Called to Something Crazy

At this point most people know about our vision to serve in South East Asia on the mission field.  Over the last 3 years God has given us a heart for the nations and a passion for seeing the gospel go to the ends of the Earth.  Patrick and I are excited about an upcoming trip we're taking October where we will visit the capital city of the country where we will live.  We'll meet up with the rest of our team there as we meet and partner with some of the local missionaries who are already busy in ministry.  Our goal is to find out how we can support them long term as we move and minister alongside them.  In a way the purpose of our trip is twofold: one, to learn more about the culture and how we can fit into ministry there, and two, to feel more confident that I will literally survive there.  (Thus far my track record of being healthy in developing world cities isn't stellar.)  So this trip should give us a better idea of what life will be like for us in a couple of years.

Usually the reaction I get when I tell people about this trip is, "You'll be HOW many months pregnant?!"  That's right, we're traveling to one of the largest, most polluted developing word cities on the planet and I'll be seven months pregnant.  Most people balk at this and call me crazy (or worse).  And maybe I am crazy, but honestly this is the life that God has called us to, and being obedient to that calling is a way of putting our complete faith and trust in Him.  God is good, and we believe that he will provide for us and put a hedge of protection around us and our baby.  And if He doesn't?  God is still good.  But we aren't the types to obey God only when it's convenient or safe.  Where in the Bible do you see Jesus promising safety?  Oh wait, nowhere.  So why should we assume that in everything we do we have the right to be safe and healthy 100% of the time?  A huge part of obeying God is about forfeiting our rights to things that we never had a right to in the first place.

When Jesus calls people to follow Him, He calls them to a life of submission.  He also calls them to follow Him even when they're not entirely sure it's safe or that they're going to come out unscathed on the other side.  God doesn't promise us health and prosperity, but he does promise that those who trust and obey Him will be blessed.  And He very well might call us to do some things that seem crazy to people who don't know Jesus, but our goal isn't to look like the rest of the world, it's to be transformed into the image of Christ.  As a mother-to-be I want more than anything for my son to grow up seeing  his mommy and daddy following hard after Jesus and submitting our lives to Him daily.  I want our baby boy to grow up knowing the blessings that come from obedience to God rather than the fear of what other people might say about it.

In Matthew 21 Jesus tells the parable of the two sons.  A father, who owned a vineyard, went to each of his sons asking them to go work the fields.  The first said he'd go but never did, and the second said he wouldn't go but eventually changed his mind and got busy working.  Jesus then asked his hearers which son did the will of his father.  The answer is obvious: the son who went to work in the vineyard.  It's easy to give lip service to the will of God.  It's easy to sit in church or in Bible study or in our quiet time and tell God we want to serve him and follow him.  It's an entirely different thing to get out of your seat, or off your couch and go.  If we merely say things that we think God wants to hear, but we never actually obey his commands, what kind of followers are we?  Are we truly loving and serving God if we only obey so far as it is convenient for us?

Patrick and I want to obey God even when from all angles it looks impossible.  We are fully aware that the road ahead of us is a long and hard one, yet we believe that God is equipping us for the tasks He's called us to.  So rather seeing yet another incredulous look from someone we've shared our vision with, we need friends and family to be supportive and encouraging of the mission God has called us to.  Rather than hearing people say, "Wow, you're crazy" we need them to say, "Wow, that's going to be tough, so I'm going to commit to pray for you everyday."  We need people on our side who will support us and encourage us and help remind us of the Truth of God when we forget it.  Without the support of our friends and family, this road would be much harder, so I hope those of you reading this will choose to be one of our encouragers!!