July of 2015, my older sister came to my parents with the hare-brained idea
that God was calling her to go on a missions trip. Not just any missions trip,
mind you, but the World Race (an 11-month missions trip founded by Adventures
in Missions where the participants visit 11 countries and serve a month in each
one). I overheard and tearfully but jokingly threatened her that if she ever went
on such a long trip, I was coming with her. (Now, my sister has been my best
friend ever since I can remember. We've argued, we've squabbled, we've gone
through times where we were both seething mad at each other. But she's still my
best friend.)
And so it began. My sister began fundraising in August, had training camp in
October, and left just after the New Year (as a side-note, she specially requested
that we have a Lord of the Rings marathon as part of our New Year's celebration).
I was devastated. My best friend. My sister. Was gone. Gone to visit places that I
couldn't go with her.
I selfishly convinced myself that she had abandoned me (yes, I have a bit of a flare
for the dramatic), even going as far as to ask God (quite accusingly) why He'd sent
my sister away [to help people who had never heard the Gospel, nor seen the love
that Christ gives].
The turning point didn't come until I started to read the blog that she was posting
from Central and South America (more recently, Europe and Africa) (you can
follow her continuing journey here: http://carolyngibson.theworldrace.org/). Lives
were changing radically, my sister's life included. And here I was, sitting at home,
moping and being miserable.
So I began really delving into the Scriptures. I wanted my life to change, too. I
wanted to be able to experience the joy that she was experiencing. And I did.
It didn't happen right away, it took a few weeks for me to relearn how to love
reading my Bible, so to speak. But as I read and and continued to read, I came to
absolutely love God's Word, because I learned what I've been told so many times...
The Bible is and always will be relevant.
I still miss my sister terribly. I still cry every time I have to say goodbye over Skype.
But she's doing what God has called her to do, and who am I to say she shouldn't?
She's still my best friend, as she will likely always be. And we're now both doing
what God wants us to.
But back to my sister.
She's been through situations I can't imagine, from living for a time with her team,
crammed in a filthy, bug and rat infested hostel in Chile, to meeting up with our
parents in Romania (as part of the Parent Vision Trip, where parents of the Racers
meet up with them for a week of ministry together) and serving with them in the
poor communities there.
She's served in 9 countries now, with courage, determination, and joy I'm
astounded by. If you had told me a year and a half ago that this would be my sister
today, I wouldn't have believed you.
She's become a gentle warrior, if that makes sense. She's someone I look up to,
because she mirrors Christ in her every-day life.
This deep thought isn't meant to be about me, or even my sister, really. It's about
the impact that one can have when they are in God's will, going where He wants
them to go, doing what He has called them to do.
That being said, my sister is a living example of that, which is why she's my
role-model.
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