heavenly wisdom.
22. God places more value on the gift of your free will than the absence of evil in the world.
23. God’s will is always completed, with or without our help.
24. Prayer is way more powerful than we give it credit for.
25. God’s will is to get EVERYONE back to the closeness of the Garden of Eden with Him.
26. God wants to heal us, not fix us.
27. One of the greatest expressions of love is forgiveness.
28. God’s purpose in all Christian suffering is more contentment in God and less satisfaction in ourselves and the world.
29. Our every lack is turned to overflow by His Spirit.
30. It’s a great tragedy to become more interested in God’s hand than His face.
31. Conviction should always lead us to the throne of God, never to guilt and shame.
32. Sometimes our greatest disappointments become the source of His greatest blessings.
33. Perfect love expels ALL fear.
34. We were meant to carry God’s glory as well as His grace.
35. We are meant to talk TO God as often as we talk ABOUT Him.
“The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.”
Psalms 27:4
I love you. I miss you. I love learning more about the Father through the sweet heart He gave you.
I was just thinkin’ about ya and how I hadn’t seen any kind of update here in a minute, so i checked and realized that I’d never even read this blog. I love you a lot and am so thankful to know you and to call you a friend.
Praying that God is blessing you and keeping you, making his face to shine upon you, and giving you peace.
Love you,
AWM