Isn't it funny?

I find it sometimes downright entertaining how God goes about doing things. This last semester right into this semester is one such example.

My church is very missions driven. Honestly, I love it, but at first I resisted it. I didn't see the need for me to be involved. I had friends who were so why should I have to go, also? Someone's gotta stay here, right? Ugh. Yeah..sure.

Last semester, I met a boy named Jonathan who definitely challenged me to see missions differently. I was becoming more and more open to the idea but still resisted how much my church pushes missions. Really, it's nothing over the top. It's a good amount of pushing but I was resisting like no other. Then, at school, we had a speaker named David Platt who REALLY pushed us to realize that missions is a calling and that really, nowhere is "home" except for Heaven so why are we so concerned about where we are on this earth?

So David Platt pushed me to really realize that it is a command and that, really, I had been forcing down this huge desire to go. I have a gift for learning languages, I love people, my spiritual gift is encouragement, and I want other people to know the Christ I know. I want to go places, understand cultures, spread His glory, and love on people around the world. I was finally admitting it...

Then one Sunday at church, my friend Dain spoke about his trip to Rwanda. I remember with a surprising amount of clarity how much a statement of his struck me. The dumb choice on my part was to not write what that statement was. That is frustrating to me tonight because I really wish I did. However, I have some clues. I did write the following three statements:

1) "Sidenote: I just need to sign up. God will provide. Get over my fears and obey. Funny how your biggest fears become your greatest passion."

2) "Signed up: Southeast Asia. Greatest fear: Missions."

3) "Yet another push in the right direction of what I've been struggling with..."

Anyway, whatever Dain said pushed me that very day to sign up for a missions trip that was being offered. I didn't know Dain at the time, but then, he signed up for the same trip. I've gotten to hang out with him a few times. It's funny how God uses people you don't know, allows you to know them, and then just seems to bring things full circle.

Thanks, Dain, for that last little push. God is really working through you.