There are multiple responses I get when I tell people about the journey I am about to go on in January…some are very confused as to why I would leave a good job and a good life in Florida to serve overseas, others are just intrigued as to why I would give almost a year of my life and raise $15,500 to go on a mission trip. Many also ask- what is the purpose? How did you decide to go?
Many of the answers can be summed up in knowing that the Lord has called me to serve Him overseas, and that many of these ‘sacrifices,’ such as leaving friends and family, living out of a backpack, sleeping in a tent for a year, raising support, etc., aren’t really sacrifices when you compare them to the true sacrifice of Jesus. He shed His blood and gave up His life to set me free and purchase my salvation, and I will spend my life serving Him out of my thankfulness. There are so many ways to serve, and for the next year this is the means by which He has called me to serve.
I have always had a heart for mission trips and serving overseas as well as stateside. I have been on multiple mission trips, and even led a few. I have a passion for seeing the lives of the people we serve, as well as the hearts of the missionaries serving, change in amazing ways.
About 2 years ago, while I was in the middle of grad school, I was praying and seeking what the next step would be for me. I had a favorite trail I would walk behind our house that was usually pretty empty and I could have some good alone time with the Lord. One day when I was praying about my next steps after grad school and praying hard about missions, I heard the Lord lay on my heart so clearly, “Serve Me first.” It sounds so incredibly basic and is a principle I have heard in scripture many times, but as I prayed about the World Race that day the Lord made it clear in my heart that He wanted me to serve Him first through this mission trip- before I got settled into a job, before I got married, before I got settled in somewhere, He wanted me to devote a whole year of my life to focus on Him and serve Him above all else. (I guess He knows me and my distractible personality!)
“But seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33
I was so excited, because the Lord knows my heart and passion for missions 🙂 I felt like Isaiah in the verses of Isaiah 6:8, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for me?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” Being sure of the Lord’s calling and knowing where He wants you to be is one of the best feelings, and it is something I fought a long time in prayer to hear the answer to.. But I can say with delight as He has asked me to go on the World Race- “Here am I. Send me!”
When the Lord called me to this almost 2 yrs ago, I was very excited at first and frankly almost dropped out of grad school to start right away! But as the Lord made it clear I needed to stay and finish school, I began to feel restless being in America when the Lord had called my heart overseas. He began to really shape my heart and help me understand what serving Him first looks like in everyday life as well. Another powerful word the Lord spoke over me during my prayer times on the path when my heart was longing to be overseas was, “Melissa, you know you can find Me overseas but right now find Me here.” That was reassuring but also so challenging! I knew from past mission trips that it came easily to feel the joy and the presence of the Lord overseas, and it can be so much more difficult to find Him and experience His love in the same ways amongst all the distractions of America. It has been a challenge, but the Lord continues to teach me how to seek Him and be aware of His presence even amongst the chaos and distraction of everyday life.
"Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." Psalm 105:3-4
Please join me in praying for passion and provision for myself and my squad as we prepare for this journey 🙂 I will write more about my squad-mates, but I will be traveling and serving alongside about 70 brothers and sister in Christ from around the country and world!!
Here is a link to the countries I will be visiting and a little blurb about what ministry opportunities I might be involved in for each country! January 2013 WR Route 2
“If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:10-11
I am SO thankful for so many of you who have already supported me in this mission! Through you all, the Lord has provided a little over $3,000 already and I am so excited to watch Him continue to provide!
Please help me reach my fundraising goals by simply clicking on the “Support Me” tab on the left side of my blog site (melissamilroy.theworldrace.org) and follow the instructions to donate online.
For those who do not wish to donate online and avoid a 5% processing fee, you can send a check payable to Adventures in Missions with "Melissa Milroy-January 2013” in the memo line to: Adventures In Missions, PO Box 534470, Atlanta, GA 30353.
Support goals:
October 1st: $3,500
December 15th: $6,500
March 1st: $11,000
June 1st: $15,500 (which is fully funded!)
I am so blessed by all of you and all your prayers and support! I look forward to keep you posted on all that the Lord is doing! 🙂 Love you all!!!
