There was a season in my life that I thought for sure I'd be a missionary... in a foreign country.
I spent hours seeking God for the people of the nation He would give me. I thought of the nations of the world and prayed and cried. I set aside time to seek the voice of God and ask His will. I reminded him of his promise to give us the nations. I said, I'm ready! What nation do you want to give me, Lord? Where do you want to send me? Here I am. Send me!
He answered.
He unrolled a flag across my brain. The picture was big and clear. This flag went across the entire surface of my vision. I wept.
I spent hours seeking God for the people of the nation He would give me. I thought of the nations of the world and prayed and cried. I set aside time to seek the voice of God and ask His will. I reminded him of his promise to give us the nations. I said, I'm ready! What nation do you want to give me, Lord? Where do you want to send me? Here I am. Send me!
He answered.
He unrolled a flag across my brain. The picture was big and clear. This flag went across the entire surface of my vision. I wept.
The Star Spangled Banner. My nation. My country.
Here I am Lord. Use me.
This isn't to say I won't ever spend time in other countries or continue to pray for the nations. But MY nation, my assignment, my heart... is America.
When God brought Gary and me together he amazed us with the similarity of our visions. Both of our hearts had been turned to America. We see the unreached people groups of our own nation and we weep.
Life hasn't turned out exactly as I envisioned it. I am a planner and an organizer. But God's ways are not our ways his thoughts are high above. When I thought we would have been full time missionaries to America's teenagers... God said, "Not yet." He turned our eyes once again closer than horizons.
Here I am Lord. Use me.
This isn't to say I won't ever spend time in other countries or continue to pray for the nations. But MY nation, my assignment, my heart... is America.
When God brought Gary and me together he amazed us with the similarity of our visions. Both of our hearts had been turned to America. We see the unreached people groups of our own nation and we weep.
Life hasn't turned out exactly as I envisioned it. I am a planner and an organizer. But God's ways are not our ways his thoughts are high above. When I thought we would have been full time missionaries to America's teenagers... God said, "Not yet." He turned our eyes once again closer than horizons.
He turned our hearts home. He gave us a family. He gave us children and he made it clear they are our mission field.
This isn't to say we won't ever minister to others or fulfill dreams of leading an army in life. But, our field, our assignment, our heart... is first for our family.
Sometimes we may not understand at the time God speaks, why He says what He says. But, He is good and all His ways are perfect. He is trustworthy and His plans for us are for our good and not harm. He has in store for us above and beyond all we could ask or imagine.
Dream big and imagine the impossible- let God not only set the stage but fine tune the destiny. For with man these things are impossible. With God all things are possible. He leads me on level ground. He makes my feet like the feet of the deer, I can stand on the heights. He arms me with strength. My arms can bend a bow of bronze. He trains my hands for war. He sets before me life. My eyes will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. I will lift my hands in worship. I set the Lord always before me. He alone will keep me till the end. He directs the heart of the king like a watercourse, wherever He wants it to go. We are yours Lord. Whom have we in heaven but You? And on earth, there is none like You!