Missions

One of the things that makes me sad sometimes about finding a full-time job is that I will be saying goodbye in some ways to my full-time work with missions. I've been involved in overseas missions at least since 1994 when I went on a week-long trip to Zacatacus, Mexico with my church. I remember being 14 years old and a Christian for just about 2 years, having to give my testimony in front of hundreds of people. I had no idea what I was doing but hopefully I said something impacting! In college I actually met missionaries and learned that they were not "super human" but really just people like any of us who are trying to follow Christ and live out his calling. I got to go to Australia for two months and do things like ride horses in a rain forest, pet kangaroos, hold koala bears...Oh yeah wait...all the while building relationships with students to tell them about Christ.

In pursuing a full-time job in counseling, I am not sure when my next tangible missions experience will be. That seems sort of strange. You would think that God would make it clear how my passion for missions and counseling would mix, but He seems content to keep most of those details at bay at this point, which is probably for the best =).

I was praying about this yesterday and I realized for the first time how so many people in the bible had just "normal" jobs. Like farmers, fisherman, wives, fathers, mothers, shepherds, etc. It seems as though they were doing their careers wholeheartedly, however, were also prepared to go and do what God asked of them when His timing was right.

This encouraged me to remember how much God has used me for His glory through missions in my short life so far. I've been with Mission to the World for almost seven years, and in all that time I've helped to coach and recruit missionaries to serve short-term for the gospel. I've gotten to serve elsewhere in Europe and Africa several times. If God has called me to a more secular job that is not directly related to the great commission on the outside, then why not embrace it wholeheartedly as an opportunity to fully do what God has asked as many, many others have done. Meanwhile, I can still be prepared to look for opportunities my job to serve him on a more missional level.

I have gotten interested primarily in how missions can be used in counseling, and there has been several "chance" encounters over the past few months where I have met missionary counselors who live either full-time in the states or abroad, working tiredlessly to serve those who are in full-time ministry and their mental health needs. I got an email just last week about an MTW disaster response team that is sending counselors to Myanmar to work with those effected by the cyclone. My friend Laura D volunteers with the Red Cross and does similar things in the states when tragedy strikes.

How will God use me in this? I do not know. But I do know that even if I never live 100% in another country as a missionary, there are still plenty of ways that He can use me just as I am here in Hotlanta.