Fixing My Eyes on Jesus (My Missional Calling)

In the summer of 2012, two weeks after I had an encounter with Jesus and chose to follow Him with the rest of my life, I was on a plane heading to Costa Rica with my church youth group. I had never been out of the country before, and this was my first mission trip. Before arriving, I prayed, "Lord, I have NO idea why I am coming here to an unknown country to tell people about You when I just decided to fully believe in You myself. Can You please show me why You sent me here?" While serving the locals and getting to know Costa Ricans and the beauty in Hispanic culture, God revealed to me that He had set my life apart for His international mission work.

(Left: While in Costa Rica, we visited a Nicaraguan refugee camp to give food to the community, to play with the local children, and to pray for local believers. Right: Often, I would hand out with the amazing cooks at our mission’s base. The one pictured here, Mireya, encouraged me to return to Costa Rica as a missionary. It was through hers and others’ words that I felt the Lord calling me to a life of mission work.)

After that trip, my heart began to change and soften towards international ministry. I had the opportunity to go on three more trips in high school, two to Haiti and one to Mexico, where I learned more about other cultures and saw God’s heart for the nations to know and love Him alone. Additionally, my eyes and ears were drawn to any verse and song declaring the promise that, one day, every nation and tribe would bow down and declare Jesus as Lord. Often though, I would be drawn to tears knowing that this promise has yet to be fulfilled as many nations, tribes, and people have not heard the gospel.

(Left: In Haiti displaying Christ’s Love to the local children, like this girl, Levinti, who hardly left my side. Right: In Mexico with YWAM helping construct a house for a family)

Post high school, I wanted to go straight into missions. However, the Lord first sent me to the University of Florida to be the “beautiful feet that proclaim the Good News” of Jesus (Romans 10:13-15). While there, I befriended many international, studied abroad in Scandinavia, and went on another missions trip to Haiti. My attention always went first to the international students since they were the “foreigner residing near me” whom the Lord said to “treat as a native-born” (Leviticus 19:34). Once I graduated, I went on a 3-month mission to Yosemite National Park where I loved people from all types of backgrounds, including other nations like Spain and Turkey.

(Left: Having dinner with some of my international cross-country teammates from Australia, Norway, and Denmark. From left to right: Caitlin, Elisabeth, me, Maria. Right: Swimming in a waterfall in Yosemite with several international workers from Turkey and Spain. From left to right: Pepe, Berk, Ozzie, Anna, Jose, me, Angela.)

After college and Yosemite, I again wanted to fulfill God’s calling for me to go to missions. However, the Lord had me wait. Covid-19 shut down the world, and I had to face several shadows in my life that I had been running from. The Lord gently took me through a season of healing and restoration, a very necessary season before I would be any benefit to souls on the mission field. Ultimately, God led me to a teaching job to serve students with disabilities. For two years, I obeyed His leading of serving others, resting in Him, and waiting on His perfect timing for the mission field. Come the summer of 2022, He started to show signs that the season of waiting was changing into one of preparation.

In August of 2022, the Lord had me attend a missions’ conference called Encounter22 at Pioneers in Orlando, FL. He had already begun to show me signs of pursuing missions, so I attended wondering if He would give further clarity. While at Encounter, He revealed through the speakers how He had been preparing me the past 10 years for a life of mission work. Through prayer, counsel from Pioneers, and conversations with close family and friends, Jesus told me that it was time to GO!

After applying to Pioneers and fulfilling several tests and reading, I returned to Pioneers in December to learn more about the heart of their organization and to discern on both ends if God was leading toward a partnership in international ministry. Pioneers invited me to join them in their ministry to reach those in the World who have never heard the gospel of Christ (The Unreached), and God gave me overflowing peace to say “Yes!” to their invitation.

Lord willing, my departure date will be the summer of 2024! Before then though, I have begun the preparational work that Pioneers requires me to complete before leaving for the field like Bible classes, various security trainings, book readings, and more. I have also started communicating with some team leaders in Latin America to discern where God would have me visit on a vision trip. While preparing, I am also still teaching full-time at my school until the end of the school year. Even though life has gotten much busier for me, it is beyond encouraging to see God’s calling starting to be fulfilled in my life.

(Map of Latin America, the region the Lord has burdened my heart to serve and to tell His Good News)

At the end of last year, while reflecting and journaling all Jesus had done and looking forward to what He might have for me in 2023, I noticed a theme that kept running through my soul to fix my eyes on Jesus. Two songs encouraged me to do this: “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (Amazing Grace)” by Shane and Shane and “Set Your Eyes” by Jonathan and Emily Martin. While pondering the lyrics of these songs, the Lord reminded me of Hebrews 12:1-2:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

As a retired runner, I completely understand the importance of training in preparation for a race. For the mission field, it feels like preparing for a marathon which can seem impossible and scary. However, the two keys for any athlete to accomplish such a task are having a good coach and choosing a specific goal.

For me, Jesus is my Coach, and He is trustworthy because He has already run the race marked out before me. He is my ultimate Running Buddy Whom I fix my eyes on. As for my goal, The LORD has called me to Lain America to tell of His perfect salvation and how Christ has made me whole. With these two thoughts in my mind and heart, I am pursuing this journey surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, including you reading these words.

May all glory be given to Jesus for all eternity!!

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters". - 1 John 3:16

His first, EmiLee