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Here we are, 5 months in to the New Year
and I’m still feeling as if it just started. But I’m so thankful that God’s holding time in His hands, because it
always seems to escape from mine. :] Ecc.
3:1 says there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity
under heaven. This reminds me that I’m
in a certain season of life right now, as all of you are. I have a tendency to
try and work things out before their time has come, and God has been showing me
to live day by day. To live more simply and not complicate things as I am so
good at doing, knowing that there is a time for everything, and everything
in its time.
While spending time with my Heavenly Father these
past months, He has revealed to me many things. Many amazing things!! And I
would briefly, if possible, like to share with you all.
I don’t really know where to begin, so the month
of January seems as good as any. I can almost break it down into 3 parts. My call. My
vision. My future.
My Call… I
believe every person has a call of God on his or her life. Some may be better
listeners than others, but God is always speaking to us through His Spirit.
Lately (after 22 years of life), I’ve learned what it means to be attentive to
His Spirit and listen to what He’s been
saying all this time. For one, He has
told me that I am His daughter, dearly loved, and highly favored. No one can
tell me otherwise. And two, He has chosen to reveal to me the desires of my
heart, but only after I sought after Him with my whole self.
There are 2 major calls on my life. First, there is one that
all of us as believers share-a call
to fulfill the great commission - Matt 28:16-20…
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always,
to the very ends of the age."
The second is a personal call. "My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish His work" --John 4:34. Many
of you know I had been going to school to major in photojournalism before I
came to Arkansas in the fall of 2010. I may even still do that. However, while
being in Arkansas, God had shown me things about myself I was afraid to admit,
because I knew that if I did, it would mean a life of complete surrender and many
challenges. But He also showed me that it would be a life full of blessing in
more ways than I could ever imagine. The Lord promises us in Joshua 1:8, to
be careful to practice everything written in His word- that as long as we do,
we will be prosperous and successful.
With that, I firmly
believe God has called me to missions.
To what extent that means, I don’t know yet. I am simply obedient. He’s given me a passion
and a heart for missions and for the world -- a desire for all people and every
nation to worship Him, like Rev.5:9 talks
about. And that brings me to what’s next…
My vision… This, in
some capacity, is to mobilize and train up younger adult leaders to go and
spread the gospel across the nations. Someone challenged me once by saying that
anyone can go and do missions, but not everyone
can train up missionaries—not to where they are being discipled so they can
go and make disciples of all nations. And if our goal is to just “go”, yet not
to “make”, than we’re missing the whole point of the great commission! In order to do this, I realize that I need to
be equipped and trained first. Which brings me to the last thing I wanted to
share with you all…
My future… The
practical thing to do now would be to go back to college and finish up my
major. But to strive towards the practical has never really suited me. Nor has
God called me to a life of practical living. So for the moment, the only thing
I’m sure of is getting as much training for the future as I possibly can.
In light of
what God’s shown and made available to me, this summer I plan to attend a world
Christian training school called the “IT Project” (IT-Intensive Training) in
Pasadena, California —June 7th through July 26th. “IT” is sponsored by The
Traveling Team, a non-profit, non-denominational ministry, who travel across
the US sharing the biblical basis for missions and God’s heart for the world
with college students.
Their summer
project, “IT”, is designed to help people, like me, grow in their knowledge of
God’s Word, World, and Work. I will be
taking the “Perspectives” course held at the US Center for World Mission, which is a 4 week course on the
biblical basis for missions, the history of missions, and mission’s
strategies. I’ll also be spending three
weeks visiting local temples and mosques while learning about the other
cultures and their world views, but also getting experience with on the field
evangelism in a very diverse community.
I’ve gotten
a lot of hands on experience with discipleship and the practical side of
leadership in Cadre. However, I would love to have more of a foundation in
mission’s work, and God’s heart for the nations, which is what I hope to gain
this summer from IT project, as well as more direction on where to go next. I
fully trust that He will bless this time.
A
little retrospect… Living in Arkansas the past 2 yrs, attending
“Cadre Leadership Academy”, has been exactly what the Lord knew I needed. I’ve
learned so much about myself, His character, and the practical sides of
leadership. I wouldn’t trade this time for the world. However, He’s given me peace
about coming home to Kansas this fall (after California!). At least for a
while. I am so confident in His leading. He is the most faithful
pursuer—through every season I’m in, even my most unfaithful ones. I am so thankful
for this life I’m living and the people in it. Why He chooses to let me
experience it, I will never understand...
The one passage I
would continually go back to these past few months is from Phil. 4:6-7… “Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present
your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus”. As I meditate on the truth of what it says, my
heart is overwhelmed by His perfect peace that transcends, or goes beyond, all
understanding. That’s something I pray for all of you reading this to
experience as well! There is nothing, and will there never be anything like it
on earth.
Again, I’m so thankful
for all of you! For how you’ve supported me and lifted up my arms through these
seasons of growth. I value every one of you as a gift from God, knowing that He
designed us for relationship. So please write to me if you think of it! I’d
love to hear from you! :]
Until then, I’ll keep
living the adventure and making the most!
All
for the Kingdom,
Ellane
Grace
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