Adventure. What sort of picture does your mind conjure up when you hear this word? A hunter with a spear clasped in hand traipsing through the jungle in search of a ferocious tiger perhaps? Or maybe you think of a brave rock climber rappelling down the craggy cliffs of the Grand Canyon? Then again, you may picture buckskin-clad explorers hacking their way through thick underbrush as they chart a course to new and rugged frontiers. I would suppose that for all of us, the word adventure carries with it the idea of excitement, discovery, and just enough danger to keep us on the edge of our seats! J Making another assumption, I would guess that most of us think adventures are reserved only for characters in books or for a completely set-apart group of people classified as “thrill-seekers”. But adventures don’t really happen to normal people like us. After all, what’s so exciting about baking bread and playing the piano???
Walking the path of life with Jesus has certainly been a journey…but more specifically I enjoy calling it: The Adventure of a Lifetime. “Adventure!” you exclaim. “Do you mean that you’ve hunted tigers, rappelled down cliffs, or explored untamed wildernesses?!” Well…not exactly. To tell you the truth, I’ve never hunted anything. Rappelling sounds like a fun activity but it hasn’t been part of my P.E. curriculum. As to the wilderness, sometimes I have felt like I’m in a wilderness, but not the kind buckskin-clad fellows explore.
Perhaps you would enjoy reading about a new perspective on this word called adventure, as it relates to the journey on which God has led a “normal” girl who’s like you! Opening the dictionary to the word ‘adventure’, we read, “1) unusual or exciting experience; 2) daring enterprise”. I am learning that when the Lord is allowed to guide a life down the path of His choosing, He often leads toward the unusual. Many times there is excitement. Always, there is a bit of dare in walking by faith and not by sight, following Him when the road ahead cannot be seen. It is here in walking with Jesus that the truest, most fulfilling form of adventure is experienced. He simply asks for our trust, that He may do exceeding abundantly above all we could ask or think!
Of course, the story of my journey will be different than yours, or anyone else’s. It is my prayer in sharing this story that you will bear witness to the testimony of God’s love and faithfulness, and be encouraged to praise Him and trust Him throughout your own adventure.
Snapshot #1 - Rip, rip, rip…crunch. The rhythmic sound of salad preparation is punctuated every now and then by a sprightly eight-year-old bouncing by and snatching up a lone piece of lettuce on which to munch. Her mischievous grin makes me laugh as she scampers away with her loot. But my laughter quickly turns to an exclamation as I catch sight of a small cowboy. “Oh John! Take the stick back outside. That’s too big to be playing with in the house and it’s scattering dirt all over the carpet that I just vacuumed!” No time to watch for his complete obedience, for just then, the pot of noodles bubbling on the stove decides to spill over and I must hastily dash to its rescue! “Katri-i-i-na!” a young sing-song voice calls out. “I smell Elizabeth…she needs her diaper changed!” And so goes another morning as mother’s helper at the Goodwin household…
Snapshot #2 - Taxis whiz by at incredibly fast speeds. Peddlers walk between traffic at every street corner displaying their merchandise and hoping for business. Fast paced, busy, and modern, this area of Lima, Peru, contains glamorous malls sporting all the latest styles as well as McDonalds and Starbucks. But Lima is a city of striking contrast. Beggars are everywhere. On the outskirts of the city, thousands of scanty homes and hovels are crammed together on the side of a dusty mountain. Dirty children play gleefully with an old fence post and a battered ball.
After a long, 16-hour drive throughout towering rock mountains with horizons of shimmering ocean to enjoy, our destination is finally reached! Spread out across a desert valley, the city of Tacna has a "small town" feel, amidst its busy bustle. The downtown plaza, lined with palm trees, is always full of people and pigeons out enjoying the sunshine. (It never rains here.) Warm and friendly, these Peruvians have time for life. But how many of them have the assurance of eternal life? As our missionary friends, the Earnharts, welcome me to their sunny home, I eagerly look forward to the next six months serving with their family…
Snapshot #3 - With the roar of a school bus close at my heels, I push my roller blades faster to the next bus stop. The chilly morning air makes my fingers feel stiff in their grasp of yellow fliers. Coming to an abrupt stop, I don’t have time for many words. “Good morning! My name is Katrina and I would like to get to know the girls of my neighborhood better. I’m starting a girls’ club on Monday nights. We’ll play games, eat popcorn, and do a Bible study! Here’s an invitation for you. I hope you can come!” Some faces stare back at me with unmasked disdain as they reluctantly take the extended flier. Others are surprised, but friendly. A very few actually seem interested! As I skate away to the next stop, the words of Jesus ring in my ears, “Compel them to come in…”
Do you see what I mean about adventure? J Each one of these snapshots represent chapters of my life since graduation. God’s way is truly the best! But wait! I am getting ahead of myself. The story of my journey since graduation did not actually begin at graduation. Rather, it is the continuing saga of a story which started years before…
I grew up with a Catholic background, yet also with a mother who has always loved the Lord Jesus and His Word. Because of her faithful training, my sister and I were taught Truth. In our home, God was a part of everyday life. He grew the brilliantly colored wildflowers in the field, He painted sunsets each evening, He provided our food at every meal. Ever since we began home schooling when I was in first grade, Mom made sure the Bible was our primary “lesson Book”. Talking about God was as natural as talking about kittens or bicycles. He was just always there, always a part of life. I had yet to learn that He is Life itself.
