Mathew 4:19 “And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (ESV)

Late one night, I awoke to hear a voice calling to me. The voice just said, “Follow Me!” This whisper was not my the first time to experience the call. For almost 20 years, I have tried to obey and follow Jesus to the far corners of the world. The journey has provided me with some incredible opportunities to meet people and see beautiful sights. However, following Jesus is not always smooth sailing. The call to follow will include many challenges and tests of your faithfulness.

Sometimes the journey with Christ will be across turbulent waters. This recent trip to Myanmar offered such ups and downs. Crossing 12 time zones made sleeping through the night a challenge. Even now, back at home, I am up writing this blog at 4 AM because I could not sleep. Working in temperatures above 90 degrees with very high humidity sapped every ounce of energy. Bad roads, pit latrines, and unsafe drinking water added to the woes and discomfort on the journey.

As difficult as the road may be during such a mission, God also offered unexpected rewards for our faithfulness. I got the privilege of meeting many wonderful new friends. I spent time with the kids at our orphanage in Myanmar. God allowed me to share my faith with a church in a rural community. And I witnessed the beauty of God’s creation in a far away land.

Even if my service to the Lord produces only suffering, I can rejoice. Matthew 5:12 confirms this but stating “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for, in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (NIV). God calls all us to “follow him.” Sometimes the way will be easy, but other times it will bring sorrow and suffering. But you will never know until you start the journey. God’s calling is for each and every one of us.

Blessing,

Yvonne

Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”