Recent Takeaways from Perspectives!

I just got back from week four in my Perspectives class, and I am absolutely loving it.  I have learned so much about what the Bible says in regards to missions and how we can all be a part of it! Tonight's lesson spoke so very much into what I am going through in different areas of my life, and I wanted to share some of my top takeaways with you (it was hard to narrow it down to just these few...)!

I Must Continue to Lay Down All of My Own Ambitions and Plans

At the beginning of class, we all sang this song that spoke of laying down our plans and dreams and hopes for Jesus.  I thought I had been doing a good job of this, but the Spirit revealed to me tonight that I was thinking much too highly of myself! Most of my fears surrounding long-term mission work all dealt with me wanting to control and plan out my life.  One of my greatest desires is to be a Godly wife and mother.  I want to serve and love my husband well, and raise my children up to love the Lord.  This is a great desire! However, I still remain fearful that this plan for my life won't happen if I go out on the mission field - I will somehow miss this chance while I am out spreading the gospel.  As if I have that kind of control in God's plan! Singing these verses out with my class mates just made me realize that my life doesn't belong to me.  My plans are not what is most important: spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and calling others to repentance is!  That means I must lay down these desires, and just trust that the Lord has a higher calling and purpose for my life.  I must continue to lay down my own ambitions and plans so that the Lord can be glorified. 

Placing My Beliefs on Other Cultures

Now this one was one I swore I didn't do.  I have always loved learning about other cultures, and I thought I was great at seeing things from others viewpoint.  But, like he does so lovingly, the Lord showed me this wasn't the case, either! :)  In America, politics and religion are the subjects that everyone avoids.  It is considered impolite to bring these up in normal discussions and, more often than not, they lead to heated arguments where no one's mind is changed.  This is the lens which I was looking through in regards to missions.  I was scared about how people would react when I started talking about their religious beliefs and sharing my faith with them.  Our teacher tonight spoke about how religion and politics are the most talked about topics in other countries, particularly Arab nations.  When he first mentioned this, I kind of just let it slide right by.  At the end of class tonight, during a really awesome Q&A, one woman brought it up again.  She made the connection that I needed to hear: We shouldn't bring our own beliefs and experiences of sharing the gospel in America to other countries.  What we deem as rude or inappropriate, is actually encouraged in other parts of the world.  I don't need to be scared about sharing my faith with others.  That felt amazing to hear and finally understand the truth in it!

Jesus Isn't Alone in Ministry

 For some reason, it has never been obvious to me that Jesus always has someone with him in the stories throughout the gospels.  He always has his disciples there, keeping watch or learning from him. Jesus doesn't go out there alone.  This means I don't need to either! I get so nervous that I am going to mess up when talking to someone - I'm not going to know the right verse to quote or won't be able to answer a basic question any good Christian should know.  I place all of this burden and responsibility on myself.  Instead, the Bible tells us to go out as a team to minister to others. In Mark 6:7, Jesus sends the disciples out two by two.  He never sends them out alone, and I know I won't be alone in Fiji (and wherever else I end up) either.  I will have my fellow brothers and sisters with me to reach out to others.  I don't have to do this on my own.  The Lord will equip me and my team to do his work.  Jesus continually discipled the apostles.  Even if we don't see their active participation in all of the Bible stories we read, Jesus was still using those moments as learning opportunities.  There are going to be moments when I might not say anything in a conversation, but I will be listening and watching my fellow brother or sister at work.  Those roles could and will be easily reversed in another situation.  This takes the pressure off of myself to perform and puts trust in the fact that God will do his work despite my failures. 


The Lord is truly opening my eyes to new ways of thinking and seeing the missions field.  He continues to grow and challenge me throughout this process, and I am so thankful and blessed that he provides these areas for growth.  I am continuing to learn more about unreached people groups, and have been seeing how powerful a tool prayer is.  Even if I never meet these groups, I can still pray that God opens their eyes and shows them his glorious grace and mercy.  This is such an easy thing that each one of us can do to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, something which we are all called to be a part of!