Stepping on the plane filled my heart with many different emotions. Sad to leave the place that had become home; scared of what may be on the other continent that waited. Excited to start a new chapter in life, but concerned about the difficulties involved. Despite all the emotions I had to board the plane.
Leaving somewhere that your heart has become accustom to is never easy. However, life is not about the DESTINATION it is all about the JOURNEY. So no matter where you find yourself and no matter what lies ahead, you are always on a journey. This journey looks different for different people. For me, I place my hope in Christ. My journey is about getting to know Him more each and everyday. When you place your hope in a destination you will never be satisfied. When you place your hope in Christ everything is an adventure and you will always be satisfied. Christ is the only one who can truly give satisfaction in life. So no matter where the journey takes you, there is always someone there with you helping you along the way.
As I sit here watching the steam rise from my coffee I cannot help but reflect on my travels, the people I have met, the stories I have listened to, the tears I’ve seen fall, and the places my feet have taken me. Life is like the vapor rising from my coffee. You see it only for a split second and then it fades into the past. Life is short; you miss something every time you blink your eyes. As my time in Istanbul comes to a close, this reality becomes more and more real. Three months have seemed like three days. As I say goodbye to the people that have impacted me most, I am reminded of the hellos that await me as I venture off to the next location. I am reminded of the subtle fact that we have such a short time to impact those around us. The life we have been given was given to us so that we could show love to the next person we see. We don’t choose where we are born, the parents that raise us, or many of the opportunities with which we are blessed. But we do get to choose what we do with our lives, our blessings, and our abilities. There are many people filled with such unique potential. Filled with the ability to make a change. But they lack the motivation to do something different, to go against the grain, to stand for something bigger than themselves. I see so many lost and searching, but they don’t know what they are searching for. They have that longing to do something but sit back and let their lives pass before their eyes. We have the opportunity to be a difference maker, a world changer. The smallest things in life can make the biggest differences if we are simply willing to do something. I want to be a world changer and I want to see others discover the same desire. Do you want to be a world changer?
From when I was a kid, and yes some would still consider me a kid, I had this deep desire to see the world. That may have derived from my small town surroundings as most people wanted to sit on the back porch and watch the cows graze all day. For me, however, I desired to see the world and that’s exactly what The Father has lead me to do. Traveling is not everything it’s talked up to be. Rather, traveling is hard and in many ways more difficult than sitting on the back porch watching the cows graze. Currently I am in Turkey. Upon arrival, the sites, sounds, and smells captivated me. This culture is amazing, the people are friendly, and there is always something to do. Two weeks later I found myself laying in a hospital bed as a lady who did not understand my native tongue forcefully drove a needle into my arm.Traveling in that instance was no longer glitz and glamor but pain and discomfort. But despite the lack of western medical care, I was able to walk to the taxi some 4 hours later. A few weeks passed by and I found myself sitting with a young man from Central Asia. He is a refugee here in Turkey. Forced out of his homeland 1 year ago he sought refuge in a bordering country, then that country became unstable and he walked for 5 months by foot to Turkey. He is only 21 years old. Traveling in that instance again was not glitz and glamor but sorrow and sympathy. My heart desperately broke for this young guy. He is a year younger than myself and has experienced pain that I may never see in my entire life. His story affected emotions in me that I had never experienced before traveling. Yet again a few weeks passed by and I found myself sick again. This time I was in a separate part of the country and forgot my medical insurance an hour flight away. I lay on the bed as the metal springs poked me from every direction. I pictured what it must have been like during the 2nd WW as wounded men lay on these beds in pain. Every now and then I would get the strength to get up and use the toilet. But the toilet was not even a toilet, but rather a hole in the ground. Traveling for me in this instance was suffering and misery. Now after only two months abroad in Turkey, traveling here has matured me in ways I may never realize. Although traveling is not always comfort and peace, it is always rewarding. I would never change the things that have happened to me throughout my travels. The Father has given me friends and family who stand beside me and encourage me to face the hardships of travel, because people are affected and The Father’s Kingdom is grown. It is not about the destination, but the journey. Life is a journey with the Father as He teaches you to love and to give of yourself. Traveling ushers you closer to the creator of the Universe as you discover all the places He created and the people groups he established throughout the earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of every nation. Why? Because we were made to travel.
Each day is a chance for a new adventure. Take the time to enjoy where you are. The Father has His children throughout the world to display His glory to all. Explore. Discover. Travel. But whatever you do, do it all for His glory.
The day is ending as I slip my headphones in my ears and slowly sit down next to an elderly man on the metro. He slowly twirls his prayer beads in his hand as he waits for his stop. I close my eyes as my music helps me drift into much needed time with my Father. “Your innocent blood has washed my guilty life, in your presence God, I’m completely satisfied.” These words echo such truth in my life as I begin to reflect on the day I just experienced. The first thing I think about is how different it is to live here. Story after story leads me to realize that life is anything but fair. It’s not fair that I was born in a country that allows such freedom. It’s not fair that I was born to a middle class family in small-town America. It’s not fair that I have a college education. It’s not fair that I have never lost anyone unexpectedly. It’s not fair that I have never suffered through any major tragedy. It’s not fair that I haven’t and so many others have. These are the things that my mind wanders to as I think about the thousands of refugees in Istanbul. Yet, even in the unfairness of it all, I am completely satisfied. Living here is a growing process. Only my Father can bring about true satisfaction. I am so blessed to have a Dad that cares intimately for me even when I don’t understand the pain this world brings. So, as I step off the metro and the cold, night air hits my face, I am reminded once again that only He can bring true joy.
My learning experiences as I travel through life and to different destinations. The good, the bad, the ugly, and how it has changed my life.
Leaving somewhere that your heart has become accustom to is never easy. However, life is not about the DESTINATION it is all about the JOURNEY. So no matter where you find yourself and no matter what lies ahead, you are always on a journey. This journey looks different for different people. For me, I place my hope in Christ. My journey is about getting to know Him more each and everyday. When you place your hope in a destination you will never be satisfied. When you place your hope in Christ everything is an adventure and you will always be satisfied. Christ is the only one who can truly give satisfaction in life. So no matter where the journey takes you, there is always someone there with you helping you along the way.
It's About the Journey, Not the Destination 