My squad spent the month of December serving at a children’s home called El Shaddai. The home is located on a mountaintop, about 2 hours away from civilization. The only things that surround the home are cows, corn fields, and the huts of self-sustaining farmers.
To get off of the mountain, we call a hilarious man named Thulani to come and pick us up in his 90’s Ford Bronco. The roads we drive down are made out of red clay and are extremely steep. It takes around an hour just to get off of the mountain and onto the main road. Since the roads are so bad, we can only go off of the mountain if it hasn’t been raining and if it doesn’t look like it will rain. Lucky us, we came right in the middle of rainy season.
One time, we got caught in a storm on the way back home and ended up fishtailing all over those steep, muddy, mountain –side roads. Needless to say, it was one of the most terrifying and thrilling experiences of my life.
It is funny how the words terrifying and thrilling can go hand in hand. God has been speaking to me a lot about how in order for us to live an abundant life that is full of adventure and whimsy, we have to embrace uncertainty and risk.
I can look back on my life and name countless times when I have encountered adversity and just written it off as a sign that I wasn’t supposed to try anymore. I figured God must have just “closed the door” on that plan. When in reality, I think there were some doors that God wanted me to beat down. I think He wanted me to fight for some things and make it personal.
A wise friend of mine once told me, “When God gives you your kingdom dreams, usually the next season of your life looks completely opposite. “
The kinds of people that live remarkable lives are the people who kept running forward when everyone else around them backed away. I don’t want opposition or fear to stop me from living an abundant and adventurous life. I want to dream too big, to have audacious faith, and to fully live and love throughout my life. I want to beat down the doors of the unknown and take what is mine. I want to look back on every season and stand in awe of how God got me there. I want to operate out of the faith that God will show up and release the need of having to have everything figured out.
One of my favorite Bob Goff quotes is, “I used to be afraid of failing at something that really mattered to me, but now I am afraid of succeeding at things that really don’t matter.” I never want fear of failure to be something that dictates the next season of my life. Even if I fail at things, at least I can say I tried and I bet it will still make for a great story. I don’t want to comfortably coast through life waiting to “fly away” to heaven someday. I want to radically live with the belief that I can bring Kingdom now!
I think the phrase; “I am waiting on God” gets thrown around way too much in the Christian world. I believe, more times than not, God is the one waiting on us. God has put passions and dreams inside of your heart and He wants to see you walking in things that make you come alive. As long as you are consistently seeking the Spirit, I don’t think God cares what path you take. But I do think it breaks His heart to see you settle for a mundane and ordinary life.
Think of a couple people that you really respect and admire. I bet they have taken some risks in their lives, have had to overcome some adversity, and have gained a deeper wisdom and love because of it.
Being a Christian doesn’t mean you will live a safe and comfortable life, it actually means the exact opposite. If our lives aren’t full of risk and daily dependence on God to show up, then something is wrong. God desires for us to live a life of radical love, faith, and adventure with Him.
Whatever it is that makes your heart come alive, do that. Don’t let fear or adversity stop you from chasing your kingdom dreams. Step out into the thrill of the unknown and stand in awe of how Abba moves in and through you.
God trusts you; trust God.
Love love,
Mo
