Tomorrow morning, before the first light shines on the horizon, I’ll be at the airport.  It will be the same routine I’ve done a hundred times.  Passport-check.  Luggage-check. Daughter-check.  Yet, this time, the adventure feels like something completely new.  And in that newness comes a need to surrender.

For a year, I’ve felt the need to step out of my comfort zone. To stop being generous just with my income, and start being generous with my time.  The check writing has always been easy.  The reworking of schedules in order to make time for service, not so much.  In order to overcome that instinct to continue just doing what’s easy, I forced myself to find opportunities to help with my hands and time.  And tomorrow begins the biggest challenge I’ve taken on so far, as we head off to Haiti for eight days to love on and lift up 200 children in an orphanage in Jeremie.

I’ve wrestled through the culture change that awaits.  The understanding that for eight days, I’ll be with people all the time.  Knowing every bite or drink taken needs to be done so with caution.  I can roll with these things because they are temporary, and part of the adventure.

The need for surrender comes in knowing that this trip will forever change us.  Not in a “I feel good because I helped someone” way.  But in knowing that walls will come down, hearts will change, and futures will be altered.  It’s scary and exciting.  I can’t wait to step off that bus and look into the eyes of these beautiful children whom God calls blessed.  Or watch as my own daughter makes memories that will last her a lifetime, and impact her path as well.   God handpicked the team we’re joining, and I feel fortunate to be going along on this adventure with a group so committed to loving Jesus and these kids in such big ways.

“Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.”-author unknown

In the last few weeks, I’ve had several really honest conversations.  Deep, challenging discussions that made me wonder why they don’t happen more often.  One of these discussions was over lunch with two women I am still getting to know.  Both have gone through struggles, but are taking on the world in big and wonderful ways.  One asked me a question that forced me to either lie or be transparent.  I was honest.  Honest enough that a few tears were shed.  And I left that lunch feeling like a dork.  Thinking that I had over-shared and would likely be moved from the “lunch buddy” list to the “only when necessary” category.

Why do we hold our lives so tightly?  We are the sum of our stories…and the culmination of His story, in us.  Far too many people are tiptoeing through life, trying to avoid the cracks and just play it safe.  But hidden inside are fears. and wounds. and scars.

Today, rather than list “five reasons it’s good to share” or “four tactics for how to tell your story”, I’d rather just challenge each of us to open up this week.  You never know what connection or freedom someone else may have in hearing your story.  We all have messes, but moving through them can become our message.

To every person who has been hurt, mistreated, forgotten, or forsaken, how wonderful to know that we have a love in Jesus that isn’t based on how good we have been, or how much work we have done.  There is nothing we could ever do to earn it…and that means we can never lose it.  That one thought alone makes every pain limited in its’ power over us.

What has the power of story (yours or someone else’s) done for you?