Four and a half years ago, I became a caterpillar. I hatched
from my home and went off to college. I inched around from leaf to leaf,
nibbling on one for a while, eventually growing tired of it and moving on to
the next. I was in search of the perfect leaf. One that would satisfy the
hunger in the pit of my stomach. However, no leaf was quite right. I was
constantly searching for more, never resting. I spent almost 4 years inching
along the same branch, moving from leaf to leaf, desperately searching for what
would satiate my soul.
One day, I started to get a funny feeling inside. I didn’t
quite understand what it meant; all I knew was that something inside me longed
for change. As I graduated college, I knew that time was near. I settled into a
great job, apartment and church family down in the Keys. This move enabled me
to shed the skin of my previous life and form a chrysalis. Inside this chrysalis I
learned to be still and quiet. I learned to be alone (and even enjoy it
sometimes). I had a lot of time to think, to ponder on my past, to reflect on
the choices I had made. I grew closer to God in this time of quietness and
solitude. He was telling me to rest and wait while He transformed me.
I knew this period in my life wouldn’t last forever and
alas, one day I again felt that stirring inside for change. It was at this time
I traveled to the
Dominican Republic
and upon returning, learned of the World Race. I knew this was it. I was
starting to wiggle around. I knew that my life would soon be very different and
although that scared me, it was so exciting to imagine the possibilities of a new
life with a transformed self.
I went to training camp excited but also somewhat timid
about meeting the 30 or so people I would live with for the next year of my
life. I arrived Thursday in the early evening, we had a church service upstairs
and then we stuffed 7 girls into a 5 person tent for the night. It was nothing
too emotional or revolutionary. Friday, on the other hand, was the beginning of
the most intense and meaningful 10 days of my life. All the issues I’ve dragged
along with me from my days as an egg and caterpillar came creeping out. As I
learned to recognize and process my baggage, I cried more and more but I
realized I was breaking through my chrysalis. I could see the light of the outside
world.
About midway through camp, we went to
Unicoi
State Park and spent a few hours in
solitude by the lake, reflecting on our experiences over the past few days. I
was finally able to cast off my cumbersome baggage. I felt so free. What an
amazing day that was. I had wings.
I spent the rest of the week soaking up knowledge and
learning how to use my new gifts. My wings were still new to me and they were a
little awkward at first but by the end of training camp I was making short flights
above and around my branch.
Now, instead
of always looking down and concentrating on the leaves, I could look around at
the rest of the tree, the rest of the forest even. I have a whole new
perspective on the world. It’s amazing what you can see and do when you’re not
stuck on your branch, desperately trying to satisfy the persistent and gnawing
hunger in your soul that can not be filled with mere leaves.
On June 5th I will make the initial flight from
my little branch to
Swaziland
in
Africa. From there, I’ll fly to new branches and new
trees. I’ll visit places in the forest I couldn’t even dream of while I was a
caterpillar, for how far can a caterpillar travel? With wings, the whole forest
is only a flight away.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone,
the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17
I’m still in need of financial and prayer support. If you
feel led to support me, you can pay with a credit card by clicking the Support
Me link to the left of this post or you can write a check to Adventures in
Missions and put “Appealed by Brady Denger” in the memo line. Then mail the
check to:
The World Race
Adventures in Missions
6000 Wellspring Trail
Gainesville,
GA
30506
I also really need people who will commit to being on my
prayer team. This means that you’ll pray for me every day that I’m on the
mission field. If you want to join, please let me know by clicking on
Contact
Me. Thank you so much for all the support (emotional, spiritual,
and financial) that you’ve already given. I appreciate it so much.
Please feel free to leave comments on my site anytime and
let me know what you’re thinking and how your life is going. I’ll miss you all and want to keep in touch as much as possible. Have a great day/night and God bless!
