We were asked to write a blog about how we were called to the mission field. Here is my story:
I have been thinking about this blog over the last few days and what details to share of God’s work in my heart and His call on my life to missions. I have had a heart for people ever since I can remember. I love to talk with people and hear their stories and share my own. In college I had the opportunity to attend Urbana and that was my first real exposure to missions and God’s heart for the world. I was moved. George Verwer’s globe jacket stuck out in my mind…apparently it still does!
In the Summer of 2006 I resigned from my job at the Church. I had spent time that year taking a course called Perspecitves and really became aware of God’s heart for the nations. I realized that realistically there were billions of people that had never heard the truth and love found in Jesus Christ. I prayed and spent time in Norway with some friends…I considered joining them and serving alongside them with Young Life International, but my heart didn’t beat for Norwegian kids. My heart beat was for the poor, the rejected, the forgotten and the broken. It’s true that God calls each of us specifically to minister in different arenas, I have seen that over and over again in my life. I came back unsure and confused, I took a job in corporate America and traveled quite a bit, but I was discontent. In January 2007, I stepped out in faith with a friend. An opportunity had come up to go and live and serve at an orphanage in Haiti, a place called Canaan. A lot had to happen in order for us to go, specifically the sale of my house. Well God clearly wanted me to go because it sold in 2 days for more than I was asking and in just 2 months we had raised $5000 plus to go.
This past year I spent a week at Young Life camp in the Dominican Republic. My heart once again was alive and excited about the culture and God’s people around me. I wanted to be a part of what He was doing there. I was journaling one night while we were there and it finally clicked. I was willing to put my wants and desires aside and trust the call on my heart that wouldn’t go away. I had found The World Race a month earlier on the internet. I came home and began to pray. I sought counsel from those I loved. I couldn’t get enough of the blogs. I wanted to be changed and stripped in the way these Christ followers were. I wanted to see the world and tell people about the love of Jesus. I wanted to live a life that glorified and honored God and for me that meant putting my fears aside and stepping out in obedience to His call. So here I am…scared, excited, willing and ready. I have never felt more affirmed of something in my life. It’s going to be an unbelievable year!
I have been thinking about this blog over the last few days and what details to share of God’s work in my heart and His call on my life to missions. I have had a heart for people ever since I can remember. I love to talk with people and hear their stories and share my own. In college I had the opportunity to attend Urbana and that was my first real exposure to missions and God’s heart for the world. I was moved. George Verwer’s globe jacket stuck out in my mind…apparently it still does!In 2003, during my time at the Kanakuk Institute I had the opportunity to spend a week in the country of Haiti. My heart was broken for His people there as I saw living conditions and poverty in a way I never could’ve imagined. I saw kids and people longing for love. I knew God was stirring something in my heart. Over the next few years, while serving in middle school youth ministry in NC, God continued to cultivate in me a heart for the least of these, particularly orphans. I spent time in North Miami with middle school kids, serving a Haitian church and I was able to return to an orphanage in Haiti in early 2006. This time God used a little boy named Peterson, he was nonresponsive and very sick when we first arrived. By the end of the week, he was changed. (pic to come I promise!) God was moving, but I was still fighting. I was scared of commitment, scared to leave what was comfortable and familiar, scared to go single.
In the Summer of 2006 I resigned from my job at the Church. I had spent time that year taking a course called Perspecitves and really became aware of God’s heart for the nations. I realized that realistically there were billions of people that had never heard the truth and love found in Jesus Christ. I prayed and spent time in Norway with some friends…I considered joining them and serving alongside them with Young Life International, but my heart didn’t beat for Norwegian kids. My heart beat was for the poor, the rejected, the forgotten and the broken. It’s true that God calls each of us specifically to minister in different arenas, I have seen that over and over again in my life. I came back unsure and confused, I took a job in corporate America and traveled quite a bit, but I was discontent. In January 2007, I stepped out in faith with a friend. An opportunity had come up to go and live and serve at an orphanage in Haiti, a place called Canaan. A lot had to happen in order for us to go, specifically the sale of my house. Well God clearly wanted me to go because it sold in 2 days for more than I was asking and in just 2 months we had raised $5000 plus to go. It would be impossible to write all that God did and showed me over those 3 months. I saw how selfish and ungrateful I was for all that we have in America. I saw how little I trusted and believed God to be a God of miracles and change. I saw people who have nothing love Him in a way that I could only hope for. I was changed. I knew that I would return and be in missions someday, but I had committed to a job for the next year in the States. I was still scared to trust Him. Have you caught onto the theme of lack of trust???
This past year I spent a week at Young Life camp in the Dominican Republic. My heart once again was alive and excited about the culture and God’s people around me. I wanted to be a part of what He was doing there. I was journaling one night while we were there and it finally clicked. I was willing to put my wants and desires aside and trust the call on my heart that wouldn’t go away. I had found The World Race a month earlier on the internet. I came home and began to pray. I sought counsel from those I loved. I couldn’t get enough of the blogs. I wanted to be changed and stripped in the way these Christ followers were. I wanted to see the world and tell people about the love of Jesus. I wanted to live a life that glorified and honored God and for me that meant putting my fears aside and stepping out in obedience to His call. So here I am…scared, excited, willing and ready. I have never felt more affirmed of something in my life. It’s going to be an unbelievable year!
