Oh, hey MONTH NINE. Didn’t see you there.
Somehow I’ve traveled to nine countries since August. Between then and now, I’ve experienced a whole lot of life.
I’ve set foot on five continents. I’ve eaten unfamiliar foods, lived with the locals, taken crazy adventures, and said “yes” to whatever was asked of me. I’ve slept on the floor, in mud huts, at busy bus stations, in hostels, churches, family homes, and even the great outdoors. I’ve taught first grade, preached in churches and drug houses alike, witnessed God literally give the blind sight, evangelized to prostitutes, danced West Africa style, scraped paint for days at a time, discipled teenagers through basketball, visited hospitals to pray for the near-dead, and lived in 24/7 community with people I didn’t know before this thing started.
I remember committing to the World Race and thinking my dreams were coming true. Everything I want in life is encompassed in this thing: Jesus, travel, service, and adventure. I can’t believe I’m fulfilling my biggest dream at 23 years old.
And wow, what a realized dream it has been. That’s not to say things have been easy, because they surely haven’t, but I see how my daily life is aligning with my highest purpose. And I must say, that feels pretty damn good.
But now that I’m here, in month nine, I’m forced to look ahead at what could come next. And in this season of balance between living in the present and considering the future, God is reminding me to keep dreaming.
The World Race may be incredible, but it’s truly just one of many years in my life. It’s not the thing that will make my life awesome because Jesus has already done that. It’s an avenue, a beginning, an instrument for the Lord to work through, but that’s it. I guess what I’m trying to say is the World Race is not the end all, be all of my life journey. Thank God.
He wants me to consider my future, what I really want, and what that could look like. He whispers, “There’s more, child.”
When I consider the hopes and desires I have for my life, it’s plainly obvious how unorthodox, out-of-the-box, and against the status quo they are.
They don’t directly lead to a white picket fence or a six-figure salary. My dreams are risky, uncertain, and if I’m honest, pretty terrifying.
I think some of that scariness stems from this unsaid pressure to follow the crowd, sit down, and shut up. Society tells me I’m supposed to finish this year and return to “real life.” The “right” thing to do is start a career, find the happy medium between exploration and settledness for the second half of my twenties, and be normal (whatever that means).
But what happens when the status quo isn’t for me? What if I actually don’t want to play it safe? What about the fire burning inside my veins that says I’m meant to fight injustice, free the slaves, and heal the sick? Is it crazy to dream about what could be?
God says no.
Time and time again, he takes the nothing specials, the misfits, the weirdos, and he uses them for incredible things. When we partner with God, awesome things happen. He used an old man named Abraham to father a holy nation. He chose a sinful, ashamed Samaritan woman to share the good news of God’s forgiveness. He used a little shepherd boy named David to defeat a big, scary giant named Goliath. He used a prostitute named Rahab to protect his people. He sent his son in the form of a lowly carpenter to be the Savior of the world.
God’s very nature goes against the status quo. It doesn’t agree with what the world says is normal, safe, and trustworthy.
Take my life for example. I met God as a fearful, defiant, self-destructive alcoholic, and he has transformed me into a woman who wants nothing if I don’t have him. I was not a likely pick for God’s tribe of agents, yet he has used me to bring people into his family, to show them what healing looks like, and to be an example of freedom in Christ. I’m not anything special, but God’s Spirit inside me is so special, so powerful, and so transformational.
I don’t write this to say that working a corporate job, living in the suburbs, and having steadiness in your routine is wrong. God can use us wherever we are, and we need to be wherever he has us.
But for my life, I know there’s big risk involved. I know people will hear about the dreams I’m pursuing and wonder how the heck I’m going to get there. The truth is, I don’t have an answer other than God’s help and direction.
Now, I know you’re probably on the edge of your seat wondering what these ginormous dreams of mine are. Not to burst your bubble, but that’s not what this blog is about. This blog is a declaration that I’m going to keep dreaming. I won’t be put in a box. I will keep following God wherever he leads, whether that’s to the red light districts of the world or to a husband and some kiddos. I’m open to his will.
I challenge you to keep dreaming too. Write down the dreams that scare you and chase after them hand-in-hand with God. Maybe you’re 18 or maybe you’re 60. No matter your season, don’t put yourself in a box. There’s more, child. There’s always more.
