Headed North

Our little family of four (and enough luggage for about 10 people) piled into our Kia this morning and headed north to attend our missions training at the TEAM headquarters in Carol Stream, IL (about 35 miles west of Chicago). With every mile, I became more aware of the magnitude of this calling to missions work in Italy. Until now, it has almost felt hypothetical or like something that would happen someday, but not anytime soon.

However, today I could no longer deny that this journey is hurtling forward at a speed that is a little uncomfortable at times. But in doubting moments, when I question that this call is truly of God, I look back and see what He has done to bring us to this place and how He has prepared us for this task. So, we press forward towards the next step of obedience.

Tomorrow afternoon, we start an intensive, week-long training to teach us how to raise support, minister to people cross-culturally, and all sorts of other things that missionaries need to know that I have no clue about yet. And while there is a part of me that is terrified, the rest of me knows that this is the plan the Lord had for me when He formed me in the womb and that excites me more than I can ever express. I have learned over the last couple of years that the center of God's will is the most wonderful place to be, so I take the next step in this journey with the Lord and wait to see what He's going to do next. I have a feeling that it's going to be an amazing ride...