By the time I reached my 14th birthday in June of 1999, I recognized a growing feeling of spiritual listlessness. Somewhere, in all the busyness of growing up and pursuing the ambitions of a budding drama-queen, my blissful, child-like faith in the Lord had slipped away. Suddenly, just knowing about God and believing in His existence was not enough. Surely, there was more to the Chrisitan life…but what?
God used the workings of an entire summer to change my family forever. Dad became a Christian after attending the Basic and Advanced Seminars where the Word of God pierced his heart and the Gospel message changed his life! Consequently, we left Catholisism to follow Jesus in the way of truth.
Meanwhile, God did a work in my own heart, showing me that I was trusting in the wrong basis for salvation. A Christian upbringing and belief in God’s existence do not save. Jesus’ death was not just for the whole world but for ME personally! “He that hath the Son that life; and He that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” All the pieces of the puzzle that I had learned over the past 14 years came to a complete picture! I finally saw how I did not have the Son, and was therefore empty and listess. I knew about Him, but I did not know Him. It was a relationship with a personal Savior and Lord that was missing!
September 14, 1999, my entire life changed ~ how I praise God! His grace is so incredible. He gave me abundant forgiveness of my sins, a new heart, and a new life. I received the gift of salvation with Jesus as my Savior and Lord and the assurance of an eternity spent with Him in heaven. My life was handed over to His control, and in that moment, the adventure began!
Of course, when I awoke the next morning, my surroundings were still the same. My bed still had to be made, school attended to, and the dishes washed. But I was a changed girl! I had a new Master. And I soon learned that a focus on Him, as such, transformed everything! Reading my Bible became a delight as it proved to be a treasure hunt for knowing Jesus better. Washing the dishes wasn’t nearly such a chore as I thought about the words of my Master, “whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as unto[Me]”. As I fell more in love with the Lord everyday, Psalm 16:11 quickly became my ‘life verse’. “Thou wilt show me the path of life; in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures forever.” My course was set; my purpose in life forever established: to love the Lord my God with all my heart, finding the greatest joy in His presence while following Him down whichever path of life He chose.
Before continuing further with the acutal journey itself, let me take a moment to share with you about the companions God has given me in walking His path of life. You’ve met them a little already in the preceding paragraphs, but they are such wonderful companions that they deserve a proper introduction.
As the head of our home, my dad, Dan, is a most handsome, wise, and faithful man with a hilarious sense of humor that keeps us laughing! He has diligently provided for our family in various business positions over the years, but views his job in corporate America merely as tentmaking when compared with the responsibility God has given him of leading his family in the nuture and admonition of the Lord. Because we have a potluck meal at church every Sunday, Dad supervises the “kitchen ministry” with his top-notch organizational skills. He is like the man in Psalm 1 whose delight is in the Word of God and I’m so grateful for this focus in his life!
My mother, Patricia, is a devoted helpmeet and mama who delights in being a Titus 2 woman. She if full of love, encouragement, timely advice, inspiration, delicious meals, and creative ideas! Besides all the responsibilities Mom juggles as a wife, mother, and teacher, she also enjoys leading Bible studies for other ladies in her life. Mom has always been an example for me of a woman after God’s own heart.
Thanks to her hard work and contagious zeal, I always enjoyed school. She made learning come alive! While textbooks were occasionlly used for solidifying purposes, Mom much preferred a hands-on, unit study approach to school. I have many fond memories of days goneby in which we built a covered wagon from an old refrigerator box, jumped out math facts on the stairs, blended a concoction for homemade paper, and hosted a banquet from the renaissance era in full costume. Throughout it all, reading and writing were especially emphasized in Mom’s classroom of learning, which may explain my love of these subjects to this day!
