When people think of the term missionary they automatically think of leaving the country they reside to go to another country to preach the Gospel. In many cases this is true, but in my dictionary, you shouldn’t have to leave your country to do the work of a missionary. I believe I have been a missionary since before I left the country. I left my city and I left my state before I ever left my country. Let’s get deeper, I left my house to walk the streets, all on a mission for Christ. You can be a missionary in your own backyard!
The same God that reigns over the United States reigns over every country I will step foot on. That brings me to this; people spoke of all the excitement that this journey will bring because of the traveling it entails and how miraculous God is going to move all the time because I left the country. Many times, I smiled and nodded at these statements, because I agree traveling the world is exciting and I know God is able, but it also took me to many thoughts that I never freely shared until now.
Just because I am in another country does not that mean that life is still not lived like it would be in the states, the only differences are new cultures, names, faces, and the lack of things I have back home. God is still the same and so am I, I am growing, but I would have been even if I were home. I am not discounting this journey I am on by no means, I am trying to shed light on just how important yours is as well, you don’t need to leave a country to be or to see all God has in store.
I spoke about how my fire to write was slightly dwindling in the past couple of months. I truly believe spiritual warfare played a part in it, but that is a later topic. However, I have realized that I was being weighed down by the expectations of others. People wanting to hear about the miracles, signs, and wonders that are supposed to take place now that I am out of the country. Which brings me back to how God is the same no matter where I am, I am not saying that He is not moving, I am saying that I know better than to only expect those things.
God does not always want to work that way, sometimes He works more in the mundane if only we would pay attention to that also and not discount His work because it isn’t always extraordinary and inexplicable. “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” Colossians 3:23 Anything you do that is pleasing in the Lord’s sight can be honoring to God if you do it with the right heart posture. Something as simple as sweeping the floor or doing the job you already do even if you hate it but doing it as if you are doing it for the Lord and not just merely for people or because it has to be done makes all the difference.
Missionaries don’t always just barge into another country shouting the Good News of God and see miracles fall out the sky. Sometimes being a missionary is one of the toughest tasks there is to have because of spiritual and cultural push back. It is also important to state that every country we arrive in or every person we meet is not necessarily experiencing a lack of Jesus. Some just need help spreading the word or even need help with the mundane because full-time ministry can be heavy.
There are hundreds of thousands if not millions of people in the United States that have not experienced the love of the Father that still needs to be reached. There are Christians that only walk around with the title stamped on their forehead, but no fruit being is produced in their life, that still just go to church every Sunday. This is taking place in every state of Northern America. Some so caught up in the pleasures and desires of life that they couldn’t see God even if He sat on the couch with them every night watching T.V.
My point is just that God is needed everywhere, not just in other countries and me going to other countries doesn’t change who God is or how or when He works. Doing this work does not discount the work that needs to be done at home. My point is that ministry is life and life is a ministry and that can look as ordinary as a plain blue t-shirt even on the coast of South America.
I have seen God work in so many ways in my life and in the lives of others even in a small town in Ohio that no one would know, so I just say near Cleveland. I get to see God in the big and the small no matter where I am in this world because my reality is that He is with me where ever I go.
This month life looked like cleaning out an old orphanage, so the floors wouldn’t be ruined. It looked like watching children play and eat so they wouldn’t get themselves into trouble. It was sorting a million types of medicine and taking inventory so that the church we served could be of better service to their community. It was teaching English to the children and locals and getting to see the excitement in their eyes each time they greeted me with, “Hello, how are you?”. It was praying for people I felt compassion for as I walked the streets of the city, just like I would do at home. It was going out and passing out tracts in the community and sharing the Good News or having a simple conversation about their faith in God or praying that they would come to have one.
I got to see how God showed up in their lives in the small things, how God is using people in this community to tear down the broken foundations of some of these children and parents to repair them in His kingdom. That is a big task that takes a lot of time and patience, it is a process, but to me and knowing how God has done it for me, I consider it to be a miracle even though it didn’t happen in a split second.
You see God is who He says He is, and He moves when and how He wants to move. I love to wait in expectancy for all He will do, but I don’t put God in a box because He is too big for that. This month I didn’t see signs and wonders, but I still saw God. This month I did life and even in the mundane ways, it was still considered ministry!
What way will you serve God or the people around you this coming month? Drop a comment below and let’s change this world one broom, prayer, or person at a time.
Update:
Our squad is rounding up today to head to Argentina. We will all be together this month for all squad month, which is God. He put us all together for Christmas knowing we would be missing our families, now we get to be one big family together in ministry for December. We will be partnering with YWAM in Mendoza, Argentina with a list full of ministry opportunities. I am most excited about the prison ministry that is available. I have a brother and a sister that are facing prison time back home and it is an honor to be able to help others in that situation on behalf of them.
Praise Report:
- My team has arrived at a great place of unity in the spirit through intentionality and prayer. We still have room for growth, but we have seen God’s hand in the progress we have made, and I can speak for all of us in how grateful we are for it. Thank you for everyone that petitioned for us in prayer.
- I MADE MY $13k GOAL!!!! I WENT OVER, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP!!
Prayer Requests:
- Traveling mercies for our squad
- Protection in the spirit, I have had a few different attacks since I have been here.
- For my family, one of my little brother’s got killed this morning and … please keep us in your prayers and well as his other family. Thank you.
If you feel it in your heart to partner with me financially you can do so by clicking the tax-deductible donation link above or by Cash App ($AlyciaMathis) or Venmo (@Alycia-Mathis) if those are easier for you. Any amount helps, and I know God will bless you for your obedience and generosity. I thank you in advance for your prayers and partnership. My last goal is on the horizon to be FULLY FUNDED, I believe in God’s mighty provision and I am grateful for all that have helped me this far and those that will help me cross the finish line!
