Fire burning in my belly. Tears streaming down my face. It was passion I had lost touch with since returning from China last year. In the midst of morning prayer with my Rochester family, my heart ached to journey back to the nations and share Jesus Christ with the world.
It was exhilarating to reconnect with the fire that once consumed my being. I had some pep in my step. In all honesty, I felt whole again. But I wanted to be sure that it was Jesus calling me forth instead of me daydreaming about the adventures of a missionary’s life. So I asked for a confirmation from the Holy Spirit, something that would cement His hand-print on this journey.
And that’s when I received an email from the World Race announcing the routes for January 2014. “Okay,” I thought to myself. “Let’s see which one You are highlighting, Lord.” Nothing stirred in my spirit as I read over the first three, but when I looked over route four, I knew it was the one.
Then I sought the Lord again: “Spirit, confirm each and every nation and I’ll fill out an application to go to the nations with You.”
And that’s exactly what He did. He spoke through Rita Springer during a Jesus Culture worship set as she shared about how God spoke to her to adopt as she held newborns in Romania. I noticed my journal and Converse sneakers were made in Vietnam. My church’s house prophet taught about how the Lord led him to intercede for a missionary in Cambodia who needed a car .. And he didn't know anyone there. A few days later, someone handed him a praise report of a Cambodian missionary declaring how God provided her with a new vehicle that very week the Spirit spoke to him to pray.
The testimonies continue on … Every nation confirmed through the Spirit leading me to different people or drawing my attention to signs around me during my daily routine.
Like icing on top of a cake, the Lord added a little something something else. I ended a phone call at 1:11pm one day while at work when I realized that the pen I used for tasks declared this:
“Go abroad.” I hadn't even realized it until that very moment yet I knew God positioned it in my hands with special purpose.
With twelve signs about these eleven nations and God’s heart for me to “go abroad,” that’s all I needed to dive into this journey with Jesus.
And that’s how I ended up here ..
