What I Didn’t Know Then

It’s always been funny to me the way those around you can know you better than you know yourself. Moms always seem to know whether we’ll like a new food, best friends can tell exactly what you’re thinking with just one look, siblings know exactly what to say- for better or for worse.

My mother always thought that I would become a missionary. No matter where we went, I was always making friends with those around me, constantly chatting up kids at the playground, grocery store, drive through line, church conference. My dad always says that “I’ve never met a stranger”. I was most myself when caring for my siblings when they were sick or supporting friends through hard times. Whenever someone would share stories of pursuing long term missions or moving out of the country she would think to herself, that will be my Kailey girl. Years later, when I called her during finals week to tell her that I was taking a break from school to go on a nine month international mission trip, she was quiet for a moment. After I checked to ensure our connection was still good, she laughed and said “Now that sounds like the most Kailey plan you’ve ever had”.

When I was in seventh grade, I was part of a Project Based Learning initiative called TWIST. It was an application and interview only program that centered around teamwork, collaboration and giving students the opportunity to learn and demonstrate learning in non-traditional ways. Throughout the course of the year, the students and teachers involved in the program became incredibly close and had developed a rare, close knit bond. As part of the teary-eyed last day of TWIST celebration, the four teachers sat down and predicted our futures. Some were more humorous, like “will marry a pageant queen” or “will own a lamborghini dealership”, but most were serious predictions based on what our teachers saw in us. Now, I had no idea what I wanted to do when I grew up. I had thought about becoming a teacher or a writer, but had no serious plans or ideas.

My predicted future?

“She will become a journalist who travels around the world on mission trips telling the stories of those she meets.”

Writing this gives me goosebumps every time. Twelve year old Kailey had no idea what she wanted to do. The idea of pursuing missions long-term or even at all had never crossed my mind. But my seventh grade teachers saw something in me that I had not yet seen in myself. Maybe it was the same thing my mom saw in me when I played with kids at the pool or held my baby cousins. God has put an overwhelming love for people in my heart. No matter where I’ve been or what I’ve done, the message has always been clear: Love people.

And that’s exactly what I plan to do. I’m excited to live in community with other believers, to travel to new places and grow, but what gets me the most excited is the opportunity to show people the transforming love of the Lord. It’s the kind of love that I can’t contain, the kind of love that overflows from me and makes me want to share it wherever I go. 

It’s pretty amazing the way the Lord gives a calling and gifting to each and every one of us, with a unique plan that is exactly how he ordained it, for your good and his glory. I cannot wait to see how this trip unfolds, in a way that he has masterfully designed from before I knew all that was to come.

~ K

tinyurl.com/kaileywrgy.org