Necessary

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Six weeks ago, ReachGlobal Crisis Response instructed me to arrive on site during the first week of May. I was immediately plunged into the process of raising support. At the same time, I faced the pressures of finishing well at my job, managing other responsibilities, training, packing, and saying goodbyes. It has been an incredible six weeks of chaos—of depending on the Lord and watching Him work through all of it in unexpected ways.

When I consider what God has accomplished in that time, one of the most obvious is this: I am fully funded for the mission field! I deeply thank all of you who have made a financial sacrifice to support me in this mission! For a missionary, six weeks is a very short time to raise support—but not for God!

However, over the past six weeks—and really, over the past year—the Lord has accomplished something even greater than providing financially: He has taught me that I am unnecessary.

Last year, I was offered a ministry position in England through the Bible school I was attending. The choice was clear: return to Colorado to serve, or accept the offer and serve in England. In my prayers, I asked God, “What do you want me to do?” when I should have been asking, “Am I willing to do anything?” I was not. I wasn’t willing to trust God with the future or with the people I would be leaving behind in Colorado, so I turned the offer down.

But when I came back to Colorado last July, ready to serve all the people I loved, every effort to do so failed. What followed was a long, humbling, and difficult year of discipline. The Lord was teaching me that He does not need me to take care of those around me—those I love—He can do that without me. He doesn’t need me for His kingdom or His work, but He invites me to be part of it!

In fact, none of us are necessary to His plans. His will will be done. Yet He has chosen to use His children as vessels to build His kingdom and be His hands and feet. It’s a fool’s errand to avoid that offer—I learned that the hard way, and I am thankful for it!

As I depart for the mission field created by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina, I take comfort in knowing that God will carry His work on to completion in all of His children, including those I’m saying goodbye to. Knowing that I am unnecessary not only transforms my attitude from worry to gratitude, but it also gives me the courage to leave Colorado behind. Realizing that I am both unnecessary and invited frees me to simply trust and obey God—and to trust Him with the consequences of my obedience.

Philippians 1:6

being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.