John 10:10 –Jesus came that you may have life and life more abundantly.
The season I was in for the past three to four years before starting the World Race was anything but an abundant life. Although I had finally completed my residency training as a doctor and was working in the field of my choice, for years I had been living like a palper and working like a slave at my job to pay back hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical school debt. My colleagues all know that with the job of a physician comes high responsibility, high stress, and often times burnout. I was ready for a change. Then there was my personal life. Over the years TONS of people have asked me, “how is a young, intelligent, funny, and beautiful doctor like yourself still single?” Well, other than being dedicated to my career while everyone else my age was out of school, getting married, and starting families, the answer is because I’ve experienced extreme heart break back to back with past failed relationships. I’ve had multiple people claiming to be there for me who have walked out on me. I still hadn’t found the love of my life. Then the worst thing happened. A lengthy illness and loss of a close loved one. Almost two years ago now my dad was diagnosed with a terrible blood disorder changing mine and my families life in an instant. There seemed to be no hope. In the end this disease turned into cancer and the cancer took my dads life this past December. I remember having debilitating sadness and numbness from all the loss and grief in this entire season of life trials and I just kept asking myself over and over, “what is life”? “What is life!?” Needless to say, life did not look like I had expected it to at this stage.
But Jesus said, “In this life we will have trouble but take heart for He has overcome the world!”
– John 16:33
Being a Christian, this was a concept I had been familiar with but I had never really experienced trials to this degree before. As you age you start to wonder about your own life, your purpose and existence here on earth, and what comes after death.
It’s called eternity…
God has placed eternity into every man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what He has done from the beginning to the end.
– Ecclesiastes 3:11
And it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.
– Hebrews 9:27
You see, no one knows the hour at which they will die. You could be here today gone tomorrow. You could be living healthy your entire life then get struck down by a disease, heart attack, or stroke. Or you could be young and vibrant, minding your own business and get taken out by a freak accident, natural disaster, or even a mass shooting that seems to be more and more prevalent these days. Are you ready for death? Do you know where you would go after you die?
I was reminded of a motivational speech I once heard by Brendon Burchard. He said at the age of 19 he was involved in a car accident that almost resulted in death. He went on to explain how he experienced “mortality motivation”. He said the questions he had at this near death experience in his life were these, and now he shares them with the world:
Did you live?
Did you love?
Did you matter?
At the time, this resonated with me so profoundly. I know that most people just go on living a mundane life stuck in the limitations of routine and pressures placed on them by society. From a young age, I knew I was different. I didn’t want this type of life for myself. I wanted more. I don’t want a life that is only pleasing to myself, but a life where I LIVE to please God and do the work of the Great Comission. That is, to LOVE God and LOVE people. What we do here on earth MATTERS for His Kingdom in heaven. Being reminded of Brendon’s motivational speech and recently walking through the disease process and death of my dad, I was reminded that life is short, including my own. So I asked myself: Am I truly fulfilling my God given purpose in life? Am I making the most of my days or am I too busy merely existing through the mundane stressors of life and my career? The answers to these questions for myself led me on a journey to lay down the life I had known and follow God’s calling, starting this year, 2019 doing the World Race.
At the start of my trip, I received a gift of a prophetic key necklace. The key has a word engraved on it that someone had prayed over and received for me. This was more confirmation that this new way of life is exactly where I am supposed to be.
The word on my key is LIVE, and that is exactly what I am doing.
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. Amen.
– Ephesians 3:20-21
God knows my passions include traveling/missions and serving/helping others in whatever form that may be. He has made a way for me to LIVE out my passions for His purpose. Yes, as a doctor working in the U.S. I was able to help others but it was in the form of a high stress, structured environment, completely controlled by the government. Hence, I decided to up and leave my current job for a year and use this time to transition into more long term missions and decide how to use my gifts as a doctor in a different avenue for my future.
In the meantime, I’m traveling the world, sharing my testimony, and telling people about the gift of everlasting hope and eternal life offered through the acceptance of Jesus Christ.
Though it’s cliche, I challenge you this: To LIVE each day to the fullest. They say your new life is going to cost you your old one. I know mine did.
Are you willing to give up your old life for a new abundant life Jesus offers? It’s a free gift, all you have to do is accept it.
