DO THAT

25 days

Over 2200 road miles
9 cities
8.5 flight hours
7 home-away-from-homes
Countless cups of coffee and chicken nuggets...

(I wish now we would have counted them just to be able to document it!)
One amazing trip!

The turbulent but beautiful view coming over the Rockies

As you may or may not know, our family embarked on a (crazy) support raising and friend visiting adventure in October. We drove to Boise, flew to Southern California, drove to Southern Nevada (and then back to Southern California), flew to Denver, flew back to Boise, and then finally drove back to North Idaho. 

It was a lot (a lot a lot a lot) of driving, a lot of flying, a lot of wrangling 5 children through airport security, and a lot of fast food :/  It was also a lot of praying, a lot of sharing, a lot of hugging, a lot of crying, and a lot of wonderful times with both old and new friends. I have trouble even picking highlights from the trip because every visit and every day was truly incredible. Xander, Zoe and Jordan got to go on special dates with their godparents. Both Xander and Zoe were reunited with their dedication buddies--- it was amazing to see the unique bond that the Lord has given Xander with John and Zoe with Mila that transcends time and distance.

One of the biggest blessings for both Nik and I was to get to spend time with almost all of our old youth students. To see them as adults, following their dreams and living out their faith, was the fulfillment of many years of love and tears and prayers and throwing potatoes at their heads when they were being stubborn. I really can't describe how thankful we are to have gotten to be a small part of their big journeys and to know them now as friends and brothers and sisters that encourage and uplift us more than we could ever say.

I wish I could share with you every moment of every day of our trip. Meeting amazing new friends at the YWAM Los Angeles base (community meals! I've missed them so much). The Lord literally giving me strength to make it through a day while I was VERY sick. A random homie approaching us at the park, talking and crying with Nik while sharing his struggle with sin and judgment and the church and his love for the Lord. Meeting a friend from facebook for the first time and feeling like our families have been best friends for years. The time we were able to give diapers to a mom in the WalMart parking lot. Our friends who welcomed our chaos into their homes and made us feel truly welcome as parts of their families. Jordan and John playing and laughing and wrestling on the floor.  Hearing about the crazy God dreams in every one's hearts and being able to say "DO THAT!"  All the coffee and ice cream and lunches and dinners and Thai food dates where we left feeling encouraged, uplifted, and honored to be able to have each and every one of these people in our lives.

The purpose of our trip was to raise financial support for our time in the Philippines, but what ended up happening was so much deeper and more significant than a dollar amount. We came home feeling refreshed, encouraged, inspired, and challenged. We felt the hand and the love of the Lord in every second of every day.

I will close with this--- as we traveled we felt this question come up, over and over, and it is a question I want to ask you--- what crazy dream has the Lord put on your heart? What crazy idea do you have that you can't let go of? It might not be "big" by the world's standards. It might not be "flashy" or "daring." Or it might be. It might be something as simple purposely loving the children you see at work every week or as complicated as starting a non profit that offers services to hearing parents who have deaf children. It might be as local as being intentional about growing a huge garden so you can give away fresh produce or as global as becoming part of the college student community in Japan. It might mean starting with the "one" through adoption or with the "many" through a podcast. Whatever it is--- DO THAT. Don't let doubts that it isn't enough or is too much stop you. Don't let comparison with what others are or are not doing stop you. Don't let yourself be talked back into normal or distracted by average or dissuaded by fear. DO THAT.

Could we take this first step together? We would love to encourage you and pray for you and your "crazy" idea. Leave a comment, tell us what is brewing, and let's all start dreaming together.

Be blessed and be a blessing
Beka (With contribution from Nik and the small humans, of course)