I never went to college, I’ve worked for the past 4 years out of high school. I’m not at all an academic type of person. But as the saying goes you won’t go anywhere without a college degree. Although that’s not entirely true for all professions. Good jobs can have on the job training, or spend 6 months at a technical school, etc. So when my small group guys have been pushing and encouraging me to go back to school; I’ve become very scared. I want to do well and have a good job and make a living that would support a future family, etc. Right now the dream seems so far from my grasp.

I think I’ve just got to jump and live the adventure. It won’t be easy, but God will be there. Matt Silver says about our relationship with God; “you gotta do the work” (pray, read your Bible, meet regularly with other christians) if you want to grow. Same is true in life, nothing’s handed to you, you gotta do the work.

So thanks for encouraging me to live the adventure. Ethan, give me a buzz if you ever feel like getting lost in the woods, or um………. killing and eating a chicken.

Ryan

-Ethan

My husband likes to tell our kids about his ancient boyscout days. I am in absolute awe over the things his troop did. All I can think of when he tells his adventures is, “Nope. Couldn’t do that today. Nope couldn’t do that either.” Why? First of all, the lawyers would be lined up and secondly I think we have gone way too far on the side of safety for our kids.

Please don’t get me wrong. I believe in seatbelts and precautions, but it seems like we as a society want to shelter our kids from every potential hazard in life. We want to keep our children in soft padded cocoons. The problem with this is that when our children are so completely nested, they don’t learn to fly. There has to be balance.

It’s the same scenario for adults. Life IS an adventure, but so many of us get stuck in the safe and predictable. I know I have. What has held me back so many times is fear. When we live the adventure, we also live with uncertainty that can leave us a little shaky. God has taught me to step out and try new things anyway. He hasn’t told me that I will always be successful, but even in my failures, He will help me to learn and grow.

Okay, just one of Bryan’s boyscout stories. His troop had set up camp and was wondering what was for dinner. The leaders brought out cages of live chickens and let them go in the middle of the campsite. They said, “Boy’s here’s your dinner. Go get ‘em.” The boys had to catch, kill, pluck, dress (or whatever you do with chicken) and cook their own chicken for dinner. Now that’s living the adventure!