I leave tomorrow. Tomorrow! On top of all that thankfulness and excitement is rising nervousness. I’m nervous for many of the reasons about which I’m excited. I’ve never done this before. This writer / publishing / literary world, just the bit that is the Breathe Conference, is like a foreign country to me. And I feel wholly inadequate to join in. After all, I don’t have a degree or training or experience or a following or anything. All I have is a story and a desire to share it.

I feel like a traveler on a journey and I’ve stumbled upon an unknown foreign country. Crossing the border I discover that I don’t know the language, the customs, the topography or geography, or even any of its citizens. I am a true alien in a foreign land. And yet, I proceed. After all, I’m on an adventure. I’ll learn; I’ll pick up the language bit by bit; I’ll meet some of its citizens and I’m certain they’ll kindly share the customs with me. The lay of the land? I’ll figure that out best by walking in and walking around. I may be nervous about what’s around the bend, but I’m looking forward to finding out.

Best of all, I can do this because my Heavenly Father says I can; and I believe it is He who opened the door to this new land for me and told me to venture forth. It’s not the first time He’s done this in my life and I don’t rightly believe it will be the last. My adventure with Him is the greatest of all, and I trust His navigational skills far beyond my own. So, I will breathe courage and trust because Breathe, here I come.