Stranded in the States: What To Do While You Wait

Stranded in the States: What To Do While You Wait

May 18, 2009

By Amberle Kaiser

What do you do when your heart is longing to be on the mission field, but it’s just not the right time?

I am facing that dilemma right now. I know for a fact there are others out there because some of you have talked to me about it. There is no easy fix for it.

In my case, my heart longs for Africa, but I am here doing my best to do well in college. I have a couple years left of nursing school which, I know will help my ultimate calling, but really, why does it seem that each day passes slowly and always brings a reminder of where I want to be? Why does it seem that everyone I know is getting to their goals so much quicker?

The answer to every question stated above: my timing apparently is not God’s timing, and He has it all figured out. While that is comforting, it hasn’t really taken the ache away.

While You Wait

Here’s what I have found to be helpful:

Get Involved—talk to your pastor. Is there anything that needs to be done at your church? In my case, I got involved in our kid’s stick drama team. It allowed someone else to step down. Not to mention, I love it.

Get the Necessary Training— Get all of the training you can, because once you get over there, it is you and God and you will need to be able to draw on that training. I know I am called to work with kids. I was already involved with Kid’s Prayer to a certain degree, but I stepped up and have helped teach. I also agreed to teach at a state prayer conference in the South, and a regional prayer conference. I also helped out for the second year at General Conference.

Get Together with Others Who are Going Through It—I am lucky to live in St. Louis. I get to see missionaries a lot. Not to mention a lot of my friends are also called to missions. As I am typing this, I am texting with a friend who one year ago today was leaving for five weeks in Togo. She’s having a rough day. We can share in each other’s heartache because this time two years ago, I was getting ready to board a plane to Africa myself. It’s helpful to be able to lift each other up in times like this. It’s also good because one day, we may help each other through something on the field.

Take This Time to Get as Close to God as You Can—From experience, I have learned that while on the field, you have to give a lot more than you receive. Here in the states you go to service several days a week, and face it, a lot of times we are at the altar receiving. It’s not that way in another country. A lot of times, the times with God that are just you and Him are the ones you make for yourself, be it in Bible reading, or in personal prayer time. Take this time to grow in Him. Develop discipline to read your Bible every day, pray every day, get familiar with praying with others in the altar. Learn the differences in praying with kids, adults, and new converts.

Imperfect Living

I can’t tell you it will all be perfect and you’ll never struggle with wanting to be there. If you are truly called, there will always be “those days” when all you want is to be “over there.” You don’t have to dwell on it though. God has a way of bringing you what you need. For me it’s a little girl in my kid’s prayer group who never fails to hug me each time she sees me. Or, getting to be in the back with one of my Sunday school students who comes on the bus as she went down in baptism. It’s not Africa, but let me tell you, I wouldn’t give it up for anything right now.

I know I am in the will of God being here right now. So take heart knowing that your aches are only for a season. One day we will get back over there, until then, work just as hard here, as you would if you were there. We are needed here, too.

ninetyandnine.com

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Amberle Kaiser is currently a nursing student and active in her local church. In her free time, what little there is, she loves to find random playgrounds and play!