When I was in high school, we had a group come to our church through an organization called World Help. They had a singing group that sang praise songs and songs about missions. I went to everything during mission’s week and I sat through all three Sunday services- weeping. Strange for a high school student to do that, right? They also had a pastor from a church in Russia speaking during our missions week and I found out that our church was going on a missions trip to Russia. If interested, come down front after the service. I raced to the front of the church to talk to our mission’s pastor and see what I needed to do next. Long story short for the next 2 years I went to Russia each summer. We worked with Zelenograd Baptist Church right outside Moscow. It was an amazing experience. I spent my days after school volunteering in the mission’s office at my church- filing letters from missionaries or stuffing envelopes with tapes of our pastor’s sermons to mail out to them.
I went off to college and started a group called, “Global Missions Fellowship” where we would meet, pray for missionaries, have missionary speakers come and talk with us, etc., I really have no idea why my heart broke for the nations. I graduated from college and after nearly 10 years of working in the professional world, I thought I lost the desire I once had for missions.
I got married to Jamos in 2007 and part of our vows to each other involved serving the Lord together. I knew Jamos also had a heart for missions, but, I didn’t know what that meant to us now, being married, working hard to make a living and live the “American Dream.”
I have to admit, the American Dream isn’t that exciting. I mean, it has great potential and I love the idea of a comfortable life, but I want to see God’s miracles in my life. I want to serve others; I want to have a non-typical life. I want to be used by God in amazing ways. I am excited about my passions for missions being ignited again after so many years.
