“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.” –J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
Almost everyone to whom I have spoken has said something like "Be careful!" or "Be safe!" "What are you doing about ________" (in regards to some safety concern). Travelling can be very dangerous, especially for young women (and in some areas having blonde hair makes it worse…). People care about me and want me to be okay; I understand that, but take a moment to stop and think.
First, I want you to know that I will be careful and use common sense. I'm not going to be looking for trouble. And I will be travelling with other people. It is highly unlikely that I will be left completely alone.
Second, if I'm being honest, I'm not too worried about my safety. I'm no safer in the United States than I am anywhere else. Any minute on the road I could get hit, or walking down the street I could get kidnapped. It just feels safe because it's familiar and I know more of what to watch out for. Overseas it will be different, but God's hand is in ALL of this, and my job is to pursue His will regardless of how safe or unsafe it may seem. Sometimes God uses dangerous situations for His glory, and isn't His glory what I should be concerned about? Paul was thrown in jail, beaten up, left for dead, etc, but God worked in those situations to bring more glory to Himself. Paul was willing to go into Jerusalem, where he KNEW he would be put in prison, simply because God told him to go. Because of that he was able to present the gospel to numerous high officials.
I appreciate everyone who wants be to be safe and healthy! Believe me, I consider myself so blessed to have so many people who care, and that this is the closest I've had to resistance or opposition to my trip. I just want you to understand my heart in this. Believe me, I want to be safe and healthy for my entire trip, but mostly I want to pursue God's will and keep Him as my focus. So yes, pray for my safety, pray for my team and my squad, but pray even more that we actively pursue God's will and obey Him!
