The Story Lives On - Part 1

The Who and Where Part

A story doesn't form on its own, but  rather is shaped by people and places. I could write 100 blogs about people that have been such important parts of my story and still not be able to name everyone that has impacted my life. Because this post is inspired by WMU, I'm going to focus mostly on how God has used WMU and the amazing women that make up WMU to shaped my story.

I grew up going to mission friends, and GAs (both WMU age groups) but it wasn't until I started working at Camp Mundo Vista that I really started to learn what WMU is. CMV is a WMU summer camp as well as a year round retreat center. Mundo is my first love. My heart will always long to be on that mountain. A part of me belongs to Mundo...not necessarily the physical 3140 Camp Mundo Vista Trail, Sophia NC, 27350...but the idea, the memory and the lessons. God has changed my life in COUNTLESS ways through Mundo. I met some of my best and dearest friends there, learned about Campbell from other staffer, and it was on that mountain that I realized and accepted my call to full-time, career ministry. God used Mundo to shape and show me who I am...like my core, my convictions, and my essence. I am the person I am today because of Camp Mundo Vista.

Working at Mundo opened the door for me to really discover WMU. I was and still am very interested in the history of WMUNC. The REALLY short version is 127 years ago, Fannie Heck (24) and Sally Jones (16) decided to start a women's group that was focused on spiritual growth, biblical truth, and missions. It is on of my favorite stories and I never get tired of hearing it. I am so inspired by these two women, along with women like Annie Armstrong and Charlotte (Lottie) Moon who helped to build the foundation of WMU. These women were MY AGE and had a whole lot less than I have. But they built this amazing organization because they listen to God--they followed the call God had placed on their life. They took risks, rocked the boat, and some even gave their life to further the kingdom of God. The story of these women has ignited my passion for service and missions! I want to be open to whatever God says and wherever he leads because I have heard stories like Fannie Heck's.
This is also why I love going to Missions Extravaganza  I get a whole weekend where I get to follow Godly women around and just soak in their story (also...M.E is like the Holy Grail for someone who has a servant's heart -- there is ALWAYS something to do). Here is a fun fact about M.E--I was 21 at the 125th birthday. I will be 46 at the 150th and 71 at the 175th. That is 3 major WMU milestones that I will most likely get to see and hopefully be an active part of! And there is potential that I could see WMUNC turn 200 (which will happen in 2086!) I would be 96, so that might be a stretch, but it could happen.

I love WMU because I believe so strongly in what God is doing. WMUNC has 127 years of women who followed God, blazed trails, and paved the way for my generation and generations to come. God has inspired me through WMU but he has also called me through WMU. I mentioned being called to and at Mundo--the was the first way God called me through WMU. The second was when God called me to SHINE. It was the end of 2011 summer and I got a message from the, then, director Ruby Fulbright. She asked me to come to her office and when I got there she said:
 "well...I have thought about it, and I want you to start a SHINE group at Campbell."
me: "umm....okay(?) sure. what do you want it to look like?"
Her: "I'm not sure. We are kinda building this plane as we fly it."
Me: "umm...okay."
And that was pretty much the whole conversation. When people ask me why I started a SHINE group, my answer is "because Ruby told me to". But what I mean by that is this -- I have a lot of respect for Ruby (along with every person that makes up the staff and board). I know she does not dive into an idea without first spending some intense time in prayer. God was using her as a mouth piece to call me. She, along with countless others on staff and the executive board have shaped my story because they are open to what God is saying! If I could sit here and name every person I have met at M.E or every women that has brought their daughter to mother-daughter camp or every one I have met at the office, I would because God has used all of them to shape my story.

That is just a tiny look at the who and where of my story--the people and places God has used and called me to that have shaped who I am and carried my story on. There are so many other people and places God has used to impact my story. My family, friends, Campus Minister, Hawaii and Macedonia Family have all had huge impacts on my story, shaped my story and carried my story on.