Where I Belong

I was asked the question recently…”What are you looking forward to the most about moving to Honduras?” I didn’t have to think for a minute and I answered by saying, “To finally be in the place I was created for, where I belong, and to finally be stable for a long period of time.” My answer took them by surprise, which I am sure it will for many of you. They asked me to explain. I would like to share with you all too.

(I will answer them a little out of order)

To Be Stable

At the moment I live in three places. Yep, you read right…three. 1.) I live in a small town in Maryland, the place where I grew up and my family is. 2.) I live in Pennsylvania, where I am going to college to get my two degrees. 3.) Also, I live in Honduras, the place I am moving to as a missionary. My heart and mind live in Honduras, since I am unable to be there at the moment.

I move back in fourth between Maryland and Pennsylvania almost every week. Bags are constantly being packed and unpacked, loaded and unloaded, never in one place long enough to be fully unpacked and settled in. When people ask me, “Where do you live” I literally look at them and saying “Umm…That’s a tricky question,” never really knowing how to answer. I live in Pennsylvania during the week, Maryland on the weekends, and Honduras constantly in my mind and heart. I am also going through all of my stuff and packing it up in order to move to Honduras in January. It is so draining not feeling stable. I feel like sometimes I spend more time packing and driving than I do being in one place.

So…Yes…I am looking forward to moving to Honduras to be stable. It will be the first place in four years that I will be able to take my stuff and unpack it. I won’t have to keep packing and unpacking, constantly living out of a suitcase. I can put things away and set things up knowing that I will be there for a little while and not have to constantly be moving every weekend. I will finally be in the place that my head and my heart call home. It is hard when the place that you call home is somewhere you can’t be yet, and am constantly missing the people and the family that you have there. I am so looking forward to that day of being stable and not having to constantly move.

Where I Belong

For a big part of my life, I spent time searching for the place where I belong as an individual. It seemed like people around me always knew what they were doing, wanted to do, and where they fit in. I never have really found that perfect fit for me. Until Honduras, there was never a place that I was like, “Yes! This is where I want to be. This is where I feel alive and useful.” One can say that I was missing a piece of my puzzle and I had to find it. You may be thinking, “Well what about your family? You belong with them. And your friends?” Yes, I love my family and they are a big part of my life. I belong to them and with them. I am so thankful for my friends, for their support and love over the years. BUT where do I, Amanda, belong as a person and where do I feel the most alive.

I had been to Honduras many times but it wasn’t until January 2014 that I knew. Honduras had always been a specially place for me but I kept praying for the Lord to show me where I belonged. I wanted to find that place that made me feel like I had found my missing puzzle piece. The Lords timing is always perfect. I was on the mountain feeding kids in the street. We had made it to the top and I turned to look over and down the mountain. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. This is where I belonged. I almost lost my balance, having to go and sit on a rock. It was in front of my face the whole time. I began to cry with tears of joy and happiness. It was like my eyes were open for the first time. I started seeing the whole mountain differently. I saw it as home. I could hear the Lord whisper to me, “Amanda, This is where you belong.” I found my missing puzzle piece. Thank you Lord!! I am excited to move to the place that I belong.

Created For

This goes along with figuring out where I belong. God created me for a reason and for a purpose. That purpose is to be a missionary. My mission in life is to be His vessel, to be the hands and feet of God, and to live my life in a sacrificial way, so that people will know the love of God through the love that He allows me to show them. This is my mission and this is what God created me to do. I am honored and humbled at the fact that the Lord and King of all the earth choose me to take His word out into the world, to Honduras, to show His love and spread His word to all nations. (Matthew 28:19)

I surrender my life to the Lord and want to be His vessel to do His work. Everything I do in life, I want to do for the Glory of the Lord. I want to capture the hearts of the people of Honduras for Christ, by using my gifts and dedicating my life, so that they may see His love.

John 15:16 says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”

I am so thankful for this call the Lord has put on my life and has created me to do. I am ready to move and finally be in the place that the Lord has created me to be, the place of being a missionary.

What am I looking forward to the most? I am looking forward to finally be in the place I was created for, where I belong, and to finally be stable for a long period of time. To actually have my bags unpacked, and being stable for the first time in four years. To be in a place where I belong, where I have finally found my missing puzzle piece. Most importantly, I am looking forward to being in a place that I know the Lord has called me to do His work and to show His love to the people of Honduras.

I pray that you all will find the place where you belong but most importantly I pray that you will follow the Lord and the plans that He has for your life. It is an adventure that you will not take alone.

God Bless!!