My Call to Foreign Missions

Welcome to my personal blog post about me sharing the wonderful news I have been itching to release! Starting in September I will be moving to Louisiana for training to be a Catholic, foreign missionary with the organization, Family Missions Company (FMC)!!!! Wanting to be a missionary, especially one serving in poor countries, has been a dream of mine for 6 years now. I won't find out what country I will be serving in until I leave in September for training. I invite you to visit FMC's website to learn more about the ministry I will be serving, the stories of hundreds of missionaries out in the field today, and ways to help support me. Here is their website: https://www.familymissionscompany.com/

FMC's mission and vision is to live out Jesus' Christ's discipleship, going to the ends of the earth by preaching the Gospel of God's great love and serving the most vulnerable, oppressed, and poor. I know God doesn't need me to fulfill His mission by spreading His Love. He can do it all on His own because He is that amazing! I really believe God could call anyone. For whatever reason, though, He has called me uniquely to drop everything, follow Jesus, and to live for two years (at least) in another country.

Naturally, I am humbled. My story of being at the place that I am now has been a long, treacherous journey. At times, I so badly wanted to give up, felt like I was ridiculous for desiring this kind of life, and even doubted I had the gifts and abilities. Below, I have decided to share publicly (as concisely as 6 years worth of journeying is possible) my story in hopes that in my testimony you may come to be inspired of your own gifts that God has given you, and to not give up in your pursuit of making your dreams possible.

Before you continue reading, I ask that you support me through this huge leap of faith in my life. Prayer is so powerful, especially when you have a community supporting you!!! With that said, I ask you may keep me in your prayers, specifically for God to prepare my heart for what is to come. I am not able to do this ministry on my own. It is only possible through your support. If you are interested in reaching out to me and wish to help support my fundraising goals (yes, I am fundraising to be a missionary), please visit my personal missionary account here: https://www.familymissionscompany.com/project/kgoff/. I would also love to hear from you as to how I can prayerfully support you in return. God Bless and may these words filled with the Holy Spirit bring you peace.

In Christ,

Kellie

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"The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why" - Mark Twain.

I happened to come across these words the other day (on Pinterest of course) and immediately was brought to tears. I couldn't help but parallel these words and think about how God, before I was even born and fashioned to life, rejoiced over the plans He had for me. Now that my future and path is so clear, and I literally am leaving in September to live the dream I had always imagined for my life, I finally feel like I can visualize God 23 years ago eagerly awaiting my arrival and anticipating the day I would find out why He brought me into this world.

(Pictured: My Baptism Day!)

Like a proud, loving Father He whispered as I was being held for the first time "You are perfect Kellie. My plan for you is perfect. You are my child and I will send you to the ends of the earth, serving the poor and spreading my Love. You don't know it yet, in fact, you won't know for another 23 years, but I promise I will not leave you abandoned."

Many of you who have been in my life witnessed me grow up in my church, or sent me off

to college to study Theology and Communications, heard about me struggling to really understand what kind of ministry I was being called to, watched me travel abroad and serve refugees in Rome, prayed for me with tears in my eyes, witnessed me in a panic when I really didn't understand how I could make full-time missionary work possible, and so on. I am not kidding when I say that every single prayer, every conversation, reference, internship opportunity, class, relationship, and advice is what has allowed me to now be in a place where I finally know what my why, or purpose, for life is...which as I know now, is being a missionary.

I'd like to share with you my call to missions as concisely as I possibly can and what my "yes" to this call will look like.

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The Day My Life Changed

It was 6 years ago when I first thought to myself, "I want to be a missionary someday." Of course back then I had no idea what I was saying or what I even meant when I declared such a desire. Interestingly enough, though, God did. I was in my junior year of high school sitting in my religion class and discussing the dignity and morality of the human person. We talked a lot about the soul and seemed to always talk about it in relationship to those who are afflicted by poverty and oppression. I can recall us watching movies in this class related to the poor in other countries, most specifically, Africa. I don't know if it was a specific moment or not, but I felt deeply within that I wanted to go to these countries, meet the faces of the afflicted and do nothing but love them. Prior to my junior year, I actually didn't have a personal relationship with God. Due to a lot of health complications I despised trusting in God and ignored many times His invitation of relationship with Him. I can firmly say that the religion class my junior year was the beginning of my personal journey and relationship with God.

