Hi! Welcome! This blog is where you will find updates over the course of the next year and a half as I prepare and embark on the World Race! Thank you for your support, encouragement and prayers. I am so grateful we can journey together.
Here are some of my initial thoughts as I start this blog:
Two weeks ago when I graduated from the University of Florida and celebrated with my friends and family, the World Race came up a lot. I talked about the mission, the countries, and my excitement. My 6-year-old sister Anikka turned to me and asked, “So that means you’re going to be a missionary, right?”
I don’t know why I was so surprised she asked me that. I have always wanted to be a missionary. At my 3rd birthday party, before I blew out my candles, I asked everyone in the room if they knew Jesus. And I told them I was going to sit there and wait to blow out my candles until everyone did.
In my first college class, we went around the room and explained our ambitions for college and our dreams for after. And I responded that I wanted to be a missionary. In my last college class, we had the same discussion and my answer was still the same.
When I said I wanted to be a missionary all my life, I knew that didn’t just mean foreign missions. That meant in my classes, with my friends, in my sorority house, I was called to be a missionary. And so is everyone who loves Jesus!
But when Anikka asked me, I hesitated.
“Ugh…Yes, I guess you’re right. I am going to be a missionary.”
Missionary… that word seemed to carry a lot of weight this time.
I hesitated, because I really don’t know if I’m the person who is capable of doing this. I’m the person who certainly doesn’t have it all together. I often feel overwhelmed, I fight anxiety and fear, I miss quiet times, I sin big time, I’m not very disciplined when it comes to reminding myself of God’s truth. Surely, that’s not what a missionary looks like. When I dreamed of being a missionary all my life, I guess I expected to be a way different person than the one I am now. And I realized somewhere between the dream and the call, I forgot to prepare.
So as I started to write this blog, this big word “missionary” became a burden. Everyone who reads this blog is expecting the words of a missionary. If I’m going across the world to share the gospel, I must have such great insight to share! And I just thought, “Gosh, I hope they don’t see right through me.”
Regardless, in typical “missionary” fashion, I first started my blog, “WOW I am so excited/honored to serve Jesus! I mean really, can you imagine anything better than going to 11 countries to share the gospel??”
But these words felt forced. And when I put the words to the page, my blog post ended up pretty dull.
As I stared at my writing, I realized I needed to make a choice. The people following this blog can either see “Missionary Emily” who seems to have all the right answers and be so spiritual to pack up and leave her life for 11 months for the sake of Christ, or they can see the real and rawness of Jesus.
I choose the latter.
Starting in August, I will be traveling to Serbia, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
I have the opportunity to serve Christ, share His love and bring God’s Kingdom to Earth in these 11 countries for 11 months, for His Kingdom and His glory.
We will be working with local churches and organizations to meet the needs of each community, while spreading the gospel.
Our ministry will look different in each country and could include:
- Preaching in churches
- Door-to-door evangelism
- Serving orphans and widows
- Doing construction work
- Ministering to sex-trafficking victims
- And more. Our hearts and minds will be open to the guidance and promptings of the Holy Spirit on how to best serve the least of these and glorify God.
Going on this journey started out as a crazy dream, when I was challenged to think outside of the box and chase after an incredible, surrendered, Jesus-fulfilling life.
So here I am, taking a leap of faith! I will be tempted to shrink back; I already have been. This journey requires me to fight fear, uncertainty, distraction, insecurity, and comparison. As I fight to be completely surrendered to Christ, I wait for Him to show up in ways I could never imagine. I think the Lord wants to show me that He, His Word, and His Holy Spirit are so much bigger than all doubts, fears, uncertainties, distractions, insecurities, comparisons and preparation, or in this case, lack thereof.
I think the Lord will use these 11 months to force me to trust and depend on Him in a whole new way, to fall more in love with Him, and to thirst for Him, His word and His presence. And I think He will use these 11 months to mold me into a vessel for His glory and honor.
And as far as “Missionary Emily” goes, I am reminded:
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
– 2 Corinthians 12:9-11 (ESV)
&
“And I am sure of this, He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
– Philippians 1:6 (ESV)
&
“Great people don’t do great things. God does great things with surrendered people.” – Jennie Allen, Restless
So I hope and pray that when you read this blog, you will not see “Missionary Emily,” but will instead be reminded of Jesus, His suffering, His blood shed, His empty tomb, His righteousness, His power and His glory.
Xoxo,
Emily
