Thoughts Before I Leave

Here I am again, a familiar place. Excitement and anxiety mix together in my chest. It is almost time. In a matter of hours, I will board a plane to Georgia, leaving everything once again for 5 months. 

Life feels unpredictable sometimes. A few years ago I was working a normal 9 to 5 job. I had rent, bills, a car. I was living the life I thought I was supposed to live. And then, out of the silence, God told me to leave. And so I did. With a pack that was way too heavy, I stepped into the unknown with 15 other strangers. To make everything even crazier, it was in the midst of a global pandemic. 

Nothing was certain. We started in the states because traveling internationally wasn’t an option. The image I held of what my life as a missionary would look like was shattered before we even boarded the plane for our first stop in Chicago. This wasn’t supposed to look this way. But sometimes when we choose to follow God, our reality becomes different than what we expected. 

But we kept going. And in the new year, we were able to travel internationally. We traveled to four different countries, spending 6 weeks to 2 months in each place. We met incredible people and partnered with local organizations. We fed people, prayed for people, and tutored kids. We spread the love of Jesus while experiencing God in new ways. It was like nothing I could have ever imagined. 

At the end of it all, I didn’t want to leave. The 15 strangers were family. I wanted to keep going. Tasting the goodness of God is intoxicating. Experiencing biblical community is captivating. There is nothing like following His call. 

And now I am here. Packed and ready. Life is unpredictable. But God is not. He is always faithful. He will continue the work that He started. I am ready. Are you?