Two summers ago, I was sitting in a classroom at Cape Christian in Cape Coral Fl, when some much, needed truth got dropped on me. The teaching pastor at the church hosting the internship I was attending was talking to us about the quandary we can find ourselves in, in search for Gods plan for our lives. Mind you, after years of wanting God to get a little more specific with me about this, I was kind of over hearing people teach on it… It was kind of like, “What’s new?!”. Well, a lot was new, or old, or both… I raised my hand in the middle of a pretty silent class of students and asked, “Pastor how do you know? I have been over much of the theology on the subject and heard all the stories in the Bible and I have yet to experience Jesus clearly speaking to me saying, Do this.” He said, “CJ, you will know it’s God when there is a steady and constant knocking at the door of your heart, your soul that won’t stop and won’t go away regardless of how hard you may chase other things…. in essence, it will never leave.” Now, there were many great teaching sessions that summer, but the words spoken that day birthed new clarity in my life. At the time of this internship the Lord had already made it clear that I was going to go into some type of international humanitarian work, I just didn’t have a clue what that looked like. At the time I wasn’t crazy about full time missions. I knew the Lord would provide many opportunities to share and show the love of God to others in my life, I just wasn’t sure what it was going to look like. Since then God has made things more, and more clear. From moving back to my hometown, to taking a step of faith to come to Charleston SC for a church plant, to taking on a full time position at a non-profit orphanage working with abandoned, neglected and abused boys…. God has without question, been WORKING ON ME, and THROUGH ME!
In this season of growth and preparation God has helped me understand, “WHY?”. I spent close to 8 months after my internship in Cape Coral praying, listening and seeking the Lord on what organization he wanted me to pursue to take my first big step towards serving the needs of the world on an international level. I got strongly connected to an Organization called New Missions Systems International in Fort Myers Fl, during my time there. I was very interested in their apprenticeships that they offered in various countries. I was aware of The World Race and knew a couple people that had done it and thought about doing it, but never seriously looked into it. Over the last half of 2015 and the first half of 2016 the Lord began to pull me away from New Missions Systems and towards this intensive, highly daunting Missions trip called The World Race!
So, why go?
1) The race is a unique missions trip unto itself because you receive the privilege of sharing the love of Christ in 11 different countries to 11 different people groups (which is pretty incredible!). In terms of effectiveness, 1 month in a country is a healthy amount of time to work in a specific country, and enough time for the work and seeds we are planting to be effective and lasting. My team and I, will be able to impact, and touch so many lives, in so many ways, over the course of an entire month of ministry and building community with hurting people.
2) It is a highly inclusive ministry format. Rather than going with a specific goal and agenda, my teammates and I will be having a very open ended approach by meeting whatever needs are present from country to country, and community to community. I went on a mission’s trip with this kind of approach before, and truthfully it is very effective. It will not only stretch and challenge my teammates and I as servants, but also give multiple avenues and contexts to share the Love of Christ to others!
3) It has been a dream of mine for some time now, to one day open my own orphanage. I have been interested in social work and foster care for a good amount of time, but since working here at the boys home, my desire to begin something new has become… relentless! Through prayer over this trip, and Godly counsel from my mentors… I believe the Lord is pulling me one day, to potentially do this in another country. The World Race will expose me to multiple cultures, and by the Grace of God give me a clearer understanding of where he is leading me.
4) I love the words of a missionary named Heidi Baker in her documentary “Compelled By Love”… In an excerpt from a series of questions Heidi is asked, she is asked the question, “Why?”. To give a little background, Heidi and Her Husband Roland founded IRIS Global, and began a ministry in Mozambique, Africa to take care of orphaned and abandoned children. Heidi’s response was a question of her own, “What other response could you have?…”. Her words have stuck to my mind and heart for some time now… During my preparation for the Race, God has, and is constantly reminding me of the simple, yet unfathomable Love he displayed for me on the cross… all of my sin, all of my shame, every pain and failure he carried for me… So, what other response is there?….. For me, there is nothing else, other than to give it all. When I say all, I mean all of myself to his kingdom, to his purposes and absolute surrender to his will.
I am constantly reminded of the words of Jesus in Acts 1:8. Jesus says there at his ascension to be with the Father, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ENDS OF THE EARTH”. Ultimately, The World Race is a response… it’s a response to go beyond where I am, to move beyond personal comforts, and step into this mandate… this charge to GO! To let go of the things I want and to surrender myself to the things he wants. He is calling me to be his hands and feet extended across the earth…
So, to my many old friends, new friends and family members, I invite you to come on this journey with me prayerfully and financially. In reality, you are the ones making it happen… I am simply the vessel.
Much Love!
CJ
