“Something happens when you feel ownership. You no longer act like a spectator or consumer, because you’re an owner. Faith is at its best when it’s that way too. It’s best lived when it’s owned.” -Bob Goff
On Thanksgiving Day my squad and I headed to the Awakening. The best way to describe the Awakening is it’s a time where multiple squads of World Race participants come together to learn from one another, and learn alongside one another from a keynote speaker who has traveled from the Adventures in Missions main office in Gainesville, Georgia. Awakenings are rare and no two of them look the same. Our Awakening was led by Reid and Ana Mason. Not only did they spend their first Thanksgiving as a married couple with us, but Ana also spent her birthday with us as well. To say that we felt loved would be a huge understatement. There were three squads in attendance at this particular Awakening, F Squad- month 11 Racers, K Squad- month 4 Racers, and your beloved P Squad who you know to be in month 2 of our Race! The first night of the Awakening Reid stood up to tell us that the theme of the weekend would be “Ownership.”
I thought to myself “I’ve heard it all before, both at Training Camp and at launch. My Race experience will be what I make it, and I must truly ‘own’ it if I want to make the most of this adventure that God has me on.” Yadda yadda yadda, so on and so forth… As the weekend went on however, this was not the approach and direction that Reid took with the topic of ownership.
This weekend truly sparked something inside of me that I am fortunate was presented to me so early on in my Race. I could honestly go on and on about all that I learned, all of the amazing people I got to meet and form relationships with, and don’t even get me started on the best night of worship I have ever experienced in my entire life… but I won’t. Instead, I just want to paint a picture for you.
Okay get ready to use your imagination. Think about your house. Now picture this, it’s time for you to have company over so you decide to spruce up your living room because you know this is where your guests will congregate. What kind of things do you have out and about for them to see? Maybe some nice candles can be found around the room, beautiful family portraits, nice trinkets and keep sakes that you want people to ask about and to be the spark of conversation?
Now think about all of the things you had to put into boxes and bags to hide before your guests arrive. Imagine your house has a basement. More likely than not we will use our basement to house and hide all of the things that we don’t want our guests to see.
Now I want you to think about yourself and your own personal “things” that you hide away from the world in your basement. Are there past addictions, feelings of shame, or insecurities that you’re keeping hidden in the darkest corner of your basement unwilling to show off to the world?
Owning those “things” that we so desperately want to keep hidden from the world will be scary, I won’t lie about that. It’s hard to talk about things that may have brought so much pain and destruction into our lives but just think, the darkness from your past may be used by God to bring light to someone’s present! I’m not saying to scream from the mountaintops anything and everything you’ve ever done, quite the contrary. All I’m saying is that ownership of your “things” will bring freedom, it will bring joy, it will be encouraging, and it will be empowering. Never be afraid to own those things that God has carried you through so that His strength may be revealed and freedom and hope may be brought to those individuals you encounter.
-Meagan Thompson
Friends I could not be more thankful for each and everyone of you and for the love, encouragement, and support you’ve shown me on this beautiful journey. Some of my incredible teammates are still fundraising so that they may stay on the field with the rest of my team. Summer and Rè have to meet the next financial deadline by November 30th. Please prayerfully consider donating to these incredible women so that we can keep our team together and continue on with what God has called us to! Click on their names if you feel led to give a tax-deductible donation in their name. Thank you and God bless!
Yes Meagan love the picture you painted of the basements and how we need to bring them to light to allow God to work through them! So fun getting to hang out with you this month and grow closer! (:
You are so right Meagan, it’s those things in our lives that we want to keep hidden and buried deep inside that God wants to use to reach others. I am so proud of you and blessed to see how you have grown in Christ. Praying for you and the squad everyday