Missions > Marriage

Some things I heard last summer have somehow buried themselves within me and found a welcoming home.

One encounter was in a quaint treehouse-looking home filled with a couple and their 9 children who have committed their lives, their income, and their family's immediate comfort to living overseas to do ministry. The wife encouraged us to "Consider yourselves called until you're called out". She went into depth about how this may mean stepping away from areas of desire we want for ourselves like marriage. Her sermon left me asking myself tough questions and truly examining the intensions of my heart.

I came to the conclusion that for the first time in my life I considered Missions > Marriage.

I knew I wanted my life to glorify Him, above all else. Then I thought that as an American woman, living in a society that celebrates a union of love through marriage, it is often made a top priority here. Marriage is good but it is idolized. I don't want marriage to be the forefront of my mind. I want to live a life that has nothing to do with me and if someone can meet me along that path, that's fine, and if not, I'll be glad anyway because I am already on a mission that doesn't promise a worldly companion, nor does it need to because the Savior of the world holds my heart-- completely contently.

I wondered if my thought would wear down as I adjusted back to life in the States but to my surprise, I feel more confident now standing in the Truth that marriage is not necessary, even a year later. I still recognize a bigger priority and feel an urgency calling me toward it. I want to go, serve, fly to far away foreign lands, stay here, whatever may come I want to dedicate my life to knowing Him better, sharing with His children, and not getting caught up with something that may come in the future or cling to something that is not guaranteed.

I want to invest myself in things of eternal value and give up the rest.

If I claim to believe His plan will prevail, I must be willing to sacrifice my own desires and trust that when the timing is right or He will be glorified more fully through me in a union with another, He will make that evident and see it through.

In the mean time, I'm called and don't see signs of being called out.

He is faithful, I believe that above everything else and that's enough.