So I turned 24 in Nepal in a small village in the mountains. That’s crazy.
If you would have asked me 10 years ago, or even 2 years ago, what I would be doing at the age of 24, I would tell you that I would definitely be married with a baby on the way. Never would I of thought that I would be in the mountains of Nepal, shoveling dirt to help build houses in the relief of the earthquake
Nonetheless, I celebrated my 24th birthday under layers of dirt and saturated in sweat. I can say I wouldn’t have it any other way. Despite the blisters on my hands, the dirty clothes I’ve literally been wearing for a week now, and the fact that my thighs are shaky sore from the squatty (we eat a lot of spicy curry…yikes) I am full of joy. My view is like a backdrop of green mountains you only see in pictures. (We’re kind of in the jungle… We’ve seen a cobra and the locals nonchalantly warned us about a curious leopard that sometimes hangs around.) I’m surrounded by people I love and that love me equally as much. One of our Nepali friends we’ve been partnering with this month just serenaded me with a beautiful rendition of happy birthday and gave me a flower. My team has covered me in sweet notes of encouragement and caramel chocolates all day. They thought it necessary to have the whole squad sing happy birthday as my mouth was full of rice and curry (which I didn’t have to eat with my hands. Someone whipped out a birthday spoon. Hallelujah) The thing is, God knows me far better than I know myself. He knew that me being married and having a cute little family at age 24 was a good dream, but what he had dreamt of was better.
He knew I needed to be in a small village where you can’t say the name of Jesus so the gospel is shown purely through actions. He knew I needed to miss home and crave his comfort. He knew I needed to be In a small tent in a hot room with those I love. He knew I needed to be utterly exhausted so I could rely on him. He knew that going on this journey would bring great joy, growth, and ultimately a deeper intimacy with him. I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world.
He knows what we actually need to become the people he has designed us to be. And What I’ve learned, is I think Abba really finds joy out of introducing us to ourselves.
This morning I went outside to brush my teeth and looked over our backdrop of a view of beautiful mountains. The sun was just peaking over the tops of them, and the sky was burning a deep pink. My favorite. I heard my Heavenly Father say, “it’s just for you. Happy birthday my beloved.” Toothpaste was running from the corners of my mouth. I spit and continued to take in the beauty of Gods love for us through his creation. And the beauty of his love specifically in my life over my 24 years.
I heard him whisper again, “This isn’t it. This isn’t all that I have planned for you. Continue to trust me and walk with me and I promise to take you on adventures your heart could never dream of.”
I smiled. I smiled because I’m a dreamer and I’m thankful that the dreams he has for me are bigger than the dreams I have for myself. If we would just be willing to lay our dreams at his feet, oh what adventure our lives would be. If we would just be willing to surrender all that we are to him, oh what freedom we would carry and impart to others. If we would just be willing to trust him, oh what joy would ooze from our hearts.
He came to give you LIFE. And to give it to you abundantly. Take his hand, he’s trustworthy, and man does he have big dreams for you.
