The Voice of Adventure

"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?"
Psalm 27:1

Jesus says the options are clear. On one side there is the voice of safety. You can build a fire in the hearth, stay inside, and stay warm and dry for what you don't try, right? You can't fall if you don't take a stand, right? You can't lose your balance if you never climb, right? So don't try it. Take the safe route.

Or you can hear the voice of adventure - God's adventure. Instead of building a fire in your hearth, build a fire in your heart. Follow God's impulses. Adopt the child. Move overseas. Teach the class. Change careers. Run for office. Make a difference. Sure it isn't safe, but what is?

- Max Lucado, He Still Moves Stones

I so identify with these words from a very wise Bible teacher. For the last three years, God has brought me in, tightly under his wing and it is there where He has shaped me, molded me, convicted me, healed me, taught me His Word, loved me and prepared me. I am now entering into a new season of my life, where I see Him opening doors for me to walk through. The key to fearlessly walking through them is believing, that He is standing on the other side of those doors, welcoming we into a new place, where He is. He is not opening them and then pushing me through and then taking off. He will stay right there with me in this new "room" I'll be entering. He would never call me to do something and then not stick around and do it with me. Why? Because He does not want me to do these things in my own strength. He is the Good Shepherd and I am simply His sheep! He is calling me to allow Him to do them through me. The time I've spent, over the last three years so tightly hidden under his wings was actually time spent getting rid of "me" and making room for Him. That is the goal of a Christ follower, right? Less of me, more of Him? I realize I'll be getting rid of "me" until the day I die, but I can honestly say there is a lot more of Him in my life than ever before. And, regardless of what season of life I find myself in, I will never, ever leave the safety of living under His wings. I will stay in that place forever!

So now, I am seeing more and more opportunities seemingly "popping up" in my life to serve Him, to speak for Him, to teach about Him, to stand up for Him, to represent Him, to bring Glory to Him, to point the world to Him. Yes, the battle will rage against me at times, His word says it will. I am alert and prepared to fight that battle by putting on the full armor, from the helmet down to the shoes. But, I will not let the fear of leaving the "safety zone" keep me from entering the game. I don't know what lies ahead for me, but God does, after all, He wrote every day of my life in His book. For this reason, I can trust Him to lead me down the right path. God gives us one chance at this life on earth. I choose to live it, trusting God every step of the way. I want to make a difference. I want my life to represent one word - JESUS!

Oh how thankful I am that He rescued me from the dominion of darkness and has brought me into the kingdom of the Son He loves. (Colossians 1:13)

I am so thankful that I even "get to" participate in this kind of life - the adventure of Jesus!