On Saturday I had the honor and joy of being able to share my heart with a handful of Youth Leaders/Pastor and volunteers at a NextGen training; the whole day was incredible! As I drove home that day I couldn’t help but feeling as though I had experienced deja vu, there was something in my experience on Saturday that seemed familiar. And this morning God reminded me…
Skydiving. About 3.5 years ago, on a sunny day in June I went skydiving. I read all the FAQs, carefully chose my outfit and headed out the door. There are experiences in our lives that change our lives forever and skydiving was one for me. Skydiving for me was my first experience of joy without fear. As I was free falling towards earth there was only room for freedom and joy.
Niger. Niger was another adventure that changed my life forever because of the people I met, the things I saw and the God that I encountered. But my life was also changed because I found myself ministering and living out of a deeper trust in God and security in myself. Although I wasn’t free falling to earth this time, my time in Niger was filled with freedom and joy.
And this Saturday as I drove home it was as though I was reminiscing of these two adventures. Saturday was filled with a sense of freedom, security and joy. Driving home I realized that in those three instances I had been the most authentic version of myself: passionate, vision-filled, secure, free, joyful, but mostly, confidently reliant on God.
These are just the start as I continue journey living more of my life as the most authentic version of myself. Today though, I celebrate and hold dear these adventures where God invites me to encounter the real me.
Have you had moments where you could say that you were the most authentic version of yourself?
Have you experienced times where all you knew was freedom and joy?