A retreat through my high school, Kairos, eventually became the turning point of my faith the summer before my senior year. I finally opened my heart to allow God to heal a lot of wounds I was burying. I was tired of fighting Him and felt like there was nothing to lose if I gave the Jesus thing a try. I remember praying, "You know what God, I need you. I can't do anything without You and I am ready for You to heal me." He did exactly just that and an overwhelming blanket of peace washed over me. I truly became an entirely different woman that day and promised myself that for the rest of my life I would pursue the Love of Christ.

(Pictured: My first mission trip in Tecate, Mexico)

The Beginning of the Journey

It was around this time when I was trying to figure out where I wanted to go to college, what to study, and all that craziness. I remember many of my car rides home with my dad from my water polo games when I would tell him I was interested in going to college abroad all four years, knew I would enjoy studying people, and hopefully do something with my faith. I never studied abroad all four years in some whimsical country (just one semester in Rome ahah). Instead, I ended up in the lovely city of Cincinnati, Ohio at Xavier University. The moment I visited the campus for the first time, I hadn't even stepped out of our rental car and I knew I had arrived at home. I looked to my dad as we were driving around and said, "Let's put the deposit down."

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My four years out-of-state, studying Theology and double majoring in Communications, have been my most formative, challenging, and fulfilling years of my life so far. There were so many moments in college when I wanted to give up on the whole "Jesus/ministry as a career path" thing because I felt lonely in the pursuit. I legit just graduated this past May with only 6 other individuals graduating as Theology students (yikes!). My first two years were especially the hardest. I really didn't feel like I could deepen my desire to serve as an ordinary person in the Catholic Church through the opportunities on my campus. Looking back, I'm really not sure how I was able to be so strong, resilient, and persistent. But then I recall individual relationships I formed in college, roommates, friends, and professors included, that eventually became my own little support team. I can picture certain faces right now that believed in me at the points in my life I barely believed in myself and my dreams. It was because of these encounters that pulled me back to what I really wanted for my life, affirmations of being in the right place for college, and allowed me to look inwardly and feel confident to continue my journey.

Like I said, I can't count with my two hands all the people in my life who allowed me to be where I am today. Even the internships I was able to serve for were miracles in and of themselves, all of which I wouldn't have had if it weren't for a friend of mine connecting me to them. The first internship I had, with a Catholic non-profit doing web design and social media strategizing, was the place that would introduce me to FMC, the ministry I will be serving very soon.

Wait, This Is Actually Possible?!

One of the greatest opportunities from my first internship was being able to interview everyone in the office about their personal testimony of falling in love with God (I legit interviewed 40+ coworkers). When I met with one of them to be interviewed specifically, we finished talking about his story and he ended by asking, "Now Kellie, who do you dream to be after you graduate college?" I looked at him and almost ashamed answered, "As a missionary. I would love to go out to the ends of the earth and serve the poor." He followed, "Why haven't you dreamed bigger?"

I was stunned. At first, I thought he was criticizing my dream. But he continued with, "Have you dreamed more specifically where that might be, what kinds of people you might want to serve, and the relationships you hope to form? Have you dreamed about the details?" I realized I hadn't, of course.

I will never forget that day. That day I felt like not only was I being encouraged to continue researching and following my dreams of being a missionary, but I was also being challenged to dream beyond my wildest imagination...to dream of every detail!

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Another coworker of mine from that same internship was a missionary with his wife. He announced to the office two of his closest friends who are married were coming to visit and tour the office...and, wait for it....were missionaries! When the announcement went around, I felt giddy and excited to meet this couple. Little did I know then (3 years ago), that this married couple would be the first witnesses of me finding out about FMC and the reason why I never gave up in making it a reality for myself. (Side note: last month I got to see them after all these years and thank them for playing a huge part in my journey! Praise Jesus!)

But, even after having met them and feeling inspired, I still had two more full years left of college, studying abroad in Rome, another internship to serve for, and a lot of me discerning if I was meant to be a nun or not (which I know now that I am not ahah).

Lord, I'm Here...Are You Listening??

The remaining two years of school were challenging also. I went away my fall semester to Rome to study abroad, with the emphasis of not only taking classes and traveling, but to be part of an abroad program where I was able to be a missionary and serve refugees there. Rome was amazing of course and I loved every ounce of it. But it wasn't always easy. What really got me through, actually, was a friendship I formed with a seminarian there (waiting to be a priest) who would meet with me for Bible studies. God Bless his soul because there were so many times we would meet and I would unleash my anxieties on to him about how angry, confused, and frustrated I was that God wasn't making it that easy in letting me know if I should still continue to pursue being a missionary or not.

