What about that?

So Kyle Idleman has this book called Not a Fan, it's pretty fantastic and if you've yet to read it...do so, right now. I read this book with my small group this semester and loved it so much. There is a ton of fantastic stuff in it that I could really relate to. Like, I can look back on my life and really see this transition from fan to follower really happen and what it's meant in my life. Not terribly long ago, we discussed the very last chapter of this book which is called "Whatever. What about that?" and it was particularly intriguing to me.
Basically, the whole premise of this chapter is trying to get you to think about what it is that's holding you back from following or maybe what you wouldn't be willing to give up to follow Jesus. So I was stewing on this question for quite a while...and I was once again taken back to thoughts of Nicaragua and how we got to a certain point in the trip, and all I could think was, "I want my mom." I mean, I'm so sued to talking to her every day that I didn't know what to do without being able to for 10 days...and then it hit me: my family.  If it was necessary for me to give up my family to follow God....would I? Really though, I came back from that trip saying that I could never go to a place for a long amount of time where I didn't have some kind of phone or internet access to contact my family. But what if that's where God wanted and needed me? Of course, I'd like to say I'd go but that's a hard thing to say when I'm not actually in that situation.
I mean, in some countries people are accepting God knowing that they will be literally shunned by their families for doing so...no place to live, no one to return to. But they do it because they know that the kingdom of God is worth it. Yet, here I am, afraid of maybe ending up somewhere that I'm simply cut off from my family for a certain period of time. How does that mind-set change? Well, I know that I will never change it on my own, it's gonna take God to get me to that place where I'd really be ready to give up everything and everyone to really follow Jesus. Thank the Lord we are always learning and growing in this life!
So...yeah, short one tonight...but that's what I've been thinking about the most lately.