Ever since I can remember, I’ve pictured living the American dream. I’d get my degree and start my teaching career. I’d get married and start a family. I’d live in a nice house and raise my children in the church. I’d live a very comfortable, middle class life—full of success and security. That plan that has made sense my whole life suddenly doesn’t anymore. Granted, there are still things I hope God blesses me with in the future. However, I’m no longer seeing life as a giant checklist I have to successfully complete. God has been drastically changing the desires of my heart over the course of the past few months.
Letting go of my plans has been a process. Living solely for Christ is easier said than done. Day by day, God has been revealing parts of my life that I don’t want to let go of. The past two-and-a-half months have been hard and humbling. Obedience to God isn’t about picking and choosing what aspects of my life He can have; it is about giving Him everything.
Rewind 6 weeks back to when I was in Trujillo, Peru. Peru was nothing like I expected. I looked forward to being surrounded by beautiful, lush, green mountainsides. But nope; I was surrounded by the desert. I helped lead VBS, taught some English classes, and completed random projects around the home of our ministry hosts, Auden and Wendy. Unfortunately, I also battled a lot of illness. It was all squad month, meaning all 57 of us lived together in a relatively small compound. That being said, sickness was quite rampant among our group and always managed to find me. I was challenged to depend on God every single day. Much like He did during my time in Ecuador, God opened my eyes to new truths. I find a lot of comfort in material possessions—too much comfort. God laid it on my heart to get rid of much of my stuff in order to practice greater reliance on Him. I attempted to mail my large, heavy backpack home and, in its place, to live the next 9 months out of my small daypack. However, mailing it back to the States was extremely pricey . . . like $1400 American dollars pricey! Since that didn’t work out, I am, instead, finding people who want or need the things that I have in my large pack. I want to have zero attachments to anything material. God is showing me what it looks like to give up my possessions and depend on His provision. After all, isn’t that what Jesus demanded from His disciples?
Rewind 2 weeks back to when I was on a bus from Peru to Santiago, Chile. Because all the men from our squad were going to do ministry together, my team changed for the month. As a result, my team became a group of 7 girls. We were shocked to discover that instead of going to Bolivia with the rest of the squad, we would travel on and be the first World Race team to ever go to Santiago, Chile. Our mission this month would be to discover new contacts for Adventures in Missions to partner with in the future. The journey was very, very long. After 6 days of traveling and 90 hours on a bus, we made it. Yep, that is correct—90 hours! We set new World Race bus travel record! Thankfully, all went smoothly and God’s hand of protection was on us the entire time.
So now we are caught up to the present and God is continually blowing me away this month. We came to Chile with absolutely no connections and with no idea exactly where we would stay and what we would do. Soon after arriving, we were blessed to find a contact that set up our lodging. I’m not exaggerating when I say that every single person we have reached out to during our time here has been friendly and hospitable. Every potential contact we have met with has been on fire for the Lord. Hearing their many stories about what God is doing throughout this city has been incredibly encouraging and grows my passion for missions. I can see more clearly than ever God’s beautiful and sovereign plan to make disciples of all nations! I no longer see myself ever living the typical American dream. I know in my heart that God is calling me to long term missions. I obviously have no idea what that will look like, but I am full of joyous anticipation for whatever He has in store for me. Never in my life have I felt so at peace with where I am. God’s got me.
The Bible calls each and every one of us to make disciples of all nations. That doesn’t mean you have to wait to hear the voice of God telling you to become a missionary. The word of God has already called you and me to live a radical life for the sake of growing God’s kingdom. The example Jesus set on earth was incredibly radical. He called His disciples to leave behind everything—to give up their processions, their loved ones, and their safety in order to spread the Gospel with urgency. If I devote the rest of my life to Him and just one person comes to know Christ through me, it will be worth it. The salvation of others is worth giving up the American dream. Letting go of possessions or the ideal career seems minimal in light of eternity. I am certain that I will not get to heaven’s gates and wish I had spent more time making money, accumulating more possessions or indulging in more things of the world. I want to kneel before Christ knowing that I served Him wholeheartedly.
Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
Matthew 16:24-25
I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
Acts 20:24
Thank you to the many who are partnering with me
through your prayers and financial support!
Teammates and the children at our ministry site in Trujullo, Peru.
Juan, who participated in VBS and English classes. He was wild and crazy, but everyone felt the love of his amazing hugs every day.
Team Aslan.
One of our many stops during our 90-hour journey from Peru to Chile.
The beautiful countryside as seen from the bus on our way to Santiago. (Don’t let the picture fool you, 99% of our views were of desert.)
The 6 lovely ladies I am spending this month with in Santiago, Chile.
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