You Make Me Brave

Well, it's turned out to be quite an eventful month.
I've found myself in situations where I couldn't even explain how I got there. It's actually happened so much lately that I just have to laugh to myself when I find myself in yet another unexplainable situation under unexplainable circumstances.

What an adventure life is!

I've taken a number of risks in the past month and I'm about to take quite a few more in the next little while! By the time some of you will read this, I will be on my way to Accra, Ghana. What will I be doing there? That's a really good question. It's kind of a "wait and see" kind of thing. I know that I will be interning at a local human rights non-governmental organization (NGO) focused on promoting the rights of children and youth, youth empowerment, and furthering social justice for collective development. What I will actually be doing there, day to day, is to be determined - they said I could be working with lawyers, going to court, visiting other site locations, helping run various events and conferences...I guess we'll see!

The theme song of my life this past month has been a song called "You Make Me Brave." (You can listen to it here.) This song has been my anthem. Before going into rather "scary" situations I would listen to this song and let it remind me of the truth that I am brave, even when I may feel otherwise.
This chorus has been on repeat:

You make me brave 

You make me brave

You call me out beyond the shore 

Into the waves 

You make me brave 

You make me brave 

No fear can hinder now

The promises You've made

This whole summer has been a "calling me out beyond the shore into the waves" kind of thing. The shore, the place where the waves only lap gently around your feet, is comfortable, familiar and safe. If you don't want to get wet, you don't have to!
But waves, waves are unpredictable, undulating.
They're powerful. And dangerous. You're not always safe when the waves come and you're probably going to get very wet!

In the past month or so, I've jumped into the waves doing things I didn't even know I could do. Like getting to teach a couple workshops on human rights and social justice.  Like serving on an election campaign. Like closely interacting and holding my own with seasoned politicians and other influential individuals. The thing is, I never would have known I could do these things if I hadn't tried. If I hadn't thrown myself in the middle of it and if I hadn't left my own comfortable shore. You make me brave!

So I'm about to get very "wet" in the next two months. I'll let you know what that will look like! I'm bursting with excitement for all the new experiences that are waiting for me there.

Here's to not just dipping my feet in but diving in headfirst! 

Hi, my name is Sarah, and I want to change the world.

I recently had a very interesting, random conversation with someone I had never met before, but who quickly became my "best friend" by the end of the conversation, as he put it. I would beg to differ, ha! After introductions and the general "get to know you" type of questions, he asked me one of the first questions that every student asks each other:
"What program are you in?"
I gave my scripted answer, a mouthful - a double major of Human Rights & Human Diversity and Leadership - and he responded, "So you want to change the world, then?"
I didn't have to think hard about that one.
Without skipping a beat, I said, "Yes, actually, I do want to change the world!"
To this he replied, "Me too."

That got me thinking.

I DO want to change the world! Let's be honest here, I want to do something that will impact the lives of people globally; I want to leave a legacy; I want to leave my mark on the world; I want to be someone who stands out in a crowd of faces; I want to be a part of bringing transformation to many lives; I want to change the world.
Is this a selfish want? I don't think so. It really comes down to the motives, to the heart. I don't want to be famous for the sake of being famous. No, I want to make HIM famous. Jesus commissioned us to be agents of transformation when He taught us to pray, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is heaven." It's in our DNA!

I think this desire is at the core of every human being on the planet: we long for significance.
We long to be recognized as individuals.
We long to be seen and to be known.
We long to be a part of something greater.
We were destined for greatness. 
There is greatness in me and there is greatness in you. 

When I was thinking about wanting to change the world, I had a chat with God and asked Him how on earth I was eventually going to get to a place where I could impact the world. The answer made sense but almost seemed too easy, but extremely difficult at the same time.
He said, "It's about obedience. It's about everyday decisions. It's about saying "Yes!" to me each and every single time, even when you think it doesn't make sense. It's about being faithful and obedient in the little things. It's about humility and serving."

Hmph. Not sure if that was the answer I was hoping for, God!

It makes so much sense, though. Leaders are not born overnight. People who have gone down in history did not all of a sudden jump out of the woodwork and hop into a place of influence. It takes a massive amount of hard work, serving, persistence, patience, humility and hope. Very often, if not in every case, it takes going through hardships and lots of overcoming. And unfortunately, there are always going to be people who will shoot your dreams down and tell you that you can't do the impossible. Every good thing will be met with some kind of resistance, at some point in time.

I am so excited though: every day seems to bring me closer to seeing my dreams come to reality. Sure, there are downs and I have gone through my share of valleys and dark nights, but God wasn't joking when He promised to take me from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). Sometimes I look at the woman of confidence, security, and influence I see staring back at my in the mirror and am amazed. Suddenly, my dreams of wanting to impact the world in various ways do not seem as "out there" as they used to be. I am starting to see how God has been shaping and preparing me for such a time as this. It's taken a lifetime of small decisions and hundreds of little "Yes's!" of my heart to shape me into the person I am today.
No, I am not perfect; I've got miiiiiilllleeeessss to go. And I'm still figuring out who I am (let's be honest, does it ever end?). And I'm actually an absolutely normal person.
I just have an extraordinary God living inside of me! That means nothing is too "out there"! There are no limits!

It's going to take a lifetime of everyday decisions, faithfulness in the small things, lots of patience, and truckloads of overcoming, but I'm gonna keep at it. And I'm gonna keep on dreaming. It's gonna be so worth it!