Day 37: Far from home

After a long day,  I curled up on the couch to watch American Tail with Eddie. It's interesting to watch movies from childhood as an adult. Fievel was a Jewish mouse escaping Russia to the hope and promise of new life in America. As I watched,  I couldn't help but reflecton the experience of the immigrant. Why do people leave everything behind to search for a new life? For riches,  for freedom, to offer something better to their children? Is it love?

Life as an immigrant is marked with letting go and holding on, vivid uncertainty and intentional hope. The story of faith may be best told through the perspective of an immigrant.  From the exit out of Eden,  we have been looking for home.  Abraham was called into faith through his feet.  To pick up from a nice settled life and go.  No destination.  No planning.  Just go. Generation after generation that followed continued to cross the wilderness with the same hope and faith that guided their forefathers.

We are nearing Passover which captures the heart of this human journey to hope.  God offers freedom.  We respond with courage to leave what we know to embrace our faith,  our freedom and our hope.  God rains down bread for the journey. The story is one of trust and redemption.  Freedom to embrace hope. Take the shackles off my feet,  so I can dance.

It sounds good,  but it is hard to leave the life we know for the promise of something better. Even when the life we know isn't all that great.  It is scary to guess what dangers may lie on the open road or worry that we might lack nourishment. We want life to be safe and easy.

This country was built by immigrants.  And still is.  We are surrounded by people who were brave enough to hope for a better future.  They let go of the familiar to embrace courage to venture into the unknown. My own story is born from past generations of immigrants and entrepreneurs.  I'm feeling emboldened by their spirit that I can venture into the wild spaces of my life to unknown destinations. I can carry hope like a candle to light up those dark places in my world. By faith,  I trust God will join me on the path ahead.