Sign Language Interpreter - Bridging the gap SELFLESSLY!

Continuing on with the Praying Pelican Missions' blog series about everyday missionaries:

"We, who have accepted Jesus as Lord, are all missionaries! Each of us may not be living abroad or leading mission trips as a career, but the truth is, everyone can be a missionary.  This blog series will span across multiple blogs from our PPM Mission Coordinators and Advocates and will serve to showcase people who are living daily with a missional mindset. We will be giving a voice to a barista, who shares the love of Christ through espresso shots each morning. We will be the platform for a tired mom next door to share how she impacts her child's friends when they come over for a sleepover. We will be the helping hand to a Pastor who wants to encourage his congregation to get involved. The school teacher who invests in his students and wants to see them succeed and know Christ. The janitor who humbly and lovingly listens to his co-workers as they vent and confess their sins to him. We pray these stories will encourage and challenge us all to live our lives as missionaries everyday, in our own unique mission fields!"

I asked my good buddy, Kira Lawson, to write about her mission mindset in being an American Sign Language interpreter... LIKE ME! Kira and I went to the University of Tennessee together - Go Vols! I have enjoyed her friendship so very very much.  Kira recently passed the big dog test of interpreting - the NIC (National Interpreting Certification)! Woot Woot.  

Praying Pelican is ALL about bridging cultures and people. Well... that's exactly what sign language interpreters do... RIGHT IN OUR OWN BACKYARD! They bridge the gap between the hearing and Deaf world by facilitating communication between the two! It's a beautiful thing! Deaf people then have access to the hearing world, and the hearing have the amazing opportunity to have a look into the Deaf culture... an amazing thing in itself! And... many people may not know, but the Deaf population, as a whole, is an unreached people group (less than 2% claim to be evangelical Christians).  So... interpreters who love Jesus are a treasure! 

With all the hype going on about fake interpreters and such and because I love her tons, I wanted to showcase Kira! Here's what Kira says about her every missionary life:

My name is Kira Lawson and I am a certified sign language interpreter.  I have a husband and two dogs.  We live in Knoxville, Tennessee. Our life is always crazy and chaotic, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Kira and her husband on date night. 

I met Anna Morgan while in college and she's one of the reasons that I chose the field that I'm in today.  During my career so far, I've seen a lot of different scenarios and had a lot of new experiences.  I'm an interpreter both in the community and video relay settings. So how am I a missionary daily?

Here are their 2 dogs - Coco Chanel (we call her a miniature black lab HA!) and Cheyenne (chocolate lab)

I think what I've learned to be one of the most beautiful things about a person is their attitude. Their heart. Their compassion. Everyday I encounter lots of people, both deaf and hearing. Co-workers, clients, people at Target, friends, family, and even the person at the gas station who needs money for milk.  I used to live a life where I thought, "well that's their problem, not mine" or "that sucks for them..." I was prideful of the life I had built for myself. And then I realized how selfish I was being and what an ugly heart I had.

So I prayed. I prayed to have the desire to be compassionate. To be positive. To be the blessing to those who may just be having a crummy day.  Here's where my heart has been dwelling lately.

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others."  Philippians 2:3-4

I decided to be a blessing at all times. Am I perfect?  Of course not. But I decided to change my attitude. So how did I do this?  I took one day at a time.  It might be telling a sick client that I'm praying for them. Or remembering a client's favorite drink and bringing it by the hospital. Or making a co-worker laugh when their day isn't going so great. Maybe it's volunteering in the Deaf community and building relationships. Or it's talking about what God is doing in my life.  Perhaps it's encouraging a young new interpreter in the field. Even something as simple as a compliment. We should build each other up instead of tearing one another down. As a daughter, I want to please my Heavenly Father and show his love to others. I want to BLESS others daily with His compassion.

It's all about the attitude. In my daily mission field, my goal is to strive to be more like Christ. To bless others. To have a compassionate heart. A beautiful heart.

So thankful for Kira. Make sure to keep up with her on her blog! 

Check out the other blogs in this everyday mission series: 

Stay at Home Mom - It's a Mission Field!

Being a Missionary in the Classroom 

Rock-N-Roll Missions  

Missional life in the "church bubble"

Stay At Home Mom - it's a Mission Field!

It's time for another blog series with my friends at Praying Pelican Missions! 

"We, who have accepted Jesus as Lord, are all missionaries! Each of us may not be living abroad or leading mission trips as a career, but the truth is, everyone can be a missionary.  This blog series will span across multiple blogs from our PPM Mission Coordinators and Advocates and will serve to showcase people who are living daily with a missional mindset. We will be giving a voice to a barista, who shares the love of Christ through espresso shots each morning. We will be the platform for a tired mom next door to share how she impacts her child's friends when they come over for a sleepover. We will be the helping hand to a Pastor who wants to encourage his congregation to get involved. The school teacher who invests in his students and wants to see them succeed and know Christ. The janitor who humbly and lovingly listens to his co-workers as they vent and confess their sins to him. We pray these stories will encourage and challenge us all to live our lives as missionaries everyday, in our own unique mission fields!"

First up, I'm featuring one of my besties, Lindsey Jo! Here's her story: 

I’m Lindsey Jo. I’ll be married to my high school sweet heart 6 years this month. He’s a real hottie and makes me laugh all day long. I’m a momma to the two most handsome little boys, Isaac Henry and Grant. And I want to have a whole bunch more. I like watching TV, eating ice cream, making things, telling jokes, and drinking coffee. And I love Jesus.  

My “job” is to take care of those two handsome boys and “make a home” and that’s all.  It’s not always glamorous. Actually, it’s very rarely glamorous. Unless your idea of glamor is wiping butts and making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. But it’s my greatest joy to be a stay at home momma. And it’s a mission field.

First of all, I come in contact with other mommas every week, whether it’s at the library during story time or just at Kroger on Monday morning. We obviously share something in common, so that opens a door to share the gospel and minister to those mommas. Even being able to encourage and minister to other mommas that are our fellow believers is a huge mission field! I’m encouraged all the time by other mommas who are either in the trenches with me or have been in the trenches before. What a crazy, impossible task God has entrusted us with in the raising of our kids! We need each other! For encouragement and wisdom and tangible help. One of the biggest blessings I have received lately is dinners brought to me by my church family after I had Grant. It’s being a SAHM that gives me the time to do those kinds of things, to serve others.     

And then there’s reality. The reality that sometimes, a lot of times, I don’t share the gospel with the mommas at the library because it’s just too awkward. And I can barely get dinner on the table for my family, much less someone else’s. And am I even discipling anyone?! Have I shared the gospel in the last 6 months?!

The answer is a resounding “Yes.”

I think sometimes we’re prone to forget that our babies aren’t born Christians. They’re born sinners. Cute sinners, but sinners nonetheless. They need Jesus. They need the gospel. Isaac Henry and Grant are my mission field. I am praying daily for their salvation. I’m actively teaching them about Jesus and prayer and the gospel. I want them to know that as awesome as they are, they’re nothing without Jesus. And God has entrusted me to teach these boys about him. He has gifted me these two little people that kinda have to listen to me. They can’t leave. They need me. So I’ll meet their needs. I’ll nurse Grant and I’ll pour Isaac Henry’s Cheez-its and I’ll change their diapers and teach them their ABCs. And in the midst of me meeting their needs, I get to tell them about a man who loves them even more than I do. That’s really cool.

So thank for Lindsey Jo and her passion for her kiddos, her hubby, and the people around her!! She is my role model - for cooking, for loving, and for being an AWESOME mom!!