Generation Distinct

I was shaken awake at 3:30 am. “Wake up, Hannah. It’s time.” 

I grudgingly rolled out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. I was only half awake as I washed my face and brushed my teeth. I grabbed my hat and backpack and walked up the stairs. 

“Now do I get to know where we’re going?” I asked. She shook her head and we got in the car.. We passed familiar sights as we zoomed down the Chicago highway in the pitch black of an early, spring morning. 

Suddenly, we got off the highway and I knew exactly where we were going. 

We pulled up to O’Hare and I followed her out of the car.

“We are flying,” She began, “To spend thirteen hours in New York.” 

We hopped on a plane and arrived in New York City with thirteen hours to fill the day with as many memories as possible. 

We wandered around Time Square and walked across the Brooklyn Bridge. We had our caricatures drawn in Central Park, found the sweetest little tea shop in the city and ate hot dogs from a cart. By the time we collapsed onto the plane 13 hours later, our bodies were weary but our spirits were wildly awake. 

There is something about that kind of life that I love. 

A story that shakes you awake and invites you into adventures you never saw coming. A story that leads you to unexpected places at unexpected times.

I meet with young people every week who are at risk of wasting their lives because they’re chasing normal, small, empty, boring visions for the only existence they’ll ever have on this earth.

They are saying yes to things that don’t matter because they’re waiting for a better time to say yes to the things that do matter.

I’m afraid we’re not living like our lives will echo in eternity. We can pretend we are. We can tell each other we are. We can post on social media like we are. But we’re not. At least, I’m not. 

We don’t need more money or time or permission. We just need to say yes. Let’s grab our pen and start writing.

Let’s send the email, 

walk across the street,

quit the job, 

fill out the application, 

get on the plane, 

write the song, 

open the business, 

start the initiative, 

run the race,

mentor the student, 

preach the message, 

schedule the meeting. 

Let’s just do the thing we say we’ll do eventually.

Because life is happening right now all around us in all of its intoxicating beauty and whimsy and unpredictability. 

So, let’s build the lives we want to live. Let’s mold existences we fall in love with over and over and over. Let’s write stories we love to read. 

REFLECT

• What is God stirring in your heart these days?
• Read Ephesians 4:1. Are you living into the Kingdom life God is calling you to?
• What is holding you back from saying ‘yes’ to God?