Katelin Nicole is my only sister, my favorite classmate, and life-long buddy! Over the years, we have shared practically everything from closet contents to funny memories. Tall and graceful, Katelin is quite the young lady, and often mistaken to be my older sister! At 17, she delights in anything feminine, but still prefers to go barefoot during outdoor games at church. J Katelin’s special love is her lever harp and she spends many a happy hour filling the house with beautiful music or scribbling arrangments for an upcoming CD! She also enjoys piano, culinary arts, and of the two of us, Katelin was definitely the one blessed with the spiritual gift of sewing! I am grateful for her sweet presence in my life.
It is still such a miracle to me when I think back on how God brought my whole family “out of darkness and into His marvellous light” all at the same time with perfect harmony! Only He Who hung the stars in the sky could have performed such a wonder. Now that you’ve been properly introduced to my traveling companions, shall we continue on with our story?
With the start of high school, learning took on more of an eternal perspective than ever before. Much of this was due to the new Advanced Training Institute (ATI) curriculum that we began using. My dad became an integral part of the teaching, which we loved! As a family, we learned how to effectively study the rich depths of God’s Word, while seeing how every subject in life has its foundation in the pages of Scripture. Our Chief Gardener used this season of life as “greenhouse days” during which our relationships with Him were able to take deep root and flourish.
Another important aspect of these “greenhouse days” was the friendship of an older young lady from church. At age 20, Krista Mixon exuded joy, energy, and love like the rays of sunshine! And though I didn’t realize it at the time, she sensitively took me under her wing as a young believer to encourage. For two years, Krista discipled me in the ways of the Lord, simply by her example, her weekly phone calls, the spiritual conversations she initiated, and her interest in my life. I was amazed and blessed that someone so much older than me would pursue and enjoy such a friendship! Krista impacted my life in an unforgettable way. Because of her influence, I later received a personal love for discipling younger girls, encouraging them in the ways of the Lord.
As high school days passed swiftly, they were full of many opportunities for pursuing various interests. I taught character classes in public schools, studied Spanish, cooked meals, performed in plays, helped expectant mothers, ministered to children with my family, took a public speaking course, and devoted much time to writing. Reading also had always been a favorite pastime, and somehow, I managed to fill in the cracks of a busy life with many a delightful book. Hinds’ Feet On High Places and In His Steps inspired me spiritually while missionary biographies gave me a growing vision for the world’s harvest fields.
Even with all these interests, however, music remained a most beloved part of my life. Hours of time were spent sending scales zipping up the keys or practicing classical pieces. And then, when I was sixteen, God graciously allowed a dream to come true: learning the art of hymn improvisation. He brought an incredibly gifted pianist into my life who quickly became a most cherished friend and later, a wonderful teacher. Kelsie communicated a love for “making melody unto the Lord” that was contagious! Under her patient instruction, I slowly began to learn the valuable skills of playing by ear and arranging hymns. From thenceforth, opportunities for music ministry opened up in new ways, including church accompaniment and the teaching of beginner piano students, all of which I greatly enjoyed.
As the years passed, I also experienced a growing interest in foreign missions. Whenever a visiting missionary at church shared about his particular field or preached a message on the need for laborers, I sat in rapturous attention. I loved studying other countries and reading missionary biographies. There was something about lost people of another land that drew me.
During the summer preceding high school graduation, I had the privilege of acting in a play dramatizing the lives of Jim Elliot and and his companion missionaries who were martyred in Ecuador by Auca Indians. The drama proved to be much more than just a story we re-lived. It was a life-impacting experience. The commitment of these men and their wives to the cause of Christ touched my heart in a way I could not forget. Lines from the play struck a convicting chord within me: “As we have a high old time this Christmas, may we who know Christ hear the cry of the damned as they hurtle headlong into the Christless night without ever a chance. May we be moved with compassion as our Lord was. May we shed tears of repentance for those we have failed to bring out of darkness…May God give us a new vision of His will concerning the lost and our responsibility…If God would grant us the vision, the word sacrifice would disappear from our lips and thoughts!…He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.”
