Why do people allow things to hold them back?

My first year I went to Ghana I left for Africa after a hard tragedy where my cousin Jenna of 19 died in a car accident 10 days before I left. I went very broken and not sure if God was calling me to even go any more but when I got there and was surrounded by such amazing people I knew then that God was calling me to a new way of life.

Even though I have never been over seas before this it just fit and I got into the swing of things with no trouble. I was making relationship, trying their food, living as they do and embracing it with a huge heart. God was using Ghana to help me heal and in that summer I knew for a fact that I would be coming back. So last year in the fall I came back and applied for 2007’s Ghana team and became the leader. I learned a lot by being a leader last year and this past summer presented it self with amazing experiences again. I was able to see my friends again that lived in Ghana and it felt as though I was coming home after being at school all year.

Then when I came back from Ghana this past summer the worst of the worst happened. I got an unknown virus from Africa. 4 days after returning to the states I went into the hospital with a 104-degree fever and had the shakes really bad. So my initial thought was that I had malaria. While in Ghana we were surrounded by those that had Malaria but also surrounded by those that had various other diseases too.

I was in the hospital for 3 days in Chicago, 1 day at Foothill hospital in California, and 2 and half weeks in Arcadia Methodists hospital in Arcadia California. Finally after 3 hospital visits and two surgeries on my throat, where the virus hosted, the doctors still did not know what I had. Currently I am virus free and after lots of meds it eventually left my body. Here is the kicker. I have decided to lead this year’s team back to Ghana for next summer. God has blessed me with two amazing parents who support me in every thing I do. People who hear how sick I got think I’m crazy but I know that this is where God is calling me.

But I will hear sad stories that after a bad thing people just stop. They allow that to be there stoplight that remains red for the rest of their lives. Maybe after something as drastic as this it would be the wise decision to stop and take a break, but for the rest of my life? If that is the case I mise well throw in the towel now. I mise well choose the life of a monk and not allow the adventure in my life that I seek.

What is holding you back? And is it really worth all of the credit you are giving it? How about this, how about you look at this obstacle in the face and kick it to the curb. The time is now.