Adventure is Itchy

Adventure is itchy. 

One moment it's just an itch, a scratch maybe.. and then you are itching and scratching your way all over the place. Is it good? Perhaps.. but only if your curiosity is in the pursuit of a positive outcome. 

This past season has been such a blessing. I feel like it has been a state of growth and transition from a former self, into the self I want to be. I used to dread many, if not most mornings. Now, I am excited to see the sun. (Ok, ok.. I'm still not a morning person..) But I am intentionally trying to learn how to live life fully and honestly, and with joy. Something I had heard preached so often, but never learned how to embrace. Or perhaps I lost it somewhere along the way. This has been one of the hardest, yet one of the most freeing lessons I've undergone. And I am so thankful. Each day is definitely a gift (as cheesy as that phrase is.) It's a gift I hope to never throw away. 

Along with life there are itches. Different things irritate, surface, build up, or tug at our curiosity. But it's up to us to decide what we will scratch. I used to pick at the things that bothered me, and only those things did I spend my life caring about. Don't hear me wrong, there was much to be thankful for and much to enjoy through that time as well, but the itching and scratching just gave birth to pain and raw wounds at the core. That's no way to live.  

I finally got fed up with being raw and sore. 

And you know what? All I needed to do was just let go. All I needed to do was finally say, "here, God! I can't do this anymore!", and finally mean it. 

It is so INCREDIBLE how your life starts to change as soon as you let go and start to look for joy in life. So simple a concept, yet one of the most difficult to embrace. I can't thank God enough for the people and the opportunities that have come into my life after I finally said, "enough". Granted, I can look back now and still see the good strung through my life before. But now - it is so evident! I feel so blessed for the people that have encouraged me and walked with me in these past two years. Thank you. You have been incredible. I have done so many more things in this past year than I could even imagine! And I am "itchy" for more! 

I feel like I have always been an adventure seeker at heart, though this has definitely heightened in the past couple of years. I think the difference now may be that I just care less about what others might think of me, and care more about the amazing gift life is, and how I can learn to enjoy it to the fullest. There have still been trials and hard lessons, but I feel more empowered to push through. But not only push through, push through with peace and light, rather than bitterness and anguish. I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel - it's just waiting for us to run through the tracks. 

My goal as I prepare and go to Australia this fall with YWAM is to pursue this itch of adventure and life. I want to take this time apart from where I've come from and seek out more intentionally who I want to be - and more importantly, who I feel called to be and how I feel called to live. I figure, we only have one life, so why not seek your heart for who you are, and live it. Why not be the good in the world and do your best to impact and care for others. That's my hope. I want to broaden my worldview and be intentional about grounding my faith in God, in life, in truth. I know there will be many more struggles ahead, but I am confident that life has that light at the end of each tunnel. And I am itchy as heck to run to it! 

In the mean time, I am thankful for where I am now. I'm so thankful for the people in my life, and I hope to not lose sight of the gift this has been. I hope to make an effort to enjoy each day as it comes, and hopefully be a blessing to others in how I live. (Please, call me out when I lose sight of this!) For I know those days happen! But my sight is set, and I will endeavour to stay focussed, stay itching, and stay living and running to that light. 

What are you itchy for?