California.

Ten years ago I got on a plane for the very first time in my life. Those who know me well can picture the spectacle. I was like a kid taking his first ride on a roller coaster. As the plane took off I screamed and put my hands in the air, feeling as if it was the greatest adrenaline rush I had ever experienced. To some extent it was. Little did I know it would begin a love-affair with me and flying. It also was the very first time I experience life outside the tri-state area of the northeastern part of the United States. Up to that point I had lived, breathed, and experienced all things associated with the New York City metropolitan area. In fact, I would say I was unaware of life outside the northeast. This would all change as I hopped on this flight that was... California bound.

Six hours later my plane landed at SFO. Getting off the plane was like stepping into an exotic world of west coast life. That night we took a very creepy (yes... it was dark and unknown) drive to Livermore, CA (45 minutes east of San Francisco) where we would spend our first few days of a week long performance tour.

I write all this because, yesterday, ten years later I drove through Livermore, CA on my way to re-connect with one of my best friends in San Jose, CA. It was a surreal experience as I remembered the sites I first saw as an 19 year old college student. Beautiful hills and giant windmills have never felt so familiar :). As I drove down the east hill into Silicon Valley, I caught a glimpse of the bay and marveled at a dream ten years in the making. It was a dream that I would one day get to live life in California. Whether I will stay long or not is not the point, rather the point is that I made it. I drove, not all at once, across the country and will now live on the opposite coast of where I was born. Wow! It was one last adventure for my twenties. So surreal that I will turn 30 next year... and making it to California was something I have wanted to do for so long.

Now the real adventure begins. The adventure I refer to is the one of following Jesus into the great unknown. As I write this post I have no idea where I will be in the next two months. I could stay in California. I could once again be living outside of NYC. I could be back in Denver, CO. I could be some place I haven't even thought of yet. As I look ot the future my desire is to be led by the Spirit wherever he would take me. I want to be at the center of God's plan for my life. If that is California or NY or CO or wherever... so be it. One thing I have learned in almost 30 years of life is that Jesus often takes us on a journey to reach the destination. Much like my journey across the country... its been a great ride and I can't wait to see where else the Lord takes me before he calls me home, by his grace and for his glory!

Stay tuned for more California postings in the weeks to come.