Ready for Adventure

By Trish Ryan

Confession: I’d planned a post on how getting through Christmas always leaves me feeling like I’ve completed a marathon–exhausted, triumphant, glad I don’t have to do THAT again for awhile. But then I saw this post by the amazing Tayari Jones (who spent Christmas in Aruba flirting with flamingos) and I realized a pivot was in order. So for today, a question: Are you prepared for the possibility of adventure?

Is your passport up to date? Is your life sufficiently organized that you’d know what to grab & who to call if you had to jet off on twenty-four hours notice? And the big one: Have you cultivated a mindset that says YES to opportunities?

As I consider my life so far (something required for memoir-writing), perhaps my favorite thing about my life is that I’ve had such an abundance of amazing, unlikely experiences. Of course, some of these adventures have ended in mind-blowing crashes…but even those have given me good information about God and life that I’m grateful for. In other words: life is really fun when you’re able to say yes to chances that come your way. And while the word “adventure” usually brings up thoughts of travel to distant lands, trust me: if God is behind it, you can have a huge, life-changing adventure right in your own town. Your job is to be ready to say yes when the chances come along.

A couple of tips for making smart adventure choices: 1. This does not apply to marriage...entering or leaving!!! Chick-lit films notwithstanding, there is nothing romantic or adventurous about legally attaching yourself to a guy you barely know...or spontaneously abandoning your husband in search of greener pastures. Okay, with that said... 2. Practice saying “yes” to small things first. Have a month where you say yes to everything you’re invited to be part of that does not require criminal behavior (or, again, marriage).3. Pray. Ask God to expand your horizons:

Dear God, I want to live the life of adventure You’ve created for me (and created me for). Open my mind and heart to respond as You want me to to the opportunities that come along. Thank you that You’ve been preparing me. Make me immediately obedient to the prompting of Your Holy Spirit so I’m ready in every way, for everything. And I thank You that You protect me from the lies and temptations of the Evil one that try to lure me off Your path. I’m excited for this life, and these possibilities! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

There are a couple of places in the Bible where we’re told not to brag about what we’ll be doing tomorrow, because really, only God knows. I’ve always taken this as a warning, but I wonder now if there might also be a more positive aspect to this: If we’re careful what we promise to do in the future, that gives us freedom to follow God’s promptings. For me, that’s an exciting perspective to pray about as we go into the coming New Year.