WE WERE ASKED TO WRITE A BLOG ABOUT HOW WE WERE CALLED TO THIS MISSION TRIP. HERE IS MY STORY……….
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INTRIGUED BY THE STORIES OF MISSIONARIES. CORRIE TEN BOOM, BROTHER YUN, AND ELIZABETH ELLIOT, ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE. MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE I SO DESPERATELY WANTED THE FAITH OF A MARTYR. INSTEAD I FOUND MYSELF NOT WANTING TO OFFEND ANYONE, HESITATING, AND KEEPING SILENT. I HAVE HAD A FEW MISSION EXPERIENCES, MY VERY FIRST ONE WAS TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC IN 12TH GRADE, AND THE OTHER ONE WAS TO ECUADOR, MY JUNIOR YEAR IN COLLEGE. BOTH EXPERIENCES, IMPACTING MY LIFE IN NUMEROUS WAYS.
“…..AND HE DETERMINED THE TIMES SET FOR THEM AND THE EXACT PLACES WHERE THEY SHOULD LIVE. GOD DID THIS SO THAT MEN WOULD SEEK HIM AND PERHAPS REACH OUT FOR HIM AND FIND HIM, THOUGH HE IS NOT FAR FROM EACH ONE OF US” (ACTS 17:26).
IN AUGUST 2007, WHEN I MOVED BACK TO BIRMINGHAM TO START MY VERY FIRST JOB, GOD COMFORTED ME WITH THIS VERSE THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. ONE NIGHT, I WAS AT DINNER WITH A FRIEND WHEN SHE TOLD ME OF HER EXCITING PLANS TO GO ON THIS THING CALLED THE WORLD RACE. I REMEMBERED PRAYING, “LORD, THAT IS SO ME, I WISH I COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT!” HOWEVER, I QUICKLY DISMISSED THE IDEA BECAUSE I WAS STUCK WORKING AN 8-5 JOB.
“KEEP TREADING, KEEP TRUSTING!”
ABOUT ONE YEAR LATER, IT WAS THIS PHRASE THAT DESCRIBED THE STATE THAT I WAS IN. I FELT LOST IN MY NEW LIFE HERE. I BEGAN TO FEEL AS THOUGH GOD JUST DROPPED ME OFF IN BIRMINGHAM AND LEFT ME. I FELT LIKE I WASN’T ACCOMPLISHING ANYTHING FOR HIS KINGDOM HERE. I FELT AS THOUGH I WAS BECOMING SOMEONE I DID NOT WANT TO BE. I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO OR WHERE I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO, BUT IT WAS LIKE HE WAS TELLING ME TO JUST LIVE IN THE PRESENT AND TRUST HIM WITH MY FUTURE.
I BEGAN TO HAVE MANY DIFFERENT DESIRES OF WHAT TO DO WITH MY LIFE. MY PARENTS PROBABLY THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY BECAUSE EACH TIME I CALLED HOME I HAD A NEW PLAN TO SHARE, BUT THE WORLD RACE WAS ONE THAT KEPT COMING BACK TO MIND.
“MANY ARE THE PLANS IN A MAN’S HEART, BUT IT IS THE LORD’S PURPOSE THAT PREVAILS” (PROVERBS 19:21).
BEFORE I APPLIED TO DO THE WORLD RACE, I KNEW I NEEDED A CONFIRMATION THAT THIS WAS HIS WILL FOR ME, AND THAT I WOULD HAVE MY PARENTS’ BLESSING (THEY WERE A LITTLE HESITANT AT FIRST) IN DOING IT. I BEGAN TO PRAY FOR THESE TWO THINGS BECAUSE I KNEW I COULDN’T DO THIS IF HE WAS NOT COMPLETELY IN IT OR IF MY PARENTS DISAPPROVED.
IN JANUARY 2009, I WAS VISITING A FRIEND, WHEN SHE ASKED TO PRAY FOR ME. SHE FELT LIKE GOD WAS GIVING HER THE WORDS…..
“DREAM, KEEP DREAMING…”
IN FEBRUARY 2009, I WAS ON THE LAST CHAPTER OF THE BOOK, CAPTIVATING, BY JOHN & STASI ELDREDGE. IN THE BOOK, STASI WRITES THESE TWO THINGS THAT SPOKE TO ME…….
“BUT GOD’S INVITATIONS ULTIMATELY ARE MATTERS OF THE HEART. THEY COME THROUGH OUR PASSIONS, THOSE DESIRES SET DEEP WITHIN US.”
“YOU WILL RECOVER LONG-LOST PASSIONS, LONG-FORSAKEN DREAMS.”
IT FINALLY CLICKED THAT GOD GAVE ME THIS DESIRE, IT IS NOT MINE, HE SET THIS PASSION WITHIN ME AND THAT I NEED TO OBEY AND RESPOND TO HIS INVITATION. HOWEVER, STILL NOT QUITE CONVINCED, THE LORD SPOKE AGAIN. THE FOLLOWING NIGHT I WAS ON MY WAY BACK FROM A FRIEND’S HOUSE, LISTENING TO THE RADIO, AND IT WAS LIKE THE VOICE ON THE OTHER END WAS SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY TO ME. I KNEW IT WAS NOT COINCIDENCE THAT I WAS LISTENING AT THAT HOUR. BELOW WERE HIS WORDS:
“GOD GIVES YOU THESE DREAMS AND TO GO AFTER THEM. IF YOU ARE STUCK IN THE DAY TO DAY, AWAKEN YOUR DESIRES AND DREAMS. GOD GAVE YOU THEM FOR A REASON. HE IS CALLING!”
HONESTLY, I COULD TELL OF NUMEROUS OTHER WAYS OF HOW CHRIST CALLED ME TO GO, BUT THIS BLOG WOULD BE EVEN LONGER…..HEHE! SO LONG STORY SHORT, MY PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED. I RECEIVED CONFIRMATION, AND MY PARENTS GAVE ME THEIR BLESSING. PRAISE THE LORD!
I AM GOING TO END WITH THIS SONG BY MATTHEW WEST BECAUSE THESE LYRICS SO ACCURATELY DESCRIBE WHAT I HAVE BEEN THINKING AND PRAYING ABOUT FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS…….
THIS MIGHT HURT
IT’S NOT SAFE
BUT I KNOW THAT I’VE GOTTA MAKE A CHANGE
I DON’T CARE
IF I BREAK
AT LEAST I’LL BE FEELING SOMETHING
‘CAUSE JUST OK
IS NOT ENOUGH
HELP ME FIGHT THROUGH THE NOTHINGNESS OF LIFE
I DON’T WANNA GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS
I DON’T WANNA GO ONE MORE DAY
WITHOUT YOUR ALL CONSUMING PASSION INSIDE OF ME
I DON’T WANNA SPEND MY WHOLE LIFE ASKING
WHAT IF I HAD GIVEN EVERYTHING?
INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS
NO REGRETS
NOT THIS TIME
I’M GONNA LET MY HEART DEFEAT MY MIND
LET YOUR LOVE
MAKE ME WHOLE
I THINK I’M FINALLY FEELING SOMETHING
TAKE ME ALL THE WAY
TAKE ME ALL THE WAY
TAKE ME ALL THE WAY
