The very beginning....of this blog, at least...

Joshua 24:15 “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

 

There is something to be said for this verse.  The final line is known by many people, whether they believe it, and follow it, or not.  But as I went through the motions of starting this blog, and this verse played through my head, it was a word in the first line which struck me.  Choose.

Choice is a tricky thing, especially when you are a single mom.  And choosing to follow a call to Paraguay was especially difficult.  In the end, though, I didn't choose to go to Paraguay...I choose to follow God.

This blog has been created to detail the affects of choosing to listen to the call to missionary work.  I am not your typical missionary (if there is such a thing as a typical missionary); or at least I am not what most people think of when they hear the word missionary.  I am 30, a single mom, and when I was growing up I mostly wanted to be Indiana Jones in the Last Crusade.

I did go to school for Anthropology, and I have even done some excavations as an Archaeological Technician (it's no where near as glamorous as Harrison Ford made it seem).  But a little bit over a year ago, that still small voice inside told me it was time to look at a different path.  Eventually, that led me to the missionary board for my denomination (I am Disciples of Christ, the missionary board is Global Ministries).

Now, after a year+ period of applying, talking to various people, conferences, interviews, and etc., it looks like I am going to be heading out in a few months to live and work in Paraguay.  I am so excited I can hardly contain myself most days.  There are also the occasional periods of extreme self doubt...what was I thinking?  Why am I going?  What do I know about Paraguay?  How am I going to take care of my 3 kids on my own in a country where they don't speak the language and I feel accomplished when I can successfully ask for directions to the bathroom?

I guess, it will all work out.  God wouldn't ask us to do anything that we couldn't handle, right?  Besides, for the most part I am happy to do the work.  We are studying Spanish, we know all the requirements for passports (I have one, the kids don't...yet, that's a post coming up soon), our house is being packed up slowly but surely.  It will all be fine....there will be ups and down, I am sure....and I will share them all with you; our victories and defeats, laughter and tears, joys and sorrows. 

Well, starting tomorrow, because it is late now, and I am tired....look for a post introducing the wee ones and I in greater detail soon.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3