me into trust , Chris and I found ourselves sitting in that very same corner of the living room where God had given the word dance to guide the year . This time , we were surrounded by our dearest Texas friends , who had become like family to us , as they lovingly prayed and cried and launched us into a brand- new season . A new beginning for our not-so-littleanymore family of seven , states away from the place that felt most like home .
Maybe you ’ ve been feeling God stirring something in you for a while now , an invitation into a brave , new adventure . What is it that keeps you from saying yes ? As pastor Tyler Staton says , “ Your comfort zone robs you of way more than it gives you .” ( Tyler Staton , Church Outside the Gate , Oaks Church Brooklyn ) Practicing adventure does not have to be something as drastic as moving across the country or as life-changing as an adoption . It can be anything the Lord is stirring in your heart : volunteering at the local homeless shelter , mentoring a younger couple , or committing to write that book . Or it could be as simple as praying the prayer that informs the Lord that you are ready for whatever adventure He has planned for you . Every person and every couple has a unique call and adventure that the Lord has purposed for their life together .
There ’ s not a human alive who won ’ t benefit from a regular dose of adventure . I love what behavioral scientist Jon Levy says : “ The true gift of adventure is not in achieving some goal , but in the person you become in the process .” 1 Of course , the definition of adventure is different for everyone . What feels like adventure to me may not at all to you . The point is that we all need it . For a thriving marriage , we must keep saying yes to new adventures to keep each other from growing stagnant . As Levy Thriving couples stay awake and alive by saying yes to new adventures God invites them into . notes , “ The size of your life is in direct proportion to how uncomfortable you are willing to be .” 2
We must refuse to become fearful , shrinking back from the life God has called us to .
We must refuse to become fearful , shrinking back from the life God has called us to . Thriving couples stay awake and alive by saying yes to new adventures God invites them into . He is always up to something new , and there will always be new places with God we ’ re invited to go .
I love what Irish poet John O ’ Donohue writes :
There should always be a healthy tension between the life we have settled for and the desires that still call us . In this sense our desires are the messengers of our unlived life , calling us to attention and action while we still have time here to explore fields where the treasure dwells ! ( To Bless the Space Between Us : A Book of Blessings , pg . 26 )
Adventure can look as small as trying out something new together . Call a sitter and surprise him with a romantic night at a new hotel , or invite that new couple over for dinner . Whether it ’ s stepping out to start a
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