Take This Life

Since I went on a Summer Project Mission to Asia, my life has not been the same.

In fact, I remember so clearly the excitement of running through various airports or being delayed 10 hours on our journey there; Tickets, security lines, bag checks, passports, international identification questions, rolling suitcases, changing currency, the fear of forgetting something. I remember it all like it was yesterday. How none of it  seemed real, even as we embraced the moment our plane landed on this foreign soil and we were able to walk straight out of the plane onto the ground, into the smoggy air we had been warned about & I couldn't even tell. It didn't smell awful to me. It was different, that was expected, but it was so wonderful. I relive many moments had there over and over in my head, just to keep them close and fresh to me.

I have said several times in this blog and I'll never stop saying that I fell in love with that country, with that culture, with so many things in my time spent there. I cried the night before we left our city and headed to debriefing and my eyes glistened again leaving for good a week later. I didn't want to come "home".

And most days, I still don't want to be here. I want to be somewhere far away where I don't know anybody. Somewhere I am forced to learn new things, meet new people, and embrace new culture. A place I don't have to intentionally get away from what seems comfortable or routine to me because it is my only choice. I want to explore territory that is unknown to me and share with others a brand new journey. That has become my dream as I get older. I have strayed away from thoughts of settling down and closer to the "risky" side, the side that may initially seem to lose much more than it gains, but only if you choose to see it that way.

I have found myself slowly creating wedges between my attachment to things here, beginning the process of letting them go since I will soon, surely, be gone. Maybe I'll look back on my days spent in Aggieland or Austin or any little town I've lived along the way, reminiscing over my time there, too, or maybe not.

Upon my return, I had lots of affirmation in the direction of my life. The Lord used really neat outlets to speak to me, preparing me for the place I stand now, about to enter into the world on my own. I know He has plans for me and I can hardly wait to see where they will take this life.

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:21