The roar is under me and the wind is blowing through my hair. I’m going way too fast and am tempted to slow, but at the moment I’m completely consumed with adrenaline. The jump ahead looks far too dangerous to mount, with my two other passengers, but I press on anyways. At the beginning we prayed for safety, so we’ll be fine, right? We hit, we fly, we land, and I press harder on the gas. Bugs and dust in the face and an emotional rollercoaster between fear and awe. I’m riding four wheelers again.

While a friend is driving I bow my head and close my eyes. I feel the cool night air on my arms, my feet are still wet from the river, and I’m uneasy because now I’m not in control. I’m on for the ride. Suddenly, my heart lights up.

Someone is teaching me.

I hear “This is how life is meant to be lived.”

Not quietly and conformed where I know all will be okay but, on the battlefields with Him where I’m really not sure everything will go the way I want. Where I have to look at Him and say “Okay, I’m in your hands and I’m trusting you with everything, my fears, my future, my passions, my hopes, my dreams. Do with me what you will. Glorify yourself by using me, whatever that looks like” This is the adventure. There is no telling where God will take you or what you will do. You have no control. He is pushing you around. Just like that four-wheeler was pushing me.

By holding anything back, we only sell ourselves short.

I could have played the coward and said “Stop, I want off” and set my feet on sure, solid ground, but I would have missed the “ride”, the adventure.

I want to be pushed around by God. Realize this life isn’t mine to live for myself and let go. I want to jump in where I can’t see exactly what’s ahead, and let him take me where he pleases. “Jesus, I’m ready for my adventure! I release control, take me.”