Magic Carpet Ride

“Our only goal is to please God whether we live here or there” ~ 2 Corinthians 5:9

When I left for RAD last year, one of the missionary families in Honduras wrote me a song as a going-away present. It was to the tune of Aladdin’s “A Whole New World.” Each time I return to Honduras, the family asks me about my “magic carpet ride” and about all the adventures the Lord is taking me on. There is no better way to describe my life than a “magic carpet ride.” Filled to the brim with new faces, places and life lessons; my life is anything but ordinary.

After spending Christmas and New Years with my family in Honduras, I returned to Georgia refreshed and ready for whatever the Lord had in store for me. Though a rough start at RAD, the Lord has graciously taught me the value of true joy and also of true, genuine love for HIS people. As always, it feels as though I am an eternity away from completing these lessons, but I continue to strive towards the Father’s heart even if I must stumble my way to the cross broken, bruised and torn.

Life seemed to putter its way into a “normal” rhythm of office work, cleaning houses, babysitting and student time. Soon the weeks were chugging away with only lists of things not completed were left at the end of the night. I found myself in survival mode just trying to make it through the work, through the chores, through the week to get to what I thought was more exciting or entertaining. One day while I was chugging my way from one job to the next, I heard a song on the radio. The chorus goes like this:

You’re gonna miss this.

You’re gonna want this back.

You’re gonna wish these days

Hadn’t gone by so fast.

These are some good times,

So take a look around.

You may not know it now

But you’re gonna miss this.

“You’re Gonna Miss this” by Trace Adkins

That song really made me think “Am I seizing the day or am I living for tomorrow?” My mind tends to wander in the direction of “I could be doing this” or “If I could just skip all of this nonsense and make it to that point…” God has placed me where I am in this moment for a reason. Will I spend my time wishing he hadn’t placed me here or glorifying HIS name and fulfilling HIS purpose in it? That realization was hard for me, but it changed the way I looked at my life. Weeks had gone by in a blink of an eye and I had nothing to show for it. I choose not to live my life like that.

Since then, I feel as though I have been able to see each day as a gift. I can slow down and enjoy the little things in life even if it doesn’t seem to be a glorious new adventure. I can enjoy my jobs as a house cleaner and babysitter. I can do my work in the RAD office and know that God has placed me here with a purpose. *sigh* I love my life.

In mid February, my magic carpet took me to Atlanta with the RAD Students. It was the tail end of the RAD road trip and the students were very excited about all that had already happened. They had traveled to Ashville, NC, Hendersonville, NC, and also to Townsend, TN following the Lord’s voice and serving through youth ministry, church services, prayer walks, helping people move, and working at a children’s home. In inner city Atlanta, The team and I witnessed the Lord’s mercy and love as we stepped into a world unknown to us; the world of poverty. We spent a week serving meals, throwing children’s parties, speaking in church services, and so much more. I thank God for the love he extends unconditionally to EACH INDIVUDUAL no matter who they are, where they are from or what they have done.

Thank you all for your prayers and support. With out you, this “magic carpet ride” could never have happened. I am learning and growing so much this year as I am saturated with new adventures, life lessons, and relationships. Thank you for being a part. There are still two months left before the RAD Students graduate. I currently have $1,600 of my tuition paid for by sponsors like you. I still need to raise $1,400 to pay off my internship. Please prayerfully consider supporting me and this ministry that has so powerfully impacted my life and the lives of others. Thank you!