Finding A New Adventure
Every man is wired for adventure. Deep down, there is a God-given desire to get out of the grind, do something that matters, and know that our lives count for more than comfort and entertainment. The problem is, the world keeps handing us substitutes—bigger TVs, longer weekends, more apps and subscriptions—until the years slip by and the question still nags us: “Is this really it?”
Joe, a longtime Sugar Creek member, felt that tension too. He had followed the missions ministry for years, always intrigued by what God was doing around the world, but life and routine kept him on the sidelines. When he retired in 2018, he finally decided it was time to stop watching and start stepping out—so he signed up for not one, but three mission trips. His wife asked the obvious question: “How do you know you’re going to like it?” His answer was simple: he had been “chomping at the bit” for years, and the opportunity had finally come.
That first trip took Joe to La Guajira, Colombia—a place marked by extreme poverty and an influx of Venezuelan refugees. Surrounded by deep physical and spiritual need, Joe watched doctors, volunteers, and local partners serve people who had almost nothing. What he saw there broke him. He talks about stepping away every thirty minutes just to find a quiet corner and weep as God performed “spiritual heart surgery,” peeling back the calluses that comfort had quietly built around his heart.
In that breaking, Joe discovered the adventure he had always been looking for. He realized he did not want to spend the rest of his years simply “chasing golf balls or idling away with hobbies.” He wanted to invest his time in something that would last for eternity. Living on mission with Jesus, in hard places among hurting people, turned out to be the greatest adventure he could have imagined.
Joe also discovered something every man longs for but rarely finds: impact. On those trips, he was not the hero of the story—Jesus was. But Joe became part of God’s story in the lives of real people with real names and real needs. The Great Commission stopped being a vague command and became a clear invitation: this call to “go” is not just for the gifted or the professional; it is for every follower of Jesus who is willing to take a step of faith.
That is where Sugar Creek comes in. You do not have to figure out how to change the world on your own. Sugar Creek is intentionally building bridges—locally and globally—so that ordinary men and women can step into God’s mission in practical ways. You can find a place to serve here at home or join a short-term trip that will stretch your faith, open your eyes, and let God use you to make an eternal difference.
If you are tired of living for comfort and ready for a real adventure, take the same step Joe did. Find a place to serve. Find a trip to join. The greatest adventure you can ever live is saying “yes” to Jesus and letting Him use your life to impact others.