When we answer the call to service, whether in our home country or in a place far, far away, an adventure awaits. Sometimes that adventure takes place just getting from point A to point B on a given day, but it should be so much more.
Taking time to get out and explore as we serve opens our eyes to wondrous wonders.
I firmly believe that God, by placing me by the side of an adventurous extrovert, allowed me to experience wonders I never would have known if left to my own devices. For a person who enjoys a good book and comfy chair, my list of adventures include:
- Going inside the pyramids of Egypt
- Riding a camel in the Western Desert
- Watching a flame-thrower in a Moroccan market
- Eating wild game on an African safari
- Seeing where they filmed Star Wars in Tunisia
- Digging for dinosaur bones
- Seeing the sun rise on the Red Sea
And so much more! These don’t include my years in West Africa or even more travels to far and unknown lands. My cup of adventure runs full.
Did this take away from the focus on service and sharing the good news of Jesus? No, because these trips were not made in isolation—people lived or worked in those places, people who also needed to hear about Jesus or be sprinkled with salt and light in his name.
These adventures also never ceased to remind me what an amazing God we serve. Whether it was the wonder of his creation, like that of finding an oasis in the desert, or by the abilities given to man to build some of the great wonders of the world, God was illustrating the diversity of creation and how he allows man to be a part of that through the centuries.
How sad it is to have the opportunity to leave the comfort zone of your home, travel to a new place in service, and then never open your eyes to what that place or her people have to offer.
There is a risk in taking an adventure from time to time, but oh how worth it is.
So, grab the hand of a friend or relative and take the day or week to explore and experience something new of all God has in store for you.
As dear Dr. Seuss would say:
“You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way!”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
Oh, the places you’ll go, the things you’ll see, when you tackle your mountain by His
Grace and Peace