Dear Driven...a letter of ZEAL.

Dear Driven,

"Do not forget the LORD, your God,

who brought you out of the land of Egypt,

that place of slavery; who guided you through the vast and terrible desert with its saraph serpents and scorpions, its parched and waterless ground;who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock and fed you in the desert with manna,a food unknown to your fathers." Deuteronomy 8:14-16  

I am never allowed to drive. Even as an adult woman, my dad never considered my ability good enough to put the pedal to the metal. Road trips, therefore, were a time for me to sit in the back seat, coke in the cup holder and book in my hand. But this year, my brother wouldn't be along to share in the driving with my dad. And this year, I was not willing to be made a mere passenger. This year I would drive. 

The morning we left, I helped load the car. Somewhere along the road I became an adult. My stuff was ready to go! And I was wide awake, so I volunteered insistently to drive the first leg of the journey! Who knew how long I would be able to stay awake? I was up so late the night before. We hit the 405 and pushed ahead. 

I guess I always knew I was capable, but 14 hours later I had driven almost the entire way to Colorado. And the trip was not necessarily an easy one. We encountered traffic, construction, and mountain curves. My brother was sick for a portion of the trip and we made stops for bathroom breaks and gas. But every mile, I kept moving forward. I did not even believe I had driven that far by myself, mostly because I had never been given the chance to do so in the past. 

But, I knew where my final destination was and I knew I could stay calm, cool, collected, and awake as I made my way there. I knew the roads I needed to take and the fact that I had never traveled them did not intimidate me, in fact they made it all that more exciting. 

I drove all day from 8 in the morning until long after the sun went down. The final stretch to our destination for the night was only an hour away. And I was determined. I'm dedicated in that way. I wanted to finish the drive myself. But, I knew I was tired. I knew my eyes would find the sweetest solace in a tiny rest. As I pulled over into the city we had planned to stop in, but which had no hotel rooms available,  I knew I had gone as far as I could on my own. I had finished the original day one of driving! But, by design we were not meant to stay in that big city at the border of Colorado. Our journey, and room for the night, awaited us in some random, no name town, miles ahead on the highway. 

So as reluctant as I was to hand over the keys, I placed them in the hands of my father and let him drive the final 45 minute stretch of road. 

I laid my head on the pillow in that tiny hotel room satisfied at where I had gotten my family and I in only a stretch of hours. And content with the fact that my father had been the extra push we needed to make it to the final resting spot. 

Some days I think I will never figure it out. The journey, the road I am on. Some days I feel like I have no idea where God is leading me, or what He wants me to do. Some days, I see myself as so short of who He has called me to be or incapable of loving like He calls me to love. I worry I'll never discover my true calling, or lead a husband to heaven or raise a holy family. Some days I think those are just mere wishes in the heart of a girl who is worthy of none of it. 

And then I have days like the one on the open road. Days, when God reminds me He has shown me where I am going. Days when I know God has written those desires in my heart. Days when I know He has designed me to be that woman. Days when I know the directions even though I have no idea what the road ahead might look like! 

And I praise God for those days. Because those are the days that keep propelling me forward. Those are the days that remind me to stop playing it safe. Those are the days that show me curves and traffic, speed bumps, and pit stops all impact my time on the road profoundly. 

The road takes us from one place to another. But is everything along the way, the magic mountains, the flashing signs, or the mile markers that give us the drive to move forward. I started to wonder what a world might look like if it were just an open stretch of land, no signs or direction, I get lost enough with the help of maps on my iPhone. What if I had no direction on where to go? 

I think that is one of the best parts about knowing our God. We may not know anything else for certain, except for where we want to go and how we get there. It is so simple. Follow Him to heaven. Leave everything else behind and live the life He calls you to! His guidance is what reigns us in. Our pursuit of Heaven is what allows us to keep moving forward. Without Him, without the promise of Heaven, what is the point? It is because of His goodness and mercy that we are able to keep moving mile after mile. It is what calls us to more. 

The thing about driving 14 hours in one day is, it's not exactly comfortable or fun, but it's necessary if you want to get from California to Colorado by car. And when you set out, on that kind of journey, realizing you are capable and soaking in all the sights along the way, you find you drive well worth your while. Sometimes you cannot do it all alone. Sometimes you need your father to step in and finish. And sometimes you find out you're perfectly okay with that! Because sometimes you realize, where you were planning on stopping is not the end of the road at all! And sometimes God has a different destination in mind.

But Everytime, Everytime, believe you are capable of hitting the road. Everytime, realize God has given you the choice to drive. The maps are there, pit stops plenty, but it takes you with a destination in mind to put your foot on the gas and keep moving forward.

How far are you willing to drive? 

Love and prayers, 

Danielle