Greetings one and all! Thank you so much for popping by my blog! I’m excited to share with you a bit about how I got here in the first place, and what this season is going to look like for me!
For the purpose of this blog, my name is Nora. This is for the safety of myself and others in the sensitive area I will be living and working in. I hope I’ve caught your attention! I’m sure there will be many adventures had and miracles witnessed through this journey, and I’m grateful you’re here to share some of it with me!
As I said, my name is Nora, and a year ago I hadn’t the faintest clue who GoCorps was, or how they would turn all my plans on their head. I had never before been interested in long term missions at any distance, let alone in another country! I had a little experience with a few week-long trips to Mexico with my youth group, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be writing a blog to document the whole wild adventure that I anticipate my work in Central Asia to be.
I am actually a musician. I was blessed to attend Biola University as a vocal performance major, and I had plans of going on to grad school and eventually becoming an opera diva! Clearly, the Lord has other, infinitely better plans for me. I can’t say that it’s been easy to make such a seemingly radical switch, but it has been blessed. When a GoCorps mobilizer came into my 9 AM Early Christian History class, I really thought she was going to give her presentation, leave, and I’d never think of her again. When God used that opportunity to open a door that I never thought I’d walk through, I was admittedly afraid, and I had no idea what this new pull to pursue missions would mean for my life.
Since then, an old hymn has been playing in my heart and mind and for this season, I’ve made it my anthem. I want God to hold the reigns on my life. He should be piloting this vessel, and I should be obedient not because I don’t have fear, but because I fear Him the most. It's much easier said than done, but this hymn helps orient my heart into a posture of submission, and there I have found comfort, confidence, and blessing. I’ve copied the lyrics below (yes, they are in the public domain – I checked!)
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
(Chorus)
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He will richly repay;
Not a grief nor a loss, not a frown nor a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey.
(Chorus)
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows and the joy He bestows
Are for them who will trust and obey.
(Chorus)
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we'll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
If you would join me in prayer, I would be so grateful. My requests:
- That this season of support raising would be a joy, not a jail. I want to feel freedom and delight in the ministry I am priveledged to partake in even before I get to my assignment.
- That the friendships from GoWeek would continue to blossom and grow.
- That we would all submit to scripture daily, and feel encouraged and empowered by God's character and promises.
- That I could have a functional car for this season of my life especially.