Sometimes things begin slowly and end quickly.
Years ago, when I was around 21 years old, I went on a missions trip to Tennessee with my church. Our youth pastor went through an organization called Adventures in Missions to plan the trip. For two weeks, we lived in a church building with other teams from all over the US, serving rural Tennessee by running Vacation Bible School for the kids living in a nearby low-cost housing development. Sometime while preparing for that trip, I found myself on the Adventures in Missions website, where I saw a link labeled “The World Race.” I clicked on it, and for the first time, I learned about a trip that took its participants to 11 different countries all around the world in an 11 month time span.
Wow, I thought. That is insane.
And the damage was done.
Although I didn’t know it at the time, the Lord had planted a seed in my mind and my heart. For the next several years, as I finished college, struggled to find a good job, set out on my own for the first time, finally found my dream job, and started to build my adult life, He tenderly nurtured the seed, and it began to grow. Time and again, He would whisper a little reminder that this crazy possibilty still existed, even if I thought otherwise.
The World Race.
Eventually, as these God-planted dreams always do, it exploded out of the realm of mere possibility and into my actual life. Begrudingly, I applied. To my dismay, I was accepted.
Will you follow?
Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
I set out for training camp a little over a year ago, full of both excitement and fear. In truth, I was more fearful of training camp itself than I was of the actual Race. Would I fit in? I knew I wasn’t your “typical” Racer, at least not what my vision of a typical Racer was. For one thing, I was older. While the majority of my squadmates were recent college graduates, I’d been out of college for six years already. I’d achieved my goal of becoming a teacher. I had my own health insurance and my own apartment. I box-dyed my hair every three months to get rid of the grays. I was a real grown-up!
Let me tell you a secret: The Lord knew a crazy, irresponsible, unpredictable, around-the-world-in-11-months adventure would do more to help me grow into the grown-up He wants me to be than another secure, stable, predictable year of life at home every could.
I wasn’t sure what this blog was going to be about when I started writing it. But I think now I understand what the Lord wants me to say here. This blog isn’t about my journey, or about what I’ve learned or how I’ve grown or what I’ve seen and done over the past year. Maybe that will come in another post.
But this blog is about you.
This blog is about you if you’re reading this and thinking that your ship has sailed. It’s for you if you once had a dream and you’ve been waiting a very long time to see it come to fruition. It’s for you if you know what your next step is, but you’re being held back by fear. It’s for you, teacher with the secure job who’s been called to the missions field. It’s for you, single 30-something, if you know God’s called you to do something but that something may delay your plans for marriage and family even longer.
If you know what God’s calling you to do, just do it!
I know that it’s not easy. It’s not easy to give up the safe life, the support systems around you, and the dreams and goals you’ve poured your life into.
It’s not easy to choose change.
But deep in your soul, you know you were made for Adventure and Romance. And you know you’re not getting either of those things where you’re at now.
Maybe God is calling you to The World Race. If He is and you know it, stop reading blogs and apply already.
Maybe God is calling you to another missions opportunity across the globe. If He is and you know it, stop reading blogs and start writing your letter of resignation.
Maybe God is calling you to a missions opportunity across the street. If He is and you know it, stop reading blogs and go knock on your neighbor’s door.
Maybe you’re exactly where God wants you geographically but He’s calling you to grow in intimacy with Him. If He is and you know it, stop reading blogs and go spend some time with the Lover of your soul.
If you know what God’s calling you to do, just do it!
I can assure you from firsthand experience…it’s worth every gray hair.
