How I was called to the mission field.

          I was never the type of person that felt called to do missions. I was always into youth ministry and my job and felt that they were my mission field within the U.S.  I mean sure we took a trip or two and did some inner city missions work but nothing to extensive.  However soon after finishing my degree I became consumed in the business world. Working 10-14hr days, having more money than I knew what to do with, buying a different car each year, blinded by my own ambition.  This lifestyle was fun, but unfulfilling it left me wanting, and even though I had been a Christ follower for 11 years at this point in my life I felt I had Jesus in my heart but He was not found too often in daily life. I had put a suit and tie on Jesus and made Him fit my worldview so I could feel justified in how I was living my life.  

          This lifestyle came to an end when I decided on March 31st 2008 to be “re-baptized”.  I had wanted to get baptized again because the pastor of Summit Church Isaac Hunter had radically changed my life over the year previous and helped me get out of the corporate track I was pursing at the time. God used him in a big way in my life, and the second reason was more symbolic. I had always wanted to get baptized in an ocean and I had wanted to give my life back over to God because living it my way was literally ruining my life. After I was baptized, over the next few months God began to reshape my heart and transform my mind to seek more after the things His heart beats for. God placed a man by the name of Erwin McManus in my path whom I got to see speak at several different events over 2008. I also read his book “Chasing Daylight” which radically altered how I view my faith and it helped me to realize the freedom I had within that faith to make decisions.   

          So in August I began to pursue the things I knew God had called me to pursue,  the kind of things in the past I knew I was supposed to do but let fear and guilt stop me from pursuing.  I got myself plugged back into youth ministry by signing up to be a High School volunteer leader at my church to mentor the kids who are going through so much at this stage in their lives. I also signed up to lead a bible study which has turned out to be an incredible blessing in my life. The next step I felt God calling me towards is missions. This freaked me out a little because whenever I had the opportunity to do missions in the past I would always think to myself ” Wow how cool, but that is the work for someone else not me, I’m comfortable right where I’m at”.   God had changed this thinking in me over the last few months and so when I saw an opportunity to go to Africa with my church I attended the volunteer meeting.   

          As an ice breaker question the man leading it asked everyone ” If you could go anywhere in the world for 2 weeks all expenses paid, where would you go?”  I was the first to respond ” I would go all over!” He replied ” What do you mean? Explain?”  I said ” well I would start in Europe, go down to Africa, over to Asia and if there was time go to Australia”.   See I have never felt called to one particular place but after reading “Chasing Daylight” it doesn’t matter,  what matters is I lean in and pursue the things I felt called to do. The location of where I pursue God’s heart is of little difference. 

          The next morning I woke up,  checked my e-mail, and then browsed my face book as most people do now days because we all know how much we love face book. To my surprise there was an ad on the right side of the page that read ” The World Race – Missions”  As I have clicked on these kinds of face book ad’s before for bogus free scuba gear etc I decided what the heck I’ll give it a shot let’s see what this “World Race” is and if it’s even real.  As I came to the website I was blown away! I was reading the blogs and watching the videos , I became consumed so much in fact I realized I was late for work and had to rush out the door. All day at work The World Race was all I could think about, I couldn’t wait to get home and read more about it.  As I came home that same day I finished looking at the website and began to pray for the next 3 days. After the third day in prayer, I knew this was my next right step in my walk with God. I knew this was the next adventure He was calling me to. 

           So that is my story in how I was called to missions. Once a guy like many others pursuing the “american dream”,  God took hold of my heart and shifted it in a new direction. Now my heart is set on fire for the broken, the lost, the hungry, the homeless across the world and I can’t tell you how excited I am to be the hands and feet of Jesus and being a part in His story as He sends me out to serve hundreds in the 11 countries I will be visiting.