Nothing is wasted. Our sweet Father uses everything. He is so gracious and caring and intentional. Before I left to move to Central Asia, I was filled with so much excitement and expectation about what the Lord would do. When I arrived in-country, I realized that I was in a place with very "hard soil. " I can remember thinking many times in my first few months overseas: What am I doing here? Is this a complete waste? Why in the world did I leave everything familiar to me? My friends back home were “moving on” with their lives: getting married, starting grad school, and beginning awesome careers. Why did I leave all that behind to come here and do something that feels like it doesn't even matter? Whenever these thoughts would sneak into my mind, the Lord was always so good to remind me that I was in Central Asia because he called me there. Even when I felt there was no purpose and I saw no fruit from what I was doing, I was being faithful to where the Lord was a leading me. And being faithful to what God has called you to is enough. In that season of feeling like what I was doing was a waste, I clung to this story.
While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
The woman took her jar of expensive perfume and poured it all out to anoint Jesus. Everyone around her saw it as a waste. Except for Jesus. He called it beautiful. He saw her waste as worship. As I meditated on this story, really resonated with it. I wanted to pour out all that I could into my ministry, for the sake of seeing the kingdom of God expanded in CA. My perspective shifted and I felt so much peace that even if I saw no fruit from my work and ministry in my time in CA, that my time there would not be a waste. Jesus saw the sacrifices I was making, he knew my heart, and he called what I was doing beautiful. And that is all that matters— that through what I was doing, I was worshipping Jesus in a beautiful way.
.... But we have a mighty, powerful, big God! He showed up in INCREDIBLE ways and I saw unbelievable fruit that could only come from him! Through my time in CA, the Lord met with me in deep and personal ways that I had not experienced before. I experienced the faithfulness and goodness of God in fresh ways. I saw so many answered prayers and provision of the Lord in ways that I did not expect, both in my own life and the lives of those around me. I was blessed to be able to walk alongside girls who had questions about God and truth and study the Word with them. I got to see God show up, move in hearts, and lead people to HIMSELF. God placed new believers in my life who I could disciple and train to be disciple-makers themselves. I saw people make decisions that had an eternal impact and was there with them when they made the decision to take the next step in their faith and be baptized! I saw the power of the Word transform lives. I witnessed the faithfulness of God draw a family together and commit themselves to follow Christ. The Lord showed up in my friends' dreams and spoke to their heart. God showed up and worked in amazing ways and I feel so blessed to have been a part of how he is working in the world and the global church! I have learned further what it means to be obedient and fully trust in the Lord. This journey was not easy at times—there were many tears, triumphs, challenges, celebrations, highs, and lows but it has been a beautiful journey and the Lord has been so gracious each step of the way. By the end of my time in CA, I was blown away by all the Lord had done and He left me with absolutely no reason to think that my time there was a waste in any way. I cannot imagine my life now without having the experience I did going overseas. It changed me in ways that I cannot begin to explain and I am forever grateful.
If you are considering going, this is my only advice: GO. Go and follow where you feel the Lord is leading you. You may be leaving behind friends, family, jobs, and other opportunities back in the States, but whatever it is you are leaving behind, Jesus is WORTHY of it all. In being faithful to follow what God has for you, you are worshipping Jesus in a beautiful way. Your “waste” is his worship. Go and experience this great adventure He has in store for you. I guarantee He will show up and work in your heart, your life, and the lives of those around you in incredible ways!!