I am Choosing to Chase after Jesus ...

because after playing with kids, working with teenagers, & receiving a confirmation of my Call, I have found that it is worth it!!


Hello friends!!

A lot has happened since I talked with you last. I will try my best to fill in the gaps.

Elementary Camp II ended on Thursday afternoon of last week, but I left Wednesday morning. That was hard, because as with the first camp, I became attached to all the kids at Camp. This time around, I was a co-leader of the Bouncing Bobcats, and the eight kids in my group were absolutely incredible. These are memories I will constantly cherish!!

I left Camp early because I headed to Marion, Indiana for World Gospel Mission’s 100th Celebration. A lot of things happened there and the way there that I did not expect.

First, I did not anticipate how I literally and epically failed with several attempts of conversing in Spanish with native speakers (If you are practicing the language now, I suggest never quitting, even if it is for school or for work. When you do not use a language for a period of time, picking it back up becomes more difficult. Speaking of which, I should be studying some Thai now).

Second, I did not expect to see so many missionaries, representing so many countries, cultures, and causes for Christ. Even among our group, several people groups utilized multiple languages, including, but certainly not limited to: Spanish, French, Japanese, Navajo, and Swahili. I was surprised and even thrilled to hear so many languages in a weekend while remaining in America! But more importantly, as was mentioned, “the language of Love will be the only one spoken in Heaven.” And fortunately, we have eternity of talking with complete comprehension of one another in this special dialect!

Third, I did not plan on not attending Celebration. I know the double negative is not correct, (but wait, isn’t your major in journalism?), but bear with me. Let me explain.

When I arrived at the Phoenix airport on Wednesday morning, my heart sunk to my stomach when I discovered that my flight ticket had been mistakenly never purchased. I was stuck in the Phoenix airport without anywhere to go.

After making four frantic calls to friends and family, on impulse, I did something new that I have never done in a moment of crisis; something that I have previously and unfortunately turned to as a final resort.

I prayed.

Yes, I was still distressed and frustrated, but honestly, I could not think of doing anything else in those moments, until I felt led to open the Bible.

I flipped through to three different sections before settling down to examine Joel.
Uncertain as to what I would read, I started reading:

Rend Your Heart

“12 ‘Even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.’

13 ‘Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, …’

The second after I read the word “compassionate,” Sandy Anderson called me and delivered confirmation and comfort by simply stating that a few people were in charge of attempting to get me on her flight later that day. While nothing was set in stone, and believe me, as I soon discovered, I had to jump through several hoops after that phone call, I started to receive a peace, knowing everything would work out for God’s glory.

Even though I knew the situation was now on its way to the up and up, I felt God leading me back to Joel. So I continued reading:

13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, … slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.

14 Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing— grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.

16 Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children …

The LORD's Answer

18 Then the LORD will be jealous for his land and take pity on his people.

19 The LORD will reply to them: "I am sending you grain, new wine and oil, enough to satisfy you fully; never again will I make you an object of scorn to the nations.

20d Surely he has done great things.

21 Be not afraid, O land; be glad and rejoice. Surely the LORD has done great things.

23 Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.

24 The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.

26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed.

27 Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.

(Joel 2:12-16, 18-19, 20d, 21, 23-24, 26-27 - New International Version)

I bolded certain portions of this text for specific purposes. These portions profoundly spoke to me in the following simple ways.

Verse 14: I shed several tears after reading this verse. God had met my need and proved His faithfulness not a moment earlier. Wow! From now on looking back, I need to always remember to turn to Him, like I did in this situation, even when everything is going great and even when everything crumbles, because I will face both types of circumstances again in this life.

Verse 27: Events happen in our lives for a reason. Yeah, I sure did not want this event to happen. But I am glad that this misfortune came my way and that I learned something significant from it.

After coming back from Celebration last Monday, I watched an hour of Dr. Phil on TV. That is not how I normally spend my time, but I was intrigued by the show’s topic. A woman speaking on the show stated about something unfortunate that had happened to her. In retrospect, she stated that such events in life: “will either make you bitter or make you better.” Like her, I chose the latter at the airport, and I hope to continue choosing the latter later in my life. Despite having misfortunes, I have had and always will have God on my side.

Verse 15: I have already shared variations of this story with a number of different people. And I felt compelled to share this lesson I have learned through this medium. So I am being faithful to following this verse’s command, because I truly believe God desired for me to share this lesson with you.

So, needless to say, God has been on the move, regardless as to my geographical location. I have witnessed God moving in the life of a kid when He accepted Jesus Christ as His personal Lord and Savior at the last Camp. I have seen God speak to those youth at Celebration (Go Team Africa!) as they selected to financially raise the funds to pay for the construction of a church in Uganda by June 2011.

And I finally received more confirmation about my future: God has called me into missions. I am unsure how and where, but I am destined to incorporate this ministry into my life somehow and somewhere. Those details will come when I need to know them.

During the first Evening Session at Celebration, Dr. Tom Hermiz, a past WGM President, stated the following: “God may not reveal what He has for you now. You may not be ready for that information tonight. … [But] when God calls [where He leads] is not a suggestion, it is a command. If faith cannot take risks, it is not faith.”

For now and forever more, I will continue to follow Him, alive in faith.

Feel free to respond to this post. I would love to hear your reactions and how God has been moving in your life lately. We need the support of each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, so feel free to journal. For today, I encourage you to chase after Jesus. It is SO worth it! Just ask Peter and Andrew.

18As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.

19"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

20At once they left their nets and followed him.

(Matthews 4:18-20 – New International Version)

Thanks for reading. Enjoy the rest of your day. Chase after Jesus!!

Joey