Do you ever get the feeling that you just know something? You can’t quite put your finger on it, but there’s a more, a deeper, a come and see. Some call it a hunch… I call it the Holy Spirit.
This story is a mixture of other smaller stories. Much like an intricate tapestry; each thread painting a beautiful pattern.
In June, I met my friend Sidney Ann for the first time. She had just gotten back from the World Race and was telling our friends stories about her trip and what she had learned. (Check out her blog from the WR here: www.sidneyannfowler.theworldrace.org) I thought that her experience seemed great and exciting, but didn’t think much beyond that.
Fast forward a couple of months to August 2013.
It was a typical Sunday morning at church: cup of coffee in hand, finding my seat amongst the crowd, and getting settled in. I wasn’t expecting what came next. As the announcements where being made, an opportunity for missions was presented. Something hit me like a tidal wave and I was side-swiped. My heart was pounding. The overwhelming desire to go on a mission trip had never been as real to me before as it was in that moment. I spent a good portion of worship that morning asking God where he wanted me to go and when he wanted me to leave, certain that he would began planning my itinerary right away.
Neither question was answered. God invited me to go deeper into the question.
In my short time with the Lord, I’ve learned that the invitation to ask and keep on asking is more for tuning my heart to ask the questions he wants to say “YES!” to rather than convincing him to go along with my plan.
So, instead I asked, “Do you want me to go?” He answered, “Yes.”
I spent a couple more months not knowing when or where he would lead me, but he was leading me nonetheless.
Then, one evening in October 2013, Sidney Ann and I met for coffee.
This was our first one-on-one meeting as friends. We’d met in passing here and there in the months prior, but we had never sat down, over warm cups of tea and coffee, and shared our hearts. I remember listening as Sidney Ann talked about miracles and struggles and freedoms and healing with tears of love and joy in her eyes.
I knew I had been interested in the World Race before but that joy, that lingering light left over from experiencing the fullness of the Lord by emptying herself for others… I wanted that. I wanted to see God in every corner of the earth and hear him praised in countless languages.
I filled out my application the next week.
