A few years ago I had the wonderful privilege of traveling to Costa Rica on a missions trip with a group of high school students. The country is beautiful, lush green and largely untouched. In fact, the movie "Jurassic Park" was filmed there, so you get the idea. One of the most harrowing experiences while there, however, was traveling from town to town. While this picture is not actually the bus we traveled in, it could be its twin! We rode around all packed into this bus with no air conditioning, in 90 degree heat & about 1000% humidity. While this may seem bad enough, we also traveled through many winding dirt roads that were extremely narrow. I remember times when I'd look out my window straight down a cliff. At these times, I usually would have all the students lean in the opposite direction convinced we were going to topple straight down (guardrails are not in the Costa Rican vocabulary)! There were also times when, like the picture here, you never knew what was around the corner. The roads in some places were so narrow that you realized that if something was coming from the opposite direction, you'd be done. Now, all this may not sound like fun to you, and I will admit to being uncomfortable, hot & tired at times. But it also was one of the most exciting times of my life. This not knowing what might be around the next turn, what might present itself, left you afraid, breathless & exhilarated all at the same time. You had to trust that the driver had us well in hand & was completely at ease in his task. He was never worried or anxious & we had to leave the driving to him. Inevitably, we'd end up in some beautiful town; always safe & sound, and better for having made the journey.
As many of you may know, I have recently left my job at the church, after being employed for 3 years (not to mention the 2 prior years volunteering). It was a job that I loved more than any other I've ever had. But recent changes have forced me to resign. It's a step of faith. It's knowing myself well enough & trusting God enough to know that this new position offered is not going to work for me. It's knowing that God has plans for me that I cannot see at the moment. It's a blind corner. It's traveling down a dirt road, going 60 miles an hour, danger on both sides & not knowing what's ahead. Is it scary? Yeah, sure, sometimes.... But its also exciting & exhilarating at the same time. To put yourself completely in His hands (like the driver of our bus), and know that He has a purpose & plan for my life. That His Word is truth (Jeremiah 29:11), and I can just leave the driving to Him.
Gravity - John Mayer
