Are you really living?

I am starting to think this whole blogging thing might not be for me! ha! I am convinced I have ADD and probably ADHD as well. I just can't make myself sit down and gather my thoughts, much less try to write them down and be grammatically correct. Since the last time we talked, time has seemed to fly and I know these next couple weeks are gonna go by even faster! So that is another excuse for why I haven't gotten on here to blog, I just don't want to waste any time! But I got a free morning, a cup of coffee, and some fun stories to share with ya. So pull up a chair, grab a cup yourself, and lets share some coffee together and tell stories.

I am a pretty spur the moment type of guy. I don't really like making plans, because I very rarely am able to uphold them. Ask my parents, ex-girlfriends, or really anybody for that matter. But if I have a tank of gas and spare time, you can bet I'm up for anything! So with that being said (And I am aware this is somewhat of a bad thing for me to be this way), we decided to pack up and go to the mountains with a family here in Piura. We decided one night late that we would tag along, and the next morning we headed out for a two day trip. Lemme tell ya, this was with out a doubt one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have never seen God's creation and handy work like I did this last weekend.

 We got there mid-afternoon and decided to take a short hike to a waterfall and grab some pics! We saw a sweet camping ground right on the edge of the waterfall and had an awesome view of the beginning of the sunset.

We headed back to the cabin before it got dark made a campfire and just got to sit around and hear this families story. Awesome people that had everything every American could dream of having. Lived in Chicago, had three boys and great jobs. Rob and Luchy decided to sell just about everything, rent out their house, and move with their three boys to Peru. Luchy is originally from Peru and still has some family here. So they wanted to come experience this culture, put their kids in school here, and actually live life! Something about campfires, big bright stars over my head, and an awesome group of people, really inspired me that night.

 Alex, Will and I, decided we wanted to take a full day hike in the morning up to a high mountain top. So we found two little guys (an 11 and 13 year old) that weren't in school because it was Saturday, and planned to leave after breakfast in the morning. We started, and let me just say, it wasn't just a hike, I would call it more of a trek... straight up hill! It took us a few hours longer than we thought, but we made it to the top and it was the most rewarding experience I've ever had. Our view was incredible. Our praise songs were even more powerful. And our love for each other got even stronger than it already was. I am loving these two people that are on this trip with me! But anyways, we were able to sit on top of the mountain for quite some time and just take pictures, as you will see, some a little bit funnier than others...

After we had caught our breath and got our legs back under us we decided to head back so we would make it in time for a late lunch. As I was saying, it was pretty steep coming up so we had to go pretty much straight back down with wobbly legs. Alex had a close call:

 On the other side of that grass is a straight drop off basically. It looks like she is laughing but I think it was a halfway cry as well. Scared us all, so after her fall we slowed down a bit and took our time. But we did make it back down. We were awaited with an incredible lunch, one I've never really cooked the way they did. Well, I'll just let you decide for yourself:

 Yeah that is two full fish!

We loaded up that afternoon and headed back home and just reminisced all night on the activities we have been able to experience so far.

 That is basically the funnest thing we have done since the last time we talked. I did get very homesick on the 4th. We decided to blast the Star Spangled Banner and order pizza. Then we pulled up youtube videos of fireworks, so we somewhat got our July 4th fix the best we could.

But for what is going on in my spiritual life right now... I know, I know, just go get another cup of coffee and we will try to wrap this up.

The first afternoon on our trip to the mountains, I climbed up to a rock a little ways up and just spent about an hour just looking over the valley and talking with my God. I have really been struggling lately with how comfortable my life was back home. I always had all my needs met, and honestly never had to worry about a thing. I NEVER took risks. I always somewhat knew what the outcome was gonna be before I ever took that chance, and I just felt like I wasn't actually LIVING.

 One of my favorite movies is Braveheart, and I love what William Wallace says:

"Every man dies, not every man truly lives!"

That's just how I have been feeling lately. Am I really living? What's holding me back from going all out? What's holding me back from being kind to everyone? And loving everyone? I know I am alive, but am I living? I truly believe that we are called to be risk takers. I don't think this life was called to be boring. I don't think we were supposed to plant ourselves in one spot and be there forever in the same ruts our parents, grandparents, and their parents were in. I think we were called to be trailblazers. I think Jesus, this Man that we are trying to resemble was the ultimate risk taker. I think his ultimate commandment to his apostles before he left was to be risk takers. They all knew it wasn't gonna be easy, but it was promised to them that it would be worth it.

So with that, I wanna go to the most dangerous parts of this world. I wanna skydive! I wanna jump off waterfalls! I wanna scuba dive in deep dangerous waters! I just want to live! Our time on this Earth is said to be just a glimpse of time compared to eternity. We aren't promised tomorrow, nor tonight! After Jesus left his parents as a boy, was he ever still? Did he plant himself in one spot and not leave? Did he put himself in a safe zone where he knew nothing would affect him or his family? From what I am reading, I see that he did completely opposite. Every time he performed a miracle he moved on to the next city. And instead of staying where he was safe, he stared death right in it's eyes and marched right to it head first! Now that, my friend, is a risk taker!

You see, I talked about physical activities and things I can do that I know are either awesome experiences or could be detrimental. And those are definitely things I want to do now, but I think that is what we as humans first think of when you hear the word risky. What if being a risk taker was saying a little prayer. A little prayer with few words, but saying it whole heartedly and with complete submission? Because I promise you, God answers prayers. And He hears every single one of them. Scripture promises us that! So my prayer today is this:

Father, thank you for this day! Thank you for filling my lungs with air to breath throughout this day and experience your creation and see you in everything today! Lord I need you, though I deny that with my actions constantly, please don't give up on me! Dad, I have faith in you, and I believe in you and through you, but please drown my doubts out. I ask that because you are powerful, almighty, divine, and omnipresent! You placed the mountains and filled the oceans with water. You are more than our mind can grasp, so much more that we limit your mercy, your grace, and your strength. But today father, please forgive me for my human limits I place upon you! I am called to be like you Jesus, I strive daily, and fail. I don't just fail, but I fail hard! So I pray this morning that you take the steering wheel away from me! You take control of my life and do with it what you please! I will do anything Lord! Anything! Place my feet where you want them and I will run! Make me a risk taker! Make me a risk taker because that is what you are! You have already won this battle, so let us find peace in that! We love you and we praise you! Thank you for hearing this prayer, and already answering it! Amen!

So until next time folks, I will continue to try and make memories and have stories to share over a cup of coffee, but now it's your turn! Go LIVE! Create stories! But most importantly take risks!