I'm Leaving the Country.

     Next Friday, I am leaving sweet little Oxford.  I'm leaving Grenada.  I'm leaving Mississippi.  I'm leaving all of the comforts, safety, and security of home, and I'm going to Matamoros, Mexico.

     Early last year, after Christ radically transformed my life, I began saying that I felt a strong calling to "go on a mission trip."  I wasn't sure exactly what that would look like, and, aside from a few summer camps, I'd never really gone on a mission trip, much less out of the country.  I began praying about it, and really seeking out what the Lord had for me or what I was being called to, and, in the fall of last year, my eyes were opened wide.  You see, what I took to be a calling to "go on a mission trip" was so much more than that.  God revealed to me through His Word that this was not simply a calling for a trip or a week-long adventure in some foreign country; rather, as my life was transformed last year, He placed a burning desire and passion within me to share the Gospel to share these life-transforming truths to any and everyone that I possibly could.  If Jesus could take a dirty, roughed-up, beaten-down, depressed sinner like me and bring me to life as a new creation in His image, oh, I can't even imagine how He could transform entire groups, cities, states, and nations for His glory!

     Long-story-short, this deep-rooted passion led me to attend a follow-up meeting after Orphan Care Sunday at Pinelake.  At this meeting, we were given information about the various ways to serve and GO to help spread the Gospel of Christ among the nations.  When I picked up the sheet, one trip in particular stood out to me.. Matamoros-- July 1 - 6.  I can't explain why this trip stuck out or anything like that aside to say that I believe God has big things in store.  We will be spending the week serving and working in the Matamoros Children's Home.

     So, that is one-week from today.  One-week from today, I will be getting on a bus for a 12-hour ride to Matamoros, and I could not be more excited.  Well, that was the case until this morning...  This morning, as soon as I woke up, I was flooded with attacks from the Enemy.  "You have one-week to get ready."  "You don't know these people."  "What if they don't like you?"  "What if you lose your passport?"  "What if you get sick?"  "You know what you did yesterday, how you messed up-- how can you share the Gospel when you're a dirty sinner yourself?"  "God can't use you." 

     I was flooded with lie after lie, and, for a moment, I let them sink in.. much deeper than I should have.  When I caught that they were lies from the Enemy, I decided to combat these lies and to seek out the truths from my God in His Word.  As I dug into the Word, the Holy Spirit nudged me... Why are you going on this mission trip?  I gave all of the "reasons" that I had in my heart for going... to love on kids, to share the Gospel, to serve others... But I still felt the nudge... Why?  The Great Commission came to mind.  So, I opened my Bible to Matthew 28:18-20, and this is what I read:

"And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"

Boom.  There it was.  Why am I going?  Because I am a transformed child of God, and Jesus has called us to rise up and Go!, to rise up and make disciples of all nations, to teach them to observe Christ's commands.  That's why.  I'm following my Savior.  I'd read these verses so many times.  They are repeated over and over when churches are preparing for mission work.  They were quoted over and over in every David Platt book I've read, but, until this morning, these words had not come alive to me.  They were a command yes, but they were a command for the few that Jesus called into full-time missions-- not for little old me that was going on a mission trip for a week.  

Then, it hit me.  Again.  These commands are for me, and, child of God, they are for you too!  It's not over.  Our job is not finished.  Christ has called us ALL to reach the nations for His glory.  He has not just called the select few.  We are all in this.  So, then, this enormous, daunting command, became real, and apparent to me, and, being honest, this began to scare me to death.  It wasn't until I watched the John Piper video (linked below) that I understood that this command was not isolated.  It is surrounded by promises!  Did you get that?!  I may not have it all together but Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth, and HE is with us ALWAYS.  Peace.  Instant peace.  No more worrying.  No more stressing.  Jesus, the creator, the Savior, the One who defeated death, He is with us.  He is with me.  That's it.  I'm ready.  No matter what may come, He has won.  He is a shield about me.  He is my protection.  So, I can honestly say, as Paul did from his prison cell in Philippians 4, that I can be content in all circumstances, and I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

If you have a chance, I encourage you to watch this video as John Piper exposits Matthew 28:18-20-- good stuff.

So, with all of this being said, please keep our team in your prayers as we go.  Please pray for the children and adults that we interact with.  Please pray for lives to be transformed.  Please pray for servants hearts and for direction and discernment.  Please pray for Christ's glory and the Gospel to be proclaimed through our words and our actions.

For His glory alone,

-Kayla