3 - Yikes, What was I thinking?

As I mentioned in my previous blogs, it was during my first mission trip that the Lord filled me with a passion for missions and a calling to serve others around the world. I wanted to be a full-time missionary someday, but I didn’t yet know the Lord’s timing. Over the next few years, I remained active in missions, leading short-term trips to South Africa, Malawi and Palestine. It was during those trips that I met Thrive Africa and was deeply moved by their vision and their heart to change South Africa by training up Godly leaders.

Meanwhile, I continued working full-time in the Automotive Industry. Looking back I can see how the Lord used my career to develop me as a leader, strengthen my faith, and prepare me for His future calling. I also continued to pray that dangerous prayer – “Lord, send me.”

After years of dreaming, praying, and wondering about full-time missions the Lord closed one door and opened another. I was laid off. What? That wasn’t the way things were supposed to “go down”. That wasn’t at all what I had planned. I was shocked, angry, sad, a bit embarrassed – all mixed together. But I was also intrigued, cautiously optimistic, even hopeful and excited about whatever was to come next. And I knew that I was getting the Lord’s answer about the timing, just not in the way I had expected.

Did you ever pray for something, get it, and then go “Yikes, what was I thinking?” That’s what happened next, doubts and fears came crashing in …but what about fundraising, but what about selling my house in a tanking economy, but what about moving overseas alone, but what about leaving my family…but, but, but…

That’s when the Lord reassured me that this is what I had been praying so fervently for, what had been on my heart for so long because He Himself put it there, and that He loved me and would take care of the details if I’d just trust Him. So I took a deep breath, a couple a small steps, and then a giant leap halfway across the world.

...to be continued…