Pure, unexplainable joy.
That is what I feel when I am on the missions field. Its is a unrestrained passion that ignites my soul and causes me to be happy to no end. It paints a grin on my face from ear to ear that I couldn’t wipe off even if I wanted to. It gives me a sense of purpose in my life, that I find nowhere else. And that is why next year I am going to be a missionary.
Three weeks ago today I left my beloved cheese-head state to travel more than 8,000 miles and 43 hours to the beautiful country of South Africa for a two week experience of a lifetime. While there, I grew so much in my walk with Christ, as he revealed to me things in my life I need to change and grow in. One way I could tangibly see Christ and his love was through the children we ministered too. Their laughter and smiles filled my heart up so much I thought I was going to burst at the seams. They were so loving and happy even though they had practically nothing to call their own… and it makes me so sad to think about the fact that I have so much wealth, and still go through days of grumbling and complaining over what other people have. We are so incredibly blessed, but sometimes it is so easy to forget it.
Now that I am home it is easy to feel almost “purposeless” because I am not in South Africa, and this is something that God has been teaching me for a while now. The truth is we are ALL called to “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” in Mark 16:15. If you are a disciple of Christ, he is calling you. Now, this doesn’t mean you need to pack your bags and move across the World. We can all be a light and testimony for Christ wherever he puts us, we just need to step outside of our comfort zones in order to do that…. And that’s the hard part. God doesn’t say, “Go out and make disciples as long as it is easy” or “Go and share the good news when it’s the right time for you.”
He is calling you now, in whatever state your life is in. He is calling all of us to step up to the challenge and share the love of Christ with everyone. Our neighbors. Our classmates. Our co-workers. Our friends. Our family. The fact of the matter is that God called all of us, now we have to decide how we are going to respond.
I am so glad that I have said YES to the call. God has filled my life with so many experiences and memories that most 17 year olds don’t have the opportunity to do.
South Africa, I will never forget you. I will never forget the little pairs eyes that stared up at me with awe and love. I will never forget the saturated sunsets that dripped down the sky, or the stars that shone down on me at night. I will never forget the friendships,memories, hardships, laughs, tears and smiles I experienced there. And although I left a piece of my heart in Africa, I also have a piece of it with me.
I have memories and experiences that have molded and shaped me into the person I am, and into the person God wants me to be. And for that, I am grateful.
