Melanie Stoll update

July 30 — Paper airplane

Posted 8/1/18

This blog follows Melanie Stoll’s missionary trek on The World Race. She is the daughter of Wade and Rosetta Stoll, who own Stoll’s Taxidermy and The Wild Whisk in Wheatland.

This is the 21st installment printed in the Record-Times. Read Stoll’s entire blog and see photos at melaniestoll.theworldrace.org.

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Melanie Stoll update

July 30 — Paper airplane

Posted

Wow. Y’all have stuck with me for 10 months! It means so much to me and I am excited to finish this journey with each one of you. This last month looks a little different, so here’s how it’s going to go!
For month 11 we were told we would each have the opportunity to choose what we would like to do for ministry and where we felt called to go.
I thought a LOT about what I was suppose to do for month 11. I had so many ideas and I wanted to make it the best month the of the race! A grand finale!
It finally came down to two options that I knew were very possible to make a reality. I’m not really into making decisions untill the clock stops so I trusted I would know what to do when the time came. Or maybe I was procrastinating because I’m indecisive. We will never know.

One month ago, as a teammate was praying for me, she told me she received a picture of a paper airplane floating around in the breeze, happy to go wherever. It was along for the ride. She said she felt like the paper airplane represented me and that the breeze was the Holy Spirit directing me and pushing me where I needed to go. I had no idea what that was supposed to mean, but I would figure it out.
Present month, I sat at the squad meeting and listened as everyone shared what they felt the Lord had called them to for month 11. I realized my two options I had based my month on were just not written in the stars. I got the feeling some people get when they study for an exam one day prior, believe they couldn’t be more prepared, but when it comes down to it, don’t know a single answer on the test. One word for it is panic.
When it was my turn to share I pictured myself as Carrie Underwood singing “Jesus Take the Wheel.” I opened my mouth and hoped for the best. “I think I would like to stay in Jaco with the team that was placed there last month.” Jesus did take the wheel on that one.
We didn’t get in a wreck but that’s not exactly what I was hoping for either. What was I supposed to do in Jaco? I wanted something great, exciting, dangerous! At the least, some sort of idea on what I was going to do. I had all these thoughts, but after panic or disappointment typically comes a form of acceptance. My form came as peace.
Then he whispered, “Be a paper airplane.”
So that’s what I’m doing for the next 27 days. I’m going to be flexible with ministry, float on the breeze and go in the direction I feel pushed. Even though it’s not the route I had imagined, I believe with all my heart that the Lord will open up opportunities in areas that I have a passion for and will continue to grow and stretch me in all that I do.