God did indeed give me a new vision of His will concerning the lost and my responsibility. Around this same time, I was reading in Proverbs when a passage leapt off the page saying, “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; if thou sayest, Behold we knew it not; doth not He that pondereth the heart consider it? and He that keepeth thy soul, doth not He know it? and He shall render to every man according to his works?” I could not escape from an overwhelming burden for lost people, of my own country, and especially of those around the world. I knew God had brought me to a point of decision. Would I be willing to be a missionary in His timing, willing to go with Him anywhere He led, willing to give my life in ministry to others? I spent a long time on my knees that morning. But when I arose, it was with peace in my heart. My answer was, “Yes”. The words of Mary echoed throughout my thoughts, “Behold the Handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to Thy Word.” I knew not particulars nor timing of this request from my God, but only that He was looking for a willing heart.
My last year of high school arrived and with it, an abundance of kind inquiries as to my future plans after graduation. The question, “So, where are you going to college?” was especially common, though my response was anything but common. “Well, actually, I don’t have plans to be attending college at this point, as the Lord is not leading me in that direction. Instead, my parents and I believe He wants me to focus on ministry, though in exactly what way, we don’t yet. He will show us in His time.” Of course, many people were surprised by my answer. For a highschool senior not to have definite future plans in place was indeed an unusual occurrence! In all honesty, I was surprised myself at the peace I felt in not knowing God’s will for the future. Truly it was a “peace which passeth all understanding”! I had always been the sort of person who wanted to know precisely what was happening when on a daily basis. J Yet, there I was facing the Great Unknown with few satisfactory answers for people, and my heart was at rest! I couldn’t explain such a peace except to say that Jesus had always been so faithful to lead me in His ways, how could I not trust Him now?
Truly, He was my strength at a time when outside pressures increased. His Word was my haven of rest. Especially during moments when my courage faltered, when I yearned to know exactly what tangible activity I was supposed to pursue, and when I gave an inward sigh at having to once again answer the “college question”, the pages of Scripture proved a great refuge. Verses about trust and guidance came alive in a new way, giving me excited anticipation for whatever plan God would bring forth!
Around this time, I penned the following thoughts in my journal…
“The most important thing for me to remember is that my life is not mine. It belongs to Christ, my Beloved, to do with as He chooses and for His glory. I am willing to go where He wants to take me and to do as He says. But most essential, I want to be one who brings Him pleasure, delight, worship…one who obeys and surrenders…one who gives Him preeminence about all else, who loves Him wholeheartedly! I do not fear the future, for He is with me! When He chooses to make known His perfect plans to me, I will obey by His grace. For now, I am content to seek Him and live in His way day by day…”
Meanwhile, my parents and I prayed much for wisdom. We evaluated God’s SHAPE of my life: Spiritufl Gifts, Heart for specific people groups, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. Based on this understanding, we outlined several lists of ideas for possible future pursuits.
As graduation drew closer, I felt as though I was standing on the threshold of the future, looking out over a sea. It was a sea of opportunties. There were so many from which to choose! My life purpose was clear: to love the Lord, minister to others, and pursue virtuous womanhood. But which pathway? How to use my time? Whom to minister to? Which avenues of training to seek? Questions. Desires. Decisions. The following verses gave me strength to trust: “The thing that is hid bringeth He forth to light. Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps? Thus saith the Lord, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters… Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; and shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness…”
God is true to His Word! As with the Israelites of old, He did make a path in the sea. Through my parents’ guidance, and needs that were made known, a course was charted for the next sixth months. My “post-graduation” calendar quckly filled up with commitments for being a mother’s helper, an apprentice to our church secretary, a piano teacher, and a student of my parent’s own home economics course. Pleased as I was with this plan of action, I couldn’t help but wonder about foreign missions. The desire to go was ever present with me… what would God’s timing be?
“Katrina! Can you answer the door? I’ve got to take this casserole out of the oven. Oh, and don’t forget to put your camera in the car!” I couldn’t help but grin as I hurried to follow instructions, sponge curlers bouncing against my cheeks! Graduation day had arrived! With it, came all the busyness of a beehive. Somehow, amidst the cheerful chaos, we managed to escape to the ceremony at church with curls snugly pinned up and a celebration feast awaiting our return. Joy wriggled inside me from the bottom of my toes to the tip of my nose! I felt so very blessed to receive a diploma that day, knowing the loving sacrifice of my parents and the mercies of God that it represented. Together, we had reached the triumphant mountain peak of graduation! The path behind us held many treasured memories and lessons too numerous to count. The path ahead held only mystery and promise.
