The Journey Begins!

A few months ago my pastor spoke about being a traveler, not an arriver. A traveler revels in the changes, loves the adventure of the unplanned and the unknown. An arriver has only the destination in mind and is thrown when things change and shift. Easy enough for me, right? I have a wanderlust, I love adventure. I want to travel and have unplanned and unexpected things happen. Part of this desire is what God used to call me to missions. And this certainly helped me approach all of my plans with an open hand to the Lord. I was beyond excited when during orientation with GEM it became clear to me He was calling me to Scotland, not Paris. (more on that in a bit) So I can be a traveler through a journey, on a trip, but can I be one in life? For example, can I be content when things don't change as quickly as I would like them to? Do I seize every opportunity and love every minute until God provides for me to be overseas? Honestly, no, not always. I am fighting the urge to see this time as a waiting period. I struggle with not wanting to build new friendships because I'll be leaving soon. I haven't been promised an arrival in Scotland, a spouse, children, or anything else we might wait for. I do have many promises though, that He will complete the work He has started in me,  that He has plans for me, He will work everything together for my good (to make me more Christ-like, this ain't no prosperity gospel!) that I am His child, my identity, my joy, and my completion are in Him. I require nothing else. My theme song for this season is "Be Thou My Vision." That is my prayer that I would stand firm and be blinded to the rest of the world by the great glory of the Lord.

I know a lot of you haven't heard about the shift in plans yet, so here's the news! I had confirmation to continue on the path I was on when I went to Lille this summer, you all know that. But I always had it on my heart to approach it all with an open hand. To be receptive to Him changing things and for me to cling to Him, not my plans. During orientation a few weeks ago I started feeling the old familiar longing for Ireland or Scotland. I've always been in love with that area and culture. But I genuinely have a love for France as well. It started more in late high school though as I started diving into art history. I also think the language is beautiful and took it in college. I wasn't hesitant at all about it at all. But my love for Ireland and Scotland runs deeper, to a more personal and private part of my heart. It's hard to explain. It just fits my soul. I didn't entertain thoughts of switching my destination however. I've been confident this whole time that the Lord would lead me and I didn't see it anywhere. No one had suggested Scotland. Until the Tuesday during orientation. Someone on staff sat next to me during lunch. We chatted about my heart for the arts in ministry and he had recently spoken with the team leader in Edinburgh ( I use the term "team" loosely, since it's a brand new field for GEM and his family are the only ones there) and saw his heart for the arts. Immediately I was overjoyed. After much prayer though I have decided this is definitely God's plan, that I pursue this. As I mentioned before though, I don't know the end result and I need to be a traveler with my life. Seizing every opportunity and enjoying every minute of the journey!