“To Jon From The Future” – June 7, 2025
This is what I titled the letter I wrote to myself at training camp. Everyone wrote a letter to themselves during training camp which was to be opened at final debrief, the last few days we had in Thailand together. When I received this letter back, I had completely forgotten about it to be honest. I don’t know if I can speak for the rest of my squad, but my expectations were not super high. We all opened and read our own letters at the same time. Some people’s letters seemed to be more significant or meaningful than others’ from what I heard in later conversation, and I would say mine was in between – I wasn’t talking about McDonald’s, but I didn’t win the prophetic lottery either. The majority of my letter consisted of things that I was hoping would come to pass on or through this Race, such as hope that I wrestled and found peace and victory with God, hope that I learned a lot about culture and people, hope that I got to watch God work through me, and hope that I learned more about my spiritual gifts, to name a few. I’m happy to say that these all came true, though not every hope did – I did not in fact finish my online school classes by the end of the race. But it’s ok; we learn and grow.
The last hope I wrote to myself was this:
“I hope you made a difference, and that you will continue to everywhere you go. Because I hope you changed.”
It was the moment I read those ending sentences that I was led to reflect back on all the God had done in me through this trip, to look back on His goodness, His righteous right hand. He took me by the hand and led me through the refiner’s fire – blood, sweat, and tears were all quite literally shed. There were ups as high as the mountains, and downs as low as the valleys. I learned to serve in ways that don’t come naturally to me; to lean not on my own strength, but on the One whose strength is made perfect in weakness. I learned what it means to take initiative and step into leadership, in more ways than one. I learned to abide deeper with Him than I have had to before through the mundane, seemingly endless toil. My perspective was widened through the many beautiful and unique people I met who held different backgrounds and beliefs than me. I lived without may of the luxuries I had always known, and learned what it means to be content with what I have and where I am. I even braved 200 hours of travel along the way with hours-long bus rides, an overnight sleeper train, taxis all over, and many, many long flights and layovers.
The LORD declared this passage of Scripture over my life during the Race:
Remember not the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
The wild beasts will honor me,
the jackals and the ostriches,
for I give water in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
the people whom I formed for myself
that they might declare my praise.Isaiah 43:18-21
He has been my water in the wilderness as I have walked into the new thing He is doing, springing forth like those lizards that plagued my room in both Indonesia and Thailand. truly learned so much, grew so much, and am so thankful for the experiences this summer that have shaped me and made me who I am right now. Rest assured, Jon from the past – I really have changed.
Thanks for tuning in, faithful and avid readers; here are some of our most silly pictures to send off my last blog.
Journaling for the future – such a meaningful activity.