Jesus is wrecking our lives, but there is nothing else we would want more.
Sean and I met freshman year at the University of Illinois. We dated through the next four years of college, Sean studying Aerospace Engineering and me, elementary education. We were married right after graduation and moved days later to Fort Worth, Texas for a job offer Sean received from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. By the grace of God, I quickly found a fourth grade teaching position at a wonderful school with an especially high-risk population. We have enjoyed three years of the crazy place. Meeting very good friends, attending and involving ourselves in a great church, working dependable and fulfilling jobs, and exploring everything the lone star state has to offer. Here, we are truly blessed. We have a great house, great jobs, great friends, and even a great dog.
But we are filled to be emptied. Blessed to be a blessing.
Two years ago, I decided to go to Danlí, Honduras with a mission team from my new church. There our church, Hillside Community, has worked to plant, support and grow Llamado Eterno (Eternity's Call) Church. In the seven days I spent there, my world was rocked. My heart was broken, but also more in love with a place and a people than it had ever been. I knew, deep in my soul, that trip had changed my life.
That year, a friend and I began to work with the local church in Danlí and our home church in Texas to begin a scholarship program to support the children of the community who cannot afford to attend school. Our goal was to strengthen the community of Danlí by investing into the lives of the poorest of the poor. Giving hope to the people by training up future teachers, policemen, nurses, doctors, lawyers, city planners, and business owners. In its first year, the program was a huge success. With the help of many generous donors, we fully supported 12 children to go to school. The next year, the program grew to twenty and now we look to add even more.
Last year, Sean and I were able to travel together to Honduras. This time, our eyes were opened. We were struck with the need for full-time support in the church and with the Honduras Education Project. We began to dream of a life serving God by going into the world, making disciples, and helping the poor. This dream gripped our hearts, and our desires began to change. Not knowing what to do, we began to pray.
You have called me into the world...
God's "calling" is a funny thing to explain. I suppose it is similar to love in that way. Difficult for those to understand who have never been in love, but perfectly simple to those who have. Once you know you have been called, it is so blatantly obviously to you. Once you know, you know. And it is impossible to orient your life around anything else.
A year later, the summer of 2013, as I traveled for the third time back to my beloved country, God knew it was time. That week, God wrecked my life. I knew I could not go home and return to my normal life. I no longer wanted all the comforts I had been blessed with. My heart desired more than anything to give it all up and live for something far bigger. I wanted to live for God.
I have been beyond blessed with a husband who would follow the Lord into the darkest depths of the earth. He lives purely by faith. I came home to him and explained it all. We both began praying. Hard. On our knees.
God answered. Go.
