One of the most curious feelings I’ve discovered is being homesick for the place I call home and also an overwhelming longing in my heart to stay on this race forever.
I am excited to reunite with my parents and spend late nights with my friends. I want to get coffee and watch the sunset at Sierra Prietta. Maybe Casey and I will go to target or go to the pickle ball court, who knows, we’ll decide in the morning.
on the other hand,
I’m scared to be lonely.
I’m scared to not have a community.
do I go sit at a coffee shop alone or is it better to just stay home?
sitting in silence is a lot more fun with your best friends and I’d wake up for 7am breakfast every day if it meant seeing everyone I’ve come to love.
one of the hardest parts of the race is coming home to questions like:
“how was your trip?”
“what was your favorite part?”
“what’s the coolest thing you ate?”
these questions are great and I’d love to talk, but let me tell you a little more about this trip as a whole!
In October I started a journey of reading the whole Bible and this week I got to the New Testament! I’d love to tell you what I’m learning!
Saying goodbye without a future promise of hello is gut wrenching, but it’d be an honor to describe to you the relationships I’ve built and people I’ve come to love!
As we prepare our hearts to come home, we will battle with loneliness and the reality that many people only care about how much we’ve travelled or what we did on our adventure days. The truth is that by reading our blogs or saying “how are you” will never fully unveil all of our stories.
When you welcome a racer home, it would mean the world to ask more than how many countries they’ve been to.
“when did you need God most and how did he show up for you?”
“who was on your team? tell me more about them?”
“did you meet anyone that changed your life, what did they teach you?”
I would describe preparing to come home as the same feeling of preparing to reunite with a best friend you’ve been apart of for a few years. The excitement is unbearable and the fear that change has pulled you further away continues to keep you on your toes.
This is some insight into what I’m feeling and the people around me are going through, we can’t wait to hug you and reconnect since being apart!
Once you’re home and have a minute to breathe, come to my house, sip on coffee and chocolate chip cookies, and tell me everything! And come over as often as you want for cookies and coffee and conversation. It’s so hard to adjust leaving little parts of your heart in places not everyone knows or understands. We can hold excitement for home and sadness for what you’ve left behind at the same time 🩷
Hi Faith!
I love how you described this transition, the ups and the downs, the things that probably only a racer could really explain- well said!
This is so well said. I am taking every bit of it to heart. Share this with Drew…he may enjoy processing this with you especially given the unexpected events of this past weekend.
we miss you faith! so excited for you to come home <3
I have loved every picture and every update you have shared throughout your race so far, but especially about the people you have met and have come to know and love. I have loved to hear you speak about how God has been along side you in your journey and I admire your light that shines so bright. I can’t wait to see you and hug you ♥️🧡💛
I second everything Kolbi said. 🙌🏼 I can’t wait to see the complexities that have come about in you. No one may ever know the fullness of your experiences there, but I hope you know when I listen, I’ll be looking for that fullness to come out in your expressions, excitement, and maybe even sadness and grief. Love you, Faith!
Love you Faith 💕. I am so excited to hear all about everything 😃
What wonderful thoughts the Lord has given you about returning to the US and wanting to tell people about your world race but anticipating the difficulties it will entail. May the Lord give you grace and patience with people. May he strengthen and comfort you as you return to a different kind of life. I thank him for his wonderful work in and through you in the past months.