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Overlooking the village of Mijas with the Mediterranean in the distance. 
 
A few days ago, Summer and I were able to fly the trip from Michigan to Spain together as she prepares to train with YWAM, and I with G42. Our flight traveled over the beautiful frozen wilderness of Canada and the mountains of Greenland lit by the bright moon, and we saw an amazing sunrise over islands of Ireland shortly before landing in Germany. On our final flight into Spain, our plane turned to reveal beautiful snow-capped peaks and the Mediterranean just beyond as the sun dropped below the horizon. And now here in Mijas, the small village where I’m attending school, our community lives on the side of a mountain about 1000 feet above sea level overlooking the Mediterranean just north of Morocco. I’m blessed to be in such an amazing place to run, swim, and explore the mountains!

But as beautiful as this place is, the transition to Spain isn’t easy. With Africa just to the south, I’m reminded why I’m here at G42. Spain seems very safe, yet the reality of where God soon may be calling me lies within reach. It’s easy as a guy who has the desires of a warrior to dream about adventuring and taking Jesus to new frontiers when they are thousands of miles away. It seems exciting and amazing and incredible! Yet being this close to places where God could call me, I’m realizing the cost of what my desires and my calling could be.

Ultimately going to tough areas like Africa, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, or India places the reality of persecution within reach to have the opportunity to share the life of Christ. The World Race was easy, but in the places I’m longing to go, people are killed and imprisoned today for sharing the Gospel. Could that happen to me? Am I willing to lay my life in the hands of my God, trusting Him with how long He wants me to be on this earth? Am I really willing to entrust my family to God enough to go to places that aren’t easy … so that others who otherwise may never hear about Jesus don’t miss out on an eternity with our creator?

God has placed us on this earth to experience and share His life. Yet we see signs all around us that what we see is temporary. People age; suffering and hurt is everywhere. Ultimately, we all die! I don’t want to desperately try and preserve and hang on to the diminishing threads of beauty in this life. Don’t get me wrong – I really long to enjoy what God gives me today, and see God touch people with His healing. Yet I know that all we see is to be soon to be made new.  We will be given a new heaven and a new earth. We will have new bodies that don’t age. Pain and suffering won’t exist!  But how do I practically live that out today?

In Band of Brothers, a documentary sharing the story of Easy Company in World War II, an officer noted to a soldier struggling to engage the enemy, “The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you’re already dead. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you’ll be able to function as a soldier is supposed to function.”

I think Andrew Shearman, one of our teachers here at G42, said far more accurately at dinner tonight that life doesn’t come until death.  Am I willing to die? Pray that I see life the way Paul did – he saw real joy even in the midst of the temporary suffering we have in this short phase of our eternal lives. That’s right…for those of us who know Jesus, life doesn’t end!  It starts now!  I don’t want to live a live of sorrow…but rather a courageous life…a life where I can be dangerous to our enemy because I see how amazing God’s ultimate plan is! A life where we are willing to risk everything to bring the kingdom of God to our earth today!  A life full of joy because I get to see what God is bringing to all those that choose relationship with Him! 
 
I don’t want to hold on to what is temporary; I want to be filled with joy and life right now because I see what’s coming!  A few years ago, John Eldredge brought new light to me in the verse John 3:36 where it says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.”  I used to think eternal life only meant life when we get to heaven.  But is it not possible that means life NOW too!  I’m done with fear, done with sorrow, and done with trying to hold on to something that God will soon make new!  Churches in Africa are surrounded by poverty and death and yet still continue to dance in joy!  I wanna do that too!