On saying "yes"...

Up until I was twenty-one years old, I had never stepped foot inside an airplane - a fact that greatly surprised many of my college friends.  Growing up in Small Town, USA, I'd never had a reason to fly anywhere and, quite honestly, the desire was never there either.

Fast-forward through a couple years of college and my roommates and I came up with the grand idea to fly to Los Angeles to visit another college buddy.  It wasn't until I began walking down the jet-way that I started to panic and question our decision.  Surely I could keep both feet on the ground in North Carolina and see our friend some other time, right? And what part of my brain thought it would be a good idea to lose my "flying virginity" on a cross-country flight?

Once we boarded the plane, I discovered that my seat was separated from my friends' and I may or may not have cried.  Some poor military guy, who was well-versed in traveling above the clouds, got stuck beside me - the irrational first-timer.  His tan knuckles were white by the time I was done with them, but he managed to convince me that looking out of my window wasn't such a terrible idea.

I've loved flying ever since.

Over the past ten years, I've found myself in planes headed to California, Oregon, Ohio, New York, and Florida - but never outside the borders of our country.  I'll often get the itch to fly somewhere, but rarely has it crossed my mind that the "somewhere" might be more than a few hours away.

However.

Four months from now, I'll be walking down another long jet-way into quite possibly one of the biggest planes I've ever been on.  I'll settle into my seat for ... I don't even want to know how long ... and, yes, I'm sure there will be tears.  (Mandy - get your knuckles ready.)

God has given me an opportunity to travel to India with Global Hope India and I'm still in awe of how He works.  Much like adoption, international missions has never been "my thing".  I'll support "those people" who are "called" all day long, but I've never "felt led" to personally participate.

Well.

I've been learning over the past few months that caring for orphans and making disciples of all nations aren't callings that give us the warm-fuzzies.  They're commandments that will most likely make us a little uncomfortable.  Adopting a baby and leaving my family for an international missions trip have never been on my short-list, but they're on God's and who am I to say "no, thanks"?

So, I'm saying "yes, please" and I would love your support.

First and foremost, please begin praying today for our team.  There are around ten of us going, flying into Hyderabad then traveling in-country to Kesigna.  We'll be in India for about nine days, with a day or so of traveling to and from the U.S. on either side.  While I do pray for the safety of our team and the people we'll be loving on, my main prayer is that the good news of the Gospel will be heard loud and clear by the people of India.  Furthermore, I pray that they will be empowered to share it with others long after we leave.

In addition to your prayers, I am in need of financial help to make this trip happen.  The total cost is $2,800 and I need half of that within the next two weeks in order to book the airline tickets.  It is very difficult to ask for money, especially after wrapping up Heart Walk fundraising, but I'm stepping out in faith that some of you would like to financially support God's work in India.  If that's you, I would ask that you prayerfully consider being a sponsor of my trip.

You can make an online donation by following this link: Donate to Joye Mullis

or...

You can write a check payable to Global Hope India, with a note included with my name, and mail it to: 400 Fayetteville St., Suite E Raleigh, NC 27601

(All donations are tax-deductible.)

Am I nervous? Absolutely.  Am I excited? For sure.  Do I sometimes look up and think, "Lord, what exactly are you doing?" Just about everyday.  Getting to a place of saying "yes" to God is a wild journey, that's for sure, but I'm confident it's where He wants me ...and you.

Thanks in advance, friends.  Your support is greatly appreciated!

"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"

-Matthew 28:18-20