For many of us, life can become a routine of comfort and familiarity, especially as we retire from our careers. But for Joe, a longtime member of Sugar Creek Church, retirement became a gateway to an unexpected journey of following Jesus to the ends of the earth.
A Long-Awaited Dream
Joe and his wife have been members of Sugar Creek Church for over two decades. Throughout their time there, Joe had always admired the church’s missions program and followed its growth over the years. When retirement finally came in December 2018, Joe seized the opportunity he had been waiting for and signed up for three mission trips. His wife was initially taken aback. “Wait, you signed up for three trips and haven’t even been on one? How do you know you’re going to like it?” she asked. Joe’s response was simple: “I’ve been following this for years. I’ve been chomping at the bit to do this, and now the opportunity is here.”
The Impact of the First Trip
Joe’s first mission trip took him to La Guajira, Colombia, the northernmost department of the country. La Guajira is known for its extreme poverty, compounded by the influx of tens of thousands of Venezuelan refugees seeking refuge from their own dire circumstances. Joe and his team traveled there with medical professionals, supplies, eyeglasses, and medicines, aiming to provide as much aid as possible. The experience was both eye-opening and heart-wrenching. Despite having visited many third-world countries, Joe had never witnessed such severe suffering. In a village called Maicao, just three miles from the Venezuelan border, Joe found himself deeply affected by the stark realities he encountered.
Spiritual Heart Surgery
There was one particular day in Maicao when Joe’s emotional response overwhelmed him. “God just broke me,” he recalls. “About every half hour, I found a quiet corner to cry. I had never seen or experienced anything like that before.” This profound encounter led Joe to a moment of surrender and transformation. Joe felt as though God performed a kind of “spiritual heart surgery” on him, removing the calluses from his heart and revealing a new perspective on life. The experience shifted his priorities dramatically. “I’m retired now, and I have the luxury of time,” Joe reflects. “I can’t see myself spending my remaining years chasing golf balls or idling away with hobbies. I want to invest my time in something that will last.”
Embracing the Great Commission
Joe’s newfound clarity led him to a deeper understanding of the Great Commission, which calls all Christians to “go” and make disciples of all nations. Joe emphasizes that this command isn’t reserved for the exceptionally gifted or passionate; it’s a directive for everyone. “The Great Commission is pretty clear,” he says. “It doesn’t say go if you’re gifted or passionate. It’s directed to all of us. We need to figure out what that looks like in our lives and decide whether we’re going to obey Jesus’s command or not.” As Joe continues to serve in missions, he carries with him a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to making a lasting difference in the world.
People of every age and life stage often find themselves feeling a loss of purpose. We all want to be a part of something bigger than ourselves and know that we have made a different in this world. Joe’s experience is an inspiring reminder that God is never done with us. It's never too late to surrender our plans and find purpose in following Jesus. Whether it's serving the poor around the world, or serving others here at home, surrendering to God's plan for our lives is the greatest adventure we can ever live. Are you looking for purpose? Are you wondering why God placed on this earth?
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