The beginning of something great?

The road leading to ministry was a long and winding road, one filled with many side tracks. I ran from it to the extent I tried to do it my way and when you try and fight God about your ways...well...you lose 100% of the time.

The past couple years have tought me that it is necessary to be in tune with God. At one moment you could be in one place and then in another moment be somewhere else. The side roads of life can be painful ones but graciously we have a God who can steer us back on track. The reason I write this tonight is because I could be on another journey. After taking an eye opening mission trip to Seville, Spain three months ago, I have felt a calling to go back overseas. At first I believed these feelings were more of an emotional high out of the fact I had an amazing time while gone. A new place, new people and a new opportunity.

Over the past three months since returning I have had feelings come and go and they re-surfaced last week when a former missionary to South Africa came to Beaver Dam to speak to the high school students. He was speaking because our church is sending a team of high school and college students to South Africa next summer! Was I ready to jump on that ship? You bet! But while this guy was talking questions began forming in my mind that would cause me to be hesitate;
Do I continue to take short term trips to discover where I feel lead to?
Do I take a long term trip so that I endure the lonely days when no one close is around?
What happens if the first time I experience one of those days it's with a family?
After having the opportunity to speak one on one with this missionary, I again felt the same intense feelings of going back overseas as I had felt once I came home from Spain.

So the next question is this, when and where God? Lord willing the answer to the first part of that question will be next fall. The second part is yet to be determined but after some wise counseling I have decided to do this, just do something! One thing I've learned is that God will not just give you all the answers. Sometimes you have to get up, make a move and trust God will get you where you were intended to go in the first place.

So here I am and here it goes....is this the beginning of something great? How can I best serve with what I have? My prayer as I continue to decipher the thoughts in my heart and mind is that I will ultimately be open to the Lord's word. A quote that I hold close says this, "Taking risks can be daunting. But most often the most rewarding journeys begin with uneasy and faultering first steps." Something great? Absolutely! The worst thing I could do with the desires I have is to not do anything at all.