So I was ask to write a little
something about how I was called into the mission field. You know the
funny thing is that for a long time I never really considered myself
as “called” into the mission field, at the time I just knew
I wanted to help people. Weather it was talking to someone about
Jesus or just buying food for someone that was hungry, I just wanted
to be showing God’s love in the way I lived. In this way I was
blessed over the years to work for, and with, a number of great
Christian organizations doing everything from feeding the poor, to
putting on Christian concerts and even raising money to help victims
of tragedies. Yet if you ask me I would tell you that the moments I
remember best are those when I was able to do the smallest of things
for someone who was expecting nothing at all. This is actually
one of the things that first got me interested in mission work.
Hearing the story’s of people outside of the U.S. who didn’t have
basic things like clean food and water and how little it took from
people like me to completely change their situations… I mean, how
wouldn’t want to help? I never really saw it as a calling per
say, I just knew I wanted to help and I let God guide me when I could
be used.
something about how I was called into the mission field. You know the
funny thing is that for a long time I never really considered myself
as “called” into the mission field, at the time I just knew
I wanted to help people. Weather it was talking to someone about
Jesus or just buying food for someone that was hungry, I just wanted
to be showing God’s love in the way I lived. In this way I was
blessed over the years to work for, and with, a number of great
Christian organizations doing everything from feeding the poor, to
putting on Christian concerts and even raising money to help victims
of tragedies. Yet if you ask me I would tell you that the moments I
remember best are those when I was able to do the smallest of things
for someone who was expecting nothing at all. This is actually
one of the things that first got me interested in mission work.
Hearing the story’s of people outside of the U.S. who didn’t have
basic things like clean food and water and how little it took from
people like me to completely change their situations… I mean, how
wouldn’t want to help? I never really saw it as a calling per
say, I just knew I wanted to help and I let God guide me when I could
be used.
Over time I started getting more
involved with mission work, mostly by supporting missionaries and
groups financially. I often felt the urge to serve in the field
myself but usually dismissed it rationalizing that I had
responsibilities where I was at and that I could do more good by
financially supporting missions than by being in the field. It
wasn’t till early this year that I started to feel a more specific
pull towards joining the mission field myself. This feeling only got
stronger after spending a week working with a team at a school for
deaf children in Jamaica. It was at this school that I started to see
what God was trying to show me. You see, with the exception of a
couple weeks here and there, I have lived my whole life here in the
states and have never had to really sacrifice anything to do what God
has told me to. God used the teachers at that school to remind me
that He doesn’t just want a willingness to be used but a willingness
to give up anything to follow Him. After this my prayer became
simple, that He would remove anything in my life that would keep me
from serving Him wherever He wanted me to be. A couple months later I
lost my job due to budget cuts. Ok… so that wasn’t exactly what I
had been thinking when I started praying for it but it didn’t take me
long to see the new direction God was pointing me. Which brings me
here and to preparing for what will probably be one of the more
challenging experiences of my life. I really have no idea what I’m in
for but God has laid a path before me and I mean to follow it.
involved with mission work, mostly by supporting missionaries and
groups financially. I often felt the urge to serve in the field
myself but usually dismissed it rationalizing that I had
responsibilities where I was at and that I could do more good by
financially supporting missions than by being in the field. It
wasn’t till early this year that I started to feel a more specific
pull towards joining the mission field myself. This feeling only got
stronger after spending a week working with a team at a school for
deaf children in Jamaica. It was at this school that I started to see
what God was trying to show me. You see, with the exception of a
couple weeks here and there, I have lived my whole life here in the
states and have never had to really sacrifice anything to do what God
has told me to. God used the teachers at that school to remind me
that He doesn’t just want a willingness to be used but a willingness
to give up anything to follow Him. After this my prayer became
simple, that He would remove anything in my life that would keep me
from serving Him wherever He wanted me to be. A couple months later I
lost my job due to budget cuts. Ok… so that wasn’t exactly what I
had been thinking when I started praying for it but it didn’t take me
long to see the new direction God was pointing me. Which brings me
here and to preparing for what will probably be one of the more
challenging experiences of my life. I really have no idea what I’m in
for but God has laid a path before me and I mean to follow it.
Then I heard the voice of the
Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”
Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” ISAIAH 6:8
Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”
Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” ISAIAH 6:8