As the following days rolled into weeks, my new schedule began. I changed diapers, wrote letters to missionaries, shopped for groceries, and guided young fingers up the C scale. The weeks rolled into months. I folded laundry, designed bulletin boards, cooked noodles, and practiced the violin. But even as I enjoyed these activities, discontentment soon crept in. This new chapter of life seemed so ordinary. What had happened to adventure? I was ready to do great things for God! To embark on exotic expeditions! To see souls saved! Folding laundry just didn’t fit my definition of “great”.
Thankfully, God is very patient. As I shared with Him all my spiritual aspirations and complaints of the ordinary, He simply smiled. Then He spoke to me from His Word: “Who hath despised the day of small things? …O love the Lord, all ye His saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful…mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me! …He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much..”
As I read these convicting words, my own claims from the recent past echoed in my memory. “I trust You Lord, to direct me! I will follow you anywhere!” In His wisdom, Jesus had led to the day of small things, a testing ground for faithfulness. But in discontentment, I had failed the test. God used His Word to open my eyes. Faithfulness in the ordinary was an opportunity to demonstrate my love and dwell with Him! Only when I learned to faithfully persevere in the small stuff could He entrust me with “greater” responsibilities. For what is it that we long to hear when we enter His presence in heaven? “Well done, my super-spiritual saint?” or “Well done my good and faithful servant?”
God used those summer months to humble me, teaching me that the day of small things is an essential season for sevant preparation. Think of Moses, Joseph, and David! We know them as heroes of faith but they started out as simple shepherds in some unknown pasture tending non-glamorous flocks of sheep. J God had orchestrated it so, to teach them the lessons, skills, and character they would need for the future. By His grace, my attitude underwent a change. I was able to rejoice in the ordinary and even see the adventures that each day held! Folding laundry for an expectant mother was just as important to God as working in a Romanian orphanage, when faithfully done for His pleasure. Little is much when God is in it!
At the end of August, the second test of trust came in the form of a letter that would turn my whole world updside down. I was at church working on various secretarial tasks when I stopped for a moment to read the latest missionary updates. One of them was from Peru, written by the Earnhart family. It immediately caught my attention! The Earnharts had spoken at last year’s missions conference and greatly blessed my family by their heart for the Lord. During their stay, they came over for a meal and we enjoyed getting to know them better. They seemed to be a very like-minded family and several times prior to graduation, I had wondered aloud to my parents about the possibility of visiting them in Peru one day.
Holding the Earnharts’ letter in my hand that day, my eyes grew wide. One of their prayer requests was for a young lady with a heart for missions to come and help teach their children. I didn’t know exactly what the request entailed, but I was very interested to learn more. Could it be an opportunity from the Lord…?
With my parents’ consent, I wasted no time in e-mailing the Earnharts. A reply was swfitly received. They were praying for a young lady with a servant’s heart who would come to Peru as a mother’s helper, especially to assist with the home schooling of their five children. She would live and travel with them as one of the family. Additionally, she would have opportunity to learn Spanish and participate in all manner of ministries amongst the Peruvian people.
The e-mail described an opportunity containing the fulfillment of so many desires! Every detail seemed to have my name written all over it. I longed to go. But did I dare even hope? It seemed a dream opportunity almost too perfect to come true! Could it possibly be God’s will?
I shared the information with my parents and asked if we could start praying. Understandably, they were skeptical. Peru was a long way off. Six months was a long time! But they saw my heart and agreed to unite in prayer.
Even as I busily attended to my normal responsibilities, Peru was always on my mind. Was this God’s timing for the mission field? Would He choose to send me to meet this need? Oh, how I longed to know His will right then! I prayed and prayed. I begged Him to direct my father. I eagerly searched Scripture for direction, blissfully assuming we would reach a decision within weeks.
Instead, what followed were three of the longest months of my life! Loooking back, they also remain some of the most precious in my memory. In His wisdom, the Lord did not reveal His will right away, but chose to take me through the Valley of Waiting. It was a difficult valley to walk ~ is waiting ever easy? Perhaps, that is why the phrase “be of good courage” is coupled with the Scriptural exhortation to wait on the Lord. But let us not forget the promise which follows! “And He shall strengthen thine heart.” Dear sisters, how true are the promises of God! Even with its trials and tears, the Valley of Waiting proved to be rich with lessons that nourished my relationship with Jesus and indeed, strengthened my heart. It is no coincidence that the Hebrew word for “wait” means: ‘to be bound closer as with a cord’.
