This week marks my second week of support-raising full-time. At the beginning of the month, I attended GoWeek during which I had the pleasure of gathering in Minnesota to meet all the other Goers from around the country and learn how to launch into my current season of support-raising.
I went into GoWeek feeling excited to be surrounded and supported by folks who are making similar decisions with their lives (i.e. people who love Jesus so much they said yes to going into international missions), but I was also nervous that I wouldn’t fit in with the people I would meet. I love Jesus with my whole heart, and I couldn’t be more excited to share His love with the people of Innsbruck, but I was scared that I wouldn’t be “churchy enough,” or know enough about missions. After all, I went to a secular, liberal arts college, I enjoy grabbing drinks with my friends, I’d never heard a missionary speak at my church growing up, and I am still learning to not be terrified by the idea of openly discussing finances.
BUT, let’s pause right there! The enemy wants us to doubt ourselves. Thankfully our God is so much bigger! Our loving father, God, tells us in Psalms 55:22 to cast our burdens upon Him and he will sustain us. He welcomes our doubts and fears, and He tells us to seek refuge in His love. God uniquely made me and wrote my story to be authentic to me, Josie. My story isn’t going to look like all the other Goers in my cohort, and that’s okay! In fact, it’s good! Like 1 Corinthians 12:18 tells us, God has arranged each one of the parts of the body [of believers] just as he wanted. He created us to be unique individuals who reflect His character in different ways. My story will help me to share God’s love with a different corner of the world and the fact our stories are all different is actually a huge blessing.
And in case, you’re wondering, the people at GoWeek were incredible! Pictured here are a couple of the friends I made during my time at GoWeek.