Throughout the last six months God has continued to create full circle moments, connecting the dots to seemingly small moments in my past, and showing me how those small moments have made up the life changing moments….. hindsight is always 20/20, am I right?
Since coming to Cape Town, South Africa two years ago, my heart longed to come back. I knew in my bones that I would return, I just didn’t know when. Friends, squad mates, and family members have heard me rant and rave about my favorite place in the world. Penguins, oceans, mountains, wine lands, and crystal pools. People from all over the world all in the same place – Cape Town, the dreamland.
Fast forward two years, and here I am in my favorite city again. I journey up to Lion’s Head to bring my friends to one of my favorite things I did while I was here last time. We get to the top and watch the breathtaking sunset, where the ocean goes as far as you can see, blending into the sky. Then, you can turn around and have an astonishing view of Table Mountain. Reflecting on God’s goodness of bringing me back here, I hear the sweet words whispered into my ears, “it’s never been about the destination, my darling.”
It’s never been about the destination. But somewhere in our time the world has told us places, things, or people will make us ultimately happy. If I get there or get that, then I’ll be happy. The world has programmed us to be consumers, more more more and then you will be ______ (fill in the blank happy, content, satisfied) whatever you want to call it.
These last 2 years I have been living counter culturally. I have lived on $5 a day for food and $5 a day for lodging, traveling the world and spreading the love of Jesus that has radically changed my life forever.
When people ask me what my favorite place was or what my favorite adventure was, my mind and heart immediately go straight to the people I made lasting connections with. It was never about which country or adventure I was on, it was always about the family around the world that God was creating for me.
God has given me the gift to see that the journey is the destination we have all been longing to reach. We finally get to see that once we let Him transform our minds (Romans 12:2). It is not about getting to that one point, it’s about finding Him in every moment on the journey. You may even be lucky enough create a family and see what is eternal and lasting manifest in everything you do. I have begun to understand what Paul was saying when He said in Philippians, “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.”
God is dwelling in us always. Our home and contentment is already inside us but it’s our choice to tap into that daily or not. That is the secret to find in every moment throughout the journey through the mountaintops, mundane, and the mystery of it all.
I’m in a time of transition and it is easy for old coping mechanisms to creep up, like trying to plan or control what’s next. Thoughts begin to race through my mind like ” I need to get a car, where am I going to live, what job am I going to get?” I pray daily, “God please show me what you want me to do in this next season.” Do you ever pray and do all the talking but never actually take time to let Him do some talking? Yeah me too….. well finally in all my controlling, planning, and manipulating I got tired and finally stopped to hear those words from Him, “stop and trust me.”
So here I am, eight days away from coming home, and I don’t have a car, I don’t have a job, and I’m planning on living at home again. Instead of freaking out, I finally see the gift of this sweet season coming up. Finally, I am practicing what I preach, and letting God guide my steps. Instead of just saying “God is in control,” I am actually letting my actions reflect those words. I am giving Him the space to be in control and show me what my future holds.
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