Imagine this. You are sitting out in the woods and you just have this feeling. You truly aren't sure what this feeling is, but you start leaning into it. You think that it is excitement, but it seems like it is more than that. You think it is amazement, but you realize that feeling is because you are in God's Creation. You think that it is nervousness, but that doesn't make sense for you in this situation. As you continue to spend some more time reflecting, you realize that it is a specific calling from God on your life. This was me just over a year ago when God told me that I was going to be going overseas for two years for youth ministry.
For those of you that know me well, this isn't even a little bit surprising to you. But for those of you who don't know me well, you may be wondering how I got here. Let me share a bit of my story with you!
Hi there! My name is Christina, part of a small family (just my sister, parents, and I) that has lived in Minnesota for my entire life. I am going to start my story in high school now. I haven't ever gone to youth group and this new girl on the bus (who later became my best friend) nervously invited me to youth group with her that week. I went, of course, because I did want to see what this Christianity thing really was. I mean, I went to camp for a few years and heard about Jesus and "gave my life to Christ" every summer, really because this is what I thought you were supposed to do. Young naive me. Over time at youth group, God really showed me that He truly does love me and meets me right where I am at, as well as that He WANTS to have that true two-way relationship with me. Over time, I really began understanding more and more of the character of our perfect, amazing, powerful God. That if He wants to have this relationship with little me, who truly means nothing in the big picture, then I must be worthy of something. In high school, I thought that was going to be becoming a pediatrician.
So, now I am in college (Bethel University) with a declared nursing major. Over time I eventually changed to a Biology, Pre-Med major (still with the intention of at some point going to either Medical School or PA School). At the beginning of my freshman year, God told me that I was going to be counseling at the camp that I went to in middle school. I laughed and said that wouldn’t ever happen. God sure does have a sense of humor, I ended up counseling there for 3 summers and then interned for the summer/year after I graduated from college in May 2017 with a Biology degree. Through working at camp (with youth) every summer and going to West Virginia two times for short-term trips, God made it very clear that He was calling me into full-time youth ministry, and for the next season of my life after my internship at camp it would be international missions. God has truly Called Me Higher!!! I am not going to just sit here and wait for Him to do something (though I know that He doesn’t need me). I am going to be obedient to this specific call that He has placed on me. I am ready to go deeper into His Word and in this two-way relationship with Him.
This brings me to GoCorps and United World Missions! I am going to be going to Ireland for two years to be partnering alongside the local church and aiding in their efforts with their children, youth, and young adult programs. In addition to this, there will be opportunities to be in the community and serving them with tangible ways while first building relationships first. I am really looking forward to seeing what God is already doing in the community and seeing how He will continue to work in and through the team already there, and me as well. A fun fact that I learned is that 50% of the Irish population is under the age of 30. So just knowing that, it is so amazing to see how strategic our God is in placing me there to continue in the youth ministry that is already happening there! Just looking back on my life, it is so clear how God has very clearly planned out everything, in His perfect timing, to prepare me for these two years overseas. I am excited to share more with you about what God will continue to reveal to me, and the rest of the team as I serve there!!
Talk soon! Much love!