Ever since I stepped on the airplane from Sarasota to Atlanta, life has been a nonstop adventure. Every day has held something new; something I would have never expected. From sleeping in hostels, to endless bus rides, to changing cities and ministries back and forth, nothing has been boring. Ministry here in Mae Sot feels like a constant adventure with a new project or ministry cite every day. But the craziest adventures seem to happen on our off days. There’s no telling what’s going to happen when we can do (basically) whatever we want.
We spend a lot of time working on blogs in coffee shops, eating crazy ice cream, trying to get tattoos (not me, don’t freak out mom!!),or catching up with family and friends. But when we find an adventure, nothing can hold us back. And this week, we found our adventure.
My team had the opportunity to spend a day at two breathtaking waterfalls just outside of Mae Sot. When I say breathtaking, I mean I literally stopped talking, moving, and breathing when I laid eyes on them. God really outdid himself with these ones… So as soon as I snapped out of the awe, I ran straight for the water. My friends and I charged through the frigid water and began to climb waterfall#1.
As we began the journey to the top, it only took a few minutes for me to slip on a rock and fall. Hard. And falling on a waterfall for someone who has always been afraid of heights was a pretty freaky thing. But I felt a gentle whisper saying, “I have you,” so I got back on my feet and continued.
While I continued to climb I tried to pay more attention to every move I made. Every time I reached out my hand, there was a rock in the exact place I needed it to be. Every time I moved my foot to take a step, there was a sturdy rock keeping me balanced. Scientifically speaking, it really shouldn’t have been so perfect. It wasn’t a man-made waterfall, and yet every rock was eroded perfectly for us to make it safely to the top. There was a way around every obstacle. And when I reached what I thought was the top, there was more to go than I could’ve imagined. From the bottom and in pictures we could only see half of what was ahead. Every layer was more and more beautiful- the unexpected stuff took my breath away. And as I reached the top I realized something; this waterfall was like life.
Imagine your life as the rocks that make up the structure of the waterfall. In the very beginning of your excistance you’re shaped so clean and smooth. Over time, your life begins to take a different shape. Then imagine God as the water. Over time He breaks you down. He erodes away pieces of you and your life, and He makes you a new creation. Every crevice of your life is shaped perfectly for you to reach the destination God has for you. When you reach out your hand He will always have something in place for you to hold on to. When you step out in faith he won’t let you slip and fall. He will catch you and carry you where you need to be.
I can’t express enough how much I’ve learned from being in Thailand and my heart breaks a little when I think about leaving in the next few weeks, but I know God has something in place for me to hold on to and continue my journey. I’m thankful for a life where I can chase waterfalls, adventures, and God in a new way every day.
