I was SO close to leaving India without any sickness. But it brought me to my knees within the early morning hours. And as it broke my ongoing health streak, it quietly broke my spirit.
I didn’t want to feel more uncomfortable then I was already feeling. I didn’t want my sleeping pad on the floor, I wanted a bed. I didn’t want WebMD, I wanted a doctor. I didn’t want to be locked in a room alone, I wanted my mom. I didn’t want the sound of dogs barking or the gross India smells wafting through the window. I wanted peace, silence, comfort, and maybe a Yankee candle.
This month hasn’t exactly been the “adventure” I was hoping for and even praying about.
But if adventure begins right outside your comfort zone, then I am right in the heart of it.
When I think of adventure, I don’t think my days in India qualifies. But maybe adventure can also mean trying new things, making the most out of hard situations, pushing past the uncomfortable feeling, and growing.
Maybe adventure doesn’t always have to mean a deluxe package with a tour company or exploring unknown territory during a hike.
Perhaps adventure and exploring means less about your environment and more about yourself.
Maybe in India my adventure was meeting a man on the street and going to his house to pray for his family. Or maybe learning to hand wash our clothes or how to conserve water with record timing showers. Maybe it was teaching about leadership for 3 hours with limited notice or saying, “everything is awesome” when everything is absolutely not awesome right now.
What if adventuring can also mean learning what being humble tangibly looks like or learning that I need to laugh at myself better. Maybe it’s learning that we can all worship differently while worshipping the same God or that I am not any less holy because I lead my life differently than those around me. Adventuring can be discerning when I need to listen and when I just need a long, honest chat with Anna Beth.
And I think adventure isn’t always beautiful and it can even be painful. It can feel like suffering or surviving until you finally take a breath and you realize that you are restored, redeemed, strong, and better because of it.
I might not be quite there yet, but I am completing month one and I am pretty darn proud of myself. I have a long ways left to go and I think God has only scratched the surface with what He wants from me around here.
