Hello Friend!
Thanks for stopping by to learn a little bit about me and my call!
In case you don’t know me, my name is Elijah Arns.
I am a 22-year-old senior at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
I will be graduating at the end of this school year (2019) with a major in Youth Ministry and a minor in Business.
I have lived in Ohio my entire life, with my amazing family! A family of 6. My Dad, Bill, and my mom, Jenni. I have 3 brothers: Zach (My twin), Philip (The middle child), and Samuel (the youngest).
My family and friends have been the most impactful people in my life and the most constant. Having the support of all these amazing people has molded me and shaped me into who I am today and have been very obvious blessings from God. I would not be where I am today without the support of my family, church family, and friends (friends from years ago and the friends that I am just meeting that are journeying with me right now). I have been shown love, support, and grace all around me. People who have challenged me to step out of my comfort zone, people who encourage me and walk beside me while I am out of my comfort zone, and mentors who spent the time to help me grow closer to God and come to understand a little more who God is and what being a Christian means. My family, friends, and mentors have given me the chances and encouragement to go on mission trips, to church camps and events and college. These events have shaped me in so many ways that explaining them all would take so much time! Needless to say these things have helped me to see the love that people need to be shown and understand how God has equipped each of us to show that love.
With all that being said, I love to hang out with my friends and family and spend quality time with them, whether that be having serious conversations, going to places and doing just about anything with each other, or just sitting down watching sports or movies or playing video games. I love playing sports and watching them and I love playing video games. I love trying new things, especially with friends and family.
Another effective way to understand who I am, and my personality is the Myers Briggs personality test. I am an I.S.T/F.P. So yes, I am an introvert. I would say that I am a more outgoing introvert once you get to know me. I am a even split between thinking and feeling. I often go between those and test in the middle sometimes as well. With my personality I would say some of my strengths are shown. I am an adaptable person who is not worried when things or plans change. I am a good listener and being an introvert, I think I have learned when it is better to listen and when the right time to talk is. I would say that with me being adaptable that one of my weaknesses is planning and procrastination. I am not the best at planning and often find myself doing things on the fly and forgetting about things that I need to do or doing them at the last minute. Being a very last-minute person means I can often also seem to be indifferent and like I don’t care, when that is not my intention.
Some significant factors in my spiritual walk has been the many church camps and events that I have gone to that have helped to form me and teach me. The family, friends, and pastors that God has put in my life to help guide and direct me and my call to ministry. My call to ministry is a significant reason that I find myself here today and going on this trip. Matthew 7:21 being one of the big verses that led me in the direction I am on. When I heard this verse at Winter Jam when the band Skillet stopped to tell their story I was struck and have been since.
Through all of this I have fought my insecurities and doubts. I have fought the call to ministry in the past and still struggle with it occasionally with the thoughts of why would God want an insecure, soft spoken, and seldom energetic to go into youth ministry and around the world? I fight these constantly and hope to see myself grow while on this trip in a way that I could have never imagined and allow God to continue to shape and form me into an image that is reflecting the love of Jesus and having confidence in God to be a vessel that He can use. While on this trip I want to come to understand more what it looks like to serve God by serving others. I want to see what it means to be a true follower of God and not just have this narrow western understanding, but a whole kingdom perspective. I want to learn about what other cultures truly need and not just have this idea of mission work being the Americans go in and “fix” everything, but truly understand what the diverse cultures need and how we can better help them as a privileged people. I want to learn, grow, break down, and understand.
Ultimately that is what led me in the direction of the World Race. I have heard stories about it from people who had done the 9-month long trips and it sounded like a fantastic opportunity to do what I feel like God has really put on my heart in the last few years.
I hope to see myself grow in ways I cannot understand or imagine as well as grow in my faith and my confidence of sharing the word of God! Through this journey I will have to rely a lot on God and trust in Him. I hope that this trip helps me to become better about trusting God. He has been faithful all of my life and I know He will never fail me and yet my human understanding cannot help but worry at times and lose sight of the author and perfecter of all creation.
Some things I am most worried about would go back to my initial fighting of my call to ministry. My lack of belief in myself and my abilities. I am not worried of the constant change and adapting but I am worried about failure. I am certainly worried about the family and friends that I will be leaving behind and the big life events I will be missing.
If I could ask for one thing. It would be prayer. Pray for my family and friends, that while I am gone all will be well with them and that they will continue to support me and uplift me and God can use their strength to give me strength. I ask for prayer for myself. That I will be an effective messenger for God. That I will be an effective servant, not for myself, but for God. Pray that I will have strength and confidence beyond all understanding. That I would have faith that can move mountains. Pray that I would have a heart after God’s own heart and that I will be able to use what I learn and see to bring change to this world and these people’s lives, as well as the lives of those of you reading this and supporting me!
