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Better Than Before

Written by Christina Menkemeller on .

I’ve been on a safari in South Africa and circled Stonehenge in England.

I’ve gone paragliding through the mountains in Switzerland and strolled the streets of Paris at night.

I’ve ridden the world’s fastest roller coaster in Abu Dhabi and gazed up at the world’s tallest building in Dubai.

I’ve seen the northern lights dancing in Iceland and toured the canals of Amsterdam.

I’ve frequented biergartens in Germany and searched for fairies in Scotland.

I’ve dined on Pasteis de Nata in Portugal and Churros con Chocolate in Spain.

I’ve enjoyed free-flowing Guinness in Ireland and ate grapes fresh off the vine in Italy.

I’ve played with LEGOS in Denmark and goats on the beach in Greece. 

I’ve explored shrines in Japan and fed elephants in Thailand.

I’ve lived more life in the last twelve months than I ever thought possible.

To say that 2018 was a big year for us is an understatement.

Before we began traveling, I was afraid of pretty much everything. “Risk taker” would never be a phrase you would use to describe me, and I was convinced that something terrible was going to happen to me while we were abroad—especially regarding my health.

Change was not my friend, and I stuck to stability like glue.

But you know what?

I made it.

And aside from a few minor issues with my hearing, none of my fears came true.

Traveling has made me braver. Traveling has made me better.

Straying from my plan doesn’t feel quite so overwhelming anymore—it even feels a little bit normal.

This year has shaped everything for me. It’s taught me how to let go and lean into my uncertainty.

I’ve learned the value of taking chances and seen the blessing of living an unexpected life.

When I first started my blog, I knew that God was encouraging us to take this leap for a reason. I had no idea what it was going to be, but that was ok—the unknown was part of what made this year so fun.

And at the very least, I knew we would have an incredible year experiencing the world together.

I chose the name “Being Positioned” because I wanted to hold onto the idea that God is going to use my condition to position me for something greater. And I knew that our traveling was just the beginning of that process.

Every struggle, every adventure, and every interaction this year has been part of my “positioning”.

So, I’m starting a non-profit. 

I’m not ready to announce what it will entail until we officially launch later in 2019, but I can tell you that it’s a direct result of our traveling and even more so a result of me having NF2. 

Despite a year of learning to trust God and take risks, I’d be lying if I said I’m not terrified of taking this next step.

Once again, I’m surrounded by so much uncertainty.

Once again, I’m very far from my original plan.

But, once again, this is the fun part—the part where I have to sit back and trust the shift God is making in my life.

If I’ve learned one thing in 2018, it’s that the more you let go, the more God can do. 

Even though this next year won’t be filled with wild animals, trying new foods, and exploring different countries, I have a feeling that this new adventure might be even bigger than the last one.

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