Colombia

Hey friends!

It’s been awhile since I have posted an entry. It has been a very FULL fall season so far. But today I came across the above photo in good old, “Facebook memories”, and it really inspired me to write and share.  

It seems like any regular old photo, could be anywhere, any beach, with no apparent significance. But for me this was a huge moment in my life.

I’m on a beach in Bogota, Colombia, on my first international outreach trip with The Gideons International In Canada. I had just completed my degree in Communication Studies, and I’m reporting for a global organization on their international work.

Just months before this photo was taken, my dream to report internationally on positive things happening around the world, seemed impossible. I remember flying up to Ontario from Newfoundland for my interview for a Communications Coordinator role in November of 2013. The reach of the organizations work fascinated me. I remember seeing a magazine publication of theirs on a coffee table at the office. One article in particular was talking about their work in South America and how they’d be sending teams to Chile and Colombia. After my interview, I recall calling my mom saying, “Imagine if I actually got to go on these trips as a reporter and help tell the story of how people's lives are being impacted.” 

Less than a year later this photo was taken on the beach of Colombia as we boarded a small rickety boat to go to an island that had historically, never had access to Bibles. The people of the island desperately wanted to read God's Word to learn more about Him and the hope that we can find in Him. 

Looking at this photo today I was reminded of two important things.

1)   Don’t put aside your dream as if it's impossible. Whatever dreams, goals, and visions you have for your life—they are there for a purpose and they are not out of reach.  Go for it as if you were created specifically to do and accomplish it— because you probably were!

2)   Don’t loose the wonder-- the wonder and amazement of the opportunities you have been blessed with in life to do what you love.  Be grateful, count them as a privilege, and pour your energy and passion into them!

Ashley
xoxo