Love for Missions

Hi! I'm Jessinia from Sea Glass and Ribbons. I blog about my life, my love for Jesus and my occasional DIY projects. I'm a recent high school graduate with a love to serve. I'm so glad that Caroline asked me to guest post while she's on a mission trip. Mission work is a passion of mine. Here's a little why.

To get to know my heart and thought read this journal entry from last February:

So here’s how I see it.

God set a restlessness in my heart for a reason.

Ever since I was young, I've been blessed enough to travel. I've traveled across the country, across oceans, across borders.

God gave me parents who see the value in seeing the world. I am impacted every time I go to a new place. I try new foods, hear new words, and see new places.

I love that anticipation on the flight. You've been in the air for some time. Staring off into the clouds, at the tiny land below. The plane’s nose turns towards the tiny land and it becomes larger. Things become more recognizable, the mountains rise, the waves on the sea show. You're in a new land. About to discover new things. Or maybe this is a familiar place to you. You've taken this plane ride many times. You know when the mountains come into view. Either way, it’s different. It’s outside your comfort zone. It’s new.

I call it restless heart syndrome. I don't like being comfortable.

This desire is deep rooted in my soul. I pursue adventure. Scuba diving amongst large fish and coral, parasailing over the deep ocean, rock climbing high walls, hiking up tall mountains, parasailing on vast waters, kayaking around the boats in the harbor. 

I do it so I may feel happy, strong, courageous.

I see the new things. I find new adventures.

That anticipation of new things.

Desire.

To know You. To love You. To serve You.

To be in a place that I may thrive.

I want to feel passionate about what I do. I don’t want to go through the motions.

My prayer:

Bring me to that place where I may grow, I may feed that adventure.

Help me to pray and find the words to explain how much I love You.

Bring me peace and understanding.

This was just the start of a long time searching for what was next for me. I had applied for colleges and thought that was what I wanted. But I had this desire tugging on my heart. I wrote about it in this journal entry and many others in the months to come. For some reason, I started to think about taking a year off to do mission work. I thought it may be a fleeting desire or dream. But when I really stepped back and took time to pray about it, I knew it was my calling.

This August I'll be leaving for the Dominican Republic for eight months. I'll be studying Spanish and the Bible and serving in the local community of Juan Dolio. I'm so excited for this opportunity to serve! You can read more about this adventure here. 

What you can take out of this? (because I know this is crazy, out of the ordinary, and not for everyone)

Ask God where you can best serve Him.

Find out what your passions are.

Be patient. I waited for months and months to find out where I'd be and it was hard, but so worth it.
Read the Word! God speaks through His Book. 

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11