Ever since the eighth grade it has been my *dream* to go to Africa and serve the people. I prayed almost every day for the orphans there, and that God would have His hand over their lives. I would pray that, since I couldnt be there serving, that the missionaries God had placed there would truly be God's hands and feet. And I would pray that the Kingdom of the Father would be furthered.. That each day, more and more hearts would come to know the truth of Jesus as our amazing Savior.
I was in 8th grade; I knew that it wasn't time. I knew that God had a special time planned for me to serve Him overseas, and that time wasn't now. The desire in my heart to sneak out and jump on a plane (not actualllyyy, but you get the point) still lay heavy on my heart every day, but I knew that I am called to wait on the Lord. To wait on His perfect timing..
In the ninth grade, my parents took notice of my heart for Africa. My prayer journals were full with uplifting prayers for African families, children, and missionaries-and my parents noticed. Every missions conference, seminar,
class at church-I was there--my parents noticed...So I told them. Nothing crazy. I didn't say I thought God wanted me to go overseas at this point in my life. But I told them that I knew the time would come, and how much of my heart desperately wanted to serve the people of Africa.and when the time came, I was going....they weren't too happy. They thought the idea was crazy.and the risk was insane. And me, in my lack of slowness to speak, told them that God doesn't care about risk. We are called to be PERSECUTED. Jesus DIEDDDD ON A CROSS and I won't take a risk? get ovahhhh yourself Julia! ..But they thought I was too young to know.Since I knew that God didn't want me leaving yet, I took in upon myself to let the Lord equip me. It wasn't time for me to go to Africa, so lets pray IT UP! I prayed for God to break my heart for what breaks His. I prayed that I could learn to be selfless-that no part of me would want to go to Uganda for my own pleasures, but to SERVE and SERVE and LOVE OTHERS. and SERVEEEE! And ohhh man, God grants prayers. My heart- slowly but surely- began to change. I realized that I learned more and more about the heart of the Father. and to be honest- I was falling head over heals in love with God. I had always prayed and pusued a relationship with the Lord. butt ohhhhh this was LOVE. I found myself laughing with God, and taking walks with Him, and singing songs of worship in my head...and having inside jokes with Him! I never felt so joyful or loved or free in Christ. God was changing me to realize how much I am nothing, and how much He is everything.
So fast forward to tenth grade. God taught me how to serve children. I began volunteering at the vacation Bible school that my church offered to the children. and God taught me that I had a mission field right in front of me. it was like training! I could go on for hours about the amazing times that God blessed me with throught this camp. INSANE! it was hard because as I would talk about camp and how much I loved it, my mom would say things like: "see, you don't need to go to africa. you have people that need serving right here." My mom loves overseas missions. she sends lots of money to missionaries, she prays a lot for them. but she couldn't seem to let God give her peace about her daughter leaving. She would love to send support money to all my friends and family headed to overseas missions, but her little girl would be fine serving the people down the street....i knew God had something different in mind.
11th grade. here comes interestingggnnessss to the MAX!
