When I was little, I would sit in church and hear about missionaries. In my mind these were all people who were in their 50’s-60’s who would travel around the world in huge boats and teach people about Jesus. To say it straight, I did not really think missionaries were real. I thought that they had been real in the far, far past but not in this day, not anymore. As I grew up, I let my mind be shut off to a lot and continued to live without much concern or interest for those who were “missionaries”.
This viewpoint continued probably until high school to be honest. By then I had began to realize that those people who would go oversees and share the gospel actually existed, but still was not remotely interested in that work. I definitely thought it would be incredible to travel, but I was thinking more along the lines of watching French artists paint on the streets of Paris or laying on the beach in Jamaica (if anyone wants to take me with them on either of these adventures, I’m open to the idea..). But over the years, God began a slow and subtle work in my heart that I was unaware of until about 4 months ago.
When I first heard about the World Race from a close friend during lunch, I thought it was a great thing and would be amazing, but would not happen to me. I would not be the one to go on a crazy, long trip to 11 different countries..not a chance. But out of the spontaneous spirit inside me (better known as God’s sovereignty), I came straight home and started my application. I convinced myself it was just a playful idea that I could entertain for a while and then move on with really figuring out what I was going to do after I graduated college…maybe work at a church, or for a business, or WalMart…anything! Well, God started to show me, graciously, that He had much bigger plans for me than working at WalMart. As the process continued, I started taking it more seriously. I started praying more seriously, I started talking to my family more seriously, and I started thinking more seriously about what it would mean to leave my home for 11 months.
Over the Christmas break I was heading out to a week long mission trip to Peru. This was a place I had been before and fell in love with; it was a place I was very familiar with, but I did not want to go. I did not want to leave my comforts and go somewhere hot, humid, and uncomfortable. I thought that there is no way I can go on the World Race if I can barely muster up the desire to go for a week long trip right now, I had made a mistake accepting my spot. But God is faithful and He is so much wiser than I am. He is so smart! I mean really, it amazes me how He works things together down to the smallest details.
Long story short, that week long trip was exactly what I needed for the Lord to reaffirm in my heart that He is calling me to go and that He will be everything I need along the way. I saw the power of God actively working every single day on that trip. I saw His love pouring out all over the people there. I saw His joy absolutely captivate people who have lived in the darkest places with the darkest minds. I saw how His Holy Spirit had arrested lives and draw them to a place of intense faith. I saw my Father present, strong, and working with His holy arm to save His sons and daughters and bring them into an eternal hope of glory.
I am so foolish to think that I have anything to offer when I go on these trips, besides maybe peanut butter. Seriously though, my heart becomes so challenged by how I was complacent in my life seeing God move maybe once a month…maybe. My eyes were closed, I was not desperate for Him! We are called to expect God to move in bigger ways than we could imagine because He is ABLE to! As C.S. Lewis would put it, I was playing in a mud pie when I had the offer of a holiday at sea (something like that right? sorry if you like direct quotes, I did my best). I was not experiencing God to a full capacity because I was not seeking Him in full capacity. He was saying, “Johnna, look! Look what I am capable of, stand in awe of it and chase after it every day of your life! I am so big, there is nothing bigger than Me and I want you to experience it! I want you to rejoice in it!” And I said yes! So I came home fully convinced that I was right where God wanted me to be. I made no mistake by accepting my spot for the World Race because the Lord made no mistake leading me there. He is so sovereign, He is so good! I am ready to be used as His hands and His feet, as any vessel that He chooses to use me for. I am ready to see Him transform more and more lives by the beautiful working of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
So that is how I got to the place I am now. Only by the grace of God do I wake up every day fully convinced that I am working toward what He has called me to, fully convinced that He is going to provide, fully convinced that it is going to be one of the hardest things in my life so far, but fully convinced that by the power and strength of God I will be able to be faithful in whatever He calls me to while I am away from home…and not on the streets of Paris or a beach in Jamaica somewhere (any takers yet? think about it!).
