In one week, I will be in the Dominican Republic serving on my first ever mission trip, and can I just say I am SO excited! I have never experienced serving the Lord on a mission field in a foreign country before, so I am looking forward to this adventure and seeing how God works with the people I meet.

I know quite a few people who have gone on mission trips. Some near and some far. A few people have even gone multiple times! Answering God's call to serve and being "fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19) is a beautiful thing. Now, to be honest, going on a mission trip was something that I always thought was great, but I never personally considered doing one myself until this past semester in college. I didn't think I "had what it takes"; the personality, the knowledge, and essentially courage to go to an unknown area and reach people. However through the Baptist Student Ministry at my school and the small group I attend through my local church in Corpus Christi, I realized that there is no cookie-cutter Christian. Obviously, we are all different. I don't have the big, easygoing personality that can strike up a conversation with just anyone. I'm not the greatest at memorizing Bible verses. And guess what? That's OK.

Each of us is born with different gifts, we are all unique and created in God's image. Of course, we all have personal talents such as being athletic or musical or intelligent, but we are also blessed with gifts of the Holy Spirit. Throughout last semester that was the topic at our weekly small group meetings: spiritual gifts. There is a whole list that defines each one, but the main two groups I want to pinpoint are speaking and serving. When we started the study in my head I already knew I leaned more towards the serving side rather than the speaking. I used to be terrified to even speak in public at all, but thankfully now I find it easier to talk to people I don't know, especially since I have to do that quite frequently at work! But for the longest time I believe I defined myself by a narrow thread, as being incapable of being a good speaker. And that is what scared me when thinking about missions, being surrounded by strangers, perhaps even of different religions. During our study we learned in depth about the differences between all the gifts, but how they are interrelated and work in conjunction with each other. Another key point is that ALL of these gifts come from the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:4 says "There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all." That is a beautiful thing to fathom.

Now whether you know your spiritual gifts or not, you are in a place right now in which God wants you to use them. Whether it be at work, school, or with family and friends, God has a purpose for you right now. That doesn't mean you're stuck! There is certainly room to grow in your gifts and God is not finished with you, He has plans for you: "...for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope" Jeremiah 29:11.

So wherever you may be. On a mountaintop or in a valley. In the light or in darkness. Use it to glorify God. You are gifted. You are here for a reason.