I heard their young voices shout, “To infinity and beyond!” as they chased each other around the school yard playground. They were in their imaginary worlds filled with roaring dinosaurs, battle cruisers, dragons, and fairy princesses; a mish mash of every storybook and cartoon character they have known and loved. A child’s imagination abandoning the strongholds of the world, transcending the boundaries of gravity, space and time. Their playful energy and voices carrying their fantastic stories through the air to my listening ears. Their incredible imaginations let loose to travel through the limitless expanses of the universe during a fifteen minute school recess.

Oh to dream the dreams of a child again! To not be weighted down by the cares and concerns of the realities of life. The heaviness that keeps my feet firmly planted on the ground, rather than soaring on those ephemeral wings that children miraculously sprout whenever they wish to leave the confines of the earth’s orbit.

I remember my pretend days. The days I wrapped myself in my creative cocoon to write an adventure of pure make believe. I became immersed in my character’s life. It was like putting on a new skin, seeing the world through new eyes, experiencing sights, and sounds from a perspective I could only imagine in my head. I could be bold, adventurous, and dangerous without leaving my house. I could not only ponder infinity, I could somehow wrap myself in it, around it and through it!

It’s a sorry heart condition when that sense of childlike wonder, and amazement fades and is replaced by adult cynicism. Optimism is replaced by pessimism. Fear freezes the soul, and dark shadows block out the light. I have wrestled with it all.

My second battle with cancer took something precious away from me. A creative spark. The creative pursuits that gave me such joy: writing, reading, painting, and crafting, I’ve struggled to take up again. I haven’t been able to blog regularly, suffering from persistent writer’s block. I’ve even contemplated shutting down “Journey Thoughts”, deleting all content, and fading into the world-wide web oblivion.

It is not a coincidence that over the last month, I have heard three different testimonies from people who have struggled in various ways, but have found their voice to share their God-inspired stories to encourage others. One common theme intertwining their testimonies: we all have a story to tell—-so tell it!

It has challenged me. In order to tell MY story I need to re-ignite my imagination. I need to once again dream the dreams of a child; to go to “infinity and beyond!” MY story is not confined to time and space. MY story was written before I was born. MY story is filled with heroes and soldiers of the faith, of miracles and experiences that defy logical explanation. MY story is about overcoming obstacles, going on quests, battling giants. MY story has no genre, but a combination of all: historical, romantic, fantasy, non-fiction…unique. MY entire story hasn’t been written yet, but God’s working on it. It’s an ongoing, adventurous journey, fraught with ups and downs. Maybe He will allow me to entitle a long chapter of My story: “Pitfalls, Pratfalls, and Pinnacles”. It seems fitting.

One thing I know for sure is I have a story to tell so I must tell it!