I'm good at putting things off. Just like I've been putting off writing this blog all day. But, a month ago, when I heard God calling me into missions, I knew I couldn't put it off any longer.
If I really think about it, I think His call for me first initiated way back in 2005. I was 15 years old, at Aquire the Fire. I was still in the very early stages of getting to know God at the time. They did some sort of pitch for missionary work (I don't really remember what exactly happened), and I remember thinking that it woud be cool to travel, but I could never leave my home without my family and friends. That would be too scary. Missionary work was not for me.
In 2010 I had the opportunity to go to Australia with an organization called International Student Volunteers. It was a month long trip, and I ended up doing exactly what I never thought I could. I left my home, without my family and friends, for a month. I ended up meeting some amazing people and making friends who I'll never forget.
Thus, the urge to travel was born.
When I got back from that trip, I knew I wanted to travel more. Whenever I thought about possible jobs, I just had this feeling that I would have to leave home for them. Whatever they were. At the time, being a missionary still never crossed my mind.
Until the summer of 2011 at Peniel Holiness Camp.
Towards the end of the week, one of the missionaries led a service, and at the end, they asked that anyone who had any sort of missionary work on their heart come up to the altar to pray. I felt called to the altar that night. I went to the altar that night, but I still didn't really feel like missionary work was for me.
In the fall of 2011, a little over a year ago, my world was turned upside down. My boyfriend and I of 4-1/2 years had just broke up. (But that's a topic for a different blog)
It was a major transition point in my life, and I had a friend at work who reached out to me and told me about Youth With a Mission. I was heartbroken, clinging to God, and looking for change, so I latched onto it. I was on the YWAM website constantly, trying to figure out where I was going to go and when.
I'm not really sure what happened, but it eventually fell through the cracks.
Then, one evening, a little over a month ago, I was at Wednesday night bible study at my church, and our pastor had us write down the names of people we knew who didn't know the Lord. Then he asked us to pray for them.
My reaction…I didn't want to.
I didn't want to pray for the people I loved to come to know the Lord. I was perfectly content with the way things were. This bothered me, so I went home and prayed about it. As I was praying, the Lord reminded me of Matthew 28:
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 yo always, to the very end of age. Matthew 28:19-20
All I could think was, "Ok, Lord, what was that about? I first learned of these verses when I was looking into YWAM. Do you want me to go into missions?" I told him that when I was done praying I would go searching online and see what I could find.
The first thing I found was the Adventures in Missions website, which, of course, led me to The World Race.
At the time I was so excited. This is what I wanted to do. This this this!!!
Now I'm excited because I look back and I know that the "This" I kept hearing in my head was God. He told me, "You're doing this."
I'm doing this. I'm doing it because it's what the Lord wants me to do. He's called me to do it. ME! I can't hardly believe it, but I absolutely cannot wait.
