I’m Feeling Adventurous

July 16, 2009 at 10:26 PM (Travel Notes)

Can the words adventurous, exciting and spontaneous be spoken of someone who is responsible, reliable and deliberate?  I’ve always thought of the those as antonyms.  In an effort to be a good steward of everything I have been given, I’ve shied away from the more adventurous, exciting and spontaneous experiences in my life.  I’ve always figured that if I don’t have time to plan it, I’m probably going to do something that I regret.  With life-altering decisions, I do believe that rings true.  But when it comes to everyday decisions, it definitely doesn’t hold the same weight.  I’ve found myself missing out on living life because of the fear of not knowing exactly how things will turn out.  Over the past few months, I’ve been seeing my perspective change.  Not just on the small things, but on the bigger things as well.

As I rapidly approach my 30th birthday, I’ve spent the better part of this past year reflecting on my life and what I have and haven’t accomplished.  I have been asking myself, “Have I really lived?”  Yes, I’ve experienced a lot but did I really LIVE?  Did I make the most of every opportunity?  Unfortunately I don’t think I did.  BUT, I feel like that is all changing.

Just a few weeks ago, I made one of the most significant decisions in my life.  Something completely out of my nature.  Something that defies my M.O. which is over-planned, calculated and safe.  I decided that I’m going to quit my job, sell everything I have and go halfway across the world for training and foreign missions for 6 months!  How’s that for adventurous?

I’ve decided to do a DTS (Discipleship Training School) with YWAM.  Not only that, I’ve decided to do it in Oxford, New Zealand.  Maybe its because the Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia were filmed there, maybe its because I love the Flight of the Conchords, maybe it’s just because the country is ridiculously gorgeous…but for some reason, I’ve had this burning desire to visit New Zealand for the past 2 years.

For those who haven’t heard of YWAM (Youth With A Mission), it is an organization that equips young people to go bring the Gospel to the nations.  A good friend of mine (currently on a DTS, shout out to Sinque!) was the first to introduce me to the organization.  He shared his heart to be trained up and equipped to disciple young people.  He got connected with the organization and decided that he wanted to live his life with purpose.  He explained what is involved and how he was just going to get out there and do it.  It definitely stirred something up that was always there but just lying dormant inside me.  While I’ve never done a missions trip, I’ve really been wanting to for the past year or so.  Everyone has told me how your perspective is so radically changed when you go.  Before we even talked, I had already made a decision in the very near future to go on a missions trip.  After a few discussions with him, I got an idea.

I went online and researched YWAM.  As I found out more about them and realized that it was something that interested me, I started looking at their bases.  When I found a base in New Zealand, I just laughed.  I thought to myself, “Now that would be awesome.”  You know…for someone else.  I mean I could never do that.  First of all, where would I get the money?  Then even if I got the money, I would be gone for 6 months…I couldn’t just leave my job.  Then even if I did leave my job, what would happen when I got back?  There were plenty of reasons to laugh off the idea and go back to my safe and well planned life.

The problem was that I couldn’t stop thinking about it.  I kept thinking of possibilities.  You know planning how I could make it work.  Timing seemed ideal being that my car lease is up this year, my apartment lease is up this year, all my debt is paid off and I really have nothing holding me where I am right now.  Ideas abounded, but at the end of the day it just seemed like there were too many unknowns.  I shared the idea with a few people and the response was much more enthusiastic than I expected.  Everyone seemed to think I HAD to go.  I just smiled and thought about how little they all knew about me.  If they really knew me, they would know that I could never do something so adventurous and well…irresponsible, right?

Well after much prayer and a few prophetic words that confirmed a lot of things in my heart, I decided to do it.  I can earn some of the money, but I’ll definitely have to raise support.  And it’s going to be a lot of money.  I’m going to quit my job, and very likely never return to corporate America.  I don’t know where the money will come from and I have no idea what I’ll do when I finish the 6 months…but for the first time in my life, I feel like I have no idea what will happen and I’m okay with that!  Better than okay, I feel like for the first time in my life, I’m REALLY trusting God to do something that I KNOW I can’t do in my own effort.  It’s really exciting.  I’m not even worried.  I can’t really fully describe it.  It’s just freedom!

This blog will document the next 3 huge steps in my life.  First, the preparation to go, secondly, the actual trip to New Zealand and outreach countries and finally the aftermath.  I hope you’ll join me as I walk in faith that I will raise all the funds needed by the time I get on a plane on February 28, 2010, document the journey abroad, then watch God open doors for ministry as I return a completely and radically changed man.  I think you’ll be in for an exciting ride.

To quote a very good friend of mine, “My bags are packed!!”