The Cost of A Dream

More than ten years ago, I first heard about Family Missions Company from a young lady whose sister and brother-in-law and their seven children were serving as a missionary family in the Philippines. I was blown away!

I had no idea what being a missionary was. Still, I knew that I wanted to follow Jesus like that. And not just as a single missionary, but to one day serve Jesus with my wife and children as missionaries in a foreign land! That day, I discovered a dream that I didn’t even know existed deep within my heart.

I joined FMC in 2013 as a single and served for four years in Asia. I came back to the United States to marry the woman of my dreams, who also served with FMC for four years in another Asian country. I started working at our mission base doing maintenance and groundskeeping, and we started growing our family. During this time we had four children, one in heaven and three in our care.

I had no idea what being a missionary was. Still, I knew that I wanted to follow Jesus like that.

Last March, the Lord started to move our hearts to serve Him and His people in Ireland. When Genevieve and I prayed about the possibility Jesus spoke clearly through Scripture that this was His call for us. It was a gift that He wanted to give our family.

As one more step of discernment, Genevieve and I fundraised to make an exploratory trip to Ireland to see where the Lord would want us to serve there. In less than a month, through the generosity of many, and by the goodness of God, we had more than enough to make the month-long visit. In late August of 2023, Genevieve, who was 13 weeks pregnant, our two young children, and I, flew to Ireland to see where Jesus would lead us.

Jesus is inviting us to count the cost and begin to grieve the many losses we will experience in order to follow Him.

While in Ireland, my heart was filled with such peace, joy, and excitement about living and serving as a missionary family there. We met many people serving Jesus already and felt the Lord calling us to serve as FMC missionaries alongside another mission organization named NET Ireland. We will work alongside NET Ireland as spiritual directors for their missionaries. Both Genevieve and I have been trained in spiritual direction, and there is a great need for this ministry in Ireland.

Now we are in Louisiana with this confirmed call to come and follow Jesus to Ireland. We are on the cusp of fulfilling my dream of living as a missionary family serving in a foreign country. And here, Jesus is inviting us to count the cost and begin to grieve the many losses we will experience in order to follow Him.

First, I ask for your prayers for us and all missionaries, because though it is a call, it is not always an easy one.

One of the first losses we are beginning to grieve is leaving the only house our children have ever lived in, and where Genevieve and I have spent most of our married life. These rooms are full of memories and moments that have given our lives so much meaning.

Another loss is leaving behind our families: our brothers and sisters, our fathers and mothers—who are our children’s grandparents. This hits us hard and will continue whenever we miss a holiday with them.

The loss heaviest on my heart now are the true friends that I will be leaving here. This past year and a half I have grown close while praying weekly with a group of men from St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Abbeville, Louisiana. I have been inspired by their witness to follow Christ daily and grow closer to Him through their example. I have learned to lean on them and am blessed to help them when they are in need.

One final loss is the comfort of our own American culture. We know how to live here and what to do when this or that happens. We are about to enter another culture with different ways to do this or that, and that will be difficult to navigate.

So the question is, why?
Why do this crazy thing for Jesus?

We could stay here and share Jesus with those around us.

So the question is, why? Why do this crazy thing for Jesus?

The answer is simple. Jesus has given us a greater desire to bring the light of the Gospel back to the people of Ireland, than to remain here and be comfortable. We have seen the spiritual darkness and lack of hope, peace, and joy in the people of Ireland. We are compelled by the Holy Spirit to do something about it. We believe it is worth the cost.

So the next question is, what about you?
What is Jesus calling you to and what will it cost to follow Him and your deepest dreams?

We are not all called to follow Jesus to foreign lands, but we are all called to follow Jesus radically.

Pope Benedict XVI said “The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.”