Be Adventurous
Faith does not promise a life without uncertainty. It invites us to take the next good step with courage, prudence, and trust in God.
Take chances and try new things. God wants us to experience the goodness of His creation and to use the gifts He has given us. He does not call us to hide from life, though He also does not ask us to be reckless. It is better to face our fears with wisdom than to let fear keep us from every good possibility.
I am not talking about jumping out of airplanes or swimming with sharks, though if that is what brings you joy and you take sensible precautions, that may be your kind of adventure. Maybe your next step is trying a different entrée at your favorite restaurant, reading a book you would not ordinarily choose, or reaching out to a family member you have not spoken with in years.
Christian adventure is not about proving that we are fearless. It is about being willing to follow God toward what is good, even when we do not know every detail of the road ahead.
First love
Here we are. Can you believe that twenty-five years have passed? So much time has gone by, yet sometimes it seems like only yesterday. I still wonder why it had to end so soon. Maybe it was meant to end when it did, even though I wish it had not ended the way it did. I will always cherish how special, warm, and sweet it was.
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. We enter a first love without knowing all the ways a heart can be hurt. Opening ourselves to love makes us vulnerable, but that vulnerability is part of the gift. I gave my heart and soul without condition. I allowed my heart to cherish yours and my soul to hunger and thirst for yours. Without regret, I experienced love fully and without reservation.
That love did not become meaningless because it ended. It remains part of my story, a reminder that a gift can be real even when it is not permanent. Scripture says, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7). Christian love is not a promise that we will never be hurt or that every relationship will last. It is a call to love truthfully, faithfully, and with respect for the freedom of the other person.
Fear can keep us from receiving the good that is possible. But faith does not mean ignoring risk or believing that God will give us exactly what we want. The Psalms give us a more honest prayer: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3). Courage is not the absence of fear; it is choosing the good while bringing our fears to God.
Combined choices
Our lives are shaped by choices. The Catechism teaches that God created us with freedom so we can seek Him and choose the good (CCC 1730–1731). Our decisions matter, and so do the things we leave undone. As I have often said, “It is not only the things we do in our lives that affect us, but the things we do not do also set the tone for our journey.”
As we grow closer to Christ, we learn to make choices with greater wisdom and love. That does not mean we will always know the outcome. It means we can pray, seek good counsel, consider our responsibilities, and take the next faithful step.
“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). We make plans, but we hold them with humility. James warns us not to boast as if we control tomorrow: “If the Lord wills, we shall live and we shall do this or that” (James 4:15).
Adventure in the work we do
You are being adventurous when you take on a new career or start a project. When I seek out a new property, I am being adventurous. I search in areas I have never been and try to get a feel for each neighborhood. Back at the office, I review relevant information about the properties, including tax data, maps, and aerial photos, to understand their present condition and potential.
Once I decide a property is worth pursuing, the next stage begins: financing. That can be an adventure of its own, especially the first time you apply for a mortgage. Financing can have a major effect on how an investment works out, so excitement has to be balanced with careful review.
Real estate investing brings surprises. When an issue comes up, I need to examine my options. I like to get off the phone and take time to think things through. Patience and careful evaluation help me make a better decision. My dad always says, “Everything always works out the way it’s supposed to. It always does.” I have carried that encouragement with me. I would add that sometimes things work out differently than we planned, and we still have to respond responsibly and trust God with what comes next.
When I bought my first building, the bank that owned the property gave me two weeks to get a commitment letter and two additional weeks to close. I had thirty days, or I would forfeit my deposit. Every bank I spoke to before the last said it was impossible to close a commercial loan that quickly. It was possible. It was a stretch, but I had done the preparation and found a lender willing to work with the timeline. I have owned that building for more than ten years.
That experience taught me not to let someone else’s fear decide what is possible for me. It also taught me to take warnings seriously, check the facts, understand the risks, and make sure an opportunity is truly within reach. Prudence, which the Catechism describes as right reason in action, helps us recognize the good and choose the right means to pursue it (CCC 1806).
Courage and prudence belong together
We are not limited only by what we think is impossible. Some limits are real: our health, our obligations, the law, our resources, and the consequences of a decision. But sometimes fear makes the walls look higher than they are.
Before taking a major step, Jesus tells us to count the cost (Luke 14:28). That is not a command to abandon our dreams; it is an invitation to prepare. We can ask: Is this choice good? Have I done the work? Who will be affected? What could go wrong? Have I prayed and sought wise advice? Am I willing to accept that the outcome may differ from what I hope?
“Be strong and of good courage; be not frightened, neither be dismayed; for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). God’s presence does not guarantee that every plan will succeed. It gives us reason to move forward faithfully, and strength to meet the result.
Use the gifts God has given you
Set goals and take the steps needed to pursue them. Develop your abilities, work honestly, and make room for prayer and the people who depend on you. God gives us gifts, but we are called to steward them, not assume success will simply be placed in our hands.
Jesus’ parable of the talents praises the servants who faithfully put what they had been given to work (Matthew 25:14–30). Saint Paul reminds us that our gifts are meant for service: “There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:4).
Sometimes we will achieve a goal. Sometimes a plan will fail or change. Neither success nor disappointment tells the whole story of God’s love for us. Saint Paul writes, “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him” (Romans 8:28). This does not mean every event is good or that we will get every outcome we want. It means God can bring good even through difficulty, loss, and unexpected turns.
Enjoy the journey
Always keep in mind that it is the journey, not only the goal. Enjoy life as you build your future. Time is a precious gift from God. Stay flexible and keep an open mind, while remaining faithful to your responsibilities and your relationship with Him.
There is a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Some seasons ask us to begin; others ask us to wait, learn, grieve, or begin again. Adventure can mean trying something new, but it can also mean staying faithful through a season we did not choose.
The Catechism teaches that Christian hope is confidence in God’s promises and reliance on the grace of the Holy Spirit, not certainty that our personal plans will unfold exactly as we wish (CCC 1817). We can dream, plan, and work while placing the final outcome in God’s hands.
A prayer for the next step
Lord, thank You for the life, time, relationships, and gifts You have entrusted to me. Give me courage to welcome what is good, prudence to recognize what is wise, and humility to change course when I need to.
Help me love without trying to control, take risks without becoming reckless, and work toward my goals without making success my god. When I am afraid, remind me that I can trust You. When plans change, show me the next faithful step.
May my choices bring me closer to You and become a blessing to others. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Conclusion
Be adventurous. Try the new thing, start the project, explore the opportunity, or reach out to the person when it is good and wise to do so. Do your homework. Ask for guidance. Pray. Count the cost. Then act with courage.
God does not promise that we will never be hurt, disappointed, or surprised. He does promise to remain with us. Our faith is not a guarantee of worldly success; it is a relationship with the living God, who guides, strengthens, and calls us to love.
We cannot control every outcome, but we can choose to live with gratitude, responsibility, and hope. Take the next faithful step, keep your heart open to God, and let the adventure unfold one day at a time.