Changed By The Gospel

 

Yesterday I thought about some of the quiet moments I had in my little hotel room in Kathmandu at the beginning of January. I spent a considerable amount of time in my room those few days laying in bed trying to practice the discipline of being still. I’m not good at that, but for some reason something in me was different when I got to Nepal. I remember singing along to these lyrics with all my heart

Through waters uncharted my soul will embark.

I’ll follow your voice straight into the dark.

And if from the course you intend I depart,

speak to the sails of my wandering heart.

I don’t think I fully knew what I was saying when I told God I was willing to follow his voice into the dark and I don’t think I fully grasp it now, but I meant it back then and I still mean it. I don’t think we ever really know what we are getting ourselves into when we give our lives to God. We don’t fully comprehend the abundance of goodness, grace, love, and freedom there will be. We don’t anticipate how much our hearts will break, how many trials there will be, how much it will cost. We don’t foresee how faithful God will be. The only thing that I can say I really know about my life is that I have been changed by the gospel and whatever I do with my life I want to do it in partnership with God.  

So right now God’s response to that prayer I sang nine months ago in a little hotel room in Kathmandu is the opportunity I now have to do something that is different from anything I thought I might do after the World Race. Starting September 16 I will be attending Center for Global Action in Gainesville, GA where I will continue seeking the Lord and serving his people through discipleship, outreach, worship, community, and scripture study. Being a missionary is not something we are every so often when we go on a church trip, it is something we are every day no matter where we are. During my time at Center for Global Action I will continue learning how to live every day with the same intention and urgency for the gospel I experienced when I was traveling to share the good news. My time on the World Race taught me so many things, but one of the most important things I learned was that when I said yes to following God to the nations for the Race, I wasn’t just signing up for eleven months, I was signing up for a lifetime of saying yes and following God. So because of that, I am saying yes to God’s invitation for me to dedicate the next 8 months to learning, growing, and serving.  

I am excited, nervous, hopeful, and a little scared. In less than a week I have to leave home and say bye to my family and friends again. I will have to support myself for the first time. I have to trust that my relationships here in California will stay strong through another months-long absence. I have to trust that God will provide all that I need to live in Georgia for 8 months. But God is faithful and I have an awesome community and support system in California and in Georgia, and because of those things I can go confidently in the direction God is leading me. I can’t wait!

I have to raise $8,600 to cover program costs and the capstone mission trip we will go on at the end of the program, so if you would like to partner with me, please click the “donate” link above. Thank you for continuing to support me in prayer, in encouragement, and through your generous donations.