I was sitting eating Thai food for dinner with my teammates in Queensland, Australia, looking through the photos I had taken over the course of the day. I was trying to decide which ones I wanted to post on Instagram, when I had to stop and think - wow, just wow!
The Sydney Harbor Bridge.
This morning I woke up in Sydney, Australia. With two of my teammates, we caught a Uber to see the Sydney Harbor Bridge, the Sydney Opera House and Bondi Beach, all in under two hours. We made it back to the hotel in time to leave with the rest of the team to the airport. Four hours and two flights later we landed in Townsville, Queensland. We checked into our hotel, then drove to the Strand Rock Pool where we swam for recovery before dinner.
This is my life. I get to travel and see different parts of Australia: correction, different parts of the world! I am blessed with all of this because of an orange bouncy ball that was brought into my life 15 years ago (oh man, I’m getting old!).
The Sydney Opera House.
Some art along Bondi Beach.
When I was a young kid, even as a teenager planning out my life, I never imagined I would be living the life I currently have now. Every dream I had as a child, God has surpassed in ways I never thought possible - hence, why I always live by the mantra ‘Dream Big’. All the dreams I had for my life were so small (not in a bad way) compared to how God has carved out my life. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of hard work, sweat, tears, sacrifice, blood, more tears and frustration were a part of the journey. However, I am so fortunate and thankful that I, at this moment and time in my life, have a job (if you can even call it that) that I absolutely love! Some key reflections:
Bondi beach, I saw so many surfers!
views from bondi beach in sydney australia
Townsville, Queensland. Fun fact: The are fresh water and salt water crocodiles that live in the area. So there are designated safe places for people to swim, the Strand Pool being one of them!
Don’t underestimate the power of God and the plans he has for your life. He is the creator of the world, He sees all, hears all, and knows all. He formed us in the womb, created the heavens and the earth, and put so much detail into everything He created. So don’t for a second doubt that He has a plan and purpose for your life! If He puts so much detail into a flower, and has the earth placed at exactly the right spot in the solar system, why would He not have an incredible, detailed, purposeful plan for your life? Surrender your life to Him, and He will give you abundantly more.
Dream big! It’s OK to have big dreams for your life. If anything, I think at times we tend to dream too small, or put limitations on what we can achieve in life. I’ve been to over 20 countries, have received a free education, had the opportunity to share, inspire and motivate young kids - all because of a basketball. That’s not even a fraction of what basketball has afforded me. Dream big!
Don’t forget to work hard! God can have an incredible plan for your life, and you can have big dreams, but it will all mean nothing it you don’t put in the work! Write down your dreams and then, under them, write down the goals you need to accomplish to help you reach your dreams. Stay relentless about achieving those goals and dedicate the necessary time, energy and effort to them, on good days and the bad days. Work diligently and work patiently, because dreams don’t come to fruition overnight - they are realized over hours, weeks, months and years of hard work. As the bible says, you will reap what you sow. So, if you put in the work, results will always (but not always immediately) follow.
views from the strand pool in townsville queensland
The strand Pool. Take in the sky, just breathtaking!
To whoever is reading this, I hope you are encouraged. And to my young readers who may be playing a sport, or pursuing an activity that they are passionate about, use it. Use it to help you achieve and get what you want out of life. If it can get you a free education, the opportunity to travel, gain valuable life skills and experiences, or simply help you form healthy life habits, use it! God placed that talent/desire in you for a reason, so put in the work and watch what He does with your life!
Thanks for stopping by and God bless,
K!