The last day of ministry on The World Race was a flurry of emotion. On one hand I realized that I'd made it through one of the most grueling years of my life. On the other hand I couldn't believe it was already coming to an end.

We stood in a small living room, in an apartment that doubled as a church. Team Dino (my awesome team) was intermixed with several Ukrainian believers as we worshipped our wonderful creator. I shared a little about what God has been teaching me this year, and tried to bring encouragement to my new friends.

As the worship time came to an end we stood to pray and then we were told that we'd do communion before we ended our time together.

I stood and began to reflect on how thankful I am for the sacrifice God made for me. So many times I've taken the bread and grape juice and half heartedly thanked Jesus for dying on my behalf. In this moment I couldn't help but bow my head and begin to praise God as images from this year played in my mind. 

I was reminded of how absolutely blessed I am. I started thanking God for showing me the things He has shown me this year. I thanked Him for watching over me as I've circumnavigated the globe. But most of all I was humbled to realize that God had brought me to this point, given me more blessings than I could ever recount, and made it clear that He isn't finished yet. This is only the beginning!

It may have been the last day of ministry on The World Race, but it was just the beginning of what is to come. God showed up and allowed me to bask in the glory of His Son. He reminded me of some incredible things He has done this year. And I truly thanked God from the bottom of my heart. I thanked Him for the people He put in my life: My team, new friends all over the world, and new brothers and sisters in Christ. I thanked Him for giving me glimpses of heaven on earth as we worship, in multiple languages, the God of the Universe who understands us all. I was just thankful.

I took the cracker and sipped the wine (yeah, it was the real deal) and held back tears. I couldn't imagine a better end to one of the most incredible years I could ever be a part of.

I'll be home in a few days, and it's the beginning of the next season. I'm so thankful for this season. I can't wait to see what's next. In any case, I'll be with Jesus and that's the most exciting place I could ever imagine!

So as I read my friend's email I began to think about the truth of what she was saying. I had almost lost hope when all the sudden her focus shifted. 

Here's what I read:

However huge the task may seem and no matter how far the American rebellion from God's Truth may span, I'm comforted by Ezekiel 37 when God takes Ezekiel to the valley of dry bones and God asks Ezekiel, "Can these dry bones live?" And Ezekiel in his wisdom answers simply, "O Sovereign Lord, only You know." And that's that. Only God knows if we'll return as a nation to His Truth. But it's also important to remember that before Ezekiel 37, there was Ezekiel 2 when God told Ezekiel to speak His Words to Israel whom God described as a stubborn and obstinate nation (sound familiar). I think America has become the dry bones in Ezekiel 37, but Christians in America need to heed the words of Ezekiel 2 and speak the Truth God gives us.

So as I live in America and witness more and more how our nation is becoming like a valley of dry bones, I'll continue to turn to God's Word and speak His Truth when I can. I may not do it perfectly and I'll fail at times and not speak all the times that I should, but through it all I'll trust and say, "O Sovereign Lord, only You know."

.....

The awesome thing that I'm reminded of is that God took those dry bones and breathed life into them! God called Ezekiel to prophecy over the bones with a message. Ezekiel 37: 5-6 says, "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD." In verse 10 it continues, "So I spoke the message as he (the LORD) commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet - a great army."

As I read those words, my heart skipped a beat. American Christianity may be in a valley, but we have a God who makes armies from dry bones! I'm no longer ok with a mundane christian existance. I won't be afraid of speaking the truth boldly, because I've been called to represent Jesus.

I challenge you to think about where you are. Are you dry bones laying in a disheveled pile? Are you a frail skeleton afraid to move into the things God has for you? Or are you a soldier who is engaging in the battle to bring hope to a dying world? I've picked up my sword. Will you join me?

Last week I received an email from a close friend. In it she shared her heart and as I read I wondered if she'd gotten an email directly from my brain. So, I just took some of what she said and I wanted to share it. Take it in, and think about it. I'm coming back to the States with a heart to see a generation of people who is ready to fight for God's Kingdom to rest in America.

Here's just a piece of what she shared:

It's true that America is fortunate in many ways; we're not tattered by wars, Christians aren't martyred for their faith, we have medical resources, there are churches galore. We're not fighting Aids and hunger like in Africa. Christians don't have to worship in secret or fear for their lives like in China. Children aren't being stolen to join a horrible rebel army like in Uganda. Parents aren't selling their children into sex slavery in order to survive. There are many physical aspects that we don't suffer from. So on the surface level, yes America is very fortunate.

But America has a far different disease. If you get into America down deep, we have the disease of selfishness and self-reliance, independence and rebellion. Don't tell us what to do, we make our own decisions. Don't tell us what is truth, because there are no absolutes and everything is relative. Don't tell me I'm a sinner, I'm not that bad compared to the next guy. Don't tell me to wait until marriage, I want it now and nothing's going to happen. Don't tell me not to watch that or not go to that website, it's my computer I can do what I want and it's ok to look as long as I don't touch. Don't tell me not to talk like that. Don't tell me my life is not my own, I've been doing it on my own for quite some time now and I'm doing just fine.

