The path to following Christ’s footsteps is difficult, but I must remember that He has already paved the way and He simply beckons, “Follow Me”.
If you asked me at seventeen years old where I’d be in five years, I’d have a completely different answer for you than what is presently true.

Here is a peak into my mind:

What does it even mean to follow Jesus?
What is the correct response to the gospel?

I have seen that following Christ doesn’t simply mean reading the Bible and praying, but it goes much deeper than that. I have, through experience, realized that walking where Jesus wants me to go means there will be long nights of prayer, seeing my brokenness, mourning over sins, receiving forgiveness, crying out for the lost to be redeemed, and doing my part to extend a hand to a needy soul. It means living with other centered love.

This reminds me of the Samaritan women at the well. She spoke with Jesus not knowing who He was until He told her about her life and said, “I who speak to you am He.”
She knew that she was seen and exposed yet still loved with an everlasting love.
When she encountered a love like that, what was her response?
“The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, ‘Come and see a Man who told me all things I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’ Then they went out of the city and came to Him.” (John 4:28-30)

She countered Jesus; He saw her, the deepest darkest corners of her life, and still Jesus declared to her promises about worship and salvation. The love and truth in Jesus’ words compelled her to leave everything she had been doing at that point in time to be a witness for the Son of God to a city of Gentiles.

The cost to follow Jesus may differ in manifestation, but they are all the same in principle. We are exposed to the King of the universe. All of our sins, failures, fears, and aspirations are out in the open with God, but there is no one more gentle and loving to be seen by than our Creator. With Him there is forgivingness and redemption!

I have seen that throughout my life I was drawing out of the wrong well, the well of man. 
I have encountered Jesus; God has seen my life, I’ve been forgiven and I’ve been called to response to such a beautiful truth.
I have chosen to leave my waterpot of selfishness and self-dependence at the water well to go to the people group God calls me to. There I’ll preach the love of God through my actions and through my life and with that decision, I find myself here in Michigan training to be a missionary.

Training isn’t easy; missionary work isn’t easy; the Christian walk isn’t easy, but walking through this valley called life is worth it if I can see the face of my Redeemer and bring others along to experience eternal life.

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