I’m remembering when I was training over a month ago, our mentor said, “If a Racer is having a panic attack in the middle of the night, you’ll stay up. If someone is throwing up, you’ll be there. If your coleader is experiencing a nightmare, they can wake you. Be okay with being woken up.” Little did I know how true that statement actually was.

It’s currently 2:48 am, thirty minutes ago a racer approached me as I was sleeping. She said, “Ellie, the girl is here to pick me up… I have to go to the airport.” I scrambled to understand what’s happening, but I quickly respond, “Okay, I’m coming.” I then go to the patio outside and meet the rest of the squad. 

While I was watching everyone say goodbye, I understood the beauty of leading. You see the heart of Jesus in it all. You’re the person the racers go to whenever. It doesn’t matter if you have COVID, are an introvert, or are asleep… you’ve committed to be their person for the Race. In fact, I remember telling my squad, “You can wake me up. It can be for anything, sickness, fear, a life threatening situation, I will not be mad because you woke me up. I will simply say, ‘Okay’ and we’ll figure things out.” 

 It reminds me of this passage, 

“One day he and his disciples got in a boat. “Let’s cross the lake,” he said. And off they went. It was smooth sailing, and he fell asleep. A terrific storm came up suddenly on the lake. Water poured in, and they were about to capsize. They woke Jesus “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” Getting to his feet, he told the wind, “Silence!” and the waves, “Quiet down!” They did it. The lake became smooth as glass.”

May I always be a person that’s approachable like Jesus as people know they can wake me up even at 2:00am.  

I told my racer goodbye and said, “Thank you for waking me up to say goodbye. I love you” to which she replied, “I’ll always wake you up. I love you.” How beautiful the reality that God is approachable, not through other men or rituals, but by a simple word. When I call, He hears even if it’s at 2:00am.