how it all began

 missions has always been a very important part of my family and its importance has been instilled in not only me, but my three siblings as well. for about the past ten years, my family has gone down to north carolina for an average of ten days. however, while down there we don’t do the “normal vacation-y” stuff, we volunteer at the jaars center which is part of wycliffe bible translators. i am usually assigned to housekeeping with my mom and sister, but i have also served in the day care they have for the missionary kids as well as the kitchen. i have also been a part of a team of a little more than 20 students and leaders that went to costa rica for a short term missions trip during the spring of my junior year. it was on that trip i found out about the gap year program and thought it sounded like an amazing opportunity, but it wasn’t for me. i was going to school to be a special education teacher; i had known that since seventh grade. however, god had another plan for my life. it wasn’t until the beginning of my senior year that i really started second guessing my future and questioning whether it was my plan or god’s. it was october, during the mission’s conference, that i knew for sure i was being called back to costa rica. it started off with a skit that i had been asked to be a part of.  my character was in the position of figuring out what she was going to do with her life and was having a conversation with God. i don’t think i ever expected that skit, any skit for that matter, to be so real and life changing. God really used that skit to speak to me. it was so amazing to realize how clearly i could hear him. but it wasn’t until a week or two after that that i really committed my future to God.  i was still holding onto my plan of going right to college, it was comfortable. not too long after that i was at youth group and the worship set that night was so convicting and i knew that i had to give my plans to God and let him lead me. the song that really affirmed God was calling me back to costa rica was i will follow you by chris tomlin.

where you go, i'll go
where you stay, i'll stay
when you move, i'll move
i will follow...

all your ways are good
all your ways are sure
i will trust in you alone
higher than my side
high above my life
i will trust in you alone

where you go, i'll go
where you stay, i'll stay
when you move, i'll move
i will follow you
who you love, i'll love
how you serve i'll serve
if this life i lose, i will follow you
i will follow you
light unto the world
light unto my life
i will live for you alone
you're the one i seek
knowing i will find
all i need in you alone, in you alone

in you there's life everlasting
in you there's freedom for my soul
in you there joy, unending joy
and i will follow