My walk with Christ has been quite interesting, and very much on the fast track. When I told Christ I wanted to give my life to him, it seems as if his response was,
"So you really want to give your life to me? well then, Let's Go!"
If you would of told me 1 year ago I was going to be a missionary and travel the world to tell everyone about Jesus Christ, I would of told you something much different. About a year ago this time I was definitely in a state where I didn't know where life was heading. I had so many options, thought I had a plan but really was more lost then I knew. Filling my life with things to fill this God sized hole in my heart that was much bigger then you or I could imagine. Something in my heart was leading me to something MORE, that something in my heart was God tugging on it. I had a feeling in my heart that I needed to get back to church, I had grown up Catholic but never had much of a relationship with Christ nor had ever opened a Bible, a Bible? you mean that book in hotels in the drawer between the beds? or the Bible ?
"All scripture is God-Breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17
That's the Bible that I'm gonna be spreading, in hopes to equip all humanity to live in the light, prepare the world to do every good work and give every heart the opportunity to know Christ, which we all have! That intimate relationship with him is available to all of us, no matter where we've been. A few weeks ago God was tuggin on my heart for something, mission work. I didn't know what that was going to look like in my life but it was presented to me through the World Race. Traveling the world for 11 months, in 11 different countries…
-Guatemala
-Nicaragua
-Costa Rica
-Thailand
-Cambodia
-1 Unknown Country in Asia (Challenge)
-Malaysia
-Uganda
-Kenya
-Tanzania
-Malawi
Certain pieces of the puzzle havn't been put together in my life yet, I wonder why? maybe because God had a BIGGER plan for me, not because of anything I've done, but because
"I know; O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps." Jeremiah 10:23
I have come to realize that my sole purpose here is to Glorify God and Build the Kingdom, I have one shot at that and rather then thinking to myself "Why Me?" about doing God's Work, God has put in my heart
"Why NOT Me?" – (LETS FOLLOW JESUS)
(Strange character ^ )
-So here I am… Thursday March 24th, 2011. I just accepted my acceptance on the world race for October, I'm gonna be traveling the world for 11 months, with some other young radical Jesus Followers who want to rise up and build a revolution, one for Christ! I don't want to go into this with many expectations (even though that's hard to do.) I want to go into this with an open heart, I'm looking at this as an opportunity to witness to the World Christ's saving grace, witness to those back here in the states that Christ has strategically placed in my life that he is SO REAL, show them his TRUTH, but I can only plant that seed and pray that it grows in all the hearts that hear this! I'm looking to abandon all that I know, everything materialistic that I have that takes my focus off God and leave it here, traveling the world with nothing but a backpack with some clothes, a tent, some brothers and sisters in Christ and the Lord! I get to see the beauty that he has built in other parts of the world, Love on those who don't know Love exists, give compassion to the world! Homeless, Drug addicts, orphans, you name it. and bring his saving Grace with me!
– I'm gonna need your help! I'll be posting another post soon about fundraising… this trip isn't free! I need to raise around $15,000 to make it happen… but I know that the Lord will make it happen!
If you want to read on more this is some about me… but this life isn't about me… LESS OF Me, MORE of him!
My name is Ryan Banko and I live in Southwest Florida, currently Lehigh Acres. I'm a recent graduate from the University of Central Florida w/ a major in Sports and Fitness – Human Performance. Fitness and health have always been a passion in my life, but there is a new Passion in my life, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ.
I was born in Connecticut and moved to Marco Island with my family when I was about 7 years old, quite the blessing the Lord gave me so young with such a beautiful place to live. I have an amazing family, both of my parents have some of the most unselfish and loving hearts I have ever seen, quite the people to learn from. i have two of the best siblings I could ever ask for, My older bro Bruce and older sister Brittany, both of whom I love very much and have learned so much from. So thankful the Lord has given me such a loving family who no matter what has happened or where the Lord has taken us, we have stuck together tighter then anything.
The friends God has given me have been quite the blessing, he has always given me friends in my life who support me and love me for who I am and I may be a lot to handle sometimes energy wise… but hey, I can't complain (hopefully they dont)! I have been blessed with a community of followers of Christ in my life and have many Godly men in my life that are always pouring into my heart, building me up.
-I Love Sports – Working Out- Running 5ks – Meeting random people – simply chatting it up hanging out on the couch – Real talk(finding out whats happening in life – although I do talk nonsense sometimes) – I've been playing in an Adult Soccer League(CREW UNITED SHOUT OUT) – I have a lot of energy, ALOT – Definitely outgoing – and there are way too many other nonsense things I could add but im gonna stop here!
So Jesus Knows this but im gonna tell all of you…
"We'll Catch 'em – He'll Clean 'em!" – God Bless
Banko
