Can I just take a moment to first off say how amazing God is? And that He never disappoints. I would say sorry about how long this update will be, but in all honesty, I’m not because sharing the amazingness that God is doing here right now is way too important; you can’t shorten it or sweeten it anymore than it already is.
I’ve been blessed enough this past semester to take a course of Global Missions offered off campus. A couple of weeks ago, during our last class session, we all grouped up into what we were called to do: Mobilize, Send, Go, or Welcome. As I headed off the ‘Go’ group, i felt like something really cool was going to happen. And spoiler alert, God didn’t disappoint!
We all stood in a circle and went around and said our names and what mission work we felt called to and if we would be launch out soon. One of the first ladies to speak is a graduating in December with a teaching degree and going to Brazil to teach. The next lady that spoke after her, she and her husband go the call to move to Uganda and will be traveling there in August. The rest of the circle was a smattering of short term trips coming up and a well versed background in work in a special area.
The moment these two ladies spoke, God said to me ‘Give.’ I was a little confused at first, here I am, trying to fundraise my own way, yet I am to give to someone else? But, it made total sense! After we all spoke, I stayed around and got the two ladies contact information and have been blessed enough to stay in contact with the gal who is leaving in January.
Though she isn’t going on the World Race, she’s going through the same stuff as me and most of my fellow Racers on my squad. It’s amazing to have this relationship with someone that is simply started over knowing the same calling. We can ask each other for prayer support, see how fundraising is going, see what the other needs. It’s just so awesome that God placed this amazing disciple of Christ in my life.
Over Thanksgiving Break, my family and I were out to eat at a local cafe. As we all sat down (My mom, dad, me, my brother, my sister-in-law, two nieces, and my brother’s father and mother in-law) one of the waitresses came over to say ‘hi’ to both my mom and then my brother’s father-in-law (they’re regulars) but she didn’t realize that they were related through marriage. We all go introduced to her and she told us this exciting news: In January she’s going to Italy to teach English and Evangelize.
When she said this, I’m pretty sure I almost started to laugh. Here was another missionary I met! Who was launching in January! I couldn’t believe my own ears! It was so amazing that this young girl was stepping out in faith and what she feels called to do to go and spread the Gospel in Italy.
Now coming a bit closer to home, this morning my friend and I had an extremely important meeting. Back in August when the first week of my Global Missions course met, a pastor spoke and I instantly felt the push to speak and meet with him, not only about mission work but also about the worship ministry. Through a crazy series of events, we had to reschedule our meeting twice. So, needless to say, today I was excited for it. As I was fasting and praying for it, I just knew that God was going to be present and make something awesome happen.
You know when are just somewhere at the right time? Well, that was exactly what happened. Being preemptive, I went to bed so much earlier than I usually do since I was going to have to get up way before the sun rose. And I had no trouble getting up, scrapping off my car, no trouble with traffic, no trouble finding the church, none. It was amazing. As my friend and I went into the meeting and the pastor told us all that had happened since we had tried to schedule the first meeting, we both realized that now was when God was planning us to meet all along. Sadly, their church had been struck with a lot of grief recently but we were luckily able to pray with him and for him for the holiday season that it would truly bring some cheer into all their hearts.
I have no doubt that every person I meet, I meet for a reason. That each time we meet, it’s for a reason and it’s in a greater plan. It may not seem like it in the moment but in the end it always does. And today, that proved true once again. If we’d had the meeting way back in August, we wouldn’t have known about their grief and maybe have been able to help or at least keep them in our prayers.
So, to all the people I’ve yet to cross paths with, I can’t wait to meet you and learn from you!
