Hey everyone, I know it's been awhile since my first and last posting and I am long overdue for an update.  February, although the shortest month in the year felt like the longest and was certainly the most hectic!  March has arrived at last (with some more pleasant weather) and although it is just an arbitrary line drawn in the sand, seems to bring promise of more rest and time to reconnect.

I was accepted into this wild and exciting program in the end of January after much deliberation and prayer.  Initially (the rest of that afternoon) I was overjoyed!  Then came the next step: PANIC!  All of the things I theoretically knew that HAD to happen before I could launch out in June became very tangible within a 24 hour period.  Suddenly it wasn't a question of: if I am really going, or if this is the right thing, then...  It now became: this is happening and so what are you going to do about these things?

Immediately all of my thoughts and efforts went to my house.  Three years ago, a few months after starting my new job I bought a house in town.  It was nice, with a lot of potential, but nothing had changed since it was built in 1950!  I've been working on it slowly over the years, but plenty was left to do.  Suddenly it seemed every waking moment that I wasn't at work was going towards finishing up those last projects that I planned but never started or just never finished. 

Looking back on the month I can only say a few things for sure.  Most importantly miracles certainly still do happen!  The transformation that happened over a one month period of time is nothing short of miraculous and the people involved were a complete God-send.  Suddenly people I knew and some I didn't seemed to pour into my life with unique contributions – helping complete those projects that worried me the most.  Most importantly I got to see the amazing support of my parents, family, and friends as they stepped up to help in more ways than I can even process at this point!  For anyone reading this that was a part of that process, you were involved in a miracle and I thank you for your overwhelming support.

The only downside of that process has been the absolute toll taken on my body, mind, and spirit.  Somewhere within that crazy schedule I've been training and successfully ran two half marathons in the last two weeks, smashing my personal best time yesterday by over three minutes (1:49:35)!  I averaged probably about 5 hours of sleep a night in February and I can't even remember individual days as they all blurred into one big mess of repair, paint, de-cluttering, repeat...  I'm also continuing to work my full time job while trying to keep composed as if everything is normal; a feat that is growing increasingly difficult now when nothing is normal!   

Although I know now that I am in the right place - that God is leading me down this path and I am following more obediently and with more confidence than ever before, I also feel the mad dash has jarred the close connection with Him I felt in December and January.  Now that I can finally see the end in sight of what is one of my largest giants I am ready to proceed forward.  My main goal for March is to re-establish that connection and get back in lock step with the One who is leading me down this path... or risk misstepping.  I know I must keep moving, making many of these steps almost entirely on faith.  I must keep going, moving forward with confidence and strength - knowing if I have been led to this point, I will not be led astray now.

 Additionally I am making a point to start connecting in a more personal way with those who are supporting me in this journey, and with my team members who will be joining me.  I feel quite neglectful in this so far.  You all will be some of the most important people surrounding me physically and spiritually for the next year and helping me make it through!  It is time to get to out there and connect in as many ways possible with all of you. 

So, March... more daylight, more sleep, warmer weather, reconnecting... it's going to be a good month!  

-Jeremiah

I must admit from the start I have been intimidated by the prospect of writing this first entry.  Knowing that I must start somewhere, and that my entry isn't likely to inspire anyone to any act of greatness, or tilt the balance of any blogospheres in any way – I will begin.

 I am Jeremiah.  Need you know more?  If so, I guess I can elaborate a bit.  I was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee and currently live in Chattanooga.  Sounds like a pretty simple and dull life, but only by the long way around did I end back up in Chattanooga a few years ago.  My family has moved about every 5 years almost down to the month since I was two.  My parents were first home missionaries in Indiana doing church planting, and from there we made a slow but steady march south through Kentucky and then Georgia back to their home town of Chattanooga. 

 After high school I went to Berry College in Rome, GA where I spent four magnificent years with some wonderful people in one of the most beautiful settings on Earth.  Unfortunately four years later in 2006 they told me I had finished my degree and had to leave.  I migrated back to Chattanooga, found a job, a house, and all the lovely things that go along with the easy life.  From all appearances I was set up.  Things were going well and I was set to sit back, enjoy the easy life and start collecting the luxuries of life.  There was only one problem – this was all completely the opposite direction of all the desires of my heart!

 Since I could ever remember I have thrived on exploring the world around me.  Whether it be the woods behind my house, a giant cornfield, an eccentric capital city on a Pacific Island, or the mysterious winding streets of the city of my birth; I have always been curious and now growing increasingly restless.  Since at least 2005 (probably earlier) I have had a massive desire to go and expand the boundaries of my exploring.  No matter how hard I attempted to quash or satisfy this desire with short term jaunts around the world I knew there was something greater I was missing.  Although I didn't know why this desire was in me, or how it could actually be realized, I did know it was very real and I could no longer ignore it.

In October a friend and I took a week to undertake cycling the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Despite the excitement and beauty of this epic adventure I was quite distraught about the aching desire to go, but having no direction on how.  One night in my tent I was journaling and praying and I admitted there that I had no idea why, how or when this desire would be fulfilled, but I wanted it and I asked God to take over and show me the way.  Less than two weeks later (through what I thought at the time was pure chance) I was having lunch with a guy who was telling me about his experience with a program called the World Race.  To make a VERY long and intricate story short, about a month later God confirmed and substantiated for me, in only the way He can that this was no accident, but Him providing and showing me the fulfillment of my desires.  However He wasn't giving me what I asked for, it was instead the realization of my desires used for something far greater and exceedingly more significant that what I asked.  I am more and more amazed by this goodness everyday!

So here I find myself, writing a blog, feeling ecstatic in knowing I have been led down this wild but amazing path, astounded at the epic adventure lying before me, but also apprehensive about the giants that stand in the way.  However, I know that I am light-years ahead of where I stood just a year ago.  In fact my entire outlook and life has changed in just a four month period.  Given this I find it comforting that I can keep moving, living solely on faith that God has led me and changed me in amazing ways in just four months, and He can do the same all over again in the coming four months.  This time however I have a much greater advantage – I actually believe whole heartedly that it can be done and I am excited about the journey in itself.  I like to think this is just a prerequisite course to the kind of faith required to survive and then thrive in the following 11 months. 

To wrap up this rapidly expanding first entry, I want to end with some of my hopes for the World Race.  Simply put I am praying for growth.  Growth within myself, growth within the group of team members I am looking forward to meeting and working with, and from that bringing growth and hope to those people we go to minister to.  My hope is that neither I, nor we, nor the people we encounter will go back home the same, unchanged and unchallenged to contemplate and share the things experienced.

Lastly I look forward to meeting all of you soon, and setting out on this amazing journey!  I am gearing up for an all out adventure to explore some of the lesser treaded corners of God's creation and living with and getting to know the people groups who live unlike what most of us have ever experienced! 

Who's with me?  I'm ready, I'm pumped... Let's Go!!