This is My Life

A few weeks ago, I went with my buddy Nick to rent motorcycles on our day off. I envisioned us cruising the beautiful countryside, doing figure-eights around each other, popping a few wheelies, and peeling out in front of the entertained locals … you know, simple stuff like that.

But then I failed the driving test. Turns out, you need to know how to drive a motorcycle before the rental agency lets you take one out for a spin. I wasn´t even trying to rent a motorcycle either. I was deemed unfit to drive a moped, which is pretty low because I swear I´ve seen 10-year-olds cruising the streets of Panajachel on them.

But my moped inadequacies didn´t stop our plans. Nick rented a motorcycle, and I rode on the back. However, Nick likes to drive fast … around blind turns … and over speed bumps. So I spent the entire ride in a state of sheer terror and constant prayer.

Anyway, I didn´t want to see another motorcycle for a while after that voyage.

But fortunately, our God is a redeeming God. So naturally, He gave me another chance to get back on a bike and experience Panajachel in a different (read safer) light.

Our contact, Ben, and his church have a motorcycle fellowship ministry, which happens Saturday mornings. I was content to allow my other team members to take advantage of such an experience, but Ben kinda nudged me into going.

And I´m glad he did because I had a blast. Our motorcycle gang consisted of four motorcycles, a four-wheeler, and a moped. I rode with Lucas, and I was delighted every single time Lucas slowed down for speed bumps.

Our caravan coasted along windy roads in the mountains of Panajachel, facing the majestic Lake Atitlan. We sped through decent-sized towns built high into the mountain-side and powered through rocky, sometimes muddy, off-road terrains.

Then as we motored through cornfields and past bean harvesters, I had one of those "This is my life" moments.

I don´t have a job. I don´t have a car. I don´t have a wife. I do have a good chunk of money saved up, but it´s going to be gone before I end my second year of seminary. I really don´t have a plan beyond seminary.

By this world´s standards, I´m pretty much a failure.

But for the past 2+ years, I´ve been following God´s plan instead of the one the world relentlesly pushes on us.

And I love my life.

In the last two years, God has taken me all over the world. He´s given me an opportunity to coach high school soccer, which is something I always wanted to try. He created opportunities for me to grow in an awesome church body (Salem Bible Church represent!). He´s used friends and family to bless me beyond imagine spiritually, financially, and relationally. He led me to an awesome company to work and save up money for a few months. He´s brought me to Panajachel, Guatemala, for two months with one of the coolest teams ever assembled. And He´s going to take me down to Texas for seminary when I get back home.

I´m always going to remember last weekend´s motorcycle trip. Mostly because the four-wheeler rolled over on the way home (Note to parents: nobody was injured), and then Lucas´ chain came off, and Ben used his motorcycle to tow me and Lucas and Lucas´ bike to a garage a few miles away.

But that day will also serve as a reminder of how cool our lives will be when we just give them over to God. We can experience life the way it was meant to be lived. Not because we deserve it. But because God wants us to be happy, and He wants to fulfill our desires.

We just need to follow His plan.