“How I was called to the Mission Field”

When I was younger, my family owned a book called Hero’s of Faith. It was a biography of all the famous missionaries, preachers and servants of God. We would read it as a family every night before bed. I remember just soaking up the stories of Corrie Ten Boom, Amy Carmichael, Gladys Aylward, and Florence Nightingale. I wanted to do something great like they did! I think reading those stories is what started that spark in my heart for missions.

A few years later I attended a Missions Fest in Canada and listend to a speaker talk about his ministry in Africa. It felt like my heart had come home. From that point on, I felt God call me to Africa in a special way. I didn’t know if I would ever go overseas, but I knew that I was called to pray for the children of Africa, and also the Missionaries that served there.

 

After some years went by and things happened in my life, I kind of buired my dream for missions. I made some plans and didn’t think twice about doing them, because they were what I was expected to do. (Aka. college, work, and family obligations)  Everything was going okay, but after awhile I was starting to feel frustrated and depressed. I thought that God had opened the door but I felt like I wasn’t going any where. I was just struggling with what I was supposed to do with my life, my plans weren’t working out like I thought. Now what was I going to do?

 

I just want to say, that God is a caring God!! He knows your inmost dreams and hopes. And he knew about the dream that I had hidden for so long. So, He very softly, began wispered into my heart and slowly built up the fire that had been put aside. Not long after that, I was introduced to AIM and the upcomming trip to Kenya. I was excited because Kenya had always been where I would have wanted to go if I went to Africa. But I wasn’t sure. I prayed and asked God to show me what His will was. I was so confused as to what the future held.

God has a great sense of humor, I know, because later that month, while I was at the Library, a book fell off of the shelf at my feet. It was a travel book that said…”Kenya, Africa” I started to laugh and cry as I picked it up and read it. I felt Jesus speak to me, “Paige, do you trust me? Then give me your plans, and let me give you mine.” Out of all the books to fall! The people passing me probably thought I was crazy..=) But  I knew that God had given me a sign, and the reason I was feeling so down and confused was because I wasn’t trusting God with my future, and releasing to Him all my “plans”, fears, and insecurities.

At that point, I was like, “Okay Jesus, I think you may be leading me to go on a mission trip..” =)

In the time after that, God used many other things to show me his direction toward missions. And I am so grateful at how he has provided for me each step of the way.

 

I thought that I knew what I was supposed to do. But Jesus knew me better. And now, I am so excited and humbled at the opportunity to be used as a missionary for Christ. I know that God is still growing me in my walk with Him, and I can’t wait to see what he has planned for me (and all of us!)  in the comming months!

 

 

Blessings and Prayers,

 

Paige Mackie