Be Strong and Courageous

Last Sunday the singles pastor preached on Joshua 1:1-9. He told the story of a cruise ship. The party was in full swing on the ship. Everyone was dancing and enjoying themselves, except for one old man. He was very embarrassed by the praise that was being heaped on him. You see, earlier in the day a woman had fallen overboard. Moments later the old man was in deep water alongside her. Everyone was rescued. That evening he gave the shortest hero speech ever given. He simply said, "Who pushed me?"

Cody, the pastor, was talking about times where we think the same thing. Situations we've gotten into and are left wondering how we got here. I was brought back to when I started this journey to Slovakia. At first the idea of working for Campus Crusade for Christ sounded great, but then the opportunity came to intern in Slovakia. I was excited to go back and work with the director on the ministry. But then the reality sank in of what I was signing up to do. I was agreeing to leave my family for a whole year. At the time, I thought I was going to miss my dad's 50th and my brother's high school graduation. It felt like I had been pushed into something I wasn't prepared for.

Anyone who knows me well, especially my roommates at the time, knows that I was freaking out. It was totally out of character for me to want to do missions overseas. I never felt called to leave America long-term. God knew what He was doing by calling me to go on the trip with College Life to Central Europe. Slovakia won me over without me realizing it. By the end of the trip I was so tired and ready to go home, it wasn't until I got home that I thought about how much I loved Slovakia. The opportunity with Crusade came along and I jumped at it.


Now a year later, I am 6 days away from the biggest move of my life. It's not so scary anymore. I don't feel like I was pushed into icy water. God took this year to change my heart and my attitude. Moving to Slovakia for a year seems like a natural step in my life. Yes, I have moments where settling down in Fort Worth, finding a job and getting my own place seems like the easy thing to do. But God does not call us to easy living. He calls us to "be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9) Even to Slovakia. I love that I have a God who not only calls me to bigger things, but also equips me to do them. He won't leave me or forsake me. He hasn't gotten me this far in the process just to drop me in Slovakia. He has a plan, and His plan is good. AMEN!