Fly Over States

I'm less than two months away from the biggest trip of my life thus far. INDIA. The place I've been talking about since before I even started college, since Mercer offered me an all-expenses paid mission trip the summer between my sophomore and junior year. I have come to see it as an adventure far off on the horizon--one that I'd eventually get to have, but not yet. But here it is. The summer I take that leap of faith, which means my first plane ride, my longest long distance relationship to the people who matter most in my life, my first time that far from home, my first mission trip ever. A lot of firsts, and a lot of growing. I am trying not to have many lofty, unattainable expectations for the trip, but it's hard not to...and that's perfectly normal, right?

What do you expect from a trip like that? I try to summarize my expectations by two quotes very dear to my heart. The first, from Gandhi "the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others". What a genius idea. It's like someone else is holding the mirror to your face, the mirror you have needed and wanted for so long. Sometimes the mirror you've been avoiding. But regardless there it is, and someone else is holding it up for you. I am super excited to see that side of myself and to meet the person holding that mirror. Here's to losing and finding myself all in one trip 8,000 miles away.

And the second quote, straight out of God's word, a verse that has been on my heart for almost a year now--"therefore go and make disciples of all nations..." (Matthew 28:19). Whew that is a big one. I have wrestled and tangled and dissected this one for a while now, and every time I come back to it, it sheds a new light. Right now it speaks to me: go out into the big world (or into your own community for that matter...) and spread a little God. To me that doesn't look like me getting on a wooden box and yelling; doesn't look like me on a mountain, arms outstretched. To me it looks a lot like living a Christian life and being a God-fearing, God-filled woman. It looks a lot like love. Because that is what we are called to do, as Christians, to love on everybody we meet. Foremost, to give God all our love, then whatever we have left give it away to our neighbors. I cannot wait to love on the people over there, and see what kind of lessons they have waiting for me. I know it's great stuff. 

Also super excited to see God's creation above the clouds! Jeez we got a first time flyer over here :)

You know it's a country song if it's in my title...thanks Jason Aldean for my new favorite jam.