#DangerDays: Andrea Ward's Story

Today's guest post comes from another Twitter friend, Andrea Ward. Andrea and her husband Drew live in Hickory, NC- a place I knew well some 35 years ago when I was a college freshman there! They have supported, encouraged and prayed for me over the past few years, and I look forward to meeting them someday soon. You can follow Andrea on Twitter @citrus_sunshine and visit her blog (which I HIGHLY recommend!) at http://jesusyoume.blogspot.com/.  I know you will all be inspired as Andrea gives you a glimpse into her vision of the #DangerDays...

When Carl first mentioned the idea, I immediately thought, I have nothing to contribute. I was a total goody two shoes in high school. I was a brainy Magna Cum Laude college student. I got my first job teaching and then got married after a couple years. We moved a few times due to job related stuff, but didn't have huge marital issues. I have lived a relatively boring life and not done anything dangerous or radical. So why am I writing this?

I read this quote:"Being a Christian is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God's will.” (Read more at http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/books/12-essential-bonhoeffer-quotes#dHwPIfP7r3H4FfGU.99)

Even though I may not have lived some crazy life, I have done a few things that raised eyebrows and made people wonder about me. I didn't do it on purpose. I didn't do it to be a rebel or make a statement. I did it because God told me too. 

I left my teeny tiny farming town and went to Mexico to study for a summer. That felt dangerous, but God didn't leave me another option. My husband and I put our house on the market and planned to move across the country in a horrible housing market. That one didn't feel dangerous. It just felt like the right thing to do. Before we had taken the boxes off the moving van, we discovered that I was pregnant. I had no insurance or job that was scary, but this was God's plan.

Now before you start thinking of me as some Super Christian. There are plenty of times that I didn't do what God told me to do. I remember several years early in my marriage where we were doing it our own way. That cost us a few thousand dollars and two cross country moves. In the end, God put us right where he wanted us. We just took a longer more painful route to get there. So that was a whole different kind of dangerous. Those years when we were doing it our way keep me focused on God's will now.

So most recently, my husband switched jobs and we switched churches. That was a hard following. It wasn't a hard decision because the decision wasn't ours. We heard from God and it was confirmed by 3 other people. I was not happy about it and I didn't want to have to do it. However, I know that following God is really the only option for a follower of Jesus. So we followed where God was leading even though it was hard. And I didn't really think much more about it. I felt some more about it and sometimes still do. Feelings are much harder to put to rest, but my brain is satisfied that we did the right thing and don't need to worry.

We have spoken with some people at our former church. We get a mixed reaction. Some are supportive and some are offended or hurt. It was never our intention to hurt anyone or offend anyone. It wasn't our intention to cause a stir amongst anyone. We were simply following the leading of The Lord. In the 'fall out' after our leaving (or following), I came to realize that I have often done something dangerous. I have often followed the leading of The Lord before following the wisdom of society or friends or family. 

Sometimes you are dangerous without even trying. When Jesus says, "Follow me" and you do, you are participating in #DangerDays.

To see previous #DangerDays posts, just click HERE! If you would like to write a guest post for this series, please contact me at Youthguy07@aol.com. Thanks!