“Well here we are”. Sometimes my conversations with God sound a little like that. The whirlwind process of discerning God’s path for me has indeed taken a gloriously unexpected turn. Getting into the World Race South American Expedition has been one, long, incredulous look at the Father followed by the quiet submission, “well here goes nothing”. And truly- I’m stepping off of the cliff of my life experience in a short and painfully long 9 months. Someone pinch me.
Here’s the honest truth- I had the honeymoon phase already. I’ve wanted to do long term mission since God started a little spark in my heart in High School. I’ve wanted this for as long as I can remember and now it’s finally real and exactly in His time. But then the reality clashes with the National Geographic photos you’ve memorized from Google Imaging “Iguazu Falls” for the billionth time. The reminders from your concerned relatives about fundraising and moving your life into your parent’s basement for a year start flooding in. And the looks. Don’t forget the looks. For anyone who’s ever done some crazy God-adventure, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s the “bless your heart” look. I’ve lived in Texas long enough to know that ‘bless your heart’ is the furthest thing from a positive vibe.
So why am I traveling South America for a year? Why am I dropping my life and picking a new one? The answer is simple really: God gave me this crazy heart and, by golly, it’s going to follow it’s Creator wherever He leads, with or without me. So I go.
Despite my fickle heart, God has been waiting patiently and tilling the ground so that I’d be ready for this leap. Looking back, it all makes so much sense now. It’s as if I had been wandering deep in the woods and He gave me a bird’s eye view. Way up there, South America is the easy answer to the desires I kept neatly on a shelf. It’s the consummation of the joy, suffering, and more often than not, the waiting. But He never promised me that it would be easy and back in the woods I must go. Now I wait and walk. But the mountain is up ahead in the distance and I was made to climb it.
I know good and well that learning how to get every possession I’ll claim as my own in one pack and fundraising $17,000 are only a small fraction of the skills I’ll need to learn to be ready for the Race. I know the majority of the preparation will happen deep beneath the surface. I know is He’ll make me ready for the journey ahead. That’s enough for me for now. In the mean time, don’t be shy about sending prayers, donations, and encouragement my way. God knows, I wouldn’t be here without the support of the people who have blessed my life. I’d be equally blessed to bring you along for the ride. So, here goes nothing- to the mountain we go.
