Unafraid to Share, Joy Goes to SE Asia

“The Lord really just pushed me out of my comfort zone,” Joy says. She grew up in a small town, but since going to Ohio University, she’s started doing “contact evangelism” with H2O Church. “It’s basically this program where I meet up with one of my friends from church and we'll go have spiritual conversations with people, try to figure out where they stand, and then try to share the gospel with them.”

It’s clear that Joy really has a passion for outreach and sharing the good news with others. "When I was in high school, my church really poured a lot into me, so now I want to do that for people that are in high school now,” she says. When she went to her church looking for an internship, they connected her with Encompass’s team internship program, and now she’s going to Thailand and Cambodia with us this summer.

There were a few key moments God used to really prompt Joy to do missions. One of the biggest ones took place this past winter break, when she attended a conference with her home church, Fountain Grace Church. At the conference, they had a world map on huge screen with areas highlighted in red representing all the different places where people don't have access to the gospel. "That just really hit me, because I’m not scared to tell people about the Lord,” she says. “So, I was like, ‘Why not?’ If the Lord's going to send somebody, why wouldn't it be me?”

Not being afraid to share the gospel seems like such a rare trait, but Joy’s reason for her boldness is something we can all learn from. “I feel like God's given me so much peace from knowing that ultimately He is the one who's doing all the work,” she says. “It's really just a privilege to be able to walk alongside Him in the things He's doing and the ways He's working.”

And as Joy participates in the Great Commission, God allows her to experience so much personal growth. “That outreach has really grown my own faith, because it pushes me to answer questions that other people have,” she says. “It really makes me press into the Word and seek those answers, because I know the Lord will provide all the understanding that I need when I ask Him to reveal things and I’m willing to receive it.”

We love the way God has blessed Joy with so much boldness and practical experience. Her heart for pouring into others and her giftings will all be so valuable on the mission field. Please ask God to work through her in a mighty way and consider partnering with Joy as she works to reach the least reached in Thailand and Cambodia this summer.