When we think of missions we usually think of Africa, starving children and cannibal tribes chasing us across the river as we try to preach the Gospel to them. Well, at least that is what I used to think when I heard the word "missions." I never saw myself as a "missionary." Then God spoke the word "nations" to me repetitively for a series of months, about two years ago. I was trying to figure out what my major was going to be when I went college. It is a ministry college, and I only had a few options. I could have chosen any one of them because I had a passion for almost all of them. The last major I saw myself doing was "Missions." I did not feel called to living in a foreign country and learning different languages. My heart did want to travel, but I did not see myself as the typical missionary type.

Over those couple of months I kept hearing and seeing the word "nations" everywhere. This prompted me to seek and pray even more. So I began to pray and seek out what Abba Father was trying to tell me. I began to do research on what a missionary actually does and where the word came from. When I looked up the definition of a missionary on Wikipedia.com it stated that, 

"A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word 'mission' originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin 'missionem' (nom. missio), meaning 'act of sending' or 'mittere', meaning 'to send'. The word was used in light of its biblical usage; in the Latin translation of the Bible, Christ uses the word when sending the disciples to preach in his name."

I was ecstatic when I read this. I always said I wanted to be able to do many different things in life. I desired to have many different life skills so I could do just about anything. My heart did not know that it was made to be a missionary. Missionaries are the preachers, the teachers, the lawyers, the doctors and more. They come to a place and make it better. The lives of the people encountered by a missionary are forever transformed. Missionaries are people that see a need and find a solution. Missionaries are passionate about the places God puts them. Missionaries leave people, conversations, homes, and nations better off than when they came. They are world changers; they are home changers.

you are a missionary!

God has placed you somewhere, in some town, in some work environment and in some family. You have a mission. The King has sent you as an Ambassador for Christ into some environment to be who you are as a daughter of God. Who you are as a daughter of God and co-heir with Christ is the most powerful thing that you have. When you walk into a room, you carry Jesus; you carry His heart. Whether people know this or not is up to you. As a daughter of the King, you carry the Kingdom of Light into every dominion of darkness by simply being your true self. Your true self is the identity that Jesus gave you when you gave your life to  Him and chose to walk with Him. 

He calls you His Bride. He calls you Anointed. He calls you Chosen. He calls you Pure. He calls you Lovely. He calls you Righteous. These are the names HE has given you. When you walk as a daughter of Light into dark places you are being a missionary. 

In this season, I am learning to be faithful where God has placed me. I am a second-year college student with a very busy life. Working, going to class, being on a dance team and a part of school outreaches can seem like too much when I am not looking to Jesus. It becomes very hard when I do not set my mind on things above (Colossians 3). I have become overwhelmed at times with everything and even frustrated, but Abba Father gave me a choice. He told me to quit trying so hard and simply be His daughter. That meant imitating His Son Jesus! My choice is to either imitate Christ, who for the JOY that was set before Him endured the cross, or give up because the mission seems too hard (Hebrews 12). I refuse to give up. Hard is not in my vocabulary. I choose joy. 

I am in training right now; the mission God has given me is to simply be His daughter, a student of His Word and to love my peers, coworkers, leaders and all I come in contact with. My life is my mission field, and I will win the race set before me. 

simply be 

Be bright with the light of the Gospel shining through your face. Be kind in the words you speak to people. Be generous with love, money and time. Be understanding when people sin against you and hurt you. Be forgiving to them. Be pure in heart by checking your motives and repenting of hidden sins. Be obedient to a Father that you can trust. Be bold because the righteous are as bold as a lion. Be brave in the face of the impossible. Be honorable to those over you, even when you do not agree. Be LOVE to all. 

He has equipped you. Your mission is to be His daughter and to love His Son with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Your mission is to be His girl and nothing more. He will show you what you must do. Be brave Beautiful, for He is with you!

Captivated by His Love, 

Nellie Martin

you might also like...