This morning I got up to go send off our Youth Group as they go off to camp. Typically I would be going with them. This year the Lord had other plans for me.
I have for a long time wanted to go to Kenya, since I was a early teenager actually. Then, the Lord called me in my later teens, early twenties, to go into full time ministry and go to the mission field. While the road to the field is different for everyone. Mine has been all over the place and I have lived my life as if everywhere I have been has been my mission field, but isn't that how life is supposed to be anyway? We are all called to share the love of Jesus, where we are.
The Lord has given me opportunities to go to Honduras on mission trips and ultimately live in Honduras for 3 years. I then returned home to minister to my mom after the death of her husband. It has been an honor to serve her these last 20 years. She has not always needed me, I have just made myself available for any and all situations where I can assist.
Twenty years ago the Lord introduced me to Operation Christmas Child where I began my journey as a Relay Center drop off volunteer. That meant that as people came to drop off shoeboxes, I would accept them and get key information from them, thank them for the gift and put the gift(s) in a carton to send on it's journey to Atlanta where it would be processed and then sent to a child in another country.
Through the years I have held various volunteer positions with the ministry. I have been an Area Coordinator, Central Drop Off Leader and now the Logistics Coordinator. It has been a privilege serving in this ministry all these years.
Tomorrow is a fulfillment in this ministry that few get to participate in, going on a Vision Trip to see first hand the life changing ministry of a shoebox gift.
To say I am excited is not enough. I am excited to see how the Lord will use me this week, and more importantly I am expecting to hear from him.
For a long time now, I have known a transition would be coming in my life and I feel like the Lord has been preparing me and guiding me in this transition. I don't know when, where or how the transition will take place, only that it will.
I have always known that my life is not my own and that the Lord can send me where ever and I will follow, whether it be for a short time or a long time.
Is the Lord preparing me for something larger? I don't know. I know I have been praying that the Lord would enlarge my territory so I could be used by Him more. Take my life, the gifts and talents He has given me to be used for His glory, wherever that be.
Isn't that all he requires of us, is to use the experiences, talents, gifts and life He has given us to bring Him glory. Everything that we go through in life, the big and the small, can and should be used to bring Him glory.
As I go throughout my day today, putting the finishing touches on this lifelong dream trip, may the Lord be glorified.
I'm sure I will not be able to sleep tonight, it's like a kid anticipating the big event that is about to happen, thankfully I do not have any issues sleeping on planes. Be watching my social media pages (Facebook and Instagram) for photos of the journey.
Providing I have internet connectivity I plan to blog and post each day. If no internet, the blogs will be posted as I gain internet Access.
Love you all and thank you for your continued prayers for this journey.
Yesu Anakupenda (Jesus loves you),
Barbra
No comments:
Post a Comment