Have you ever read an adventure story such as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe? Four children are led into the land of Narnia. They are not sure what to expect. They meet unusual characters. They experience strange places. They face difficulties. They must be brave. They must seek Aslan. Ultimately, they are forever changed.
Adventures are uncertain things—many struggle to leave the safe and familiar for new opportunities.
Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, famously said: “We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty, disburbing, uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!”
Adventures are challenging, but doing hard things makes life interesting and may open up opportunities for you.
Here is what an adventure could look like.
Consider volunteering part-time in a business that interests you. (The stakes are low. If you decide the work is not for you, you can easily try something else.) By volunteering, you will gain new knowledge, skills, and make new friends.
Volunteering provides many benefits. It allows you to explore opportunities. You might identify something you want to do for a living. Then you can determine what kind of training and knowledge you need to get hired full-time.
Whether it’s a future job, a leadership area, or something you feel led to do, adventures are exciting. But, as noted, they can be challenging. No matter what you do, you must embrace difficulty to succeed.
Here’s an example of someone who embraced hardship and did something amazing:
Gladys Alyward grew up in England in the early 1900s. She felt led to become a missionary to China. She saved her money and bought a train ticket. She packed her belongings into two suitcases and traveled through Russia and Japan, navigating through a war zone, freezing temperatures, and extreme danger. Months later, she arrived in China. She, along with another missionary woman, opened an inn and shared Bible stories with travelers. At the beginning of World War II, she led hundreds of orphaned children and prisoners to safety in an epic journey across the mountains. Her story has been told in a book and a movie.
What about you? Is there an adventure you are interested in taking?