I grew up going to church every Sunday, and I’m thankful for
this background and constant exposure to God. But it took me a long time to
realize that it’s about a relationship with God, not listening to someone
preach and say a prayer. I began this relationship when I was 12 years old. I
started praying and reading my bible, and though I truly believe in my
salvation at that point, I stayed very immature in my faith for a long time. In
high school I started going to youth group and really began to learn that my
life should and will look different if I am genuinely living a life centered on
worshipping God. I was always very “good” and “moral” and thought I was
basically the perfect Christian: I followed the rules, and I did what was
right.
My junior year I went with a group to Nicaragua to build
houses. Within the first few minutes of meeting the people in the community we
were working in, I was overwhelmed with my selfishness and appalled by the life
of luxury that I had been living (and believing I deserved nothing less). Up to
that point, my religion had been focused completely on me… what God could do
for me and how perfectly I could follow a list of rules. To this day it was one
of the most humbling experiences of my life to sing worship songs side by side
a Nicaraguan. I heard a clear difference in her unabashedly passionate cries
out to the Lord and my perfect recitation of words. How could she have such joy
and love for the Lord, when she stood homeless, poor, and hungry? The whole
week I observed community, love, and joy like I had never seen before. Everyone
worked together, shared everything they had, and sacrificed for the community.
Having the opportunity to join this community and serve with what talents I
could muster, gave me a life-changing revelation of what my faith was supposed to be about. It’s NOT about me. The purpose of this life is to love God and
love your neighbor. A heart truly in love with God, can’t help but overflow
with love for His other children. And that love can’t just be nice thoughts about
your neighbor… if genuine, that love expresses itself through actions.
I woke up each morning with an aching body and tired eyes,
but yearning to go back to the Nicaraguans. My mom had to drag me to the bus on
the final day, as I sobbed with the first heartbreak I had ever experienced.
But I knew in my heart and felt God’s reassurance that I would be back.
From that moment on, I have been committed to foreign
missions in some sort of long term way. God placed in my heart a fervent reminder
of life outside my comfort zone in the U.S. and an ache in my soul to love and
serve others, specifically those in poverty stricken countries. I have returned
to Nicaragua three times since my first trip. Each time, I’ve felt an unrivaled
confidence in God’s desires and plans for my life.
My cousin introduced me to the World Race last August. His
friend Brandon had just returned from his race, and he told me to check out his
blog. That day I spent four hours eagerly reading over the website and crying
with joy, anticipation, and excitement. I knew this was it. This was what God
had been preparing me for… for years. And how AMAZING that I get to serve not
in just one place, but ELEVEN COUNTRIES! I am so eager to see what God is going
to do in me and through me over this next year.
your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a
burning desire to get to work on it.”
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the
chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to
provide the poor wanderer with shelter- when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”
Isaiah 58:6-7
