If you were to ask me last semester if I would go on an 11-month mission trip to 11 different countries, my response would have been HECK NO. The thought of leaving behind what I’ve known my whole life was something I would of never even given a thought to experience. I remember sitting in my college pastor’s house, as he told me that he saw me doing long-term missions. I laughed at him because there was no way on God’s green earth that I was going to leave my family, friends, midnight movie premiers, fast food, and the comforts of my bed behind.
Now low and behold I am writing a blog for a LONG TERM journey I begin in September! The thought of me going on this adventure still catches me by surprise, but I should of seen it coming all along. The reason for this is by the way I prayed to God. I remember starting off my last semester of college asking God to prepare my heart and life to be radically obedient and recklessly abandoned for him. I recall reading when Paul was in jail and how he talked about being content wherever the Lord put him. Paul knew that though he might not have foreseen this plan, he knew that God had it perfectly set for him and that Paul was the perfect person for the plan. After reading this, and even now, my heart yearns to be content where the Lord has planned for me. I desire to seek and experience the greater things that He has set for my life. Is his plan the easiest of plans or is it always what I would like? …of course not, but he promises me that he has plans to prosper me and not to harm me, but to provide me a hope and a future.
I prayed continuously throughout the semester for this obedience and abandonment; only to be answered by God, by daily tasks that required me to die to my wants and needs, and to step into his calling. I wish I could say that my obedience was 100% to the Lord, but I mean we all know lying isn’t a good thing. I would succeed and I would fall, but he continued to offer up ample opportunities to prep me for the journey to come. God knew that he had a greater plan for my life that would call for a huge step of obedience and abandonment to the world so he prepared my heart and my hands to step into his plan.
It blows my mind what the Lord can show you or place on your heart before you truly understand the full meaning of why you felt that way. The reason I say this is because the other day, I received in the mail a letter I wrote to myself in the beginning of my spring semester. In the letter, I had written that I would be starting an adventure I never saw myself doing and to trust God in it. It also talked about how I hear from the Lord, and to not doubt that or what I am stepping into. This struck me a lot because ever since I have said yes to the World Race, I have had days of doubts and I’m sure more to come, but I just have to trust in his plan. God knows what he is doing.
Ultimately this post is to encourage you all to examine your hearts before the Lord and to evaluate what you ask from him. We know and proclaim our God is faithful and he is! Many times I would cry out “Lord, take me deeper then my feet could ever wander, where my faith would be made stronger” and what did he do? ….he provided me with opportunities I would not in a lifetime step into, but it’s time to take that trust step. I am so excited for this adventure and I have the most amazing partner to journey with. I thank God that he answered my prayers and has equipped me, guided me, and pushed me to experience the world, his people and his love like never before. He knew that I was capable even when I didn’t. Man, what an awesome Father we have.
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