August 23rd I'll be
catching a flight to Michigan. I'll be attending New Tribes Bible
Institute, I can hardly believe it's happening because three years
ago I told myself I couldn't. I ignored the Holy Spirits nudges to
look into the school, I looked into many other missions
possibilities but refused to even look at New Tribes. Tribal
Missions, the most unreached, the conviction and joy sprung up in my
heart at the thought, but I blamed those thoughts and feelings on a
passionate missions teacher. I told myself it's not possible for me,
no way could I, just look at me overweight, unfit, no discipline, way
too shy, and I love some good old American creature comforts. Some
things have changed in three years, but some days, okay most, I just
want to be comfortable or I forget how big and great God is. Recently
I've been feeling doubtful about my choices to go to NTBI so I asked
God to remind me why I'm going, and to show me that it really is His
Will for my life. Right then two verses in my bible study that day
convicted me, with Gods love and desire for all to know Him. But it
didn't end there, one thing after another God spoke to every part of
me, complete with tears at a coffee shop. At a bible study the
teacher said “Why don't we want to go further for the Lord?”.
Those words opened the floodgates of memory in me.
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| Tears at a coffee shop |
Just a year ago I was working with
youth at a family camp for the summer, God used that summer to once
again push me toward New Tribes as the next step. Starting out that
summer I didn't know what was next, I wasn't sure where I would go or
what I would do when that summer ended. It came to my mind often, but
I had clearly been led to work there for the summer so I knew in Gods
timing I would know where to go next. I often thought about the trip
to Haiti I look earlier that year, I knew I wouldn't be satisfied
with an ordinary life and I didn't want to be.
What would the perfect life look like
in 20 years? What car would you drive? What kind of house? How many
kids? What will matter when you look back at that life in 20 years?
Will the free time and the house really be what was worth it? Perhaps
the money you made? What do you really want your next 20 years to
look like? Those where the questions I pondered every week last
summer as a fellow worker presented a lesson to the kids about what a
life for Christ might look like. I couldn’t ignore it every week he
would ask the kids what their perfect life would look like in 20
years? It made me think about the future in a new light. I was at a
cross roads and planned on working somewhere for a while, it looked a
lot like wasting time because I didn't expect much out of life and I
wanted to stay comfortable. But would I really care about how
comfortable I was looking back on that time? The unreached, lost
people that don't know what Jesus did for them, what about them? Do
you really expect someone else to go? Why not you? It's not about
you. But how cliche to commit your life to missions at a summer camp.
I began to dream of a people, my
brothers, my sisters, lost. Would I not seek out to find my own flesh
and blood brother or sister on this earth. What if it was my
spiritual brother or sister and they are lost from my eternal family.
How could I not give up every comfort here to have them for eternity.
If I really believe in God, Jesus, Heaven, Hell, everything spoken of
in this book the Bible. Why wouldn't I give up everything on this
earth for the things that matter in my eternal home? Why would I let
creature comforts ever have a say in my choices, when Jesus told us
this isn't our home, we will face persecution, it won't be easy, drop
your nets, come follow me, I will make you fishers of men. Really, go
make disciples of all nations, and for goodness sake stop being
afraid, the great I Am is with you.
That is the really short version, there
is so much more I could say, but those are the parts of the story
I'll leave you with for now. Please continue to pray for me and the
work God already has planned. Please pray for upcoming school
expenses to be provided for, as of April 20th $880 has
come into my scholarship account, approximately $4,480 is what I will
need for my first semester. Also pray for finances for CEF here in
Lewis County, for the funds to come in for fair, camp and other
summer expenses.
A scholarship has been set up with my
church for those of you who would like to help financially with my
missions training. Gifts can be sent to Faith Community Bible Church
/ 3648 F Street / Bremerton WA 98312. Gifts will be tax deductible.
Please make checks out to Faith Community Bible Church and add a note
designating the gift is for “Mission Training: Josephine”.
Josephine
