Adventuring!

Here is what I know to be true…no matter how mundane or routine or ordinary our lives may seem within each and every one of us is the burning desire to lead a life of ADVENTURE, a life that story books are written about, a life that is larger than the simple, regular, normal people that we all are.

My life following and chasing God has been a grand adventure already! I am in CAMBODIA for goodness sake!!

I was in Holland when God stole my heart,

2 days later I was signed up for a missions trip to Poland and Czech Republic!

2 summers in Prague, a teaching job without “training”, 1 trip to Poipet, Cambodia; 1 to Makeyvka, Ukraine and now I am 5 weeks into a 6 month stint in Phnom Penh!!!

Now THAT’S what I call adventure!

Sidenote: Did anyone see PP on the Amazing Race a few weeks ago?! Russian Market, Wat Phnom, FCC and other random places!!! That’s my life here!!! It FEELS like the AMAZING RACE! Hahaha!

The purpose of my adventure is simple enough: I want to change the world!

The first place to begin this journey is with ME. Some of you have been following the progress (slow as it may seem to be) in this area.

I am here, in Cambodia, at YWAM to BE and BECOME the change I want to see in the world. Enough talking about philosophies, artificial solutions to global problems, and criticizing leaders from afar. It’s time to put something on the line, it’s time to put EVERYTHING on the line. If more of us started to LIVE differently, to LIVE the adventure we were created for the world would look VERY different!

If we started responding with ACTION to the promptings on our hearts what might happen?!

What if we replaced hate, prejudice, and intolerance with LOVE?

What if we replaced pride, ego, and selfishness with HUMILITY?

What if we replaced revenge and retaliation with MERCY and GRACE?

What if we replaced grudges with FORGIVENESS?

What if we replaced frustration with PATIENCE?

What if we replaced indulgence with GENEROSITY?

What if we replaced understanding with TRUTH?

What if we replaced aggression with GENTLENESS?

And what if we replaced doubt and suspicion with FAITHFULNESS and LOYALTY?

What might the world look like?! My mind can’t even grasp that thought, but it’s starting to…and so the adventure continues!

Please don’t get me wrong… there is no easy Google-your-way-to-an-answer kind of solution or magic method for throwing off and out all that is bad in our lives and hearts. There is no “Orange Clean” for our soul (practically speaking anyways!) It takes hard work, it takes honesty and effort…and in my life, without a doubt, it takes Jesus.

Those of you who have known me beyond 4 years know the change and transformation my life has undergone. Even more than how I spend my time on a Saturday (or a Wednesday/Thursday/Friday/Sunday) night what has changed MOST in my life is my heart. My heart is in pursuit of MY adventure. The adventure that has already been written about my life! The kind of story I am trying to live in is NOT a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book! It is more like a collection of short stories, and God shows me the way to make the connections from one chapter to another.

And just like any great adventure story the virtue and character of the people involved is imperative! God does NOT care about what I DO. He doesn’t need ME to DO anything. (I am still learning that it is NOT about me!!!) He could JUST as easily find someone else to do ANYTHING He asks of me. What God DOES care about is my character. Am I loving, humble, gracious, merciful, forgiving, patient, generous, truthful, gentle, faithful, and loyal?! Do I live my days with joy and peace? Sometimes I am and there are days when I do. I want to be FILLED to OVERFLOWING with all this goodness! These are the goals, the “quests”, within my adventure to living the story of my life. And what is MOST spectacular about this particular quest is that God has already promised me that I can fulfill this goal with His help. He says, “I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender and responsive heart.” Ezekiel 36:26 I almost have to laugh when I hear that…my stony, stubborn heart…it’s SO true! He will take the heart that I have that pumps the illusion that I can do things on my own strength, that I can change by myself, that I have it all figured out and don’t need help. He will give me a NEW heart that is tender and responsive. Ahhhhh. J Sigh… J I CAN’T WAIT!!! And so the quest within this adventure continues! Stay tuned!