God opened a huge door. There was this class being offered at my church called Perspectives. It was all about cross cultural missionarial experiences. WOWWWW was it such a blessing. Each week, a different teacher would come and speak, and most of them were overseas missionaries. One from Turkey, China, Kenya, Mexico...the list goes on. I learned so much and my heart was breaking for all the hearts who had not yet come to know Jesus as our loving and amazing Savior. So I thought this was the summer. This was finally the summer that God wanted me to go. It was His timing. Right? It had to be! Since I had just taken this class, the next step would be to go to Africa. And God had voiced to me that He would soften my parents heart when it was time for me to go...but
it got closer and closer to summer. and they were still bitter at the mention of Africa. any time I brought it up, the converstation would end with tears for everyone, and not the good kind of tears. . . how could this be happening? And I realized,,,,,not once had I asked, "Lord, is it time?" How could I be so selfish. Of course it wasn't time. my heart wasn't in the right place..but God opened another door. ONCE AGAIN. He is good at that. He blessed me with a mission field in my friends. I became best friends with two Muslim girls, one Hindu, one Buddhist, and one atheist. Talk about a mission. God had a lot planned for me. I would ask, "God how can I do this. Im awkward. and wierd. and silly, and i wouldn't know what to say. and I am no better than them. how will they see You through me? And their parents are too set on their religion. God don't you understand, these girls can't change their religion. Their parents literally wont have it. What can I do?" and God showed me Scripture. Moses had a stutter, and look at all that God did through Him. what about Noah? people thought he was crazy. but really he was just listening to God... with all that God has done, how was I was acting like He couldn't change a few hearts? I knew it would be hard, but I KNOW that God can do it. There are over 100 conversations I have had with these girls, and even with their parents, about God and religion and heaven-lots of stuff. To this day, none of them are Christians, YET! But God has deffffff been moving. I pray for their hearts so much. I would love it if you did too. anywayyyy, point of the story, it wasn't time for me to go! and I needed to accept that, and I did<3
12th grade. Uganda was still on my heart as much as it was before, but I thought of it in a new way. I did not bring it up as much with my parents. I spent my time investing in my friends (still praying for the kids of Uganda) but not dreaming day and night.and day and night.and day and night. about Africa. because God would bring it in His own timing. It was still #1 on my bucket list. . --FAST FORWARD- Christmas time. Christmas eve I said as short prayer that God would change the hearts of my parents to have peace about Africa. but I wasn't worried. I needed to wait on the Lord. maybe God's plan for me to go to Africa would be after college, or after marriage, or even after i was retired. who knew!!! God did!! of course, haha.Anwayy Gotta love Christams. Jesus' birthday! It was Christmas morning Joe, my brother, was running around the house screaming that he had just got an XBOX! and I had one more gift to open. I couldn't imagine it being Africa in a box. but it was close to it! I opened the box and it was a beautiful, hand made bag from Uganda!!! I loved it. I went to go into the kitchen and my parents said: "wait Julia. There is more inside." So I opened it and first I pulled out Ugandan money. Then I pulled out three jounrals that were one on top of the other. And i put it to the other side. Joe, my brother said "JULIA!! READ WHAT THEY SAY ON THEM SILLY." There was a picture of Africa on each one... I said aloud, "They say Anticipate...Experience...and Reflect."
NO
NO WAY
THERE WAS *NO WAY*
Tears rolled down my face like I was producing a river in my living room. Stop. These could not really be the mission jouranls. (the ones where you write in one about what you anticipate to happen. and you read scripture. and then you write about your experience. and then reflect on all that God did).. This had to be joke.. So the last thing was a letter. It said "To our beautiful daughter, we know how long you have been waiting for this day. to go to Africa. God has given us full peace to send our little girl to do the Lord's work overseas. You have my full blessing to go. We love you. -Mom and Dad. " enough said. happy and joy and excited are all understatements of the emotions that flooded my heart.
FAST FORWARDDD to January when I applied to the Uganda trip throught my church. It was a three week trip that worked with partnering with teachers and serving the orphans there. MY HEART EXACTLY. I want to be a teacher, and I couldn't draw a better dream than me holding and laughing with a beautiful black baby. actually 20 beautiful black babies is how I picture it haha!!!SO FAST FORWARD to three days ago. And my phone rings. "Hi, is this Julia?"
"Yes this is she"
"I am one of the leaders for the Uganda trip this summer. I am so very pleased to inform you that we have decided to take you with us on our trip to Uganda this summer"
tears flooded, and this time it was *niagra falls*.the good kind<3
*God hears our prayers*
*God answers our prayers*
Good doesn't even BEGIN to describe Him
now you know what I mean when I said:
Psalm 37:4- "Delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart" <--- CAN I GET ANNNN AMEN TO THAT!
<3 03.04.12 <3
