The Longest Walk

The Longest Walk

The Longest Walk - the first day as a missionary.

Adapted from an email I received.

As they turn to head into the security line and eventually make their way down the concourse to their gate they leave behind those they love, the place they call home, their hobbies, their jobs, their possessions, their schooling, and every comfort of life. These are the hardest steps they have ever taken. No friends or family will accompany them on this journey. They must do it alone. Nothing is scarier. Nothing is more intimidating. Nothing is harder. These young people are, literally and symbolically, turning and walking away from everything and everyone they have ever known. The Longest Walk is the rawest emotional experience of these teenagers’ lives. It takes every ounce of faith they can possibly muster to move their feet and continue to walk. And yet in every step the transformation deepens. The focus on self fades. The dependency on deity grows. The discovery of courage previously untapped is made. The distractions of the world dissolve. There is no moment in these young people’s lives when they feel weaker than when they begin The Long Walk.. I have come to realize these Walks are in many ways the defining moments of this mortal experience. It’s no wonder the ultimate examples throughout history were tasked with making The Longest Walks in places like the wilderness of Sinai, the garden at Gethsemane, and on the dusty roads of Carthage. I do not believe we were sent to Earth to sit and be comfortable. We are here to be refined. The transformations our maker desires in each of us happen when we have the faith, courage, and commitment to take The Longest Walks.