This month God asked me to do something that was difficult. Because all 46 of us have been together this month we’ve shared a lot of our hearts with each other. One of the things we’ve been beginning to do is make list of things that we have always wanted to do in this life. Even if they seem crazy or out of reach, we write them down to begin to live life intentionally. God has been bringing a lot of revelation to us this month about how easily in the west we can get caught into conforming to the pattern of this world (Romans 12:1-2) and as a result leaving that adventurous heart that he has put in us aside.
I have been a dreamer from the day I was born. My parents really fed my love for adventure by just letting me go for it! I decided that this month I was going to begin to write these things down and actively start to pursue them. So I began…
Driving the coast of Australia in a hippie van and begin to share Jesus with the surf culture there,
road bike Japan,
Go to at least 100 countries,
Hang glide the Grand Canyon and Hawaii
Live self sufficiently for at least 1 year
Live in silence in the wilderness for at least one month
Memorize the Gospel of John
Learn to play 10 instruments well
Snowboard in BC, Valdez, New Zealand, and Chile
Blow an Alp Horn on the top of a mountain in Switzerland
The list went on and on.
I love talking about these kinds of things, and not just talking about them in a way of “oh, that would be cool, but I’ll never be able to do it.” I believe that I can really do these things. After writing these things down, I went to bed for the night. The next day I felt a heaviness on my heart. That night I felt God speak to me. He said to me “you need to give that list to Me.” I pulled the list out and I realized that I needed to add some things….
My Comfort
My Pride
My idea of Ministry
Affirmation from Others
Knowing my Jesus from just feeling and experience
The list went on and on….
I then took my lists to the beach and looked over them. I then held them out, took a match, and lit them on fire. I started to cry. I said to my Lord, “what ever you want me to be, I’ll be, whatever you want me to do, I’ll do. I just want to love you more.”
I’m learning that the true adventure in this life is to follow the One who put that desire in me. I believe that God did put these desires in my heart (Psalm 37:4), but all of these things are worthless and empty without God. And with Him, even in the worst circumstances, I can have joy. He is a good Father and he knows how to give good gifts to His son. I never expected to go surfing this month or snorkeling, but that is God’s heart. He goes beyond what we could ever ask or imagine. Whatever He asks me to do in this life, I surrender. I just want to love Him more. The Great Adventure is the journey into the heart of God, to see the Beauty of the Lord! Further Up and Further In!
