I am off.

I’m all packed up and ready for trouble (just figuratively speaking, of course).

I am ready.  I am excited.  And I am nervous.

My mom was relieved to know that according to this map, I’ll only be about 6 inches from home. Okay, not really.  She tells herself I’m 6 inches from home and I tell myself I just have to do 1 week 10 times.  It’s all good here.

Dad and I have our music lined out and we’re ready to hit the road.  Our playlist is carefully crafted with a few rules in mind: Bob Dylan is required for everything in life and you can’t have a road trip without Creedence Clearwater Revival.  And we are all about doing this trip right.  Chris Stapleton’s Traveller is a no-brainer because he’s Chris Stapleton and we’re traveling.  Duh.

This is a piece of my story I am ready and excited to live out.  My entire life, I’ve let fear keep me tethered to a safe and predictable story where I dreamed of adventure but told myself it wasn’t for me.  Because we all know shy little girls don’t have adventures.

I’m learning so much through this.  I wrote this note for myself in my calendar back in January, long before I knew what the summer had in store for me.  It is proof to me that God orchestrates everything, even when we don’t see it.  Our lives are woven by God’s goodness and grace; we get to spend our time here following his holy threads.

And here’s the truth: I put a lot of emphasis on this summer being an adventure, but the fact of the matter is this:

God is my adventure.

He’s my greatest quest and journey; he’s the essence and nature of my life.  And whether I am at home reading a good book or spending time away from home, I am on a most daring expedition.

We all are.

Today, as I head out on my trip, I encourage all my fellow travellers to breathe easy and remember: we’re in this together.  You are on your own adventure.  So be wild, be daring.  Take pictures.  Laugh, journal, dream.  Never let fear convince you aren’t good enough for your own good dreams.  Remember that God is your adventure and you get to experience it every moment of your life, whether you’re washing dishes or backpacking through the wilderness.

We all take to the open road with eagerness and expectation.

We all set sail on stirring seas with dreams of treasure.

We are fellow seekers and explorers; we are fellow dreamers and risk takers.

We are all tenacious bearers of wild and holy dreams.

We’re the hopeful ones, the trusting ones, the curious and the undaunted.

And we are all the things for one reason:

We are made to be. 

We bear a design crafted intentionally and audaciously.  We are bold and brilliant and beautiful and we are made by the God of the universe with one purpose only:

To know him and be known by him.

And we get to spend our entire lives living it out.

So here’s to you, my fellow treasure hunters and brave, sea sailing trusters of good things.

Let’s keep sailing and seeking together; let’s keep learning and loving.  May we always remember this:

Our daring lives unfold to the rhythms of a very daring God. 

I love you.  I may not know you but I love you.

This is my prayer of departure.  But I pray this for you, too.  Whether you’re departing or arriving or maybe just resting.  We’re all in this together, friend.

Here is our prayer:

I walk boldly into the unknown, wild and awake with good and holy things.

I am alive with the life and essence of God, ready for whatever the wilderness of mystery has in store for me. 

I am not alone – I am not inadequate. 

I greet adventure with charisma and grace because I am fully known and fully loved; fully empowered by God’s great spirit of adventure. 

I have the courage to do great things because I am inhabited by the God of great things. 

I am humble, I am open, I am eager.

I get to trust, I get to soar.

Whatever may await me, it is my God who avails me.