Burn The Ships

I'm sitting in the Albuquerque, New Mexico airport waiting to be picked up by a van full of college students and fellow campus ministers whom I love dearly. We're headed to Collegiate Week at Glorieta Christian Camp, where several thousand college students and their leaders will worship together this week. I'm stoked! I might be excited a little because of camp (I LOVE camp!), but mainly I'm excited because:

It's the Beginning of Year Two.  

Today as I flew across the U.S., I reflected on this last year and this summer. I thought about what I would name these months if I had to give them a title. Without a doubt, I would give them the over-arching title: The Call To Be Courageous.

Last year was hard, y'all. Although I now desperately love the City of Roses, let's face it; there were many times I wanted to give up and go back to GA.

There was the fact that I moved 3000 miles away from my family. 

I left that day for Oregon with $80 to my name needing to feed, house, and transport myself for two weeks before I would get my first check from supporters. 

One of my spiritual moms and good friends died of cancer five weeks into the journey. 

I built all new friendships in every arena from the ground up (and in the process, stumbled quite a bit).

Culture shock was in full swing and with it many new philosophies to seek to discern Truth about.

I first had three roommates who didn't love Jesus--or me. 

Joshua and I had no idea how we were going to connect with students, much less start any consistent ministry. 

And the list could go on.

While I've been home in GA this summer, people have said over and over: "I don't know how you moved there all by yourself; I couldn't do that."  Do you know what my response is to that? 

Actually, you could.

You have the potential to be very, very brave. 

Do you know how I know that? Because our heavenly Father gave us the command to "Be strong and courageous, and do not be afraid." (Josh 1:9) And He doesn't give commands He doesn't give us a choice and the ability through the Sprit to obey. 

Therefore, I can have confidence that you could have the bravery to move to Portland. Or to Russia. Or to Timbuktu. Or to walk over to your neighbor's house and ask them over for dinner so they can experience Jesus through your family. Or to speak kind words of Peace to that cashier who just threw your eggs down the conveyor belt because she's struggling with the meaning of life today. 

You can be courageous. Or you can live life paralyzed with insecurity and fear while calling that life your "comfort zone." 

Okay, so maybe I'm stepping on toes. I can live with that. As the pastor of my sending church in GA says, "If you don't want your toes stepped on, don't do things that sticks them out in the aisle!" 

Be Courageous. 

It won't be easy. Year Two will have it's own set of struggles for our NCM and me personally in Portland and elsewhere. But let me share one thing I've learned that makes it better. 

It was the year 1519 and Hernán Cortés and his 600 men set sail for the New World. Their goal: conquer Mexico. They had high hopes and dreams--until it came time to fight. Then the men were afraid. They asked to turn back. To go back to where they came from. Cortés came up with a military strategy that has been questioned by historians for centuries. He spoke three words: "Burn the ships." With nowhere to retreat, the answer was clear for the whole group--fight and win or die trying. 

Last year I fought a lot of ships. The ships are the excuses we give God. Among many excuses, I told Him "Lord, I'm not like these people; You don't really want a Georgia girl here." 

Oh but He did. And He does. For some crazy unknowable reason, He does. And so I look forward to this new year, with all it's changes, it's joys, and it's struggles with great expectation. He Who has begin a good work will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. 

What kind of excuses are you giving Him today? Perhaps you're saying whatever you know He wants you to do costs too much. Do you know Him as Jehovah Jireh, our Provider? Maybe you don't feel you know enough. Do you realize He is our Rabbi, our Teacher?  Perhaps you're saying that if you reach out to your neighbors, it might be awkward or your children may encounter attitudes you don't want.  Do you trust that if He tells you to open your home, He will provide grace and opportunity for your whole family to grow together through discussion of real-world circumstances? 

Burn those ships. 

(This blogpost is just as much for me as it is for each of you. Come October I'm sure I'll need to review this little lesson. Maybe sooner! Feel free to ask along the way whether I'm following my own advice.)

Cortés' men had a little more to worry about; their leader was fallible and victory was uncertain. Our Guide is Eternally Perfect and our victory has already been won!

Be courageous. Fix your eyes upon Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. He is an ever present Help and fearless Leader.