The Purpose to Proclaim His Power

If I chose a verse to sum up my reality, it would be this one:

“I have raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” –Romans 9: 17

It is hard to ignore that power was involved in my “raising up” after the crash. One does not simply recover from a giant chunk of metal smashing into their body at 60-70 mph. God very intentionally spared my life in that moment. He then restored my abilities to walk and to think. Staying with me through a period of suffering, He proceeded to remove the pain in my back.

He did it for my joy, yes, but also for yours. Through my suffering, He desires to show you that you can still be joyful in enduring yours. Through my journey, He desires to inspire in you the hope for healing. Through my sharing, He desires to motivate you to give of yourself. In giving of ourselves, we are sharing Him. This is our purpose. We are called to do it in different ways, as He has uniquely gifted each of us with different talents and experiences, but all is meant to glorify Him.

When God began prompting me to share, I was very resistant. Incredibly resistant. Paranoid, really. I did not know how people would respond to knowing about my life, so I assumed it would be awful. It did not seem like there was any purpose to sharing my hardships; I thought that just meant I would be complaining. This was how I felt when I listened only to myself. Once I started praying and listening to what the Lord had to say… everything changed. Drastically. The process was gradual, sure, but… woah.

The turning point occurred in 2011 when I shared my testimony with a small group of college-aged women my sophomore year. Up to that point, I had only shared what happened with a few of my friends. After that point, promptings to share increased exponentially. Though I was still afraid, I chose to trust that God had good intentions that would make the process worth it. It was only in taking chances that I found this out to be true. Contrary to my concept of how life worked, sharing my story actually inspired others to grow closer to the Lord.

This realization was a big factor in my discernment to apply for staff with FOCUS in 2012. Our mission is to share Christ with college students through the sharing of our own lives. Because He had so radically transformed my own heart, I desired to be His instrument for others, and the college campus has a very unique need that I have felt drawn to. My experience on staff these past four years has helped me grow tremendously in surrendering every part of me to the Lord. This letting go has formed me more into who I was created to be. It has led me to do things I never could have anticipated when I lived in a constant state of paranoia and despair.

Looking at where I am now and where I am headed, it is hard to imagine where I have been. If someone had told my college freshman self about my current reality, there is no way I would have believed it. It is also doubtful that I would have pursued it. God’s timing is key. If you have not heard, Jolene Green and I are launching a new ministry: COR. Cor is Latin for “heart” and it is the mission of COR to follow after God’s Heart. We seek to inspire the hearts of others through the sharing of our own, leading others to the Healing and Joy found in Jesus Christ. How do we plan to do this? A collaborative effort of speech and song.

Crazy. God somehow transformed mute Mikayla into a public speaker. At a time when I was not even listening to music, he led me to begin writing lyrics for songs. He took me from hiding in a corner to getting up on stage. None of this was in my plans, especially considering that the topics point to intimate moments of suffering throughout my life. Also, I wrote a book. Even more unexpected, I want to write more! It has been so exciting to see God’s plans unfold as each step is taken.

I encourage you to be open to wherever the Lord desires to take you. Most likely, you do not know where that is and your path might take some unexpected turns. In order to go “somewhere else,” you have to have an aim for where you are headed in the first place. So, where are you headed? What is your purpose? When your life on earth is over, how do you want to be remembered? Discern with the Lord in prayer. Decide. Make goals, but don’t stop there: follow them! He promises to direct your every step, but that involves listening for His direction and being obedient to what you hear. Do not be afraid. Follow Him. Proclaim His Power. It is your purpose as much as it is mine.

“The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps.” –Proverbs 16: 9

I wrote the lyrics for "Stay Here" months before ever meeting Jolene, but she has made them into a song and now we are headed to do so much more! More information about COR can be found on our Facebook page!