America has the disease of self-righteousness, we think the world owes us and we want to own the world. We value money and things, not time and people. We don't know our neighbors and we don't want to. We get to know the people we want to know and usually they're people just like us or people that we want to be like. If someone doesn't benefit us, then we want no part of them. We don't want anyone to truly know us, probably because we've barely taken the time to figure out who we are ourselves. We want to be independent so no one can tell us what to do. We want to be rich so we can have what we want.

Americans don't understand discipline, patience, diligence, integrity, or respect. Why make dinner when McDonald's is just around the corner? Why wait until we have the money to buy something when we can get it on our credit card? And silence? Well that's just uncomfortable. Sitting still? Haven't you seen my to do list? Quiet and peace (the soulful kind) are no longer priorities. And you can forget having family meal times or even knowing your own family at all. We've become so private and individualized (and yes, this is coming from an introvert). We don't take time to look around Creation, we don't take time to walk and be and breathe it in. We fill up our days so we don't have to think or feel, we just do and go like robots so we won't realize we're empty.

We want bigger, better, and easier instead of seeking what is right, simple, and has eternal worth. America is focused on the temporal and the entertaining. Have you read your Bible today? Nope, but ask me anything about Survivor or America's Got Talent! I can't find time to be with Him, but I'll tivo my favorite shows during the day and watch them before I go to bed so I don't miss an episode.

America is an oxymoron. We're considered rich by the world, but in God's eyes, I believe we're a very poor country indeed. We're stubborn, obstinate, rebellious people that are so focused on individual freedoms that we've lost sight of the One who makes us free. We crave relationships on our own terms and want to love the way we want to love without ever bowing to the Maker and Giver of Love. We want the thrills and adventures but don't seek the One who gives life abundantly. We'll try yoga and relaxation techniques but we won't give our worries and cares to the Prince of Peace.

Now I'm sure this has all seemed quite pessimistic, dreary, and unAnmerican. But the truth is, everything I've said is real. I'm an American, I live amongst Americans, and I'm grateful to God that I am American. Nonetheless, I'm realizing more and more how desperately Americans need the God that we seem so set on forgetting, ignoring, or disbelieving. Complacency runs rampant in this country, in Christians especially. We weren't called into God's Kingdom to simply sit around and watch this nation continue on it's desolate and destructive path. We were called into God's Kingdom to make His Truth known where we are, which in our case is America.

Stay tuned for the hope that God is revealing...

We stood outside a one room shack made from sticks and mud. The sun was shining. The kids were gathered, sitting on the ground while their parents found a spot in the shade to stand. We were asked to sing some songs, softly. They brought the coffin out of the shack and sat it on 2 strategically placed wooden benches. It was small by American standards, with the name and age of a gypsy woman written on the side with a marker. The woman had been baptised by Pastor Z a few years earlier, so they asked him to lead the ceremony. We just happened to be here for the occasion.

It was the day before Alex's 21^st birthday. I met him when I was 10, he was 5 and dressed in a Dallas Cowboys Uniform for Super Bowl. He was adorable with his big blue eyes glistening through his little helmet. From there he became my little brother. We fought, we played, we loved each other. And one day during my Senior year of high school he became a Christian as he and I talked at our kitchen table. When I went off to college I hardly ever got to see Alex, but when I did it was a good time.

On November 24^th, 2005 I got a late night phone call that Alex had been in a car accident. He was gone. I drove as quickly as I could to be with everyone at the hospital, praying that God would use me to love and bring comfort. At his funeral I shared about his faith in Jesus, and how important it is to have a real relationship with Jesus. God used me in the midst of the most horrible tragedy I'd ever experienced. But the story doesn't end there.

Over the last 5 years, God has put me in places where I could bring hope and comfort to people who have lost people they love. As time goes on I realize that God will continue to use my story for His Kingdom. There are people all over the world that need someone to comfort them. God has given me that ability. This year is no exception.

In Uganda I met a family that lost 2 children, ages 19 and 15, in a motorbike accident. I walked into their house only 5 months after the accident and I was able to bring hope and comfort to a mother and her children. My story is not my own.

As the funeral came to an end in Romania, we followed the family to the burial site on top of a hill. The men lowered the casket into the ground with 2 ropes. As the dirt hit the top of the casket my heart broke. The sound still rings in my ears. I hurt for those who are hurting. I know how they feel.

In the end I know that Jesus has them all. As believers they were ushered into heaven, and one day I'll meet them. I'll get to worship my Incredible Heavenly Father as I stand beside those youth from Uganda, the gypsy from Romania, and Alex. Until then I'll share my story. It may still be painful, but it makes the glory of God even better. My prayer for now is that God will continue to place me in situations where I can use my story. Let's be honest, it's all His anyway.