You're Never too Young or too Old

Too young or too old for Missions? 

I am the youngest in my family, the youngest of three daughters and the youngest of all my friends. I've pretty much only ever been the youngest on most occasions throughout my life! And I knew from the beginning that I wanted to be a missionary all though I believed that I had to wait until I grew up so I could then start missions. But, God proved me wrong!

I was raised around great missionaries who always had amazing testimonies of their trips and simply their life and was always inspired by that. I wanted to be just like them, but again, all their stories were after they were grown adults. So I had to wait until school ended so I could do missions right? Nope!

I thank God everyday for the opportunities he has given me to do short mission trips and summer schools while growing up; I had the chance to share the Gospel and learn how to do that in creative ways, while being 11 years old! 

Many missionary kids get to see amazing testimonies but some don’t believe they can live out those stories, and they can’t, they can live other stories that’ll be even more special to them. Age doesn’t matter. God doesn’t only use adults! Am I right?

Our Co-founder Darlene Cunningham shared a short story/example in her book “Values Matter”, saying “If a kid came on outreach who said “I think God sent me. I’m a soccer player. Can God use me?” I would surmise, “Well, God must want us to have a sports team. Why else would He send us a soccer player?” Soon a fledgling sports ministry would be born. This led to a great diversity of ministries in YWAM.” 

God called Samuel when he was just a kid (1 Samuel 3), David and Timothy were fairly young people as well when they first appeared in scripture (1 Samuel 16: 10-13 and Acts 16:1).

If you know a kid who loves missions, or maybe you think it would be a good fit for them, encourage them! How great would it be to live out God’s calling on your life from such a young age? Or even just having these experiences with the Lord, having testimonies and all of that.

God can use children for so much in the Kingdom. 

Now, kids and young adults aren’t the only ones called to missions either! We need our elders. If you consider yourself an elder and feel like God is calling you, obey! Your age is no limit to what God can do.

Young people need their elders for counsel, advice, family, and so on. You can provide so much wisdom. We see all over in the Bible about young ones listening to advice from elders and the wise. Abraham was rather old when the Lord called him (Genesis 12: 1-4), and yet he became one of the Father’s of Faith! Noah was 600 years old when the flood covered the earth (Genesis 7:6). I don’t know you, but I'm sure you do not have 600 years of age. And even if you did, God could still use you.

I know a woman who is 70 years old, and she does wonders for the Kingdom! No matter her problems with diabetes, or her knee, or body aches, she always manages to teach others and bring in people making them feel like family! Being hospitable is also being a missionary. She teaches the word of God in churches, disciples christians from a persecuted nation online and works with children on our YWAM base. 

And sure she has a few physical difficulties, but she has gone through so many miracles and seen so many great testimonies!

Obeying God is worth it no matter how young or how old.

Lamentations 5:19 “You, Lord, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation.”