Saturday, November 17, 2012

moving forward with partnership development

Glory to the Lord!  World Team has officially released me for partnership development!  What this means is I am cleared to start contacting churches telling them about the Lord's kingdom work in Papua, Indonesia. Moving forward with Indonesia brings out a couple different emotions: excitement, anxiety, and awe.  I am excited, because I am confident that Almighty God will lead me by his providence toward the mission field.  After all, this great commission is the LORD's plan for His glory in the world.  I am but a humble servant of His in taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to Papua, Indonesia. I am anxious in the flesh, because I am so very weak and fallible.  Yet the Spirit reminds me through His amazing word that He uses the weak to shame the strong(1 Corinthians 1:27).  His grace is sufficient (2 Corin 12:9)! I feel awe, because God is gracious to use man to carry out His great kingdom work.  He doesn't need me at all, but He is so kind to use me for His glory!  Soli Deo Gloria!

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

World Team appointee to Papua

     By God's grace, World Team Papua has officially invited me to join God's ministry in Papua!  Glory to the Lord!  With this invitation, I am officially a World Team appointed missionary to Papua.  WOOHOO!  Now that God has directed me to a specific field, I will be completing two lessons on partnership development.   After the lessons are cleared, I will be cleared for partnership development.  Puji Tuhan (Praise the LORD!)! I am excited to walk closely with the Lord and see Him work miraculously during this intense process.  May He show His great power in accomplishing this work in and through me.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

My Bio

I was raised in a Catholic home.  Although I was taught the gospel, I did not trust in Christ for my salvation, nor did I love Him with all of my heart, mind, soul, and strength.  In fact, I didn't even know what it meant to be "saved."  By God's grace, that understanding changed.  When I was 19 years old in the winter of 2006/2007, God sent me on a mission trip to India with a local baptist church.  It was during this trip that God truly worked a miracle in my life.  After much spiritual warfare, God led me to His son.  By God' grace, I became a new creation!  Glory to God!
In India

 
     When I came home from India, God changed my desires.  Before I left for India, I was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.  After the trip, I wanted to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to others.  Thus, I started seeking God about this new desire.  During this time, I started going to the Baptist church with whom I went on the mission trip.  Through two different discussions with both my college pastor and lead pastor, God led me to the Baptist church.  Through this church, God started growing me in the Lord Jesus Christ (sanctification).  As God grew me, He continued to direct my path towards missions.  In 2008, after my 21st birthday, God sent me to Peru for six weeks with the International Mission Board (IMB).
  
     During this trip to Peru, God continued to change me and use me for His glory.  While I was in Peru, God allowed me to live with a Peruvian family.  He taught me to be one with the people like Jesus became man.  He also used me to teach English, share my testimony, and share bible stories to the Peruvians.  During this trip, I was asking God about possibly serving Him full-time in cross-cultural missions.  God also gave me a deep love for third world, village people.  I fell in love with the people and the culture!  It was also during this trip that God introduced doctrines of grace to me.  God faithfully met with me on this trip!  Praise the Lord!

     When I came home from this trip, God sent me to a different church.  In the fall of 2008, I started attending Rockport Baptist Church.  This church is my home/sending church.  After about 1 year of attending in 2009, God sent World Team missionary Trevor Johnson to my church.  After hearing his presentation about Indonesia, I met with him.  For the short time he was home on furlough, he met with me, my pastor and some other people in my church.  God used Trevor to, once again, help me consider a future in full-time, cross-cultural missions.  Through Trevor’s guidance, I went to World Team’s assessment program – RACE- after I graduated college in 2010.     

     At the end of RACE, which stands for Reciprocal Assessment Candidate Evaluation, World Team (WT) decided that I was not ready for this missionary calling.  To help me prepare for this calling, they gave me a list of recommendations.  One of these recommendations was to do an internship with them.  In the summer of 2011, God sent me to Indonesia as a WT intern.

     During this six-week internship, God taught me many things.  God taught me to trust in His word and not my feelings.  He taught me His absolute sovereignty in salvation.  He taught me about the missionary life and how He can use me in Indonesia.  Every place I went to, God showed me the need for laborers, in particular, teachers.  God was so kind to meet with me during this trip!

     By God’s grace, He has been faithfully working in my life.  Now that I am a new creation in Jesus Christ, He has given me the joy of being about my Father’s business.  May He continue to sanctify me and use me for His kingdom!  Praise the Lamb!