Wow, when I think back to what this year has brought me, I get chills just thinking about how God as worked in my life. I can see how He has clearly ordained everything, and He is faithful.
The beginning of this year was one of the toughest times of my life. I spent the first 6 months at home just working. I felt alone most days as all my friends were at college having fun and experiencing new things, I felt like I was just wasting my life and I had no purpose. I knew that I wanted to take a long term mission trip in the summer or fall but I had no idea where I would go, all I knew was that God was creating a desire in my heart to go to the unreached and unengaged people groups...the 2 million+ people who have never even heard of Jesus Christ.
I was given the opportunity to go to India with my church in March of this year. That trip forever changed my heart for the nations. The things I saw and the smells I smelled will forever be engrained within me, this was where I was going to spend this next chapter of my life, India. It seemed perfect. There are 1 billion people in the country of India, and the majority of them are all lost. Some have never heard of the gospel, and that saddened me. How is it possible that people have never even heard the good news before? As soon as I got home I applied through an organization for an India trip, I waited and waited for the email that would say "Congratulations, you have been accepted to serve in India for 6 months to a year!", but never got it. Instead I got a phone call telling me all the India positions had been filled, but there was an open position to serve in another country in South Asia. No way, I wanted to go to India, not a country I had never even heard of. So I waited and prayed that if this was where I was supposed to go, God would need to give me a huge flashing sign that confirmed this was where He was sending me.
One day at church I was talking with one of my pastors, he asked me where I thought the Lord was leading me and I told him about the country the organization had referred me to. He told me that he had a really good friend that lived there and was with the same organization that I would be working with. Well, come to find out, that friend is now my supervisor. That was the big flashing sign. I couldn't deny it. I had no other option but to go.
As I look back on these past 6 months in South Asia, I see that God is faithful. He is faithful to keep His promises and faithful to answer prayers. The time I have spent here has been extremely hard. My heart breaks for the people of this country, for the poor and the crippled. The ones who have no hope. The ones who couldn't possibly believe that there is a God who loves them and treasures them. That God has already made the sacrifice. That God doesn't call them to perform rituals, sacrifices or maintain traditions in order to earn temporary salvation. My heart also breaks for the believers of this country. The believers that still live in the slums, who are doing all they can to feed their families or are too poor to buy medicine for their sick children. What about them? I have seen that material items don't bring joy. The presence of the Lord brings Joy, even amidst trials.
God has taught me so much in this past year. From waiting to hear Him say "Go" to showing me and molding me into being His vessel for the nations. I wouldn't trade this year for the world. Thank you to all my supporters back home. For all your prayers, kind words of encouragement and even your financial support, you mean more to me than you will ever know. I am so excited to see what the Lord
The beginning of this year was one of the toughest times of my life. I spent the first 6 months at home just working. I felt alone most days as all my friends were at college having fun and experiencing new things, I felt like I was just wasting my life and I had no purpose. I knew that I wanted to take a long term mission trip in the summer or fall but I had no idea where I would go, all I knew was that God was creating a desire in my heart to go to the unreached and unengaged people groups...the 2 million+ people who have never even heard of Jesus Christ.
I was given the opportunity to go to India with my church in March of this year. That trip forever changed my heart for the nations. The things I saw and the smells I smelled will forever be engrained within me, this was where I was going to spend this next chapter of my life, India. It seemed perfect. There are 1 billion people in the country of India, and the majority of them are all lost. Some have never heard of the gospel, and that saddened me. How is it possible that people have never even heard the good news before? As soon as I got home I applied through an organization for an India trip, I waited and waited for the email that would say "Congratulations, you have been accepted to serve in India for 6 months to a year!", but never got it. Instead I got a phone call telling me all the India positions had been filled, but there was an open position to serve in another country in South Asia. No way, I wanted to go to India, not a country I had never even heard of. So I waited and prayed that if this was where I was supposed to go, God would need to give me a huge flashing sign that confirmed this was where He was sending me.
One day at church I was talking with one of my pastors, he asked me where I thought the Lord was leading me and I told him about the country the organization had referred me to. He told me that he had a really good friend that lived there and was with the same organization that I would be working with. Well, come to find out, that friend is now my supervisor. That was the big flashing sign. I couldn't deny it. I had no other option but to go.
As I look back on these past 6 months in South Asia, I see that God is faithful. He is faithful to keep His promises and faithful to answer prayers. The time I have spent here has been extremely hard. My heart breaks for the people of this country, for the poor and the crippled. The ones who have no hope. The ones who couldn't possibly believe that there is a God who loves them and treasures them. That God has already made the sacrifice. That God doesn't call them to perform rituals, sacrifices or maintain traditions in order to earn temporary salvation. My heart also breaks for the believers of this country. The believers that still live in the slums, who are doing all they can to feed their families or are too poor to buy medicine for their sick children. What about them? I have seen that material items don't bring joy. The presence of the Lord brings Joy, even amidst trials.
Even after seeing the hurt, poverty and lostness that comes with living in this country, God is still good! For this earth is temporary. We, the body of Christ, whether the wealthy businessman in America or the poor woman in the slum of South Asia, wait eagerly for that day in Revelation 12. Its says:
"Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now has come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gown down to you! He is filled with furry, because he knows his time is short."
God has taught me so much in this past year. From waiting to hear Him say "Go" to showing me and molding me into being His vessel for the nations. I wouldn't trade this year for the world. Thank you to all my supporters back home. For all your prayers, kind words of encouragement and even your financial support, you mean more to me than you will ever know. I am so excited to see what the Lord
is going to do in 2014!
