Stories from Zambia Part 1: Passion in the Pursuit of the Lord

I fully believe being passionate about what you do, whatever the reason for that passion, is so so important. Without passion, how can we do a job well? Without passion, how can we find joy in the more mundane moments of everyday life? Without passion, how can we get excited to share what we do with others? A few years ago, on the drive back to camp after a weekend off, a friend asked me "what are you passionate about?" Without hesitating I shared my experiences from previous missions and volunteer opportunities, explaining that the connection and love that came through serving others through Christ was my biggest passion.

Whether that was through holding a woman's hands while praying for her and listening to her story on the streets of Detroit, serving and eating a meal with individuals at the local soup kitchen, or running around like a fool in children's ministry, I knew I would forever be chasing after the joy that the Lord brought me through these things. Not out of selfish ambition, but out of a desire to see His kingdom grow and worship as one. This passion has poured over into my opportunity to go back to Zambia. Not because it is fun, not because of the cool pictures we may take, not because of the opportunity to travel more, though these are all positive bonuses to this trip. No, I am passionate about this trip because I have seen what God is doing in Zambia, and I cannot wait to get to experience that firsthand again! 

A few weeks back, I had posted a question box on my Instagram, hoping to film a video with all the details as to what my team will be doing in Zambia. However, I don't think a few minute video of me sharing our itinerary and plans can properly do justice to what the Lord has in store for this summer. I have gone back and forth about how to properly convey my heart behind going and share what my team and I will be doing over the course of our two months there. Ultimately I think that what gets me most excited is what will stir your hearts the most: stories from my last trip. Every time I think about the ways I saw the Lord there two years ago I can't help but smile at how good He is. 

With that said, over the course of the next couple of weeks I will be sharing the amazing experiences I had and things I saw happen on my last trip. Whether it be a ministry experience, something the Lord taught me in worship or devo time, or just something that made me smile in a simple moment one day, each thing I will share in the upcoming days makes me so excited for a specific aspect of my upcoming trip! So I ask that you read with an open heart, ready to be as excited and passionate as I am for the growth of His kingdom.

In six weeks I fly out of the U.S. with a group of mostly strangers to spend two months on Zambian soil, sharing the Good News that transformed our lives. We will spend 8 weeks travelling to different parts of Zambia from the capital, Lusaka, to the bush, evangelizing, working with orphanages and university ministries, and equipping the believers who live in Zambia to live out their faith daily. This experience is going to be more challenging in many ways: physically, emotionally, spiritually. But the Lord will be right beside us the whole time, guiding us and rejoicing at our growth and the souls finally saying "yes!" and choosing a relationship with Him. I can't wait for you all to be a part of this, celebrating with us and the Lord as we gain more Zambian brothers and sisters:)

If you’d like to support my trip financially you can do so at https://fcsmnstry.io/mkr/C597PpW82b (this method is 100% tax deductible) or over venmo at @millssummer . Thanks!