Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Psalm 42:11
Dissapointment. We’ve all felt this way at some point or other in our lives. Dissapointment can be quite a deadly weapon of the enemy because it can stop us from dreaming and walking in faith. This is a thought that the author (and my awesome ministry host last month) of a lovely devotional called “A String of Pearles” states when commenting on this topic.
It has recently been brought to my attention that according to what I post on social media, it looks like I’m vacationing versus on a mission’s trip. Reading this out loud is actually pretty hurtful, but heartening at the same time because it has been causing me to ask the Lord to re-evaluate what exactly is a missionary. What people think that is suppose to entail, what I think that is suppose to entail and most importantly what the Lord KNOWS for it to entail.
The halfway point of the race is quickly approching. I’m currently at the beginning of month 6 in Livingstone, Zambia and am holistically in one of the best places I’ve ever been in my life! Divinely so, it is another “ATL” (ask the Lord) month and I have never been so confident and bold in talking about the gospel with wisdom and joy with whomever I encounter.
However, to be completely honest, hearing this news of vacationing wasn’t too shocking. As a matter of fact I started to feel guilty of how awesome my life is right now, how awesome it is to live solely by the objective of hanging out with people (both on my squad and my ministries) and telling them about my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
THAT has been my life for the past 5 months. And I am beyond grateful for this opportunity. How that has been executed looks different from month to month. Again, hearing that it looks like I’m vacationing was dissapointing and I could have chosen to believe that lie or I can I can put my hope in Him and Praise him for bringing this statement into the light!
The world race seemed so far away from reality 7 months ago. I was recently reminded of not even being sure if I wanted to go on the race when I attended training camp in Gainesville, Georgia back in August 2016. Then when it was time to launch 2 months later, I left on such a bad note that I was READY to let go of EVERYTHING I was holding onto in the states. Everything that told me that I wasn’t spiritually mature enough to be a missionary, everything that told me that my family and friends wouldn’t be able to function without me, everything that told me that I would not be able to be fully funded (shameless fundraising plug lol, just $2942.00 to go to be FULLY FUNDED-click donate above if you felt lead to contribute)! At camp I remember being prayed and prophesied for and the Holy Spirit said that the next 11 months would be like a honeymoon period between me and the Lord. That God would use this season to woo me back into his arms and really know what it’s like to be loved by Him and to be bold in proclaiming that same love with others. So in that sense I suppose I am on a vacation. A vacation from the chains I wore in the US. 7 months later, not only am I here on the race but I am indeed a missionary on a mission’s trip!
So what is a missionary?
According to to the first thing that popped up on a google search- A missionary is a person whose mission is to go somewhere to help others. In many cases, the goal of a missionary is to teach about a religion so that the people convert to that faith. Missionary can be a noun — the person who goes on a mission — or an adjective — the type of work done on such a trip.
According to me- a missionary is someone that is sent to go tell people who do not know about Jesus…about Jesus.
According to a full time AIM missionary-
What is a missionary?
A missionary is a follower of Jesus who feels God telling them to share the Gospel with people who have never been taught about Jesus before. A missionary is not a better Christian than other followers of Jesus. Missionaries are normal people who choose to obey God and tell people about Jesus in places all around the world. Missionaries live in every place that you can imagine. Some live in deserts, some in the jungle, and others in places with tons of ice and snow. But in every place they all are doing the same thing. They want the whole world to put their trust in Jesus as the Savior!
What does a missionary do?
Missionaries do many different things. Some are doctors, some are students, and some do other kinds of work. I am a missionary and I create web pages as part of my work in China. But more than anything else, missionaries are WITNESSES of Jesus Christ. A witness is someone who has seen or experienced something and then share that experience with other people. Missionaries are followers of Jesus who have experienced His love and forgiveness. They are witnesses who share Jesus with the world!
So yes in that sense for this season in my life, I am a missionary. I was called to go and I went.
So I’m not doubting how God is using me, but if my lifestyle is also glorifying God. Yes the WR entails living with less, but it also involves adventure! Any other occupation, you are not defined by just wearing the hat that entails that. For example if you are a doctor is that all that you do? It’s a noble occupation for sure, but you may also be a parent, or a rock climber or an amateur cook! The race is my life right now and that also entails getting to try some exotic food, seeing rhinos, hiking on waterfalls, randomly seeing baby turtles waddle into the ocean, jumping off cliffs, doing all these things with Christ as well!
All this to say I want to tell/show you more about every aspect of my life on the race. That this missions trip involves living everyday life as well. As I have mentioned in previous blogs, we get two off days, one sabbath day and one adventure day. But my love for Jesus doesn’t shut off on those days, that always stays on.
So I apologize if my blog title made you think anything else?? I just wanted to make sure the message was heard??
Be encouraged, listen to the Lord, renew your mind, be brave, be transformed, have fun, and be awesome!
Grace, Peace and Jesus Juice,
Mary-Bliz
