The Missionary Heart

I know my posts have been kind of weak lately but please bear with me as I get through finals.
Below is the text of a post by John Piper over at Desiring God Blog. Normally I would just post a link but this is important enough that I copied it below so those of you who are computer challenged and/or too lazy to follow the link wouldn't be tempted to skip it. So read, be challenged, and seek the Lord to change you.

Karen Watson wrote her own epitaph. Its message has stirred me up to pray for more radical devotion to Christ. She has not died in vain. She was a Southern Baptist missionary to Iraq and was killed by unknown assailants March 15, 2004. I am mentioning it now simply because I was reading the book Lives Given, Not Taken: 21st Century Southern Baptist Martyrs, by Erich Bridges and Jerry Rankin. In it I ran across the letter that Karen wrote and left behind in an envelope that said "Open in case of death." It said in part:

Dear Pastor Phil and Pastor Roger,

You should only be opening this in the event of death.

When God calls there are no regrets. I tried to share my heart with you as much as possible, my heart for the nations. I wasn't called to a place; I was called to Him. To obey was my objective, to suffer was expected, His glory my reward, His glory my reward . . .

The missionary heart:

* Cares more than some think is wise
* Risks more that some think is safe
* Dreams more than some think is practical
* Expects more than some think is possible.

I was called not to comfort or to success but to obedience. . . .

There is no Joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving Him. I love you two and my church family.

In His care,

Salaam, Karen