January Update // What Kind of Home Am I Making? (Baylee)

 Hello everyone!

I pray that each of you reading this update are finding joy in the mundane rhythms of the winter season! I have been particularly enjoying some simplicity in my life and routines lately; things like an afternoon cup of coffee and a trip to the grocery store have been bringing me so much life! I pray that this month, we all lean into the quiet moments and find meaning in the mundane, the Lord is waiting to meet us in those spaces!

In this update, I want to share just a glimpse of the ways God has been moving, not just in my life, but in the lives of people from all over the world! Here at Adventures In Missions, we just had our January World Race training camp where 85 young people from all over the United States walked through discipleship and training for two weeks before being sent to the mission field overseas! It was an honor to be part of preparing for and running this training camp this past month, especially because less than two years ago, I was one of the participants in World Race training camp. Because the Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever, He met these young people in radically new ways that were personal and significant to them, just like He did for me in 2022. 

2024 January Training Camp

Perhaps one of the most beautiful things about being part of this training camp was experiencing it from a staff perspective. I remember so vividly the way I showed up to my training camp - hungry and eager to learn, but still holding tightly to fear, pride, and past hurt. I welcomed people into our campus for training who were feeling the same way I did in 2022, and I got to be part of and witness the Lord soften their hearts to receive His love. Each day, I got to be part of discussions with squads, and I was moved daily by the ways they gave me their trust freely, let me see painful parts of their past and shared their questions about God so vulnerably. These kinds of conversations during my training camp were the ones that shaped and guided me to seek the Lord fervently and grow in intimacy with Him, and I am so honored to have been part of the staff that God used this year to prompt this group to seek Him and receive from Him in ways they’ve never experienced before!

In addition to the opportunities I had to disciple this group, I also served the camp on the logistical side of the operation. Each day, I worked with the rest of the staff to ensure that the camp was running smoothly, whether this meant taking care of a sick participant, adjusting scheduling, planning and executing teachings and events, or cooking and cleaning. We worked long days, and though we were all excited for some rest at the end of the month, we had so much fun getting to host spaces for the Lord to move and for the Racers to become equipped as missionaries! A few tears of pride streamed down my cheeks as I hugged the Racers, who had become dear friends, goodbye and sent them to the nations. There’s nothing like watching a group of people who are curious about the Lord encounter Him and discover more of Him, and I am so eager to hear all of their stories of His faithfulness when they return! 

What Am I Up To Now?

Now that training camp is over, I get to dive into a more administrative role alongside the stateside staff at Adventures! We are gearing up for the summer and fall training camps,  so we have been guiding participants through the fundraising process and spiritual discipleship that is needed before they arrive on campus to train for their upcoming trips! I am working closely with our media team to refine our systems and ensure that those of us who are in the States, whether it be parents of Racers, our stateside staff, or even you reading this update, can hear testimonies of the Lord’s faithfulness from the field overseas! I am also working to create curriculum and training for our training camp staff in order to equip them well to not only run our camps well, but to create space for them to be able to pour into the Racers and lead their own teams well! As we send missionaries to the field, I have also been involved in communicating with hosts in preparation for their arrival and departure. I am so passionate and excited about what the Lord is doing through the World Race, and I am thankful to be learning more each day about what it takes behind the scenes to send and mobilize missionaries! 

A Glimpse Into My Heart 

Lately, the Lord has been speaking to me about what it means to make a home. 1 Corinthians 6:19 tells us this: “don’t you realize that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who lives in you and was given to you by God?” (NLT). He has been revealing to me that the way in which I steward my mind, thoughts, and meditations of my heart affect the kind of home I create for Him to dwell in, and that the kind of home I invite others into physically is a reflection of the inward home I have with the Holy Spirit. When I think about the kind of physical home I want to have, it has a few distinct characteristics- it is warm, inviting, orderly, and probably has baked goods and coffee to give to people I love ;). It is teeming with laughter, and it is a place to rest and find refuge. I’ve been reflecting on this thought: “if I want my physical home to feel this way, in what ways does my inward home reflect, or not reflect, this atmosphere?”. I can truly do nothing apart from Jesus, so even when it comes to making my inward and outward homes, I cannot have a place of peace, rest, and life without first coming to the One who IS Peace, Rest, and Life. As I’ve been reflecting on all that the Father has been teaching me about this, I have been enjoying doing things like breadmaking, puzzles, reading, and playing guitar. The teachings of Jesus have been coming alive in these activities, and I am thankful for this newfound contentment I’ve found with the Lord in mundane moments. 

Prayer Requests

• That I would do all things, in work, rest, and play unto the Lord and for His glory, not my own. 

• The Lord would continually shape my heart into one of service, no matter what setting or what the cost.

• Pray for each of the missionaries we just sent out and for the over 100 of them sent out in the fall who are still on the field! They are all over the world- South America, the Middle East, Southern Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Europe! Pray that they would continue to boldly bring the gospel to every nation and that they themselves would follow Jesus with all of their hearts. 

Thank you all for taking the time to read this update and for your continual investment in me, and most importantly, in what God is doing on the earth! I’m so thankful for each and every one of you and would not be the woman I am today without you! I love you all! 

Currently, I am funded as a missionary through the generosity of supporters like you! If you feel led to financially support me, please contact me so we can set aside time to connect at bgmurphy22@gmail.com or send me a text! You can also visit the “Join My Team!” tab on this site, or click this link: https://adventuresinmissions.servicereef.com/events/adventures-in-missions-3/affiliated-missionary/participants/baylee-murphy2

I will leave you with the words of David in Psalm 104:34: “May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD”. I pray that each of us would increasingly fill our minds with thoughts of Him who “wraps himself in light as a garment” (Psalm 104:2). 

I love you all so very much and look forward to all that the Lord has in store for all of us! 

Much love, 

Baylee