Silver Boxes

In one of my education courses, Survey of Exceptionalities, my professor decided to play a recording of this speaker who was talking about our words, meaning what we say in our everyday lives. She was saying that anything we say or don't say can either tear down or bring up people. The tongue is a powerful weapon. She was telling stories of the people in her life that told her of their ambitions and how that some people's words brought them to compromise and settle for less.
Anyway, the recording made me think a lot about my own life and my own ambitions and how I don't want to be old and look back upon my life and wish I followed my dreams. Since I was fourteen I know I always wanted to be a missionary, I wanted to go and serve those less fortunate and glorify God. But my parents always kind of discouraged me and said that it's not a reliable job and I should do something that will financially support me. If I had been encouraged and had been given silver boxes (presents of encouragement) maybe I'll be pursuing mission work in my college career rather than teaching. I know teaching will help me in a way for mission work, but I guess I'm afraid that maybe I'll feel too comfortable or that I'll be too afraid to go out and do mission work and do teaching instead. God has always put Africa and opening an orphanage there, but how would I be financed or what if no one cares. I know I should totally keep this up to God because He is faithful, but it just scares me. And I've always had an aspiration to write. Like I know I'm writing in this blog, but I mean that I want to be published or my writing to mean something. I know my blogs help in someway you guys that are reading this, but I guess I want bigger impact. I don't know, I have too many thoughts running through my head so hopefully I'll be able to figure out something, I guess right now I just have to take it one step at a time and hear God's voice. Anyway, you don't have to answer to me, but what are your aspirations and what has God placed in your heart to do for Him? Are you on that path or are you staying in that comfort zone? I'm outs