I hit a low point in Rome when I went to some conference for a well-known Catholic organization. This organization is pretty well established and the founder just so happened to be in Rome giving a talk about their amazing ministry. I felt like God inspired me to approach this man after his talk, so I opened up to him and shared how I want to be a Catholic missionary, but it just seems so hard for me to find the right connections. He had a business-like persona which ended up frightening me a bit. I felt completely crushed when he responded, "You'll never make it out as a missionary. You don't even know how to speak another language."

Hurt and confused, I left defeated and ready to officially put this "lofty" dream of mine to rest.

But God Had Other Plans...

You know that seminarian friend I mentioned? Yeah, well, one day after we finished Bible study together he told me a good friend of his, who is a missionary with FMC (crazy, right?!), was going to be passing through Rome for a layover. He put me in contact with her and wildly enough we got in touch, planned to meet outside of the train station in Rome and chatted about her life as a missionary in a little coffee shop! God literally hand-picked this missionary to enter into my life (nudge me to look into FMC again), traveling all the way from Asia just to share with me her story of becoming a Catholic, foreign missionary.

Once again, I was set ablaze with a raging fire to not give up. Just when I was ready to finally stop and look into other ministry options as a career path, God made straight His path for me. I left feeling alive again and encouraged. I even went back to my little apartment in Rome and saved FMC's application on my computer desktop (which I wouldn't touch for another year).

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Eventually, my personal account of becoming a missionary would become clearer and clearer by my last year of college. I had the opportunity before senior year to intern for another Catholic non-profit, evangelizing the world through social media and traveling around the country to different worship conferences (I was so tremendously blessed it's unreal). I was sure that summer that I was going to be a missionary, but still didn't know where just yet. I prayed loads about being a missionary with that second organization I interned for, but God really desired my initial passions...to be a foreign missionary.

Saying Yes to FMC

I was sitting on my bed in my room the beginning of senior year, so not even a year ago, when God's voice boomed boldly in my ears. "Kellie, I am calling you to the ends of the earth." Without any hesitance I got up, opened my laptop to find that application for FMC I had saved on my desktop that was just sitting there staring at me for years, and applied. I felt so much peace. I couldn't believe what I had just done when I emailed that application and began to set phone appointments with FMC's office to find out more details.

Not even two months ago I just graduated, and even then had nothing set in stone with where I was going to be in the next year. I graduated knowing I needed to wait for June to have my Come & See in Louisiana to meet FMC for the first time and really pray if this is where I would fit in best. I decided to have a friend of mine decorate my graduation cap with a piece of Scripture that seemed to be the most relevant to my life and greatest theme of my whole relationship with Jesus. Isaiah 6:8 says, "Here I am, Lord, send me!"

Even when I first told myself 6 years ago I wanted to be a missionary, I was ready. I expressed to God "Here I am...just use me already!" Every high and low has been a testament of me opening my palms to God and waiting for Him to use me for beautiful things. Now, I get to offer this same prayer, arms opened wide, asking God to send me to whatever country He has in mind.

So, last month I made my way to the deep South, was embraced as a family, loved completely by little kids for a week, immersed in worship and service projects, and was informed about what it's like to be a missionary internationally serving the poor under the Catholic faith. As cliche as it sounds, the rest has been history. I was officially accepted the end of June and have been overwhelmed with excitement and humility.

A Look Back

It's crazy knowing that God never stopped guiding me all this time. It's wild I am actually leaving. I thank God for being persistent, patient, and loving to me in my journey. I rejoice knowing above all I will be gifted in bringing His Kingdom and relentless Love to the world. I am thankful for the gift of the Holy Spirit constantly nudging me to be confident, bold, and daring in my dreams. The greatest part of this all is that He is not finished with me. He never will be! I am truly amazed.

Thank you to those who are reading this, and those who are reading this who have been the specific people in my life that got me to this point. I love you so deeply and your support means the world to me. I'm not sure if you ever have had "far-fetched" dreams, were tempted to give up or maybe already have. All I can say is that we dream too little in this life. We put a limit on the amazing opportunities we could encounter. When you labor long enough for those "crazy" dreams, I promise they will actually become reality.

Why?

Because God's Love is crazier than our dreams. His Love for you is simply WILD. Let Him fulfill your dreams with His wild Love.