Sent With What You Have

Last weekend, I participated in my fifth Ragnar Trail Relay Race.

Two Teammercy teams of eight ran and trekked 124 miles over 24-plus hours. But this was about more than miles. Every step was taken in honor and memory of siblings who have experienced the death of a brother or sister. We were not just running a race. We were carrying stories, love, and remembrance.

And honestly, it was not easy.

We had two weather delays. Two of our three tents flooded. One of our team members broke a toe. There was mud, exhaustion, wet gear, and at least a few moments of, “Whose idea was this?”  ALLISON.

Still, we finished.

Since the race ended, I have kept thinking about how often we believe we need more before God can really use us. More energy. More clarity. More confidence. Better timing. Better conditions.

But life does not wait for perfect conditions.
Neither does love.
And neither does God.

What struck me most about the race was this: everyone showed up with what they had.

We did not have perfect weather.
We did not have easy circumstances.
We did not even have the best training.

But we had enough to keep going.
Enough to encourage one another.
Enough to carry the names and stories entrusted to us.
Enough to be ambassadors of love and hope for families who know deep grief.

That feels true to faith, too.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians that we are ambassadors for Christ. That means we carry the heart, love, and hope of Jesus into the world. And most of the time, we are sent not when everything is easy and polished, but right in the middle of real life. In the middle of grief, uncertainty, exhaustion, and all the things that make the trail feel muddy.

That is part of what I have been thinking about in this season of A Long Echo.

What God places in us is not meant to stop with us. His grace, comfort, encouragement, and love are meant to move through us and echo outward.

And the good news is this: you do not have to wait until you have more.

You do not have to wait until you feel stronger.
You do not have to wait until life settles down.
You do not have to wait until the forecast improves.

God sends you with what you already have.

So here is the question I am carrying this week:

Where is God sending you to be an ambassador for Christ?

Maybe to work, to school, in a restaurant, or in the neighborhood.

You do not have to wait until you have more.
God can do a lot with what you already have.

With Gratitude,

Rev. Rodney Whitfield
Senior Pastor
Aldersgate UMC