As a kid I wanted to be a missionary, to travel the world and spread the Gospel – doing that sounded so cool and exciting. Even now, it still sounds exciting to me! There are some things though, that I didn’t fully understand or even put much thought into until recently. A big thing, is how many things I would be missing, including big moments in my family and friends’ lives, and being together with my family and friends. This summer there are 3 weddings of my childhood & college friends, and there will be many family celebrations and typical get togethers that I will miss. This mission trip has given me a glimpse into this hard part about missionary work. And me following this call to go on ‘The World Race’ has become harder knowing I will be missing these moments.
To be honest, a lot of it is hard. There are moments where I wonder to myself, is this all worth it? Is this truly what God has in store for me and what he wants me to do? And yet, in those moments He shows up! There have been times when I am not sure if I will make the deadlines and get the funds needed, but right when I think that, someone decides to support me and what God has asked me to do.
Being a Christian and following God with our whole lives can be hard. In whatever place we are, home with family or away in another state or country, there are challenges every step of the way. There are times even here at home where it is hard to step out of my comfort zone and share the Gospel in the place I am most comfortable. The moments when I do take that step of faith though are where I feel God even more than before and the joy that He brings.
One of my regular morning customers from Caribou, Lisa, was always super sweet and mentioned she had problems with her hand feeling numb and that it had been like that for the longest time and not sure why. I felt the need to pray with her for healing, but I didn’t follow through as I felt too nervous to talk to her about that. I really felt the push from God though, that I needed to take that step of faith. Lisa came into the store again, and again, and I finally overcame my hesitation and when I asked her if I could pray with her, her face lit up! I prayed in the middle of Caribou, and even though she wasn’t healed right away, I know God still wanted to reach her, to show her someone cared, that He cared.
There are moments when we choose to step out of our comfort zone and take a leap of faith. Sometimes they may not work out the way we want, but taking that step is all that matters to God.
Even though it is scary and I am going to miss so many people and so many things, I know following God’s plan is worth it. He alone knows what will happen and how he will lead each one of us.
As Jesus said in Luke 10:2, “’The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.’” God has a plan for each one of us, a plan to share His love with whoever we meet. For some of us He calls to go and to some to stay, either way He calls us to take a step of faith by showing others Him and His love. I pray that each one of us uses every day and every moment to bring Glory to Him and show others the wonderful gift of freedom and love He gives us. People yearn for a love that God alone can give, let us follow and show them His love to whoever and wherever that may be.
With Much Love,
Bethaney
