If you had told me a few months ago that I would one day choose to go on an 11 month adventure overseas to help spread the gospel, I would have said there is no way. No way I would leave the comfort of my job, my friends, my family and my home while I am still so young. I can’t just pick up and go now. Most importantly- no way am I equipped to do mission work.
Well, here I am. Not only am I leaving everything I know for 11 months to help spread the gospel in 11 different countries, I will be doing so in the 10/40 Window. For those who don’t know what the 10/40 Window is, it is the rectangular area of North Africa, the Middle East and Asia approximately between 10 degrees north and 40 degrees north latitude. The 10/40 Window is sometimes called “The Resistant Belt” and includes the majority of the world’s Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists.
So… why? Why am I doing this? A 24-year-old single woman who has a nice job and community in Birmingham, Ala.- why would I want to leave it all now? The past few months have been a really hard season for me, but the more I pray and beg God to bring me out, the closer He has brought me to Him. I prayed about three years ago that if The Lord made it clear to me, I would never say no. Well, the past three years all I have done is say no. I didn’t like the convictions and clear signs God was giving me and I wanted to do what I wanted to do and I wanted my life to look the way I wanted it to look.
Time and time again He showed me I needed to let go of what I wanted, but I wouldn’t. So He took everything I thought I wanted away from me. He did this not because He is cruel, but because He loves me so much more than I could ever understand. In May, for the first time in a long time, I said “yes” and have worked to continue saying yes to Him ever since. Below is a song called “Different” by Micah Tyler that I believe accurately describes how I am feeling about my life and the direction I am choosing to go in. Please listen when you have finished reading!
I always thought about missions and knew it was something one day, far in the future, I would like to consider doing when I’m more equipped. Like I said above, why would I ever consider leaving everything in my life at such a young age and when I have so much going on? But I have realized that there truly is no better time than now. Honestly, I will never be prepared. If not now, then when? If not me, then who?
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Matthew 9:35-38
The Lord has made it clear to me that this is my mission during this time in my life. I am feeling a lot of things- doubt in my abilities, nerves, excitement and fear- but I have so much faith because I know The Lord has me going for a reason. There is no bigger honor in my life than to accept His calling for me. It took me awhile to let go of what I thought I wanted, but I would so much rather surrender to Him now than continue living for myself.
I have so much hope and excitement for what is to come, but there are people in this world that don’t have that hope. There are people around the world that don’t even know where to find that hope, but God is inviting me and my team to share this great hope with others. He invites us into the greatest love story ever told, about a Heavenly Father, relentlessly pursuing after His children all around the world.
You have made it clear to me, Lord, and I will never say no. Yes, Lord. Yes.
