::How I Got Here:: [Part Two]

[Part One]

The day I realized that the world went beyond my fingertips...

Beyond my family...

Beyond school and catchy camp songs...

That's a day I'll never forget.

via

I sat in an old chapel, surrounded by other girls just like me - campers, enjoying a week away from parents in the great outdoors, singing songs and braiding hair - oh, the life of a 3rd grader.  

But all the sudden, I changed.  As a woman shared with us about her life as a Missionary, I was suddenly alone, just me and God. I don't remember the details of what she said, but I knew then what I was supposed to do.

I was going to be a missionary when I grew up.

I had never before heard of a missionary.  I was amazed at the stories I was told in that little chapel of people living around the world, some in dangerous places, just to tell others about Jesus. 

This would be my future.

The first thing I did when I got home was tell my parents what I had decided.  I'm sure, as any parent of a 3rd grader would, mine thought this was very cute.  But the desire never left me.  

All throughout school, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would always answer with 

"a mom and a missionary." 

In fact, as graduation drew near, my desired "profession" loomed over me as I tried to figure out the next step.  My parents encouraged me to get a college degree, and since I had no idea how to become a missionary anyways, I signed up for a journalism degree.  My plan, you see, was to use journalism to somehow get into the mission field. 

Oh my plans.  How funny.

God had a different plan, but I was so happy He did.  After 2 years at college, I found out about a college who was starting a Mission Program!  So, to The Baptist College of Florida I went...

[I now realize that being a missionary is something we are all instructed to do as Christians.  I think it is so important to teach young people about missions.  Don't let it be something they think some stranger does in some far away land!   It's not a calling. It's a command.  For us all.  Acts 1:8 says that "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere -- in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."]

To Be Continued...