Summer 2013.

Summer has begun. Some are going to summer school while others are going on vacation. Many others are interning at companies or working part-time jobs. I, however, am doing none of these.

I thought about taking summer school or working over the summer; then I wondered what my reasons were for these choices. The answers were quite simple:

• Summer school was to get me ahead of school even more (despite the fact that I'm already a year ahead in college).
• Working was to get me some money which would eventually lead me to buying things for myself.

Both of these decisions revolved around me. Yes, they are good things to do and very beneficial; however, I was only thinking of my own wants and needs. So I decided to revise my summer plans. I felt convicted to place God's work in front of my own. I learned that I need to start prioritizing Him before myself at an early stage of my life so that I can start on the right foot in my spiritual life. Who knows, maybe He will allow me to pursue what I want afterwards. I decided to drop everything in order to go on two mission trips.

The first trip is to Oklahoma. My church at home always goes every summer. We go to an Cherokee Indian reservation to go help with various things: help clean or repair buildings, hold a VBS (vacation bible school) for the kids, or evangelize around the town.

The second trip is to Panama, more specifically, San Blas islands. This is a new thing for our church. We're heading over to the Kuna Indian tribe on these islands to share the gospel. It's pretty straightforward. But going more into depth on this trip, I had no idea of the details when I agreed to attend. 

At the time, I felt convicted to get out of America. I've grown up in a society where we have everything. I've been blessed with everything that I want and need. As a result, I've taken that for granted. I know I should be thankful for what I have, but I haven't experienced what it's like not to have it. It's one thing to KNOW something, but it's another to EXPERIENCE it.

So through this Panama mission trip, I hope to get a better understanding of God and the world. I'm sure He will work through me and show me what kind of life I need to live after I return home. I hope that I will have an experience that will change my perspective of how to live life and how to approach it: with a grateful and hardworking heart.

PS: I later found out the location was the San Blas Islands after agreeing to go. The place is beautiful; Google it.