This is my story...

This story really begins right after Easter 2012.  God was giving me peace about being single and showing me that whether I end up married or not, that the goal of serving Him and glorifying Him with my life remains the same.   I listened to the hymn “Take My Life (And Let It Be)” over and over, thinking about letting God take every single part of my life for Him to use, for His glory.

I started praying about making the next two years my last at my current job in preparation to serve as a missionary.  I thought I would spent the summer of 2013 serving and if God called me to return, then 13-14 would be my last year.  I had the Rafiki Foundation in mind because my dad had served with them in Nigeria in 2006. I remembered him saying they were always looking for teachers.  I began thinking about serving as a missionary, and could envision myself loving it. 

In September 2012, I talked with my parents about serving the next summer with Rafiki. My dad was pleased and very encouraging.  My mom was more reserved but she listened and seemed interested. This was typical of the way my parents approached "adventures" that involved international travel. :)  On October 4, my mother had a massive stroke and was taken off life support about 36 hours later.  I began a lengthy journey of grief that I could never have seen coming.  In November my dad mentioned Rafiki and asked if I had still been thinking about it (I had not. I could barely get out of bed, much less spend time thinking about serving as a missionary).  My dad told me that he and my mom had talked about it and that she would have supported it completely.  This was affirming to hear even though I knew that serving with Rafiki in the summer of 2013 was off the table for me. 

(Side note: God has taught me so many things between my mom's death and the end of 2015.  I cannot even begin to explain them here but they will come out in my writing as time goes on.  It is impossible for me to share about being called to serve as a missionary without writing about her.  This part of my faith journey was influenced by my mom's death, but much more importantly by my mom's life.) 

Ever since my mom’s death, I had considered moving back to my hometown to be closer to my family.   Books on grief tell you not to make any major changes in your life for at least a year after a traumatic, unexpected loss.  So I figured I would make it through 12-13 and go from there.  And then each year, I have just stayed on.  I felt at peace about staying put in Houston for the past few years. But in January 2015, I began to really visualize something different in my life. I didn’t really know for sure what was going to happen with all this, but I felt very strongly that 15-16 would be my last year at my current school. I remember praying to God a little bit about missions and ministry, telling Him that I wanted to keep teaching and I didn't want seek out an opportunity but that if He dropped one in my lap, I would at least consider it.

In November 2015, I received an email from a couple at my church, saying that they wanted to "plant an idea with me."  They told me about about their children who have been serving in Budapest for years, their grandchildren who have attended school at the International Christian School of Budapest and the 1st grade position open for 16-17.  

Their email set into motion many prayers about this opportunity.  I had NOT expected God to take me up on my offer to consider serving as a missionary.  I had never even considered that serving as a missionary could look like teaching 1^st grade at an international Christian school.  All through the rest of November and December, I spent time praying about this, and talking with people that are familiar with the school and city.  In January and February, I applied and was accepted with ICSB and the mission agency that will oversee my service called TeachBeyond. 

So, after my initial prayers of "Take my life..." I am now ready to say "Here I am Lord!"