crossing the pond

I've had quite a week! Change has been in the air for me for many months, but of course I had no idea what was coming. In fact, in the midst of this sense of change, I had finally found a place where I was content to stay busy and connected with what was at hand, and let God open doors. And then He did.

Last Monday (which was ironically the 5th anniversary of hire at my present job) I told my managers that I was given an offer I could not turn down and gave my resignation, effective at the end of the month. Now, in just over three weeks I will be headed to England to assume a support role with the International Team for 24-7 Prayer.

Here is what 24-7's International Director, Pete Greig, said about my joining the ranks:
"I am thrilled that the Lord is calling Sheena to be right at the heart of the 24-7 Prayer movement, working with me to mobilize thousands of people in prayer, mission and justice. After a process of prayer and dialogue, we truly believe that Sheena's unique combination of marketplace skills, good character and a proven calling to prayer and the nations, has prepared her to play this key supportive role in the 24-7 community. We take seriously her willingness to sacrifice so much to serve the Lord in this way, and welcome her to Europe – one of the darkest continents on earth - as a missionary above all else. Please invest in her and through her into the nations."

Needless to say, this is the stuff of dreams for me. It is the culmination of many things that I have been aching to do for a very long time. This opportunity will be taking me to the UK, a place whose history and culture have interested me since the ripe old age of six, when my mother woke me up at 3am on a July morning to watch a royal wedding. I have felt for a number of years that I will spend an extended season in the UK, and have pursued a few other opportunities over the last six years, and though they almost panned, none ever did. After the last one fell through I decided not to make any plans. If God wanted something to happen it would need to pretty much fall in my lap--and that’s exactly what happened.

I am excited and amazed that this opportunity will allow me to be working directly with 24-7 Prayer, as I've been connected to several people within 24-7 for several years and I love what they are all about, I’m also thrilled about traveling and building many more relationships with people all over the globe, and being part of helping to facilitate prayer, mission and justice among the nations.

As far back as I can remember I have had a fascination with other nations. I periodically become fixated on one or another nation or culture. I think of it as a 'crush' and I read up on it, stare at maps, pray for it, and notice it in the news and so on. When I was little I thought I would be a missionary, but I could never settle to which country I would go. I poured over stories about Jim Elliott, Hudson Taylor, George Muller and countless others and the longing just kept growing.

But of course, life bogged me down here in Portland. I worked in one dead-end job after another for years, and finally found a great career path 5 years ago in the travel industry. All the while I was serving the community through involvement with planting my church, helping to establish a community service initiative downtown, and through my involvement with the House of Prayer. I knew God was building things into me that He would use later, but I struggled with the feeling that I would never see the realization of the dreams that continued to smolder in my heart.

I have come to believe that if they are God-given dreams, He always intends to fulfill them. Now I'm suddenly finding myself scrambling to get all the 'ducks in a row' for this great adventure. Instead of becoming a missionary to one nation, I find I'm becoming a missionary to all of them. My mission and my journey are finally starting to make sense.

So now I'm furiously finding good homes for all my things and trying to raise financial and prayer support for the next season of my life. I need to raise about $3,000 in the next few weeks for the transition from the US to the UK. I also need to raise about $500 a month to supplement the small expense stipend I will be getting from 24/7 Prayer, Equally important is a core group of people that will be willing to commit to pray for me, and in that way cheer me on in this adventure.

If you would like to ask me questions about all this, or if you want to support me in prayer, feel free to drop me an email at writetosheena@gmail.com. If you would like to support me financially please see the instructions on the left side of my blog to make a tax-deductible donation through my church, Father’s House City Ministries.

In closing I would just like to say a deep and heart-felt “thank you” to the friends and family that are my community. Your love, friendship, encouragement and support have brought me to the threshold of this adventure. Whatever I do and wherever I go from here, you all have a part in it. Thank you.