It’s true. I like go on planned and spontaneous adventures. And I make it a point in my life to do so. I like to think I make the most of opportunities when they present themselves. To name a few…
- I’ve lived in 4 countries
- I’ve gotten searched at numerous boarder crossings – even pulled off a bus once.
I’ve backpacked for 6 weeks through 12 countries
- I’ve stuck my feet in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans on the same day (and spur of the moment)
- Planned a road trip in less than 48 hours
- I’ve been to 30 countries before I turned 30
These adventures have a way of coming up in conversations. Just like the question “When are you going to settle down?” usually comes up in these same conversations as well.
I hate that phrase. Settle down. It’s like you’re giving up or going with less than the best. I’ve never been good at “settling.” And I feel that when people ask me this question, they think that when I do settle down, I’ll stop doing these crazy adventures. Which also frustrates me.
It’s frustrating because my adventurous spirit is one of my favorite things about myself and not something I ever plan on giving up. Which is why it surprised me that throughout this trip, I kept getting the nagging feeling that I need to settle down.
Even though the adventures may look different depending on the season of life I’m in, I will always want to live an adventurous life. And I will always be intentional about living an adventurous life (fitting the season of life of course).
So why did I keep feeling like God was telling me I need to settle down when choosing adventure makes me grow in so many ways mentally, emotionally and spiritually. They put me in a place of complete dependance on God and the more I need him, the more I experience him.
This was one of the reasons I did this trip. To get away from distractions and reconnect with Him, to find him and to see another side of him through another adventure. Yet I kept feeling like I need to settle down.
And as I prayed and tried to figure out why I was feeling this way, I realized that what I was feeling wasn’t the settling down in the get-married-and-have-kids sort of way. I realized it’s the settling down in the purpose God has for my life kind of way – to live intentionally.
I want to have faith like those mentioned in Hebrews 11. Every single one of them really settled into God’s purpose for their lives. Some may have questioned and been a little hesitant at first but every single one of them really committed. They moved, gave up lifestyles, did crazy things and really settled into that calling no matter the cost, no matter the sacrifice.
And that’s what I heard God telling me the clearest on this trip. It’s time to settle down. In him. In his purpose for me. For my life. No matter the cost, no matter the sacrifice, it’s time for me to settle down and figure out how God wants to use me instead of me trying to figure out how I want to be used by God.