Living Life.On.Mission. and following God every step of this incredible journey
Hey Guys!
I just want to take a minute to introduce myself. My name is Kayla and I’m so glad you’re here. I’m a nurse with experience in primarily pediatrics and neonatal ICU and about six months ago I decided to quit my hospital job to pursue one of my lifelong passions. I wasn’t really sure where I was going or how I was going to get there, but one thing was for sure. I no longer wanted to keep meandering. I think sometimes the biggest and best things come out of feeling stuck, and people feel stuck for so many reasons. I believe we each have a purpose. It’s a part of our God-given design. We weren’t put on this earth just to exist. We were put on this earth to LIVE. ON. MISSION. This is one of humanities biggest flaws. We allow the everyday mundanity to drown out our mission, but finding OUR mission is one of life’s biggest pleasures! Today I want to challenge you to seek out your mission, to get un-stuck. Think about your passion and dive into it 110%. Life is too short to be doing something you don’t love.
Six months ago I headed out for a three week trip to Guatemala. I was joining a pediatric medical group called Extra Mile Pediatrics. Over the last 1-2 years we had talked periodically, but I was excited to finally be able to take a trip with them. We were heading to the Pacific Coastal Region of El Pardon and the surrounding communities. The clinic was set for a week and it was my plan to hang back afterwards to do some backpacking and exploring. Back in 2016 I went to Guatemala for a medical mission trip when I first fell in love with Guatemala. The people are kinder, the world moves slower, and priorities revolve around family and community. Some of the poorest people in the world somehow exist as the wealthiest in terms of happiness and contentment. This isn’t to say there aren’t things they wouldn’t change if given the chance, but that they’ve learned to be at peace with where they are. They are a great example of how happiness shouldn’t be dictated by circumstance, but by mindset and faith in the God of the Universe.
I digress, on this trip I fell in love with Central America for the second time (as I knew I would). I met some amazing people both from Central America and members of our medical team. It reaffirmed that I was doing what I needed to be doing and that the rest would fall into place. After the clinic I spent another 10 days exploring different parts of Guatemala, learning more about the people and the culture, and learning more about myself. Before this trip, I was a burnt out nurse on my last leg in the hospital. While I loved my NICU patients, the work was no longer fulfilling and the job became just another job. A lot contributed to this and I won’t go into detail here, but let's just say that healthcare has changed and it isn’t for the better. I wanted to do more. I wanted to fulfill God’s calling on my life. So without having another job lined up and without knowing where I would land, I jumped into faith knowing this was where God wanted me; and I continue to trust him every single day since.
I had an amazing time during clinic that week. I learned a lot about myself and clarified what I needed to be doing. God’s mission was clear. I can remember telling him time and time again, “here I am, send me”, so that’s exactly what He did. Since quitting my job back in June and doing my trip to Guatemala in July, I have since been invited to be the volunteer US based Guatemala Director for One Atta Time. One Atta Time is a non profit that provides clean water filters to areas of the world that don’t have access to clean water. I was also invited back with Extra Mile Pediatrics to continue our work in Central America performing pediatric medical clinics. I joined the team to El Salvador in October and am forever grateful for the opportunity. Together with Extra Mile and One Atta Time, God's provision will see that the kids we see in clinic will also receive clean water filters. God is good.
I think the lesson here is that when we step out in faith to what God has called us to do, he has our back. If we jump out in faith, God will see us through. That’s not to say that it’s all perfect. There are days of doubt and worry. There are days when you wonder if you’re doing the right thing. There are days of wondering if you’ll be able to make enough money since quitting the comfortable or high paying job. But God provides, God always provides. It’s in those moments of uncertainty that we learn to rely on God for 100% of everything. It’s easy to say I’m following God when I make a steady income and never leave my house, but take those things away and we are forced to rely heavily on God’s power and presence in our lives. I’m not saying anyone should do what I did. What I am saying, is that if we don’t continually ask God “what is your will for my life” and if we don’t follow Him in those moments when we feel like he is leading us, we will just continue to exist - and existing isn't living.
I’m digressing again, but I just want to say this, finding God’s will for your life is not as difficult as you might think. God has given each of us a unique set of gifts and yours will look totally different than mine. It’s about utilizing what you know for the glory of God. It doesn’t need to be difficult. It just requires an open heart and a willingness to follow Him. If we each took our unique set of gifts and used them to glorify God, just imagine the lives we could change and the hearts we could lead to Jesus.
Romans 8:28 - And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.
This is just the first post of many, so follow along to see where God is leading, the lives we are changing for His glory, and how you can help.
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