I am sure I am not alone when I say that there are times in my life I have made the “safe” choice rather than choosing what I really wanted. Maybe you didn’t talk to someone you found attractive or interesting and now you wonder, “What if…” Perhaps you wanted to take a trip somewhere or learn something new, but you made excuses and decided to keep the status quo. Sure, things could be better, but they could also be worse, right?
I have been guilty of this in multiple respects. When I was in college, I wanted to study abroad to see more of the world and learn about another culture. I never ended up applying or going anywhere because I was not willing to miss one of my sports seasons (cross-country, indoor track, outdoor track). I feared that I would return from the trip out of shape and unable to compete. I also worried about being away from my boyfriend (now Husband) for that long. What if he met someone else or changed his mind about me? In hindsight, these where both non-issues. My last two seasons of cross-country were filled with stress and disappointment, so I may have actually come back feeling refreshed and ready to race again. Also, and more importantly, my boyfriend and I had been talking about marriage since our sophomore year, so I am sure we would have been fine. We have weathered many storms throughout the course of our relationship, many of them worse than a little time apart.
Next, I really wanted to attend graduate school after college to study psychology (though I wasn’t sure which area), but my lack of direction and lack of confidence in my abilities stalled any plans. I safely hid behind Peter’s law school aspirations, telling myself that I would go to graduate school another time. Thankfully, this is not a dream I gave up on, but simply waited until the timing was better.
Another dream I have had is to go on a mission trip. I have always loved working with children and thought that a mission trip would be a transformative and fulfilling experience. I have been babysitting, working at summer camps, volunteering with mentoring programs, and teaching Sunday School for much of my teen and adult years. I love the laughter and care-free nature of children. Their lives and words have no filter, they simply exist to experience life to the fullest.
Since working as a School Counselor and Youth Resource Facilitator, in addition to volunteering as a CASA, my heart for children and adolescents has grown even more. I have always known I was lucky growing up, but I realize it more and more each year. I never doubted that I was loved or feared for my safety. My journey as a parent has also changed things. I always imagined two children would be the perfect number because I grew up in a family of four. Having married someone from a larger family (5 children) and then seeing my in-laws’ families grow has given me ample opportunities to love on many nieces and nephews (well, two nieces and NINE nephews). At times, the chaos and noise at our family gatherings has led me to feel thankful we only have two children.
Other times, seeing the range of infant, toddler, preschool, and school-age children has caused my heart to ache for the times gone past with my children. There is something so fun and special about each stage and it can be hard to accept that I won’t experience those stages again. And yet, I know that there are many ways to grow or expand one’s family. My sister-in-law and her husband have added two wonderful children to their family through the Foster Care system. I have worked with children in foster care as well as those who have aged out of the system, so I know how great the need is for more loving adults to open their hearts and homes to these children.
At the same time, I have witnessed the heartache and struggles that can come with the journey. One does not know how long a child might stay with the family, nor can adoption be guaranteed. So, while I wait and I pray for God’s leading in this area of my life, I feel that my first step is to help children in need through a short-term mission trip. For this reason, I am stepping out of my comfort zone to travel to Russia for a short-term mission trip. We will go to St. Petersburg to coordinate Vacation Bible School activities at an orphanage during the day and help orphan graduates with apartment renovations at night. If you would like to contribute to the costs of this trip, please visit this link: Russia Mission Trip. Next, enter my name (Shelley Navis) and then put in my trip code: RU19-07IDV.
Redefined Runner 
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