As I sit and write this at 1:32 in the morning, I can't help but feel let my mind wander to the seemingly unending upcoming demands of my life: exams, studying, assignment due dates, application deadlines, fundraising, and SLEEP (which I'm obviously not getting much of), among other things. If I could just make it to the end of this week then maybe I'll be able to get back on my feet, I tell myself. The problem is that this mindset traps me in a cycle until suddenly the semester is halfway through and I'm left wondering how time has flown so quickly.
Rather than let myself fall victim to this diversion of the enemy, who so relentlessly tries to get us to focus our attention on anything other than the goodness and faithfulness and consistency of God, I've chosen to stand in the storm, trusting the truths of the Lord instead of the lies of the evil one. As I was spending time with the Lord literally just a few minutes ago, I felt compelled to share with you all my prayer of joy to our Father:

My fellow small group leader and trusted friend Kyra once shared from a devotional the definitions of vision and mission as they pertain to a relationship with and a calling from the Lord: vision is your purpose here on earth and mission pertains to the way(s) you walk out your vision. Personally, as I see it now, the vision for this life of mine is to spread the gospel of Jesus with as much intentionality as I can, especially throughout the scientific culture, and to encourage people to lovingly preserve the Creation, and all of its inhabitants, that God has so generously blessed us with. As this perception of my vision has long been shaped and molded by God, and will continue through that process, different missions of mine have come and gone. From openly talking about Jesus and my faith to fellow biology students and professors to sharing my testimony with a Muslim friend to approaching a stranger in a restaurant to remind him that the Lord loves him, my mission has always been deeply rooted in the desire to make the King known throughout my world. The Lord has recently tasked me with a new mission, one that is sure to greatly expand the horizons of my world as I know it.

In September, I came across a unique opportunity to go to Botswana, Africa. I was scrolling through Instagram when an ad appeared for Okavango Guiding School. That’s cool, I thought as I clicked on the picture. What was presented to me was the opportunity to attend the Okavango Guiding School for a month, learning how to nature guide and trail guide in the African bush. Checking the prices, I excitedly realized that this trip may be one that I could realistically afford and manage. I pitched the potential idea to my mom and, hesitantly, she agreed that it would be an amazing experience for me. I quickly stopped myself from becoming too excited and emotionally committed, however, remembering Gator Country and that, despite my excitement and desire to go, the Lord had asked me to stay home, ultimately because He was aware of the ways that He both was protecting me and had something better in store for me (If you want to read more, here’s the link to my blog post about it: http://www.kerringtonmaner.com/home/see-ya-later-alligators). After praying and speaking to a friend, I decided that I would ask the Lord for confirmation through listening prayer.

Later the next day I returned to school in time for Kyra and me to lead our small group, which consists of my roommates and several friends. At the time, I was beginning to disciple one of my roommates, Katie, who had recently recommitted her life to the Lord. Towards the end of our small group we were all practicing listening prayer and just trying to hear from the Lord about different areas of our lives. I felt prompted by Him to ask Katie to listen for me. As I hadn’t mentioned anything to any of them about Africa yet (this is important to keep in mind), I thought it would be a cool way to allow the Lord to move if He so decided.

I asked Katie, “Would you mind asking the Lord if He wants me to take the opportunity that has been put in front of me?”

“Sure,” she excitedly replied. The Lord had already been speaking to us in several ways, and I hoped that He would do so again. She closed her eyes for a few moments, and I waited in anticipation of what would be said.

Opening her eyes once more, Katie turned to me and shared what the Lord had showed her while she prayed:

“I saw you sitting in a field, surrounded by a bunch of animals. They were all circled around you and you were just, like, in the middle petting a tiger. Somehow — I don’t know how — I just knew you were in Africa, and it felt like you were at home. I felt very much like you were at peace and at home there in Africa, surrounded by all of those animals. And then I saw an image flash before my eyes. From the glimpse I got, I could see that it was an airplane and a sunset. That’s what I saw! Does it mean anything to you?”

I smiled, nearly disbelieving that the Lord had just revealed this to me through Katie. He hadn’t said just a simple yes or no; instead, He chose to confirm for both Katie and me that we were talking about the same thing and that, yes, He was commissioning me to go to Botswana.

“I intentionally didn’t tell you this,” I started, “but that was confirmation for me. The opportunity I told you to ask about was me going to Africa. The Lord just confirmed to me, through you, that I’m going to Botswana, Africa this summer.”

I then explained the previous events that had led up to that event, and both of us were amazed by how the Lord had moved. We started laughing and rejoicing that the Lord had chosen to reveal Himself to us in that way. I was hesitant to believe that this was confirmation, solely because it meant that I was really going. However, it’s safe to say now that I trust the confirmation that the Lord gave me.

While I’m incredibly excited for the experiences that lie ahead in Africa, I can’t help but feeling that the Lord is calling me there for more than just learning how to nature guide. I don’t believe in coincidences, and the Lord has brought up a couple reminders that have led me to believe that He’s sending me there to do His work. Throughout my whole life, Africa has always held a very special place in my heart, even moreso than Australia, which may be hard for some to believe. I’ve always felt the need to go, to be apart of the land, to interact with the animals and the cultures, to just be there. And for some reason the thought of Africa has always stirred in me feelings of desire and of being called home. I feel that these feelings have been innately instilled in me by the Lord with great intention. I believe the Lord is allowing me to go on this trip so that I may begin to understand His reasoning for calling me to this amazing continent and get my first taste of what He’s got in store for my life.

Secondly, He has instilled in my heart a desire to be a witness to those in the scientific world. This calling was defined and confirmed with me as I watched a TedTalk for one of my online classes at Southeastern University,

“Our new mission field is the scientific culture,” the speaker fervently explained.

Having written it down years ago, I feel that serving in this mission field is a way that I get to live-out the Lord’s calling for my life. Being drawn to science, I’ve always welcomed the difficulty that accompanies it for a Christ-follower. I deeply feel that the Lord is sending me on this trip to Africa to be a witness of Jesus, not to the local tribes or cultures, but instead to those who may put their trust in science rather than in God. The Lord is tasking me with this upcoming mission, and all I need do is trust Him and be faithful over what He asks of me.

I trust the Lord’s provision for and over this trip, including the financial aspect. If after reading my story you feel at all compelled or prompted to support me in any way, I will welcome it greatly, whether it be through prayer or through finances, one of which is more important than the other (hint: it’s prayer!!). You can help by spreading my story, by praying or even by giving financially if you feel led to. I am also selling original drawings for donation, the ideas of which were inspired by the Lord (check the Fundraising page on my website for more information). I thank you greatly in advance for your support, whether it be through prayer or through finances.