Miles In Missions

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“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, ‘Wow! What a ride!’” — Hunter S. Thompson

This quote has been my rallying cry over the years, inspiring me to embrace a full and intentional life, even when it has meant sacrificing comfort or certainty. This perspective, especially in light of our time in Nigeria, has been both a compass and a challenge.

I imagine life as a baseball game. Each base you approach is a new challenge, and each one demands courage to reach. But you don’t get to walk the bases. You have to run, slide, or sometimes crash into them. The journey isn’t smooth; you don’t arrive at home plate unscathed. The obstacles on the way, the hard slides, and the unexpected stumbles shape you as you go. And in this picture, I see the challenges of building something meaningful for the Kingdom—of making sure our lives leave a mark.

This baseball metaphor, though simple, has a powerful truth. In baseball, you rely on the person at bat to determine your speed. Sometimes, in life, we find ourselves shaped by circumstances and the actions of others, and we react—adjusting our stride, slowing down, speeding up or getting taken out of the game completely depending on how they hit the ball. We don’t always know if we’ll make it to the next base, but we’re called to run with purpose, knowing that each bruised moment strengthens us.

In my work with C.A.R.E. Africa I’ve seen so many children who have had to “run” despite circumstances that would leave most of us on the sidelines. They come to Foundations Academy Egbe not only for education but to learn about the hope and love of the Lord. Their resilience is humbling and reminds me that, like them, we are all part of a much larger story, one that requires running even when we feel worn out.

I recently read that Satan only attacks those who are a threat to his plans. This reminded me of something I believed fiercely in my 20s and 30s—that if I was being challenged, I was in a place of significance. In those years, I woke up hearing “Be the kind of woman who, when your feet hit the floor each morning, the devil says, ‘Oh no! She’s up’. But in my 40s, I feel the weariness. The thrill of sliding into bases has given way to the desire for peace. Sometimes I wonder if it’s okay to want to simply walk the bases, to not feel the bruises and scars of the race.

But as I reflect on this life and my calling, I know there is strength in those scars. I may be tired, but the mission God has placed on my heart remains unchanged. In Nigeria, as in every step of this journey, I am reminded that true fulfillment comes when we give everything to God’s purpose, even when it requires more than we feel we have to give.

So, do we slide into home base, worn out and battle-scarred, or does God offer us another path? Perhaps the answer lies not in how we arrive but in why we keep running. I hope my life, with its bruises and bumps, will reflect a journey not of exhaustion but of devotion—a life poured out, not for my glory, but for His.