Hi. My name is Joe Simpkins. Some know me as that little kid that wandered off in the movie, “The Way Home”. There have been many times in my life that I have felt God talking to me, but I didn’t listen. I didn’t know what he was trying to tell me. God has blessed me with an amazing family that has supported me and tried to help guide me towards God. My parents, like many other parents have tried to show me that I should look to Jesus to see how I should live my life.
I entered high school, and struggled to keep God the center of my life. Although I had been in church all my life, I didn’t have a real relationship with Jesus. Throughout high school, as an athlete, and popular student, I was presented with many things that pulled me away from God, and caused me to stumble. Although I wasn’t always looking for God, He was always looking to protect me. His grace was always being poured out on me even when I didn’t know it. He was constantly wooing me to come to Him.
The summer between my junior and senior year, I was attending the annual youth retreat, called BigStuf, in Panama City, Florida, when God spoke to me. In one of the sermons, God laid on my heart that He wanted me to go into the mission field. I had no idea how, or what that meant, and my Dad almost had a heart attack when I told him I didn’t care about football or anything else anymore, I just wanted to serve Jesus.
When school started back, I got back into the rut of high school, and fell back into some of my old, bad habits. I started hanging out again with some friends that I shouldn’t, and fell back into sin. It wasn’t long before I was failing a class, my girlfriend broke up with me, and the devil had a hold on me. I stopped caring about the important things, and was in a bad place. Then, for our senior trip, we went on a mission trip for a week to Nicaragua. My heart had never been touched like it was that week. I didn’t want to leave. God had revealed Himself to me and shown me my direction. Now I love spending time with God and learning as much as I can about Him. I still make mistakes, but God loves me and forgives me.
Now, I feel so strongly that I am following God’s plan for my life. I’m excited to see how God will use me to work in the lives of so many people that have such great needs. I may have struggled in some areas of life, but I know I can help others and tell them about the grace of Jesus. God has given me the gift to do that. That has led me to the World Race and that door has been opened for me. Praise God! People have asked me, “Why missions?”, and I really don’t know. God hasn’t given me a desire to build up riches on this earth, but store up treasures in heaven. That’s what I want to do. If I’m obedient to what He calls me to do, I know I’m doing the right thing.
The Gap Year through Adventures in Missions includes spending three months serving in missions on three different continents. I’ll spend three months each in Ecuador, Zambia, and India. I will face many challenges along the way, but my first challenge is a financial one. As with almost all missionaries, we are responsible to raise the funds ourselves. I ask for your help in one or two different ways. First, I ask for your prayers. None of this will happen without prayer. Second, if God lays it on your heart to help support my journey financially, I would be honored. I have to raise almost $14,000, the first goal being $5,000 by August 11. I know God will provide a way, or He wouldn’t have laid this journey on my heart so strongly. I thank you for your consideration.
Love in Christ, Joe Simpkins
