We were asked to write a blog about how we were called to this mission trip. Here is my story…
“Therefore GO and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And
surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew
28:19-20
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And
surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew
28:19-20
A verse common to all of us, but this is truly how I was called
out of my comfort zone and eventually to this trip. I had no idea a
year ago when I did a study on this verse called Follow Me that
it would lead to the World Race, but Praise God for having a plan and a
vision far beyond my knowledge and comprehension so here I am and I
have never been more excited! The first week of this Follow Me
series discussed 5 points under the topic “What does it mean to follow
Jesus?” The first and last points were the ones God spoke directly to
me: Radical abandonment for the glory of Christ. and Radical obedience to the mission of Christ. It was one of those messages that felt completely directed to me! This word radical
stood out the most so I decided to look into its definition and that is
when my world was rocked… According to Mr. Webster radical means 1 marked by a considerable departure from the usual or traditional, 2 tending or disposed to make extreme changes
in existing views, habits, conditions, or institutions. (Big
Gulp…radical? really God?) It was at this point that I felt the Holy
Spirit tugging on my heart with extreme clarity that it was time to do
something RADICAL, far too long I had been chillin’ in my
comfort zone and with graduation coming up in May it was time to get
off the milk, grow up, and GO! (Quick disclaimer: I’m fully aware that
Radical doesn’t necessarily mean going to 11 countries in 11 months for
everybody, but I do believe that the cost of following Christ is radical as we are called to be set apart from this world even to the point where we are called aliens and strangers in this world
in 1 Peter 2:11, I’d call that a little radical!) I was then at a
point of nervous excitement with no where really to go; I understood
that God was calling me to take a leap of faith but I had no idea to
where. A friend of mine had gone on a summer long mission trip with
AIM after my sophomore year of college and I had subscribed to her blog
and would still receive updates from AIM every now and then even over 2
years later. To be completely honest I usually deleted them without a
second thought until one day I think the title said “Dear Blair Please
Open Me…” ok, not really, but it was something radical like
“What are you doing with your life next year?” and I was instantly
compelled to open it and read as much as I could about this whole World
Race thing. Everything inside of me tingled with fear and excitement
as I applied and went through the interviewing process. I am so
honored and blessed that God has chosen to allow me to participate in
this amazing adventure of truly walking out the great commission. I am
excited, scared, confident, and completely unsure as I get ready to
radically abandon everything “normal” and “comfortable” to me. As I
close I can’t help but think of an old song we sang as kids that seemed
simple at the time but its meaning has become so real in my life:
out of my comfort zone and eventually to this trip. I had no idea a
year ago when I did a study on this verse called Follow Me that
it would lead to the World Race, but Praise God for having a plan and a
vision far beyond my knowledge and comprehension so here I am and I
have never been more excited! The first week of this Follow Me
series discussed 5 points under the topic “What does it mean to follow
Jesus?” The first and last points were the ones God spoke directly to
me: Radical abandonment for the glory of Christ. and Radical obedience to the mission of Christ. It was one of those messages that felt completely directed to me! This word radical
stood out the most so I decided to look into its definition and that is
when my world was rocked… According to Mr. Webster radical means 1 marked by a considerable departure from the usual or traditional, 2 tending or disposed to make extreme changes
in existing views, habits, conditions, or institutions. (Big
Gulp…radical? really God?) It was at this point that I felt the Holy
Spirit tugging on my heart with extreme clarity that it was time to do
something RADICAL, far too long I had been chillin’ in my
comfort zone and with graduation coming up in May it was time to get
off the milk, grow up, and GO! (Quick disclaimer: I’m fully aware that
Radical doesn’t necessarily mean going to 11 countries in 11 months for
everybody, but I do believe that the cost of following Christ is radical as we are called to be set apart from this world even to the point where we are called aliens and strangers in this world
in 1 Peter 2:11, I’d call that a little radical!) I was then at a
point of nervous excitement with no where really to go; I understood
that God was calling me to take a leap of faith but I had no idea to
where. A friend of mine had gone on a summer long mission trip with
AIM after my sophomore year of college and I had subscribed to her blog
and would still receive updates from AIM every now and then even over 2
years later. To be completely honest I usually deleted them without a
second thought until one day I think the title said “Dear Blair Please
Open Me…” ok, not really, but it was something radical like
“What are you doing with your life next year?” and I was instantly
compelled to open it and read as much as I could about this whole World
Race thing. Everything inside of me tingled with fear and excitement
as I applied and went through the interviewing process. I am so
honored and blessed that God has chosen to allow me to participate in
this amazing adventure of truly walking out the great commission. I am
excited, scared, confident, and completely unsure as I get ready to
radically abandon everything “normal” and “comfortable” to me. As I
close I can’t help but think of an old song we sang as kids that seemed
simple at the time but its meaning has become so real in my life:
“I have decided to follow Jesus, 
I have decided to follow Jesus,
I have decided to follow Jesus,
No turning back, no turning back.”
