This summer the Lord was leading me to give up teaching, at least for the next couple of years. He began to lead me towards the World Race. So, I quit seeking teaching jobs, I applied and was accepted for the World Race, and then I took on two part-time jobs (Starbucks and Sylvan). At first I thought this year was just a time of transition, a season of waiting to embrace the passions God has given me for missions. What I didn’t realize is how much the Lord would be using this year of transition to prepare me for next year. I can now see so many big and small ways that this year is a training ground preparing my heart for next year.
1. The Lord is securing my identity in Him, which will free me to love others unconditionally freed from the burden of proving myself worthy of love. Just the act of changing jobs made me realize how much I had allowed my identify to enmeshed in the things that I do. The Lord is slowly untangling my identity and allowing me to see myself through His eyes apart from the things that I do.
2. The blessing of a relaxing year after 2 very intense years and before another intense year of world traveling and loving people of every nation.
3. Thanks to my low-paying hourly jobs, the Lord is really teaching me to trust Him with my finances. This will be very helpful when it comes to traveling to 11 nations on a budget of $13,800 for the year.
4. The Lord is teaching me to adjust to an unscheduled life. It’s been really difficult to adjust to having a different schedule every day (I love to have my life structured). My job schedule will help me to get used to the unpredictable life of missions.
5. The Lord is teaching me to do small acts of service well. I am spending my time doing jobs that on the surface seem unimportant, comparing making coffee to impacting the life of inner-city kids through education. Making coffee isn’t where my heart lies, but I spend everyday talking to people, serving them, and making them feel welcomed. I know that next year I will have to surrender many things that I want to do in order to serve in any place where there is a need.
My eyes have now been opened. I can see God’s faithful hand aligning every step of my life this year. He is preparing me for what is to come next year. Thank You Jesus for Your faithfulness! Let me not miss anything you have for me in the transition.
