I love learning. I love understanding why something works. But there comes a point where you have to actually apply what you learned to your life and your situation. If you don’t, then what’s the point? I heard it said once, that if I don’t use the gifts and talents and privileges that are mine as a Christian, then all I am is just a practicing atheist.

I’ve spend more money on this six month school than I have for any other semester of schooling I’ve done, and if I don’t apply what I’ve learned, I am just wasting my time and my money.

Today has been a day of prayer. Japan got struck by two natural disasters in a row: first one of the top five recorded earthquakes, and second a tsunami 10 meters high. This is the news that I woke up to today, plus Hawaii and California had waves of unknown size headed their way. I have friends and love ones that live on the coast of those places. This all comes after a teaching on the prophetic last night that dealt with words of distraction AND A STORY OF AN EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI. It made it very easy to apply the fresh lessons to my life. I would love to say that, due to my earnest prayer, that California and Hawaii remained mostly causality free. But I don’t know for sure, I do know that I tried.

Today had even more application, this time the spiritual warfare taught by Che Ahn from Tuesday. My friend is going through a really rough patch in his live and I know how to pray and how to speak life in his situation. But my knowledge does NOTHING for him if I don’t pray and act like I know to.

Go step out in faith, apply God to your situations and see where He will drop you (if he even does).

Things have changed. I can’t tell you how, but something is different between us. It’s not the same anymore.

You were my future. I left my past for you, but you didn’t welcome me. I was stuck in limbo – striving to be with you and not wanting to be where I came from – I was stuck in the present.

You were my shining light, my perfect, my dream; I was going to be made complete with you. I was your fulfillment, your guardian, your guide. You were the lighthouse and I was the sea captain. I was the vagabond and you the light in the window guiding me home.

But here I am, stalled in the path, bobbing in the water; something has changed.

Future, it was me.

The path set before me is not quite as short as I thought. Or as quite as specific. I realize the forest is not as foreboding as before. The trees are not things to be avoided. I can leave the path and explore. Make my own trails. The sheltered coves and harbors are just starting places. The oceans of possibilities have opened up before me like a map, with shoreline to fill in.

Future, I’m not married to you. I’ve said no vows. I am not bound to you. You are not the only one out there. My destiny is not written in stone, but is a path through a wood.

And you’re not the path I’m taking.

A year ago, I kissed my girlfriend goodbye and pointed my car south. Driving what was familiar for the day, then heading into unknown territory for the next few days, then the rest of the year. It was my first road trip and the start of a new adventure.

Then today, I left with a hug to my friend and driving west. With a view of the fog covered San Joaquin valley in front of me and snow covered mountains in my rearview mirror, some worship on the radio and rolling grass covered hills all around me, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the landscape and started thinking about this year and all that has happened.

And I got hopeful for this next year.

With that said, it was a good vacation.