Back in 2009 while working as a choir director in a small country church in rural Georgia. A mission team had been formed and was sent to Nicaragua. The day before they were to leave, the pastor called them to the alter for a blessing. Some were adults, there were some that were in their teens and for most of them, it was their first mission trip experience. As I saw them standing at the alter I was profoundly amazed by their decision to do something way bigger than themselves and the stories they would have once they returned. They were sent off with hugs as sang the hymn "Here I Am, Lord."
The Summer of 2012 was when I had made a very important decision. I remember it was after I had lost my beloved sister-in-law Karen to cancer. She was the same age as I was and had dedicated her life to raising her family. I had grown closer to her the most during her last few final years. I miss the sound of her laugh, her tongue in cheek sense of humor, and her presence during Thanksgiving dinners. However, it was during the long drive home from the funeral when I came to a
troubling realization....she was just far too young.
It's one thing to have a story but it is also something that everyone should be entitled to. I was saddened that Karen's story was too short. But because I loved her, I had made the decision to believe that it is okay to live your life on someone else behalf. It was not only a decision to believe this but to actually pursue it.
Life is a journey. Why not let it be an amazing one?
Following her passing, my children were growing older and I began to have more of a sense of freedom and had somehow urge to travel. When my daughter graduated from middle school in 2013, I took her to London and returned again in 2014 when her younger sister graduated. It messed with me. I fell in love with the whole rush of being on planes taking off and landing, rushing to get to the train on time for our next flight and reaching our long awaited destination. I have since spent hours on Expedia browsing for package deals for places such as Denmark, Patagonia and Iceland-places I still hope I will someday visit. But in the midst of all the enthusiasm, I couldn't help but hear the soft voice of my Heavenly Father saying:
"Do it for me." It then became imminent. It's time.
Please pray for me as I begin this incredible trip to the Republic of Georgia for which I planning for this June.
"Unwritten"-Natasha Beddingfield
