11 days ago I boarded a plane from Dallas headed for World Race Launch in Georgia. Now I’m sitting in a cafe in Serbia writing this blog.
In some ways it seems that 11 days was a million years ago; in other ways it seems like it was yesterday.
Getting on that plane was the hardest decision I have ever had to make. I don’t say that to add emphasis or to seem dramatic – it was actually the hardest thing I have ever had to do.
I did not realize how difficult it would be until I was sitting in an airport terminal in Dallas battling with myself to get on that plane.
I was leaving everything I have ever known. For the last 23 years, my life has been in Texas. The longest I have been away from home is 5 weeks when I served in China teaching English with DBU.
I sat in that airport realizing that I could either flee from what the Lord called me to do or walk boldly in obedience to Him.
I chose to obey, and I recognize that it was not the easy course.
This year will be filled with challenges, defeats, struggles, and heartbreak. But in the midst of those things I am believing that I will also find growth, victory, courage, and joy. The Lord is going to use this season to refine me – to show me how to serve a God that is greater than myself. For those reasons I know that I made the hard decision but also the right one.
Dallas, Texas, is my home. It always will be. The Serbians here have already started referring to me as “Texas” or “Texas girl” and I couldn’t be prouder to represent the greatest State on Earth. I love my heritage. I love being able to share with others how my home shaped me into who I am.
Although I do have plenty of State pride to spread around, I also recognize that it’s more about the environment I created around myself that made the difference. I was raised by a family who loves the Lord, who pushed me to be obedient to God first and foremost. I was surrounded by a community of friends who called me higher, who wanted more than just mediocrity from me. I was trained by a school that values servant leadership, that taught me how to study scripture and how to always be on guard for false doctrine.
For all these things I am grateful, and it is because of these influences that when the time came for the enemy to tempt me to not obey, I chose to say yes instead. I followed where the Lord lead me, and I cannot wait to see what He does in this journey.
Thanks for being along for the ride.
Texas forever!
– Shannon
