The Important Things

I have never come to a place in my life where I have faced some of my deepest fears. Not fears such as large, death-daring snakes or cars crashing in the river or even public speaking. I have come to the conclusion that I do not fear many things, but for those few that I do, they are forces stronger than gravity itself. Those fears influence every single decision I do or do not make. They are the driving force in almost every action. I carry around with me the fear of commitment to one place, person, or thing, the fear of boredom and complacency, and the fear of missing out. Ever since I was a young girl I remember telling my parents the day I turn 18 is the day I move out of the house. Although, because God is funny like that, I went to college in my home state, it was the only school I applied to in Michigan. I was committed to Philadelphia in my heart, but by God’s provision I stayed in state. Luckily, I was able to spend my summers out west, reliving each summer the excitement of change and new experiences. Being able to work in Colorado and Montana for my summers was my outlet every year. 

The thought of living in Michigan, or the Midwest, has been an idea I have refused to even visit in my mind. God is all about taking his followers to do radical things right? True radical Christians don’t stay in their hometown. Sure, we need doctors and nurses and accountants and teachers, but not for me no. God has called me to radical things. He has called me to international social work and missions. That is what I have always believed and I’m not saying that is not true, God could be calling me to this type of radical thing, but while in Africa I have had to face the question of “what if the most radical thing we can do is love our neighbor?” What if the craziest journey we can be on is to love and pour into our community back home? What if, God is calling me back home? I have been forced to ask and answer these questions because I have been living in a part of the world that does just that. When I look at my African friends and family, I have to conclude that they are not missing out on anything. For most of what I’ve seen, women become housewives and raise their children, families attend church every Sunday and participate in their community simply by being present, and most will never make it out of the country. And there is nothing wrong with that! I believe north American Christianity has been fed a lie about “radical Christianity”. I do believe that we are called to be radical, but our definition of ‘radical’ may just be wrong. We have attributed radical to overseas missions or voluntary poverty. And I’m not saying that God does not call people to that. Jesus is a radical God, and he often calls his followers to places they could have never conceived before. But not everyone is meant to be a Paul and Silas. 

It’s ironic to me that I fly across the world to realize that maybe God is calling me home. Couldn’t I have learned before committing to four months on a different continent?! I have come to value friends and family more than ever before, because after all, what if that is all we have? What if that is the most important thing? I cannot neglect the fact that my grandparents are nearing the end of their life, my parents are growing older, and my sister is closer to marriage than getting behind the wheel of a car for the first time. And here I am running around the world searching for adventures trying to avoid “missing out” when I am missing out on all that is going on at home. I do believe I carry around an adventurous spirit and have a fever for wild, free-spirited, crazy things, but I have come to a place in life where I have had to face the reality that life is short. And life is precious, especially the people in it. It would be foolish of me to ignore that fact. Africa has taught me that each day is a gift and God doesn’t promise us another day. So how would our lives look if we took that seriously? I am just beginning the journey of not taking anything for granted, and trust me, it’s worth it. Because in the end, let me ask you this, how will you be remembered? what you accomplished or traveled to, or whose lives you changed by investing in them?






Ali