In a world where:
. . . Direction can be vague
. . . Faith is questioned
. . . Service is challenged
Growing up in a small town in the Midwest, I figured most missionaries were either super spiritual or totally crazy, and I felt unable to relate to either extreme. However, God completely changed my desires as I delighted in him. By the time I arrived at seminary, I was confident in my calling and received the tools, training, and, perhaps most importantly, the relationships to lay a foundation for long-term missionary service.
I needed:
. . . A clear calling
. . . A vision for unreached people
. . . Courage to follow the vision
The Lord really put a call on my life while I was at Tabor. It was a class I took on world missions, which opened my eyes to the needs of unreached people all over the world. But also the focus on discipleship and following the voice of Jesus was emphasized during my time at Tabor, which continued to confirm that call. I went on a couple of short-term mission trips while I was at Tabor which really solidified those things.
Tabor provided:
. . . Personal transformation
. . . A partner with a shared vision
My experience at Tabor was life-changing and transformational. I continue to support and believe in the mission of Tabor College and all of the challenges that come with higher education. I’m just grateful for how God continues to use Tabor to transform lives as he did mine. I was a freshman in college and Carmen was a senior in high school when we first ran into each other and connected. We happened to be on the same short-term mission trips later on. She went on to Fresno Pacific University, but it wasn’t until we graduated from college that we reconnected and felt that common purpose and passion.