Approximately 12 months ago, I submitted my application for the Mission Volunteer program. Thank the Lord I did. It’s been one crazy journey, one that had way too many loops and curves, turns and drops. But Praise God. Praise God for allowing that application essay to materialize, and for that initial interview with the Area Governance Team. I can still remember so vividly how nervous I was. I can still remember fellow MV (and now seminarian) Kris Gardiner saying, “Thea, He’s got crazy big plans for you. I have a feeling His mission for you is going to put you somewhere beyond the GTA.” And man, was Kris right.
In twelve months I’ve traveled to the Philippines twice, Montreal, and Vancouver. I’ve attended the International Leaders Conference for the 2nd year in a row, the Global Leaders’ Summit, the World Great Adventure Tour (CAN x AUS edition), and the North American Leaders’ Summit. All with close to nothing in my bank account. Still with close to nothing in my bank account. But, Praise God.
Because of this program, I’ve made a lot of lifelong true friends…. And I’ve also had to let go of the longest running love. To make more room for THE greatest love I’d ever come to find. I’ve discovered more about myself than I would have liked- having to face the ugly past and the scary future. But, Praise God.
Never could I have imagined being where I am now.
Not now, not then, not ever. But, Praise God.
I entered this program knowing it was geared towards DISCERNMENT- the process of determining God‘s desire in a situation or for one’s life. What I kept forgetting however was that in order to do this, all my doors had to stay open. Just because Christ showed me one option, it didn’t mean that the rest were irrelevant. I became so fearful of making a mistake that I ended up sitting on the fence for a lot of things. I waited, thinking that if I was patient enough God’s plan would just fall on my lap.
But what I realize now is that, it’s better to make a decision than no decision at all. God wants me to be happy, wants us to be happy which is why He gave us free will. Brothers and sisters that is the BEAUTY which I failed to see in my journey as a MV. Regardless of what I chose to do, God would meet me there. God would still hold my hand. God would still smile on me. God would still choose me.
Christ’s birth and death on the cross meant we have the freedom to choose. To choose what we do with the time and the life He has blessed us with. We have the freedom to love in whatever capacity we have, which ever way we can, and however we want to. We have the freedom to love our God in the ability to choose how our lives are lived.
Praise God.
Twelve months later and this is what I take away from this program:
Choosing Christ means that you will never be empty handed. You will always have both hands full of His grace, blessings and many gifts. Making life decisions with God in mind means that you win every single time. Invest 100% and you gain an interest of 1000x. God has mastered the art of happiness; He always looks at how He can fulfill as many of your heart’s desires in one given situation- even the desires you hid, the desires you never realized you still kept. He does this, so that we can realize the true value of our life in His eyes. His heart beats for ours, bleeds for ours, and builds for ours.
“Israel, the Lord who created you says: ‘Do not be afraid- I will save you. I have called you by name- you are mine.” ISAIAH 43:1
I enter 2014 with a heart full of love, a life full of hope and a mind set on the truth that my faith is the greatest gift I have to offer this world. And I gladly end 2013 with thoughts of a message God revealed to me, the last line of His first love letter:
