2013 brings so much hope and promise for many of us! Yet to step into “your” promise may require a step of faith or a measured risk. As a ministry along with those we lock arms with, we celebrate risk. Regardless that it may appear to look like failure, quitting or foolishness on this side of heaven. Below is part one of our story en route to Mexico to serve indefinitely as missionaries when devastation occurred
on the I-5……please read on.
Celebrate “Risk”
Celebrating Risk was definitely not at the forefront of our thoughts , as we observed our “dream” spread out over Interstate 5. The years of preparation coming to a complete stop for all eyes to see and witness. Southbound traffic backed up for miles behind us; “Yes, we are the reason you are late and being held up, yet please give us a little grace as it is more than just an accident but our ‘dream’ destroyed.” One of many thoughts going through my mind as it raced trying to make sense of this destruction. My wife, Kristen, and our eight year old son, Caleb, crying, devastated and in shock…..”God how could it all come down to this!”
What led up to this was years of planning to go to the mission field. All through our marriage, we would constantly think about it, talk about it (drove our friends insane) and dream about embarking on this great adventure. Celebrating Risk isn’t always embraced by much of society and what we proposed to do was categorized as “insanity” by many we shared our dream. We had been on several short term missions trips to Mexico, and finally, on one of these trips, we came to the conclusion, “If not now, when?”. We resigned from our jobs, closed down my business, sold our home and liquidated most of our personal belongings to prepare to go. Our new home was now a 22 foot travel trailer, to be located in the midst of a developing community in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. We would be participating in the planting of a church and a children’s ministry with a local church we were partnered with in that region.
Celebrate Risk: Is It Worth It?
Sacrifices and calculated risk are often required to fulfill ones “call” or dream. One life to live, yet the price and pain to pursue one’s dream can often discourage many of us to take action. It was our decision. We were celebrated, supported and sent out from our home church as a whole. Yet, at the same time, many challenged us, family were concerned for our safety, and for the most part people thought we had lost our mind to celebrate risk with this intensity.
Preparing for the trip to Mexico we began to accumulate the things that we would need to take with us in our van and trailer. Kristen needed home school material for Caleb. We needed ministry supplies. And the list grew daily. By the time we were ready to set off, the van packed out, including our trusty dog Levi packed in there somewhere. Our van was at capacity.
Only about an hour south of the border from our home in Abbotsford, BC, Canada, something happened. Now, I am not about to make excuses that led up to our accident……I had never had a travel trailer let alone now pulling a heavy whale that was about to travel 2500 miles to our destination in Mexico. At a certain location on I-5 near Mt Vernon in WA, a semi truck merged onto the highway, I transitioned over into the left lane to accommodate the Semi. All of a sudden the trailer began to sway…totally inexperienced, I began to brake, causing the sway in the trailer become even more severe. We were freaking out, crying out to God as the trailer hit the gravel shoulder and began to roll. Rolling, yet remaining attached to the van by the safety chains. The van was pulled perpendicular to the highway and began to roll over as well. Call it what ever you want, but for us it seemed like there was an angel that stopped the van from rolling on its side so suddenly with all that momentum…boom…we landed back on all four wheels. As we stepped out of the van there was the trailer utterly destroyed with our belongings out in full view for all of I-5 travelers to see. Totaled but alive and miraculously unharmed.
This is Part 1 of a 2 Part story. This first part I am sharing the story of stepping out in faith or risking which resulted in a huge accident. Yet the second part you will read about the miraculous provision of God in an amazing short time period.
What about you? What does a calculated Risk look like to you?
What is God stirring in you?
What has happened that has caused some concern that may have dampened any spirit to step out again?
What would you do if you knew that you could not fail?
Love to hear your thoughts!
Love ,Brian