To Love Will Be… (Part 2)

” To live will be an awfully big adventure.”

                                   – Peter Pan

If you just read my last blog, ” An Awfully Big Adventure” then congratulations, you’ve officially made it to the second half, quite possibly the most important of the two. The first half really hit on the responsibility of the believer and the tragedy that we see in the world today. But I wanted to continue on with the concept of Peter Pan in mind. Because one of the most important things he missed out on in his decision to not grow up, is love. And while that sounds super cheesy and like a hallmark line, it really is so so incredibly sad. He chose not to love and he chose not to return to those  who love him. He was in every essence of the word, alone. He chased everything he could that he thought would make him happy. His version of an adventure was simply chasing after the next best thing..

Now, Peter Pan aside, take  a moment to think about every children’s book and movie out there. Every grand adventure has something in common. 

1) A destination

2) A companion ( be it a friend, romantic interest, or even animal)

3) An obstacle

4) A lesson

Life is very much like this, just maybe not in the ways we exactly expect. We sell the lie that life itself is the adventure. That on a road trip, we’ll meet our best friend forever and maybe get a flat tire but at the end of the day we ended up in a cool new place and that everything just comes together because it does. When we graduate high school, we tell kids to do what makes them happy and that if you love what you do you’ll never work a day in life. While true, I believe it sets us up for failure. We think that if I’m not happy right here, right now, then we’re failing somewhere. SO we quit our good paying job in order to chase a dream and then we accomplish that goal only to find ourselves once again, not happy. An endless cycle of always wanting more. Toxic really. This is not a speech to say don’t have goals and only work. However, I think we as a society have lost what success looks like. We have lost our contentment and in doing so, we’ve lost our joy. 

A story:

Two years ago, March of 2019, I left Cambodia and was well on my way to Thailand. My heart ached with every ounce of my being. I didn’t think it was possible to move on from there. I had given my whole heart to the kids in Cambodia, and I had it ripped out of my chest. 

In August of 2020, my family had taken in some kids through foster care, after about two weeks the children moved away. While we eventually did get to see them again, at the time I didn’t know that. My soul cried out to God in a way it never has before. I met these kids and had an instant connection and for Him to take that away seemed unbearable. 

Now, April of 2021, I had a plan. I was going to do full time horse ministry with no distractions. That is until God asked me to take a full time job at the hospital in town. This doesn’t mean I can never do the horse ministry or contribute in ways other than teaching students. But it wasn’t what I had planned. And I have a hard time accepting change, and letting go. That saying let go and let God? Yeah, not my strong suit. But I am learning to trust. 

I had intended to write this blog months ago when the kids went away for a time, but it’s clear I hadn’t quite learned everything yet. I honestly don’t think I have yet either. But, it’s time. Time to let go of my plans and my ideals about life and take God at His word that He who began a good work will bring it to completion. I know I have gone in circles with this post including the last one. But all in all, everything once again circles back to one complete and simple sentence.

” To love will be an awfully big adventure.” 

Life is full of twists and turns and those three stories I wrote up top? All true. All very different seasons, people, and places in my life yet one thing remains to tie them together. Love. I loved with all my heart the kids in Cambodia, Thailand, in my home, and in the barn. But love isn’t like the movies and fairytales. Love is messy. Love is the reason in all those books and such that the people end off on a happy or bitter ending. To love is to let go of self. To love is to grow. To love is to chose life and life abundantly. Ask any married couple out there, their life looks beautiful on the outside. Doves and kisses and smiles painted on their walls. But we tend to forget all the hard work, the trials, the twists and the turns it took to get there. Yes, to live is a great gift indeed. The gift of life and freedom from sin is a great blessing indeed. But it means nothing and is useless without living a life filled with genuine love. Parents work those full time seemingly mundane jobs in order to provide for their family. They deem family important not out of obligation, but out of love. They do the small tasks day in and day out, because all those little interactions with co-workers, friends, kids and even animals throughout the day make it all worth it. We were created for joy. We were created with purpose and a destination in mind. Yes, loving with your whole heart will inevitably get you hurt. But that’s not guaranteed in every situation. Therefore, love is worth the risk of pain. Because without it, we are empty.

We must redefine our sense of success. When I die, will people make a list of the tasks I accomplished as if it were a graduation ceremony? ” Brooke graduated from here with such and such degree. She had a full time job and made money. She paid her bills and operated on a strict schedule.” OR will they say that I loved wholeheartedly. That I served others with compassion and exercised patience? 

Don’t live a life like Peter Pan. Silly as it sounds. Are you opening yourself to the things God has for you? Are you open to God stretching and growing you? Are you willing to love with all you have no matter the consequence? Are you one of those that know God but refuse to change your ways? These are important questions to answer honestly. If you don’t know the answer, do some digging. After all, usually when you garden, you wanna till the dirt before you go straight to planting. There’s no shame if your answer is no. Remember tragedy isn’t in someone who simply doesn’t know or isn’t quite grown yet, tragedy is when you see and know yet refuse to change. 

” To love is an awfully big adventure.”

There’s hills and valleys and everything in between. But it’s here we find God do amazing things in our lives. It makes life worth living. It’s worth fighting for.