Amy Moments

I have had the pleasure to meet and be on the same team as Amy. We were on Gloria a Dios together, my first team on the World Race. We spent four months together in Guatemala and Romania. Now, the Lord has allowed us to grow closer together and put us on the same team again while in Albania. I have loved growing and learning from her. One of those things that I have learned from her is having the realization that we are on the World Race. I call these moments, “Amy Moments.”

Amy could be described in so many ways, but my favorite is the emotion she brings and invites others in. It all started in Guatemala. I cannot remember exactly what we were doing, but I hear Amy say, “Guys, we are in Guatemala.” And then, she begins to cry in pure joy. There were several more times where the realization that we were in Guatemala hit her. It was the realization that we were in this country, in a very remote part of Guatemala, meeting and sharing with different people about God. It was the realization that some of those scenic views we got to experience could never be seen back in the States. It was the realization that we got the opportunity to be there. Each time Amy had her moments, I would smile and just take it in.

In Romania, I had some of those moments for myself. I had the realization that I was out of my comfort zone being in a country where I did not know the language, but yet somehow my connection with the people was still powerful. It was the realization that although it was a very spiritually dark place, the Lord was still working in Romania. I would just stop and think, “Oh my goodness, I am in Romania.” During Ask the Lord weeks, God lead us to a city in Romania named Timisoara. The Lord connected us with a church there and we were able to grow a fast connection with the staff at Harvest Church. One New Years Day, the pastor invited us to their dinner. We were sitting with people, that we knew for three days, and they invited strangers to their home to eat their food, and share what the Lord was doing in their church. As we were talking, I looked over and Amy was having her moment. With tears in her eyes, the pastor looked and was worried. I looked at him and said, “She is having this moment where she cannot believe she is living this life and gets emotional that we are in a place.” He smiled and said that it was beautiful. Amy explained herself and said, “I just cannot believe I am sitting here, with strangers, eating your food, and yet the only thing we have in common is the God we serve.” AMEN!!

Here in Albania, we have had several of those moments. My Amy moments have been in the mornings when the fire is burning in oven stove, and the sky is clearing and you could see the mountains. Or when the children come rushing in and get smiles when they see us. Or when the youth we have been spending time teaching us how they dance in Albania and it feels like a fever dream. Or when I get emotional saying goodbye to people.

I love having Amy moments when I stop to slow down and think about all of the things the Lord has done, all of the people we have met, all the views we got to experience. When it hits us out of nowhere and we think, “Oh my goodness we are in Guatemala, Romania, Albania.” Even after the race, I want to continue to have Amy moments. Where I thank the Lord for the life I get to live and enjoy the things in front of me. Thank you Amy for reminding us to be thankful for these moments.