Okay...get ready for a long post! I just realized I say that a lot (okay). I also have a propensity to use (...) quite a bit as well. I make no apology for this as I find it an effective way to communicate the dramatic...and not so dramatic pause! And that concludes this brief sidebar. Now, "fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy (long) night (post)!"
So starting up where I left off! I was ready for missions! I just needed to figure out where, when, with what organization and for how long...no biggie! "Oh no! This my friends is what we call a 'biggie'!" There are so many options out there! Which makes finding a really good one difficult. I went to short term missions.com which is like a giant search engine for missions! However as I read through many of them there seemed to be an emphasis on the adventure aspect of it as opposed to the mission itself! Which if you know me at all you know that I am not apposed in the slightest to an adventure, however I didnt want to turn God's call to ministry overseas to some sort of travel adventure thing to satisfy my cravings! Then by chance (and by chance I mean the Lord sovereignly guided me [without my knowledge] to type in Africa missions) which popped up the sight AIMINT.org. I went to the sight and was flabbergasted! Wow! What a fun word...flabbergasted....I mean..ok quick sidebar. Flabber........gasted...what does that even mean? I know the definition is to be astonished or amazed but broken down...does it literally mean your flabber is gasted? Or that you gasted your flabber? Something for you to ponder this afternoon. Annnnnd were back.
So I found the AIM sight and it was just really really neat! It is very Christ-centered and you really feel their heart for the unreached people of Africa! I spent hours pouring over the website, watching the videos, reading the missionary blogs, and reading all about their mission opportunities. I found a spot to fill one of those generic interest forms so I submitted that and then went to sleep. The next morning I had two emails from AIM (yay!)The first was just a generic "thank you for filling out and interest form etc" the second email was quite a bit different! I began reading it expecting yet another generic response informing me of the next steps to take. What I found was a very kind and extremely personal email to me from one of AIM's regional directors Warren Day. He thanked for for contacting AIM and provided me with more information regarding possible assignments and then he told me he actually lives in the Twin Cities! And that he regularly meets with students at Panara which is like 5 minutes from my house! What are the odds?? God was definitely in this! He said he would love to meet with me and learn more about me and vice versa for me to learn more about AIM. So I emailed him back told him about myself briefly and said I would love to meet with him! He called me that night and set up a meeting the next morning! God doesn't waste time!
We met the next morning at Panara and it was wonderful! He was so warm and encouraging! We talked for about and hour and ended it with him encouraging me to fill out an application and send it in. Once that was completed he would set up an "official" interview. So while I was working on the application, which was pretty involved, God continued to confirm this was the path He had for me! I am just so amazed at how gracious He is!
Here are a few of the ways the Lord continued to confirm missions and specifically AIM in my heart! I had been downloading several of John Piper's sermons onto my ipad and I when I began listening to one I realized it was the message that had affected me so much and started me on this path. And I then noticed something I hadn't before. Piper's opening illustration was about non other than the founder of Africa Inland Missions! How cool is that? Or maybe it is just cool to me! Then one of my references told me their neighbors were going to Africa with AIM and another reference had actually been to Africa with AIM several years ago! This was just neat to have more confirmation that this was a good choice! And as far as missions in general it seems like every sermon lately has been on missions. Even when I went out to visit my parents in CA and visited their church the sermon was on missions! It was like God was saying...yes this is what I want you to do and I want to make it very clear!
I am just so excited! I don't think I can adequately convey how exciting it is to have this passion for God in my heart and to see so clearly His direction in my life! He has given me such a desire to show His love and compassion to the people of Africa and more importantly to share the glorious news of His gospel!
So, I sent in my application and met with Warren again for our interview. It could not have gone better! He is so excited to have me join AIM and had so much wisdom and encouragement to offer me! If I can get all of my references etc in, in the next week or so I could be receiving my assignment in Oct!!
I will talk a little more about where and when once I know more, but my desire would be to work in Chad with vulnerable women and teenage girls with a departure date of June 2012 for 4-6 months!
I appreciate your prayers as I continue this journey!
- Flabbergasted at the awesomeness of God! -
No comments:
Post a Comment