Matthew 4:18-20 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “ Come follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
About a year and a half ago, the Lord asked me to follow Him around the world on the World Race. I got out of the boat, followed Him around the world to fish for people. I said yes, but still was reluctant. I searched for any out that I could find, but to no prevail I ended up in Africa. “Crap. What did I just get myself into?”
Now eight months later, I am so thankful that I chose in, that I chose to follow what the Lord (Papa) asked me to do. I am not ready to stop following his voice and not walk beside Him.
After Jesus had died, Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James and John, and two other disciples were together. They went back out on the boat, they had abandoned fishing for men. Instead they went back to the old ways of life, fishing for..well, fish.
In John 21:4-6 “4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. 6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
I only have a short three and a half months until I finish the world race. I have been asking myself this question for a few months now, “Do I want to go back to who I was before I left?” “Do I want to go back and fish for fish?” Do go back living like I did previously? To go back living like I haven't seen Jesus move mountains in the last year. Can I be satisfied with the fake stuff when I have tasted the real stuff? I don’t know about you, but I can’t go back to who I was. I want to be able to walk in even more freedom, to be confident in who I belong to, I want to be even more intimate with my Father, I want to live life abundantly.
As many people go home, they run into the same people, at the same places and do the same things. They see that you have grown and changed… but when it boils down it, to them, you are still the same person that left eleven months ago.
Here is an analogy, you leave for the race, you are now standing ontop of this chair, you have grown. They are standing on the floor, they have also grown alongside of you. Is it easier to pull them up, or pull you down?
You begin to do the same things as before, and with time you begin to live the same way you did when you left. I refuse to be that statistic. I refuse to go back to working all the time to fill the emptiness and pain I felt, I refuse to go back and run after anything that will take the edge off the pain, to numb myself. I refuse to go back to the push over, boundary-less person who will take anything that people dish to me because I want their love. I am growing into the woman that He has called me to be. I still am growing, and discovering who that is. I refuse to go back to the person I was.
I have been praying hard prayers repeatedly since January. “Lord, where you call me, I will follow.” “God, what is next?” “Lord break me, strip me of what I don’t need.”
The Lord answers, He always does. We just have to listen, keep our eyes open, and be ready for it.
The disciples walked alongside Jesus for three years before His death.
I have been invited to go on a three year journey with the Lord. The world race is the first year, so what will be the next two years? The Center for Global Action(CGA) was placed on my heart, and I was not able to shake it. CGA is an eight to twelve month discipleship and leadership (program) for World Race, Gap Year, and Passport participants that activates people in their calling to bring the Gospel all around the World. The Center for Global Action at Adventures in Missions is the home for the Apprentice Program. The Apprentice Program is a launching pad dedicated to wholistic development through community, discipleship, and apprenticeship. It exists to activate a generation in its Kingdom role. When Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” He commissioned us as global activists. CGA wants to equip us to follow that call.
After many conversations, the Lord has invited me to follow Him to CGA in Georgia. I am applying for the one year discipleship program, starting in September 2016. It is another big leap of faith. I would begin this about six weeks after getting home from the World Race.
I am trusting in Him to provide the support, emotionally, physically, spiritually, even financially.
John 21:5-14 “5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No,” they answered.
6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.[c] 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.”
I know in three and a half months it will be time for me to throw my nets back into the water. Will I cast my nets to the left, to what I believe is best? Or will I listen to Jesus and cast my nets onto the right side of the boat? As I finish up my time on my race, soaking in and siezing every opportunity. I know that the Lord, when He calls me into my next season, will use all of it to bring His Kingdom glory. And I will be like Simon Peter jumping into the water to get to Jesus.
