Several years back I was talking with a good friend and he mentioned that he had a friend who dreamed of traveling the world with just a backpack and Jesus. As soon as he told me that, my thoughts were something along the lines of, “Travel the world with just a backpack and Jesus?…seriously?! What a crazy and dumb idea! Why would anyone ever do that!?”
Fast forward those years now and this is what I think about that idea, “Travel the world with just a backpack and Jesus?…That sounds amazing!!! I would totally travel the world and live out of a backpack all in Jesus' name! Let's go! I'm ready!”
There are not many years between those times, but what a different reaction! Now I would be willing to head anywhere if I knew that Jesus is leading me there. Only God could have changed my heart toward missions that much, it was not by my own doing at all.
When I look at the past few years of my life, God has changed so much in me and my heart as I have grown older and closer to Him. Growing up, I never wanted to really do missions work or be a part of it in any way…and I definitely never wanted to go to another country to share the gospel. I just figured that it was something I never wanted to do, ever, so I thought God didn't want me to either. Sometimes I think He sits there and, still in love, chuckles at me a little when I have decided for/against something, and He knows full well that is just what I will/will not do later on in life. Oh, silly Kira!!!
God has made a lot of changes in me over the years, and He has especially been at work in me this past year in amazing and big ways. He is molding me and making me into the woman He wants me to be, which is awesome, but not always quick or easy. Some of these changes may have been happening in me for years before, but I have been seeing them surface more recently and I am excited to continue to see the Lord at work in me and in my life. He has placed a desire in my heart to travel, but not just for leisure at this moment in life, but with a purpose: to share Jesus' love with the world! He has broken my heart for “the least of these” in the world, anyone who is in need of a helping hand and God's love, here and across the globe. And He has also revived the passion inside of me to use soccer as a ministry tool. Whoa! All that in just one year! Just can't help but think about what one year on the other side of the world will hold!
God is SO great and I can't wait to see what now and the years ahead hold for me as I continue to be follow my Good Shepherd down the path He has laid out before me.
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6
