I read a couple books when I was a kid that were life changing to me. They, along with Jesus as my best friend, led me to have a huge heart for missions. Those books were Jesus Freaks: Voice of the Martyrs by DC Talk and Revolutions in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan. Both are filled with stories of real life testimonies of God moving through crazy obedience and huge amounts of faith. What I got out of reading these was a passionate resolve that God was immeasurably big and I desperately wanted to be apart of what He is doing in the world. I told God that I would go anywhere, whether that be to STAY here or GO to places where people have yet to hear the beautiful name of Jesus.
So I decided I wanted to be a Missionary because in my mind I thought that if I wanted to go to the other side of the planet to share Jesus, I would need to BECOME a missionary. I ended up at Youth With A Mission in Denver, CO a week after graduating high school. With YWAM, I traveled to the other side of the planet to Malaysia, Indonesia, Italy, Egypt, and Cyprus. I learned TONS about God's character on those trips and since I've returned home I've realized…God does not care about titles…
To be a "missionary" must you travel outside your country?
To be a "missionary" must you go door to door daily to wins souls?
To be a "missionary" must you eat century old eggs (real things) while keeping a smile on your face so not to offend?
To be a "missionary" must you use squatty potties and not be able to shower for long periods of time?
To be a "missionary" must you recieve a "calling."
The Merriam-Webster's dictionary says that a missionary is someone who is "very enthusiastic and eager about doing a job or supporting a cause". This definition doesn't actually say much about what the missionary is supposed to DO…it talks of a person's heart…enthusiastic and eager for the cause of Christ. A "heart for missions" is a HEART for GOD. If you love the broken and the lonely and care about meeting their needs, you are after His heart…no title needed. I am no greater than anyone because God has given me a passion to go to the nations. I am grateful for the specific gifts, strengths, weaknesses, and experiences that make up Laura Brown. God knows that who I am will love and relate to the people He is drawing me to in a unique way. God knows that as I prepare for and embark on this journey wounds from my past will surface so that He can heal me. Honestly, in any other season of life, I probably wouldn't have let Him work on my heart. But I KNOW that life is about encountering Him first and foremost…then it is about LIVING out what you have learned about Him and that's what I am setting out to do.
My point is this…God's heart and passion for you is unique and unmatched in value. If the experiences you have had with God in your life have stirred a passion to go to Uganda to love on children…go for it. If the experiences you have had with God in your life have stirred a passion in you for the needs of the community you have grown up in your whole life…do that. Know this…He does not call you to do nothing. Doesn't matter where you are, or if your passion looks exactly the same or totally different than everyone elses. We are all given the same mandate by God: TO KNOW HIM AND MAKE HIM KNOWN." If this registers with your heart, perhaps YOU are a missionary. Everytime you walk into the office or the grocery store, you are walking onto the "mission field." Invite Him in to what you are doing and He will meet you there.
