“The problem isn’t fear. It’s being stopped by fear.”

– Caleb Meakins

One year ago my stomach was in my throat and my heart was about to beat out of my chest.

I was weighing out a decision that was wrenching my guts. It was one of those “this could be beautiful, amazing, and so good for so many people” AND “if you do this you’re going to get blasted, ripped apart and your life will change forever” kind of choices.

Kind of like asking a girl to dance in middle school. Same emotions.

It was in between sessions at the Families in Global Transition Conference in Bangkok so the huge room was filled wit empty chairs and just a handful of people. I sat in the back with two friends chatting but honestly, I had faded out. I was mentally and emotionally weighing how good this could be against the worst-case scenario.

Then this guy stepped onto the stage at the front. He was clearly going to be the keynote speaker because he was way better looking than the rest of us. He had come to walk through his speech. Just to practice. Get the feel of the stage. Run through his slides.

I couldn’t hear him from the back. But I saw from his PowerPoint that he was going to talk about “changing the world”.

For real?

Again?

Another one?

I’ve grown cynical of “you can change the world” speeches and sentiments. I blame Facebook and youth pastors.

But still, I spied on him as he flipped through his slides and I continued to ponder my paralyzing dilemma.

And then he got to the slide that said

Lessons Learnt:

“3 seconds of insane courage”

It was like a lightning bolt hit me in the head, heart and gut simultaneously. Exactly what I needed at at exactly the right moment.

I took a huge breath. Counted to three. And made the right decision.

Before I ever heard him say a word, Caleb Meakins inspired me.

He sparked courage in me. He challenged me to swallow my foolish pride AND my justified fears to pursue what I knew was the right thing.

Then I got to listen to him.

I got to hear about this young man who lived life with insane courage but did it with beautiful humility.

I got to hear what he had learned by putting himself out there with his pride on the line just so he could learn to live with more courage. Like how it feels to ask McDonalds to cook your raw chicken or what goes through your guts when you dress like an Arab Sheik and try to test drive a Lamborghini.

I got to listen as he described how learning about courage sparked a passion for Ethopia and how that changed his trajectory.

And then I got to meet him.

Just briefly. For a few minutes.

We talked about pride and humility and fear and courage. We talked about TCK’s and the amazing potential they have. We talked about creativity and impact. We talked about our shared faith and how good it can be when we love people well.

It was a rich encounter.

He had thousands of those.

People walked away better when they met Caleb.

And I’ve just got to guess that . . . THAT is exactly how you change the world.

Thank you Caleb, for a life lived completely filled up and completely poured out.

Barely knew you. And miss you already.