It was this time last year that God started stirring something in my heart, and it didn’t take long until I felt Him calling me to do the race. It all started with a quote that I read (well actually He was preparing my heart way before then), but it said “Jesus can’t take you somewhere new if you’re comfortable with where you are…so are you going to stay comfortable or allow Him to take you places you never dreamed you’d go?” And gosh, I had no idea how true that would be. So far it’s included 8 countries with 4 more to go.
On my 29th birthday last year, I hesitantly asked God for abundant blessings, because I’ll be honest – I didn’t expect Him to answer. But luckily He doesn’t give us what we expect, and He proved me so wrong. I never would’ve dreamed this past year of my life to look like it did, but indeed it’s been filled with abundant blessings. I’ve traveled the world, had strangers become forever friends, seen the Kingdom at hand, played with elephants in Thailand, gone white water rafting in Indonesia, talked to God under the stars in Ghana, discovered Biskrem cookies and FanMilk, showered in rivers and with buckets, preached my first sermon, lived in a remote village in Africa, laughed more, learned more about God, learned more about myself, shared conversations and coffee on 3 continents, made sweet memories, met so many awesome people, broke down physical walls and spiritual ones, seen answered prayers, and so much more.
This year God has been reminding me of His goodness. He has been teaching me that it’s okay to dream, to ask for big things, and to even expect them, because He does delight in giving them. But within that, He continues to remind me that His ways are not my ways and His thoughts are higher than my thoughts. So He has been answering my prayers, not always in the ways I intended or expected, but always looking out for my good. That to say, life doesn’t always feel good, it certainly isn’t perfect or always what I want, but God is always good, always perfect, and all that I need. I read something this morning that I think says it best, “My faith is not that God is going to do the specific thing that I ask Him. God may not do the specific thing that I ask Him but He will reward the faith. He will do something. There will be benefit for seeking God in a matter. He may not do – in His wisdom – what I am asking, but if I trust in Him I know that He is the rewarder of those who seek Him” (Paul Washer).
I turned 30 on July 26th. My birthday lasted 36 hours, and I spent it on five airplanes, in four airports in four different countries. Never how I would’ve imagined spending my 30th birthday, ha. But this year, instead of hesitantly asking, I am expectantly asking God for abundant blessings, and I’m excited to see what else He has planned for me. Twenty nine was a good year, but I’m trusting that this is just the beginning, that God has even better things ahead. “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever” (Ephesians? 3:20-21).
So, in the words of Tim McGraw, “I think I’ll take a moment, celebrate my age, the ending of an era and the turning of a page. Now it’s time to focus in on where I go from here, Lord, have mercy on my next thirty years.”
