Ukraine has been so good to me. I love the people here, I love our ministry, and I especially love our host family. One of the many perks of living with an American missionary family in which the dad is a pastor is that we get to attend church services that we can actually understand. And what a great blessing that has been to my soul this month.
The Lord has been stirring in me great passions and desires over the past few months. I have seen God's faithfulness time and time again, and I trust Him more than I ever have before. And I've finally hit a place in my life where I'm no longer afraid to dream big dreams.
I remember sitting in front of the tv as a child crying my eyes out as I watched "Make a Wish" stories, featuring tiny, bald children with cancer. I dreamed of becoming an Oncologist at St. Jude's and saving every last one of them. But that dream felt unrealistic to me once I entered high school and realized how bad I am at both math and science. I can recall the intense urgency I've felt within me during every commercial showcasing a starving African child. I've dreamed of starting an orphanage in another country, being a mother to the motherless.
Then life happened and all of those dreams got lost in the mix. Society told me I needed to go to college, so I did. The world around me convinced me of my need for a car and an apartment of my own. The only urgency I felt in my heart was for more money and more luxury.
Thankfully, God pulled me out of my selfishness at the perfect time and began a great work in my heart by calling me on the world race. And lately, some of those childhood dreams of mine have resurfaced. I'm not afraid to dream big dreams anymore because I know my God is bigger. I'm no longer scared to chase after something that might seem unrealistic, or ridiculous, or even impossible.
A friend of mine recently published his first book, and this section caught my eye:
"Many times, God is ready to invite people into a great adventure, but most people let fear of the unknown keep them from responding with a Yes. Responding to the fear instead of responding to God will rob you of the blessings God is ready to pour out upon your life." (As You Learn To Fly, by Michael Sanders.)
I remember how crazy the race seemed to me when I first heard about it. I remember being fearful about all the "what if" scenarios. "What if I get Dengue Fever and have to go to a foreign hospital?!" Been there done that! God is still good. And here I am about to enter month 10! I know God keeps his promises, and I know He is faithful. So as I start to dream about life after the race, this is my prayer:
Lord, thank you for all of your many blessings. Thank you for giving me a life full of adventure and love. God, take my dreams and turn them into reality. Use me and my desires to benefit this world I live in and use my life to bring you glory. I trust you.
And as Mark said in his last sermon, "Now that I see your face, turn around and show me your back so I can follow you." Because I'm ready to truly follow you, Lord, wherever you may lead me.
Amen
Thank you all for your constant prayers. I am so grateful for each and every one of you! Please continue to lift me up in prayer as I seek God's will for my life. I have inklings and I know he has big things in store for me.
