Whatever It Takes.

"I'll do whatever it takes."

How often have you heard that or said that yourself? What does that phrase really mean? What does it really take? I suppose that depends on what you want to achieve.

Brandon and I live our life very differently from the average American. We have specific and unique priorities, goals, and dreams, which we plan to make into a tangible reality, and very soon. In order to do that, we have COMMITTED to do "whatever it takes." For us, we mean this to the full extent of the phrase, WHATEVER it takes. To us, the "whatever" means sacrifice, giving up something to gain something else that has more value or giving up in the short term what we know we will be able to have in the long run, for the long term, like cable TV, cell phones, fancy cars, getting my nails done, buying a home, etc.

As we become closer and closer to achieving our Dream, the "whatever" becomes harder and harder. To achieve a dream, one has to stay POSITIVE! Naysayers are not welcomed in our home or in our company. Negativity will KILL you and the dream you rode in on. If you really stop and listen to the people around you and the words they are speaking, hear the negative words. Once you become aware of negative words, you will realize their impact. AND, it's not just negative WORDS, it's negative ACTIONS. Negative actions include body posture and facial expressions, or even a quiet silence that really screams, "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard! You will NEVER achieve that!" Ahhh, loaded, screaming silence. How must one endure loaded, screaming negative silence? Especially when it comes from people who care about you or friends you care about?

As the Dream becomes closer and closer, the "whatever it takes" begins to completely strip us down to emotional, mental, and even spiritual nakedness. The "whatever it takes" becomes leaving the naysayers behind, sometimes way behind. Breaking away from friends and family is never easy, but in the grand scheme of things, when looking at the whole, eternal picture of our Dream, to us, it is worth it.

We are venturers. The word venture means the following, (Please endure my geeky-ness. There is a point.): to expose to hazard; risk, gamble; to undertake the risks and dangers of; brave; to offer at the risk of rebuff or rejection; to proceed especially in the face of danger (Thank you Merriam-Webster.com)

When I read this definition, I knew that this word alone describes exactly what we have been through, what we are going through, and what we have yet to experience. A venture. Risk. Gamble. To offer at the risk of rejection. To proceed especially in the face of danger. This all goes along with the journey mantra that keeps echoing in my head, the "if you want this, come and claim this" attitude I have.

Now I am in the extreme stages of "whatever it takes." I feel raw, emotionally naked, sword-wielding, and savage. And it feels good. It feels good because I know that our Dream is getting closer and closer every day. With each risk we take, with each face of danger we punch, with each rejection, I know it is one step closer to the mountain top, or in our case the Smoky Mountains. With each shedding of short term fleshly wants, I know we are closer to the eternal goal and mission that God has given us.

And so, we bravely venture forward, holding tightly to each other, doing whatever it takes.