Mission possible

Having gone on two short-term mission trips, I fully understand how tempting it can be to come home, quit your job, and try to be a full-time missionary. Mission trips change you and make you see things in a new light. You come home a different person, full of new priorities and hope for the future.

However, I truly don't think God intends for the majority of us to be full-time missionaries. Through countless talks with several God-loving friends, I've come to realize that our mission is to serve God in our daily lives no matter where God has placed us. For some people, that will mean leading a company and making big decisions while showing people through their actions how much they love God. For others, it will mean being a stay at home parent and guiding their kids to a loving relationship with God.

I know firsthand how difficult this concept is when you find yourself unemployed. It really helps me to view my life as an ongoing assignment/job from God. Sometimes when you are not working, all you can do in one day is just be friendly and polite to others-hold the door open for someone or give someone a smile who seems to be having a rough day. Just because you are not working a full-time job does not mean you can't still serve God in everything you do.

Trust me, I never imagined I would find myself unemployed for the second time at age 29, babysitting several times a week to make ends meet. I also envisioned myself working for CNN or managing a team of people at a company, so the past few years have been particularly frustrating for me. I've come to see that my dreams rarely line up with God's plans for my life, and that is okay. It has been an incredibly humbling experience, but I have learned so much during this journey. I try my best to view my babysitting jobs as opportunities to show love, kindness, and patience to the children I take care of.

Regardless of if you wait tables or sit at the head of the table in a board room, "...work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men..." (Colossians 3:23)