Monday, December 9, 2019

Encounter in Italy

I’m Home!!!

I’ve been back in Minnesota for two days now and wow what a whirlwind it’s been.

I spent the past couple weeks in Italy, debriefing, processing, thinking, relaxing, and it was amazing and yet awful all at once.

Several months ago when I was planning the trip, I didn’t plan on traveling alone, on spending the whole time in Italy, on it being a “shorter” trip; and yet, God knew what He was doing.

My original plan was to travel to a couple countries with some friends as a time to relax and have fun after completing the World Race. As time progressed though, people, and even myself, made plans for after the race and eventually I came to the realization that I would be traveling alone. I wasn’t confident in this at first but went with it anyway because I figured it would at least be a way to “prove myself” in traveling around alone.

Then, a week or so before I embarked, God told me that the few weeks would be a time of encounter, and that He had something planned for me. He had orchestrated the time so it would be just me and Him. I was excited for the possibilities with this, but, as usual, I don’t always understand what God means when He gives me words for months.

The trip started off well in Lecce, Italy where I was upgraded to a private suite, but then my emotions started kicking in. I realized how much I miss my squad family, the people back home, and even the people I’ve worked with around the world (especially the kids). I would go back and forth in a weird tug of war from missing people back home so much, to absolutely loving where I was at, especially Rome which became one of my favorite places in the world. This see-saw went on for a few days with me equally praising God and crying out to Him for where I was at. I learned though, that’s where I needed to be.

God taught me a lot about myself in those two weeks, including the importance of relationships and a physical connection with others, and how to love others within my own boundaries. I’ve never been great at these in my past, often spending a lot of time by myself with only a few friends and also overstepping my boundaries with others. As I found out though, God has redeemed these areas this year and showed me not only how important these are, but how to balance them too, standing on His Word and what I know to be true the whole time, regardless of whether He feels close or not.

So, was it a time of encounter? Yes it was. It wasn’t what I thought it would be, but hey, when is it?

Now, I’m here around home for a few weeks before Project Searchlight and Lifestyle Christianity in January. I can’t wait to continue to see my family and friends after over 11 months apart and catch up with all that’s happened. But, more than anything, I can’t wait to see what God has next. As I continue to learn, my expectations aren’t always what God has in mind; but that’s ok. It’s how it should be.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
-Isaiah 55:8-11

God Bless!

-Ben

Also, I only have a few weeks at home but please reach out and let me know if you'd like to meet up and/or talk about the World Race, Lifestyle Christianity or really anything!




Just a small-town Minnesota boy following Jesus in a big world. Make sure to subscribe and follow along with this crazy adventure! God Bless!

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