Someone commented recently that our life was inconvenient. I want to take a moment to dispell the myth that the missionary life, whether abroad or stateside, is all just suffering for Jesus.
Are there sacrifices involved in our life? Yes.
Do we have to empty our water and sewage tanks? Yes. (Okay, okay, Scott does that 99% of the time.)
Do we have to take military showers to conserve water? Yes. (You try doing that with long hair!)
Is our home small? Absolutely.
Is our life perfect? Nope.
Do we love it? Without a doubt- every single second.
The truth is our lives aren’t any more or less convenient than yours. Why? Because there is grace to be where God has called you.
Do you know what we “sacrificed” to be able to travel fulltime?
- Paying rent to live in a home we own debt free.
- A stationary life for one of travel.
- Lots of stuff we didn’t really need to live in a home we can clean in 15 minutes.
- Doing the same thing over and over, week in and week out for new adventures all the time.
- Being separated as a family for weeks at a time for being together all the time.
Our life might sound like a sacrifice to you. If it does, then it’s because it isn’t the life God called you to. And that’s okay because it’s the one He has called us to.
I was talking with two ladies from our home church that work with a missionary organization about their recent mission trip. We chatted not only about all the amazing things that God did but also the cool stuff they got to see while they were there.
Seriously, best job ever! For you? Maybe not. But for people who are called to it, absolutely.
To us, traveling fulltime isn’t a sacrifice and it isn’t inconvenient. It’s living the dream!
So don’t feel sorry for us. Don’t talk about us (or our kids) like we are giving up so much or living such a difficult life.
I’ll say it one more time just for good measure. We aren’t suffering for Jesus; we are living the life that He has called us to and LOVING it.