(This post is a continuation of my 21-day “One Word” Challenge: Fearless.)
When I think of a fearless life, I picture it as a grand and glorious adventure.
Ever notice how adventures usually lie beyond the comfort of our own home? Sure, Dorothy may have realized that if she’s searching for her “heart’s desire,” she doesn’t need to look any farther than her own backyard. But adventure? By definition that is something we have to go out to find.
In fact, some of my grandest and best-loved adventures were the ones that took me furthest from home. The most recent—and favorite so far—was a senior trip to Europe with our oldest daughter. Twelve days cruising the Mediterranean—now there’s a Grand Tour! We were on the go almost constantly. By day, we covered exotic ports of call like Florence, Rome and Monte Carlo as far as our feet would carry us. By night we were everywhere on the ship—restaurants, comedy shows, and—my personal favorite—live band karaoke.
To me, there are few adventures I love more than getting on stage, in front of people, with an actual live band behind me—and singing my heart out. Truly glorious.
When we came back, I declared to my husband: “I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun. We have got to get out more!”
However, once home I got . . . comfortable. Comfortable in my house, comfortable in my routine, and comfortable with excuses:
“We’re too busy. I’m too tired. There’s nothing to do in this town.”
Or so I thought—until I read words that were music to my ears.
Call it a fluke; I chose to see it as Divine Appointment. After all, I did hear about it at a church function. At a newly-renovated venue owned and operated by a church leader. My grand and glorious adventure was right in front of me, just hours away—if only I would show up for it.
And so the showdown began—between fearless, adventure-seeking me—and lazy, comfort-loving me. Lady Adventure was happy to get up, go across town, and go into a strange situation filled with strangers. But as I changed clothes, put on “go out” makeup and prepared to stay out past nine o’clock on a school night, Lady Leisure screamed in protest:
“NOOOO! Stay home! Stay in your comfy clothes! Stay in your comfy spot on the couch! Just stay!”
Sometimes the obstacle to a fearless life is not fear—but inertia.
I’m happy to say that fearless won the battle. I went after the adventure—and I found it. And boy, it was grand and glorious indeed. (Should that much fun even be legal?) I ROCKED.
But I found other things, too. For starters, I found Divine Confirmation on the way there. In an AFR broadcast of a sermon on Ecclesiastes, the speaker preached—and I quote—“God wants us to have fun.” (Does it get any clearer than that?) Once I got to the theater, I found new friends moving through their own adventures. Like the young man, new in town, needing a church home. Or the mid-life mom, raising teenagers, needing prayer.
Finally, I found renewed inspiration to get out of my comfort zone and pursue life fearlessly as the grand and glorious adventure God intended.
Even if it means staying out late on a school night.
“I heard the Lord ask, ‘Is there anyone I can send? Will someone go for us?’ ‘I’ll go,’ I answered. ‘Send me!'” Isaiah 6:8 (CEV)