Since several people have been asking me about my trip, I thought I’d give y’all a little something to read about. Don’t worry, I’ve got plenty of stories to tell…but I think this is a good place to start.
Some of you may have read my post about my decision to go on this mission, but if you didn’t…long story short: a complete stranger approached me and told me that the Holy Spirit spoke to him and said that by me going on this trip, I’d be given vision of what I was called to do for the rest of my life.
WOAH.
Along with many other prayers, I’ve been praying over that for the past several months now.
“Lord, whatever you have for me in Honduras…SHOW ME. Don’t let me miss it.”
I’ve been lacking direction and needing vision for my future and I was banking on what this complete stranger told me.
Everywhere we went in Honduras, my eyes were pealed. The medical clinic…maybe God is calling me to nursing. Seeing special needs children….maybe he’s calling me to occupational therapy…special education. The airport…flight attendant maybe? The church….what if He’s calling me to ministry? Nothing felt right. By the last day I was getting frustrated. I was waiting for a sign to pop up out of nowhere and fill in the blank: MARY ALAN DO ________ FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
As I was boarding the plane out of San Pedro headed for the United States, the person in front of me was moving…beyond slow. And naturally, I was getting frustrated.
And just as I was about to roll my eyes…the light bulb clicked on. It finally hit me.
My calling.
Ready for it?
Here it is.
I am called…
To love.
Called…to love.
I was so focused on trying to figure out some precise career plan that God had called me to, that I never realized that I was living out His calling every single day in Honduras.
And as I was leaving the country, I almost let the devil rip everything God had shown me right out of my heart.
Love.
God is calling me to love people with no stipulations. It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter if you hike up a mountain every day and live in a mud hut, without a dollar to your name or if you’re a sharp dressed man, taking your time to get to your first class seat home from a business trip. Everyone deserves to be shown the gracious and everlasting love of Jesus.
The bible says many, many times not to be partial. The definition of partial is incomplete. Not whole. His Word never once tells us to be biased about who we love. I want to show love with my complete and whole heart. Always. The exact same way that He loves me.
That’s it. God broke my heart wide open while I was in Honduras and He called me to love.
God has called all of us to do this unconditionally, with zero stipulations. It’s our job while we’re here on earth to be ambassadors for Christ. To show everyone we come in contact with the unconditional and gracious love of our Savior. Christlike love.
And He didn’t tell me to leave it at the gate of the airport. He didn’t tell me to leave it with people less fortunate than me. Love has no borders. He called me to love everyone.
And He’s calling you to do the same.
Challenge yourself. Open your heart and show just a little more love. One of my very favorite songs says it so well…
More love.
I can hear our hearts crying.
More love.
I know that’s all we need.
More love.
To flow in between us.
To take us and hold us.
To lift us above.
If there’s ever an answer.
It’s more love.
So…my calling…
I don’t think it’s all about figuring out this exactly perfect step by step plan for our future.
I think it’s about making decisions that honor God ALWAYS.
I think by doing that, somehow all the stars will align.
“So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of His call. May He give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.”
Chase after God. Run. As fast as you possibly can. And I think if we continue loving one another, doing good, showing grace, and running in the direction He calls…we’ll just keep getting closer and closer to Him. Forever safe and free in His arms. And there’s absolutely no place I’d rather be.
Bless and be blessed
Mary Alan