Lessons on Risk Taking (Part 1)

Lesson 1: Risk taking starts with a dream in your heart

I've always been drawn to risk taking. From the time I was a kid, I was always interested in doing things many people weren't interested in doing. For example, in the fourth grade, my friends and I decided to go around in a circle and declare the name of the girl we liked. All of them chickened out of course; except me. I proudly announced the girl that I thought was cute, only to have her accidentally overhear it and proceed to slap me on the cheek from embarrassment. 

All kidding aside, if you want to take a risk in life, it starts with having a dream in your heart. In the summer of 2017, I took the greatest risk of my life. My wife and I decided to leave all of our current comforts - our nice house, our home church, our kids' great schools, our friends and family, our hometown - and move to a different country. We moved to where we didn't know the language, the customs, the culture...anything. So why did we make such a risky move? Because we had a dream bursting open in our hearts...

Starting when I was 18 years old, I got the chance to go on several missions trips. I visited  several countries in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. So from a fairly early age, I enjoyed going to new places, trying new foods, and learning new customs. A dream was being birthed...

When Brittney and I got married, we started going down to Ensenada, Mexico so I could teach at the Calvary Chapel Bible College down there. I vividly remember the first time because it had such a major affect on me. After teaching one of my classes, one of the students took me to his Dad's house by the beach. I spent some time walking along the beach, watching the sunset, and enjoying the beauty of God. I thought to myself - this is somewhere I could live for the rest of my life. To my surprise, when I told Brittney these things she happily agreed. 

It reminds me of the Apostle Paul when he determined to go to Macedonia because God spoke a dream to his heart and mind. The story goes, "And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them" (Acts 16:9-10). 

Paul was not afraid to take a bold risk and go to Macedonia because he had a dream in his heart. In the same way, Brittney and I were not afraid to take a risk and move to Mexico because God had already given us a dream in our heart. 

If you believe God has placed a dream in your heart - to start a business, join a non-profit, or serve God in a new location - then start taking small steps of faith now. Surround yourself with people who have taken similar risks and allow them to inspire you. Take a short term trip and see if God stirs your heart. Once God opens the door fully, you will be ready to step into the unknown with confidence and faith. 

>>> If you want more information about Pastor Brian, his family, and their work in Mexico, visit their website at www.richardsclan.org