Hi! My name is Samantha (or at least that's my blog name haha). I want to introduce myself, and share what led me to apply for GoCorps, and ultimately say yes to tithing my career!
I recently graduated from college with a double major in dance and psychology. While I have been a Christian for almost my whole life, college was transformational for me as it taught me more about my faith, and showed me how important my faith was in my life. Something that was particularly influential in my life was a world religions class that I took as an elective. It ended up being one of my favorite classes, and sparked an interest in me to learn more about other cultures and religions. It also helped me see firsthand that many people are devoting their lives to gods who have no power to save them, and it was through this experience that I began to clearly see the importance and necessity of missions. I also attended a church during college that prioritized the importance of missions, which helped grow my heart for reaching the nations.
As I was looking into options for after college, I was reflecting on interests I had, and classes I had enjoyed while I was in college. Some things that came to my mind were the world religions class I took, an interest in travel, and my growing awareness of the need for more workers to share the gospel. This led me to apply for GoCorps, and to see if there were any placements they had where I could use my interests and talents. Through the application process, I learned about a team in the middle east which uses the arts as a form of evangelism. The team frequently does street performances which allow them to meet people and share the gospel with them. They also prioritize connecting people they meet who are interested in learning more about Jesus with a church that can help disciple them. And once I know the language, I will be able to personally follow up with the people I meet and help disciple them if we live in the same area. Additionally, I will be volunteering with an organization that has weekly programs that serve refugees. This placement seemed like a perfect blending of interests I've had for a long time!
I'm not a naturally decisive person, so it took a lot of prayer, journaling, pros and cons lists, and processing with family and friends to ultimately make the decision to move overseas for two years and tithe my career. There were a few ideas that ultimately helped me make this decision. First, I realized that God has blessed me abundantly, which means that I have been given the responsibility of stewarding well what I have been given. I also know that right now I am in a position where it is relatively easy for me to move overseas for missions, and if I am willing to give God what I have, He can use me to do more than I could imagine. Finally, we are all called to the great commision, and the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So even if I never had a dramatic calling moment, if I am ready and willing to move overseas, the question is not "Why go?" but "Why not go?".
I'm so glad I made the decision to put my yes on the table and allow God to use me to help reach the nations. While I'm sure I will have my fair share of difficulty, loneliness, etc., I can't wait to see more of the world, see how God will work through me, and grow in my relationship with the Lord!