12 days until departure.
It’s surreal to think that at this time on February 19 I will be on my way to the airport, preparing my heart to say goodbye to my family and head to Chile for exactly 123 days. Thank YOU for being a part of this journey, even before it has begun. Thank you for being the one’s to “hold the ropes” for me as I spend the next 4 months of my life engrossed in the ministry and mission of Christ in a brand-new culture, country, and tongue. Your prayers and encouragement have brought me so much peace in the process and preparation for my semester abroad.
So, it is with joy that I say, BIENVENIDOS, welcome, to the next 4 months of my life. Welcome to a continuous story of surrender. Welcome to a season that will challenge me, refine me, and press me into my Savior like never before.
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I began this post exactly 21 days until departure. Sometimes it takes me a while to get my thoughts onto paper. The desires and expectations I have for my words tend to be much like the desires and expectations I have for my life… I expect and hope for perfectly structured words and plans, yet season by season, the Lord loosens my grip and teaches me to relinquish that control to Him. This season seems to be the climax of that. Just as I began to feel as if I had mastered the art of surrender, I entered a season that required this discipline in greater amounts than ever before. It’s been a humbling realization, and as I find myself approaching departure, I realize this is only the beginning.
As I’ve battled the realities of preparing to leave my family, friends, comfort, culture, and language for 4 months, I’ve been met with the call to faithful surrender. I’ve faced bumps in the road- in planning, in finances, in expectations- really, I could go on for a while. Time and time again Jesus has restored my soul. He has taught me to cling to Him. He has held me fast even in the moments where I have resisted His way.
So, as I type this, post anxious meltdown, I’m reminded of the convictions the Lord placed on my heart a few weeks ago, as I was graciously reminded of the missionaries that have gone before me. He will be my peace and my path.
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My Prayer
Like the Father of the Modern Missionary Movement, William Carey:
- May my faith not break under trial and in the valley.
- May I understand and become continually convicted of my obligation and call to the Great Commission.
- May I be willing to leave and sacrifice comfort for the sake of the Gospel.
Like the Patron Saint of Southern Baptist Missions, Lottie Moon:
- May I live sacrificially to the people God leads me to serve.
- May I fervently serve.
- May I faithfully persevere amidst trials and loneliness.
- May I remain firm in my theological convictions, discerning the truth.
And as I return, may I hold the ropes for others, and continue to serve my own people, community, and city.
