Live by Faith, not by Sight

I have a devotional book titled Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I bought it in early January during an annual birthday outing with my Aunt Terri, after reading the kids' version to my cousin Foy the night before. If you have not heard of this devotional book, I encourage you to read a few words from it the next time you go to your local bookstore. The version of the devotional book that I bought has a space for journaling after each daily reading. It's amazing how well I am able to hear God speak to me through the bible verses that are placed in the pages and through the reflectional words that go along with the verses. I am finding the "sometimes one scripture can mean something different in various times of your life," phrase to be true. I think we view certain scriptures through different lenses at separate points in our life. I imagine that more than half of my reflective journal entries will be written in an entirely different light next year. When I reflect on this devotional book again next year, I know that there will be a change in how I view each daily reading. Through this change, I will be able to see growth, new found strengths, and new found weaknesses.

Today's devotional tugged on my heart about my upcoming mission internship in Harare, Zimbabwe. One of the scriptures was 2 Corinthians 5:7, "For we live by faith, not by sight." I'll share a portion of my journal entry with you.

"...I don't want or need my pride to get in the way. I want to show them your love, your magnificent, pure, and unconditional love....You put this global missions idea in my heart 3 1/2 years ago and here I am, about to do what I know you have called me to do...You see me smiling right now. I just can't imagine what you have in store and that is so exciting. Thank you for using me to do your will. It is humbling, exciting, and scary, but I know that you are with me right now and in my days to come."

I can't believe that it has been 3 1/2 years since I first felt a tug on my heart to do some type of global mission work. At the time, I was a junior in high school, 16,  immature, and unable to truly fathom actually following that tug on my heart. I wrote about it in my blog at the time but who would have thought I would be traveling to Zimbabwe at the age of 20? I still can't believe it. I'm going across the world in a little over 2 weeks. I've never done anything like this. I've never been on a plane or out of the country. My family isn't going with me. I'm taking a leap of faith and trusting that God is in control. He has something amazing in mind that I am unable to see. I may have an impact on the kids that I will be working with, an impact that I won't be able to see. God is going to be doing things in peoples' hearts that I won't be able to see while I am there. But I live by faith, not by sight.

Next year, when I look back on my journal entry from May 17, 2012, I'll be able to see growth, new found strengths, and new found weaknesses. The experience that I will have this summer in Zimbabwe will be life changing. It will stick with me forever. I will grow and learn from it. God's light will shine through the work that we will be doing this summer and I can't describe to you how humbled that makes me feel.