I Need Direction

I wanted God to call me back to the Philippines as a missionary. I even had the chance to visit Manila over Christmas break my senior year. As I spent time with different people and ministries, I asked God to tell me if He wanted me to come back to the country that I loved and called home. I remember one afternoon standing in the back of a youth event,  a man who had been a missionary in the Philippines while I was growing up happened to be there. He came over and asked me “Tiffany, do you think you are going to move back here?” I told him “I don’t know. I would like to, but I don’t feel a peace about it yet.” He put his hand on my shoulder and said. “I think God’s got something for you in the States.” I was very surprised to hear this man say that. After all, we both had a heart for missions. Everyone else on that trip told me they would love to have me come and work with them in their ministry. But this man, who had no idea that I was begging God to speak to me and give me His direction, came over and confirmed what I had been feeling in my heart. At the time, I was so sad that God had not given me the answer I had hoped for. I didn’t even recognize that He was, in fact leading me and guiding me. Sure, He said no, but the truth was… He said something. 

I came back to the states and continued my senior year of Bible College. I still had no idea what God wanted me to do. All I knew was that the the Philippines was off the table. God continued to show more and more of my friends what their next step would be after school. And I found myself wondering what my next step would be. A few weeks before graduation, the executive pastor at my church asked me to interview for a part time job as his intern. I remember telling him that I couldn’t give him a time commitment, because I was waiting on God to show me where to go. (Not a good move in an interview for a job, by the way.). He gave me a part time job and I started right after I graduated. I was waiting tables at night and on the weekends along with working at church. I began my journey in ministry as the Volunteer Coordinator. I took on additional roles and launched new initiatives such as: leading and expanding our community outreach program, managing the church social media platform, and launching our weekly video announcement which was a catalyst to our creative arts department. I loved serving at church, but it was a struggle to work two jobs.  For years, I worked two jobs, so that I could do what I loved at church. God gave me the grace to keep going. Four years later, I came on full time at church. God has given me so many areas in which to learn,grow and serve. I have had the opportunity to teach Bible studies, speak at women’s events, children’s camps, ministry conference breakouts, and I got the incredible privilege to speak at a conference to over 600 teenagers. I expanded our membership class to include connecting newcomers to small groups and volunteering. In 2008, I launched The Volees, our annual volunteer celebration. We roll out the red carpet to honor our volunteers by throwing a big party. Four years ago, I was asked to lead our children’s ministry and have seen God do some amazing things. I knew the only way to make my vision a reality, was to activate leaders.   

As a result, I launched an internship program where we invest in college students.

Looking back, almost a decade after my senior year of college, I see that God wasn’t silent. He had plans for me…good plans…He was directing me and was with me the whole time!