God has told me over and over again that He did not make me for an ordinary life.

He’s told me in different ways, places, and times. But I’ve always felt sure it’s Him. I’m more certain of this than almost anything else in my life.

But my life might not look much different than yours. I wake up, I neglect to make my bed, I rush out the door, etc….

We live in a culture where an extraordinary life means you don’t wash the dishes.

And I do.

(In fact, I started writing this post mid-dishwashing session).

But what if washing the dishes in a way that honors God is the most extraordinary thing I could do?

God changed my plans

I graduate my college-level writing apprenticeship program in August.

For years and years, I’ve planned to spend at least one month doing mission work in another country. And after graduation seemed like the perfect time.

I applied to a three-month trip with World Race visiting Brazil and Ecuador. I interview in January and they accepted me!

(And I was really excited. 🙂 Just ask my friend Lucy, who was in the room when I read the email!) But for some reason, everything wasn’t falling into place.

Instead…

There weren’t any obvious problems, but it didn’t feel right.

Instead of confirming and registering for the trip, I decided to wait and pray. And God changed my plans.

I didn’t know it then, but my mentor Brad Pauquette had been praying and thinking about this for months. And right after I told the World Race representative that I needed to pray about it, Brad and I had an honest conversation about my post-graduation plans.

(See this is where good, deep friendships with both friends and mentors help us step into God’s plan for us! We have to allow them to speak into our lives and love us though.)

The new extraordinary thing

I feel like God’s calling me to something different than I planned.

And it’s more of this. More blogging. More friendship cultivating. More sharing the gospel at my crazy restaurant job. More getting to know a very special guy.

And if I get married and raise kids and live and wash dishes, does that mean I’m not living an extraordinary life?

No! Because I know what God’s called me to.

It’s bigger than words can explain. And it might not look like much on the outside.

But that’s only in this world. I pray that someday I can see a beautiful tapestry of the people I loved radically in the name of Jesus.

Because in heaven, nothing we bring with us counts more than souls.

And nothing matters more than the glory of God.

I can 100% bring Him glory while washing the dishes. Do you think that’s true for your life too?