4 days too soon

This is a story about me written by Lindsay Wood. It was published in Southern's alumni publications and summarizes one of the reasons I decided to be a student missionary with AMOR projects.

 

"One of the biggest challenges we experience as humans is to understand God’s will for our lives. Brooke Bernhardt, a Sophomore Pre-Physical Therapy major, experienced this first hand as she started her freshman year here at Southern Adventist University. From the beginning, she was interested in being a student missionary, but wasn’t sure if it was right for her, and was praying diligently that God would show her what He wanted her to do. Little did she know that it would take a mission trip for her to hear God’s voice.

As a member of Gym Masters (SAU’s gymnastics team), Brooke got the unique opportunity to travel to the Dominican Republic over Spring Break for a mission trip. Though the trip’s main purpose was to perform for the local children, the team also had a chance to visit a local hospital. Brooke was horrified by what she found there and she felt God tugging on her heart strings. The children were so sick and hopeless, many of them simply being abandoned there to die. Again and again she kept thinking, “Somebody has to help these kids.” With a new passion and mission, Brooke began praying even harder for signs from God, telling her what to do. She was not disappointed. Not only did she receive permission from her parents, she was able to find a friend that was going out, and was accepted to the place she wanted to go, among many other specific miracles she had asked for. God blew her out of the water with affirmation, and Brooke was completely at peace, sure that this was God’s will.

Brooke will be traveling to The Amor Projects in Peru this coming August to work in a clinic, and, though she is nervous, she is ready to see what God has in store. Her goal for the year is “to be the hands and feet of Jesus,” sharing His passion with everyone that she can. She is still waiting on funds, but is certain that God will provide. He has given her a mission, and she is sure that he will make a way for her to get there.

God uses the strangest things to speak to our hearts, and for Brooke, he knew that the hospital in the Dominican Republic was just what she needed to light the fire. Opportunities like this are vital for students that are interested in mission work to get them excited about a year of service. God knows us better than we know ourselves, and he will stop at nothing to put us in the places will bring us closer to Him."

Today I went to the San Marcus church where my parents attend for the first time. I was introduced to the pastor's wife who said she went as an SM during college as well. She asked me an interesting question: "Are you still excited to go?" To her I said yes. But for the rest of today I've been asking myself that question and getting different responses.

Yes I'm excited. This is a dream come true. But there's so many things I'm nervous about. There's just so much I'm unprepared for and don't know. I don't know where I will be staying or what my primary job will be there. I don't know how often I will have internet or be able to contact my parents. I don't know... I don't know so much but I do know one thing-- I'm going because God called me there and I have faith that He will take care of me. I know that God is bigger than all my fears. I know that God will continue to break me and remold me into the person He wants- not me. I know that I will follow God no matter what the costs. Am I ready? No way. But God's timing is perfect and His plans are better than mine. So I will have faith. Will you have faith to follow God where He is calling you?