Month 11 comes with it’s challenges, emotions, and opportunities.

For me in the last week, it’s looked like crying behind my sunglasses on the sidewalk moments before I buy apples from a street vendor and pray with them. It’s been finding the balance between looking for ministry vs. waiting to see what comes along. And it’s also been keeping up with what’s going on in America via my phone.

My “hybrid team” of 8 spent the first few nights in the capital city of Quito, then stayed in a beach town called Montañita, and are now living in Cuenca. On this podcast episode, I am riding solo without a guest. I share details from the first few stops of our trip around Ecuador, take you to the moments I had with a couple of locals on the street, and give some encouragement about how to engage with the current political climate.

Thanks for listening!

“I only have like 26,000 days left...”

Whether you look up a countdown to your 100th year of life (like Ryan did) or not, you probably realize that time is limited and life is short. For some this is a bleak reminder, and for others it’s a motivating push to make every day count. Becoming the best version of yourself and stewarding the time God has given you is something my friend Ryan takes very seriously. This is just one of the things we talk about on this week’s episode — we also discuss “mourning” the Race, praying for healing, the unique setup for month 11, and more.

There are several dense, thick ideas that are explored within the hour-long conversation we recorded. Ryan quotes a variety of passages from scripture throughout the talk, and also references where some of these topics of conversation can be found specifically. If you want to know more or ask any questions, feel free to reach out.

A fresh perspective from Generation Z.

It’s month 10 and we just arrived to Medellín, Colombia. I sit down with the two youngest girls on the squad — Malysa Napoli and Sydney Nunley. Two proud Texans with a lot of personality and a well-rounded outlook on all things ministry, Christianity, and life.

We wrap up any final thoughts about last month and then quickly move the discussion to the crazy week we’ve had so far working with City of Refuge here in Colombia. Outreach opportunities have enveloped a wide array of sights and experiences. And although it’s our second to last month on the World Race, our squad is keeping up an energy and open-mindedness to take full advantage of our *final* moments. The song you hear at the beginning and end of the episode is “Chillin’ in Dallas” by Hyper Fenton & Moflo Music.

Secretary of treasury ... to head of state.

This week I bring on my friend Jenny, who like me started the World Race as a team treasurer and is now team leader. We discuss the transition from your everyday racer to having more responsibility and being the face of the team. Here in Panama, our teams have been living together while serving two different ministries. Jenny and I are both doing a fair amount of evangelism this month, and on this episode we talk about how scary and complicated those words sound but in reality it can be something very casual and easy to integrate into our everyday lifestyles.

With it being month 9, there’s a lot of talk about “after the Race” even though we still have 2 and a half months left! Jenny and I discuss the pressures that come with making plans for when we get home and how we see ourselves implementing new skills and habits that we’ve adopted on the field, back in the States! Things like worship, community, and outreach.

Stick around for American history trivia at the end where I test Jenny’s knowledge on the moon landing, Betsy Ross, and more.

So I know how to mix concrete now.

The one and only podcast episode from our month in Costa Rica, recapping 4 weeks of farm work, painting and rennovation, church activities, and sporadic “evangelism.” We’ve been off the grid serving a small town church who needs a lot of help to reach the vision they have for a future missionary school. In the midst of sweat and bugs and sore muscles, we took a couple trips to see more of Costa Rica’s natural beauty and tourist scene.

This new month brought new teams as well, as the squad was mixed around for the last time. These teams are the teams we end the Race with — just 3 more months now! The Lord pushed me to accept the position of team leader this time around, so there’s plenty to process about that in this episode.

AND ON TODAY’S HISTORY SEGMENT, I give an overview of one of the most pivotal decades in U.S. history — the 60s.

Another personal interview / testimony with a leader from our squad. Stella opens up about her life in the past as she navigated spiritual beliefs, life’s temptations, and identity. Through her experiences and insight, you’ll see how we can live out a relationship with God as our Father and how to walk in the freedom we’ve been given.

Perhaps the most real and honest conversation I’ve recorded so far. And definitely the most I’ve ever laughed on the podcast.

This vulnerable episode uncovers the story of my teammate Macy, who has become one of my closest friends on the World Race, and who has experienced a lot of life. Her testimony is one of finding grace and worth in the midst of shame and guilt. The joy and confidence that radiates from Macy today is a testament to how God can renew any mishap and empower us to speak His truth through our stories. Plus she’s just a lot of fun to talk to.

We are in the rural town of Palacaguina, Nicaragua working with a local ministry to help physically build the church, teach English, and minister to others. When listening to this episode, you might notice running water in the background every now and then, a child talking, or even a motorcycle driving by. Because way out here (and on the Race in general) it’s hard to find that “perfect recording spot.”

Either way, this episode is nothing if not candid and honest. Get ready.

& BE SURE TO CATCH THE WORD I GIVE ON AMERICA AT THE END.

Bienvenido a la isla del volcan.

Welcome to Ometepe, an island housing a big, beautiful lava filled mountain, sitting right in the middle of Nicaragua Lake. Our two co-ed teams are serving here at an orphanage and plantain farm. If we aren’t teaching kids English in the classrooms, we are digging holes in the fields. It’s rewarding work — and not a bad place to stay when you are situated in a house next to the lake, with a volcano looming in the background.

My guest Ashley and I discuss the last couple of weeks as we transition into Latin America, the Parent Vision Trip coming up soon, team changes, and how a constantly changing life abroad can become normal.

Plus American History trivia at the end.

We’re halfway done.

It’s month 6 of the World Race! I am in the Western Cape province of South Africa with a team of girls, staying in a quaint, residential area ... complete with a Mom and Dad at home. We are partnered with a local church / bible college and spend our days either volunteering at a few preschools, working at a safe house down the street, or just walking around town trying to get to know people. It’s a quiet, peaceful place, and we have found rest and comfort here at the midpoint of our 11 months abroad.

This week I sit down with my teammate Eva from Seattle, who knows the personal meaning of being “Created For More” since she decided to leave her job as a school teacher at the age of 29, and pursue more of God in a life of abandonment and adventure. We talk a little about her story of what brought her to the Race, and give an overview of our few short weeks in South Africa — including an excursion to Cape Town for some mountains and waves.

Stick around til the end of this shorter episode for the American segment, where I get on a little soap box about the importance of “preserving the Union” and appreciating the characteristics of the United States that sets us apart from the rest of the world.

The rookie and the veteran...

For the first time ever on this podcast, I sit down with a GUY from my squad! And what better guy to discuss the World Race with, than my current squad leader? Alex has already completed the Race once and is now serving as our mentor / spiritual guide for the first half of our trip. We discuss the challenges and unique opportunities of the Race, reentry to the States after 11 months on the field, and more.

In addition, Alex is an extension of my recent obsession with the documentary about Bobby Kennedy, so I hit him with some related trivia at the end of the episode.