The main thing this summer that influenced me was God's persistence. For a while, I had been planning on going to school for something to do with music. That's all I've known all my life, and people just naturally assumed that's what I would go in to.
During the second semester of school last year, I struggled because I felt God calling me into missions but I wasn't willing to listen. Honestly, music was number one in my life. It was the biggest idol I've ever had. Everything in my life was based on what song I was learning, what competition I was going to next. Basically, I had to be the best, and if I wasn't then I had to work and work until I was the best.
During teen camp III, Tom Ferrel and his son, Ben Ferrel, came and preached. One of the messages was on fully surrendering to Christ. The whole entire service, I could feel conviction. I knew God was calling me to be a missionary, but I kept saying no. When the preacher did the invitation, I refused to leave my seat. When I went back after the service ended, I was asked to help counsel. I should have said no because I was personally struggling with surrender, but I went to where everyone was counseling, and I sat down next to a girl who hadn't been talked to yet. I asked her what God had spoken to her about, and she said, "I think God wants me to be a missionary." I was immediately like, "Oh great." As soon as I finished helping her, I was so convicted that I went to one of the staff and asked them to counsel me.
That night, I gave my life to Christ to be whatever he wants me to be. I believe He's called me in to missions. I would love to do something with the deaf on the mission field, but I'm willing to go wherever God leads. I claimed a verse that night, and that verse is really special to me. I'm the type of person that cares way to much about what the world thinks. Because of that, it's hard for me to just walk up to someone and start giving the gospel. In this verse, it says that God will give me the power. It's not my words that will make a difference, it's Gods words.
~Charis
