Hello, and welcome to Nations 4 Jesus. I'm Tania and I’m so glad you're here.
You know, when Jesus gave us the Great Commission—when He told us to go into all the world and tell others about Him—I think every believer's heart responds with a resounding "yes!" We want to obey. We want to see people from every nation on earth come to know the Lord as Savior.
But then... the questions start coming, don't they?
Where do I even start? How much time will this take? Does this mean I'm supposed to pack up and move to some remote village in Africa or Asia? And honestly... haven't most people already heard about Jesus by now? What can I—just one person, right where I am—actually do to obey the Great Commission?
If you've ever asked yourself any of these questions, friend, you're in the right place.
That's exactly why Nations 4 Jesus exists. And today, I want to share something personal with you—the story of how this whole journey began. Because if you're listening right now, wondering if God could really use you in His global mission... well, my story might just encourage your heart.
I've known Jesus all my life, thanks to a wonderful, Godly family. Growing up, my big dream was to become an astronaut—can you imagine? That dream led me to join the Air Force, where I met and married the most wonderful man, Jeff. Together, we traveled the world in uniform, both of us loving the Lord and asking Him, "What do You want us to do? Where do You want us to serve?"
And friend, He answered. Loud and clear.
September 20th, 2000. That was the day God called us to adopt a little girl from China. Her name is Grace. And I believe that's when my heart truly began to break for the lost—for those who don't know Christ.
Through Grace's adoption, I started learning about the persecuted church in China. I began to really think about people outside America—and I mean really think and pray. Yes, I had cared before. I'd prayed when international incidents made the news. I cried when I was in Africa with the Air Force and saw the devastation of war and disease. But I hadn't regularly focused my heart beyond our borders.
Then I discovered Voice of the Martyrs—you can find them at persecution.com—and everything shifted. My heart began to break for what breaks the Lord's heart: His people, His Church, and those who don't yet know Him and worship Him. I became an advocate for the persecuted church, sharing their stories with my family and friends.
In 2006, God moved our family to Seoul, South Korea. Can you picture it? Living within three hours of North Korea—the most repressive country on earth. My heart broke even more for the billions held captive by the enemy.
We attended this incredible Korean-English church called Jubilee—you can check them out at jubileeseoul.com. Friends, they were so mission-minded. It was something I honestly hadn't been aware of or focused on at other churches. Here was this new church, struggling to make ends meet in one of the most expensive cities in the world, yet they were fully committed to mission outreach—China, North Korea, Cambodia.
Our time in Seoul grew our family's love for the people of Asia immeasurably. My heart and mind were now constantly focused on the unreached, on missions, on the persecuted church, on the lost across Asia. We wanted to stay in Korea... but God and the Air Force had other plans. They called us back to the U.S.
Now, while all of this was happening, God was also growing our family. After adopting Grace, He blessed us with four more children born to us: Rachel—actually born six weeks before our trip to China to get Grace—then Rebecca, Nathan, and Sarah. Jeff and I had always known we'd homeschool our children, so in 2005, I began that exciting adventure.
And then came August 2009. I was in the bathroom—honestly, it's a very nice place to do some thinking and praying when you have five little children running around—when the Lord placed this vision on my heart. I started a blog called Nations 4 Jesus.
But you know, God wasn't done writing our story. After being back in the U.S. for a few years, He called us—once again through the Air Force—to Hungary. Four and a half beautiful, stretching, amazing years in Hungary.
Friends, God grew our hearts even more for people from other nations. Hungary, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Sweden, Norway... the list goes on and on. Our children attended an international school for a few years, and we had friends from twelve different nations. Twelve! And you know what we learned, once again? We have so much more in common with people from other countries than we ever realized. The Gospel truly breaks down every wall.
Oh, and our family grew again too—we added a baby boy, Josiah, who is now ten years old!
In 2015, we moved back to the U.S. Life continued. We kept homeschooling. Children grew up and moved out. Some went to college, entered the job market, got married. Life changes, doesn't it? The seasons shift. Our days look different than they did fifteen years ago.
But here's what hasn't changed: the Great Commission still calls us. The persecution of the church? It's only increasing. And yet—praise God—more and more people are coming to Christ! The harvest is happening right before our eyes.
So after fifteen years of blogging, I've decided to turn Nations 4 Jesus into a podcast. And I'm so glad you're here for this new chapter!
My prayer—my deepest hope—is that through this podcast, something beautiful will ignite in your heart. I want you to learn about what God is doing around the world right now. I want you to experience what my friend Ann Dunagan calls "a spark for world missions that will grow into a fire for the unsaved."
And here's the thing: you don't need hours and hours. In just a few minutes a day, you can pray for people groups who desperately need to hear about Jesus. You can educate your family and friends about the nations. You can discover practical ways to get involved in missions—right from where you are.
So while I'll certainly share about my family from time to time, this podcast's main focus is those four areas: learn and experience, pray, educate, and get involved. And I want to hear from you! I welcome your input, your stories, your questions.
Here's the thing, friend—I would love to pack up our family and move straight back to Asia to live among the unreached. That desire burns in my heart. But for now? That's not where God has called us. So I'm doing my best to obey His call on my life by sharing everything He's teaching me. Right where I am.
Because here's the truth, friends: We, as Christians, have incredible influence on this world through our prayers, our friendships, and our actions. God can use us. God will use us.
Listen to these words from Habakkuk 1:5: "Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told."
And Jesus Himself said in Matthew 24:14: "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
Friend, God is moving. The question is: will we move with Him?
So let's journey together. Let's discover how each of us can play our part in taking the hope of Jesus to every nation.
I’d like to end us in prayer. Dearest Lord Jesus, You have called us to go to the nations with the good news of who You are and how you love all people! I pray that each person who listens to this podcast will be motivated by Your Holy Spirit to learn more, pray for the nations, and get involved in the Great Commission. I pray this podcast will be a blessing and an encouragement to each of them—that it will inspire all of us to be ambassadors for Jesus to the nations, right where you are. In Your name Lord Jesus, and for Your glory, Amen.
Thanks for joining me today. I'm so grateful you're here. Until next time, keep your eyes on the nations... and watch what God will do.
Listen instead of reading https://open.spotify.com/episode/5HHR03ruhurljbx6tVngN9?si=lR5sdClQQnqEWhEUrQKbiA
