The Voice of Truth... In Serbia?

It has all happened so fast. Maybe that's why I'm so overwhelmed... I like when things are planned and deliberate. A few weeks ago Julie Bell, our pastor's wife, approached me about helping to coordinate a trip to Serbia for this summer. I had agreed several years ago to help coordinate a trip to Serbia, but it had fallen through. Strangely, I wasn't devastated. My heart just wasn't in it at that time. Now, two years later, they decided to try again. I agreed to help coordinate the trip but I still wasn't sure whether I was going to go myself. Then I heard our pastor speak about the trip in church and I thought, "I want to go." I had no idea why. What was so weird was that Jim told me he wanted to go, too. That may not sound weird, but Jim has never expressed an interest in traveling or in leaving the country for any reason. He has never had the same passion for missions work that I have had. So this shocked me, and I decided we needed to go for it. So, here we are on March 20 scrambling to get airfare, passports, and to raise $2300 per person. And I still don't know why we're going. Of course, that's irrelevant. God asks us to listen to His voice and to show up. He'll take care of the rest. But it's so overwhelming! The other night I was expressing my doubts, concerns, and fears to Jim, and he kindly and patiently listened to everything I had to say. Then, when I was done, he tenderly said, "Lissa, you're listening to all the wrong voices." I knew he was right, and suddenly the lyrics to Casting Crown's "Voice of Truth" flooded my head. It was as if they were written for me.

"Voice of Truth"

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He's holding out His hand

But the waves are calling out my name
And they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again, "Boy, you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"

Chorus:
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
The voice of truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand

But the giant's calling out my name
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"

Chorus:
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
The voice of truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
From on top of them lookin' down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me

Chorus:
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
The voice of truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth.