A Jesus Adventure...

Oh how I am longing for a Jesus Adventure!  One that goes beyond the 4 walls of the church and most importantly, one that goes beyond the 4 walls of my house.  I want a real life adventure.  There is a yearning within that I just can't explain. 

It's odd really, because I've never been the type of person who was ever interested in being a missionary. In fact, I remember distinctly one Sunday morning when I was young, while listening to a missionary from Africa speak, thinking & silently praying "Lord, please don't ever call me to be a missionary to live in another country away from my home." Just the thought of it made me queasy.   Oh, how the Lord Jesus changes your heart towards such things. 

For the last 2 years, the Lord has done a number on me.  Do I feel called to be a long term missionary in another country, No.  However, do I feel the call to go do mission work in another country, Yes!!  
My best friend, Erin and I, have had our hearts set afire for a few specific places...India and Cambodia to just name a few.  We attended the "Ignite 2009" Christian Music Festival, in th spring of 2009 and while there, we were introduced to a ministry that told the story of a 12 year old girl who was a victim of child slavery (sex trafficking), sold by her parents to a brothel to bring in money for the family income.  This ministry had rescued her out of this brothel and put her in a 'Healing House', where they minster to girls like her, help them to heal & trust again, teach them a trade and most importantly teach these girls about the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.  

I remember sitting in tears, in shock and in horror as we heard the story of this little girl and MANY other little girls who have been & are being sold into sex trafficking by there families.  I'd never heard of anything so horrible before. I had NO idea that anything like this was even going on out there in the world. Where had I been?  This hit me like a ton of bricks and I wanted to hop on a plane right then and there and go fight & rescue those little girls myself.    A bonfire was lit inside of me that very moment and I was bound and determined to get my arms around those little girls one day.  And so, at that very moment, the Lord Jesus grabbed hold of my heart & my selfish desires and whispered to me... I have a plan for you.  And it's been ever since, that I've been trying to find a way to get to both India & Cambodia. 

Erin, my best friend, left a little over a week ago for India and she will be there for the next year doing mission work with a church. I am so excited for her. The more stories & pictures I see of the work she is doing already has re-lit that fire within me. Timing for me hasn't worked out for me to leave and do mission work, but I know that it's not my timing, but God's timing... His timing is PERFECT!  So perfect that, I am currently working on raising funds to go to India in July!  I have a time frame that is working out and I am ready...  Looks like we're gearing up to have a Jesus Adventure after all, and I couldn't be more excited!!!    

A glimpse into some of the mission work I can't wait to get my arms around!!

GROOVEWOMAN