Today is my first day back to seminary. I cannot believe I have been on this journey for a year now! Incredible. For those of you that don't know me too well, you may know I'm in seminary but not know why. I am currently working towards my Master's in Non-Profit Christian Leadership at Asbury Theological Seminary in Orlando.
About two years ago I had been toying with the idea of going back to school to get my master's. I was looking into schools, degrees and praying about what I should do. I was really thinking I would go for a Master's in exercise health and fitness. I thought partnered with my journalism degree, it would allow me to write books or articles, be a trainer and the like. But if you know God, you know that attempting to make decisions for your own life often proves to send you on a path you absolutely wouldn't have guessed. There's a saying, if you want hear God laugh, tell him your plans...
I heard Him cracking up.
The more time I spent leading youth and giving my time and attention to the things of God, the more my heart changed-- my desires changed. I knew I wanted more for my life. I wanted to do something bigger than myself. Bigger than making money or achieving that "American dream". Now don't get me wrong, when I thought God was telling me to go to seminary, I cried... hysterically. I didn't think I could do it; I didn't know if I really wanted to. I definitely argued with God. Seems silly now of course, we all know who was going win that one.
So here I am, going into my second year of seminary, still clueless as to where this whole adventure is going to lead me but completely fulfilled knowing I'm following through with what God has called me to do. I am devoted to his purposes, to loving and living and learning all for Him. To making sacrifices and making mistakes; to living grace and loving to a fault. The thing about God is he never asks for perfection. His expectations for us aren't that we achieve some specific goal but that we strive to do better. To step up, recognize our flaws and faults. To rid ourselves of selfishness and mediocrity and instead live out the things we know to be true. He calls us to do hard things.
Seminary has been hard. It has stretched me financially, mentally and I've been forced to rely on my faith in God's will and purpose. Still, he presses me to do hard things and in four months I'm onto the next hard thing. For quite a while I have felt God calling me to step out of my "comfort zone" and into the unknown; overseas missions.
I have worked with the youth and young people locally for over three years now and it has been the best thing I have ever done. I have seen teens lives change and grow and experience hardships. I have been out in the world with them as we reach out to the poor, needy, hungry and lost. I have travelled to the mountains of Jamaica and seen God change a community through the prayer, play, and the hard work of strangers who became family. The hard stuff offers reward.
I am leaving the comforts of my bed, family, friends and life here, to walk into a country where I don't know anyone, the language, or really what God will have me do. I am going to Poland for 10 weeks through the Edge program of Pioneers USA. Pioneers is an organization that sends out long term missionaries into regions where there is little to no knowledge of who Jesus is. These "nationals" as they are called, build and establish REAL friendships and relationships with the people of these regions with the hopes that their stories of transformation and their genuine love, will overtime, lead to the ability to share God with them. The Edge program sends out young adults for short term missions (6-10 weeks) to go in support of these nationals. I am going to build relationships with young people, learn their language, learn about their lives and become their friends in hopes that my life and Christ in me will bring the opportunity to show them His love and saving sacrifice. I'm not "bringing" God to Poland--he is already there, I'm only an example of how His grace works in the lives of ordinary, messed up people.
There is much more to tell about what I'll be doing, why I'm going and what it means for my life, so if you desire to know more, I will have a page designated "POLAND" which will give you more insight into my journey up later this week.
So I'll end with a question, a challenge even for some...
Not everyone is called to travel half way across the world, but everyone is called to live for more than yourself. What hard thing is God asking you to step up to? It could be as simple as forgiving someone or being bold in your faith. Maybe it's just giving Him a shot in your life or believing in Him all together. Maybe it's as simple as giving up time to feed the poor or getting to know a neighbor. It could be buying less for yourself, to give to those who need it. So what if it's hard or you're unsure or don't want to... Stop chasing mediocrity. Is it worth the risk of losing whatever God has planned for your life? Are you sure you want to choose familiarity and comfort over the radical and hard? Which offers more reward?
Radical. That's what Jesus calls us to be. This video will challenge you. The audio isn't perfect but it is powerful; listen, what is God saying to YOU? It may be hard to watch for some of you; meet the challenge.
Great reads on this subject:
Soul Revolution
Do Hard Things
Don't Waste your Life
Radical
Counterfeit Gods
Change the World
Inspiring
ReplyDeleteSimone.