If the Lord asked me what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, I would answer with being a missionary. Ever since I was a little girl, my heart was always to go into the world and tell others about Jesus. At that time, I only wanted to because it sounded fun. Now, it's because of their need for Him and to hear the gospel. I particularly have a passion to go to the countries where it's dangerous to be a Christian, such as North Korea and Iran. God knows it, but He's also made it very clear that I'm not called to be a missionary. At least for now.
So why, when I want to go to places where I could be killed for my faith, did I go on a missions trip to Texas? In the Bible Belt?
It's more or less the question I've asked God many times over the last few years. When I went on my first missions trip, I wanted to go overseas to Africa or China. I remember specifically saying, "Not Dallas. ANYWHERE but Dallas." Where did I end up going? Dallas. The second the trip started, I knew it was the trip God wanted me to go on that summer. I remember the growth that happened in those two weeks, and how much I learned in just everything I experienced. My team was amazing, ministry was wonderful, and my faith was taken to a whole new level. It was the trip of a lifetime. The summer right after that, I decided I wanted to go on a missions trip to Israel. It was so much more than I could afford, but I decided to go in faith. As it turns out, the money just never came in and I didn't go on a trip that summer. The next two summers, I focused on getting to the Honor Academy. Then last summer, I tried going to Guatemala, then to a London trip. Neither one worked out.
"But You want someone to go," I reminded God. "I'm someone, someone that actually wants to go, why not send me?"
I heard nothing.
"Why, Lord?" I would ask. "Why is it when I try to go on a 'cool' trip, you just always say no?"
It was a hard question to wrestle with, one that often discouraged me. I hear all the statistics of the DESPERATE need for people to become missionaries, for more followers of God to GO and tell the world of His great love for them. I get frustrated because I want to be the one that goes, but it felt like God just kept on saying no.
Finally, when God did say yes to me going on a trip, it was back to the place I had lived in for a year. One the one hand, I didn't mind so much because for this particular trip, I was specifically working with an age group that I love, 11-13 year olds. Then on the other hand, I wondered why I couldn't go on another trip with this age group, why not Peru? I eventually started to see how God was miraculously providing for my trip, so I finally accepted that it was God's will for me to go and that going anywhere else just wasn't a part of His plan. So I went, not sure what to expect, except for God to show up.
This trip was incredibly challenging for me, but also the trip of a lifetime. I learned a lot about myself and was pushed outside of my comfort zone in so many ways. I had to perfect the art of acting like an idiot in order motivate my kids, I had to keep my energy up when I only had two hours of sleep, I had to inspire those who were under me when all I wanted to do was take a nap, and I had to teach them about Children's Ministry when I felt like I knew nothing about it myself. It was HARD and I was overwhelmed by the second day. It was at that point that I learned how to ask God for help and to let Him work through me, instead of trying to be an overall super-missionary by my own efforts.
It was also in Texas where I shared the Gospel with someone for the first time, was able to lead three people to Christ, as well as share my testimony in front of all the kids. I was so scared I would walk away from this trip without doing any of that, but God let me do all three! He gave me amazing opportunities to just love the children we ministered to, whether it was by playing games, letting them ride on my back, or explaining a verse to a child, God was moving in that place.
I fell in love with missions like never before.
I've heard the gospel probably a million different times in a million different ways, but everytime I know that it's being used to set someone free from sin. In Tyler, I saw that kind of freedom in more ways than one. It was the gospel that was taking a hold of these kids' hearts and bringing them to God for restoration, but it was also the gospel that filled us with love for these kids to tell them what it all meant. It was for the sake of the gospel that I raised over a thousand dollars, left home for what felt like the millionth time, would get up in the middle of the night to take one of my girls to the bathroom, and kept telling myself it was all worth it. It was because of the gospel that I would believe in my kids when they didn't believe in themselves, and would push them outside of their comfort zones by asking them to do the thing that scared them. It was for the gospel that I watched my kids accept challenges and let themselves be transformed. The gospel is what empowered us to be courageous.
If that's what the gospel does for believers, imagine what it does for those who don't even know who Jesus is.
If there's anything that stirs in your heart when you read this, don't ignore it. I'm telling you that you need to find out what God is asking you to do about it. Ask questions from every believer you know about missions. Ask your parents, ask your pastor, ask the guy at your church who was a missionary for 50 years, ask someone who makes a habit of sharing the gospel, ask your youth leader. You'll be surprised where your answers take you. Mine took me to Texas, three times and to a calling that I'm finally learning to love. This trip, more than anything helped me see in myself that I want the whole world to know how important missionary work really is, and I want to help them get to the mission field in anyway I can. I'm willing to bet that means staying at home, I'm willing to bet that's why God says no to me being a full-time missionary, and I'm willing to bet that's why the Lord has given me such a passion for missions.
"Lisette, with the heart you have, you could send out five missionaries to the field instead of being the one that goes."
I would've never found that out if I had ignored God's whisper when He said to go that first time 5 years ago, despite the fact that it wasn't a 'cool' trip.
I challenge you, to go deeper and say yes to whatever opportunity the Lord gives you to find out your role in the Great Commission. You have one, and you'll never regret putting everything you have into finding out what it is.
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