I was driven to my knees more than ever before, seeking…pleading …trying to surrender. As the weeks of waiting turned into months, my trust in Him was tested and refined. “I have set promises before you,” He said. “Do you really believe I can do the impossible? Do you trust that I will not withhold any good thing, but only orchestrate your steps for the best? Will you give Me your deepest heart’s desires and let me fulfill them My way?”
At long last, my tightly clutched longings were wholy surrendered to God. I finally came to the point where I could honestly say, “Thy will be done” and mean it. I knew His way would be best, whether He led toward Peru or not. He would withhold no good thing. My heart rested and rejoiced.
Meanwhile, my parents had also been praying fervently to know God’s direction. They asked counsel of trusted friends about the opportunity. They wrote the Earnharts with multitudes of questions about safety issues, family-life details, and ministry expectations. Everything they learned brought more and more peace about the possibility of sending me to Peru. And then, as November came to a close, my dad gave me his blessing to go! He saw this opportunity as a door God had opened for the next step in my life. The waiting was over.
I was thrilled beyond words! To see God’s hand so clearly paving the way, preparing hearts, leading through authorities, and then confirming His will through tiniest of details was truly exciting. The future, which in the valley had remained so heavily veiled, now glistened in the shaft of light shed on its way. But even more precious than the knowledge of His will were the lessons learned at His Throne of grace, as He had bound me closer to Himself. Waiting isn’t always easy but it is always worth it!
On January 13, 2004, I boarded a plane to Lima, Peru, with eager anticipation of this next step in the Adventure. Little did I know just how incredibly God was going to work! He sent me to the Earnharts at a particularly trying time for their family when they had specific needs for help, encouragement, and friendship. Kindred spirits from the start, I discovered the Earnharts to be transparent servants of the Lord who are more fun than a barrel of monkeys! They taught me what it really means to love people to Jesus, through thick and thin, culture barriers and chicken dinners. Living with their family allowed me to see the hunger for hope in a land of spiritual darkness, a view of the harvest fields that impacted me unforgettably.
The following 6 months overflowed with activity! I wish I had space to tell you about everything and everyone - my five spunky students who taught me much as their teacher… the Retiro de Senoritas (girls’ retreat)…the recording of a music CD… Pamela’s amazing growth in Christ…the late-night talks with Mrs. Earnhart. But alas! Such details will have to wait for another article! Suffice it to say that in every way, God did exceeding abundantly above all I could have asked or thought. The lessons, experiences, and relationships He orchestrated changed my life.
At the end of June, the Earnharts began a Stateside furlough while I returned home to the waiting arms of my family. A significant chapter of my life had come to a close - what would the next step be? I praise the Lord for wise parents who helped guide me, through much prayer and discussion, to a new path of learning and ministry here at home. This past year has been rich with blessing and opportunity as the adventure has continued!
Perhaps the brightest highlight has been the fulfillment of a dream to disciple younger girls. Ever since young ladies like Krista Mixon had invested in my life when I was a younger girl in need of mentoring and role models, I had longed to do the same. A few opportunities arose in Peru which whetted my appetite and confirmed this growing love. God has continued to throw open the doors of opportunity since being home!
In the summer, He gave me a burden for 5 Christian young ladies in my area and the Beautiful Girlhood Discipleship Group was birthed. We met for seven weeks to study the Bible and build feminine skills. Writing the lessons each week was a fun challenge; they certainly turned out better than my first attempt at meringue shells!
November came. I was busy juggling piano students, two classes at a local Bible college, church library renovations, and home economic projects when God’s whisper penetrated my busyness. “What about reaching the girls of your neighborhood?” “Oh Lord, what a great idea! It fits right into my love for younger girls and would be wonderful missionary preparation. But, wait, Lord…that’s an impossible idea! Reach my neighborhood? How would I do that? I’m not ‘cool’ or popular. Would they really want to listen to me?”
Despite my misgivings, this burden from the Lord wouldn’t leave. I was gripped with the conviction that I had never tried to reach my own community with the Gospel, yet I wanted to be a missionary! He began to give me a compassion for girls here in my own “mission field”, such as I had never before experienced. Overnight, a vision took shape. Start a neighborhood Bible study teaching Who Jesus really is. Play games; eat popcorn. Get into their world and love them. Two months of prayer ensued. I cried out to God for wisdom, still a little skeptical. Would it really work? “Just trust Me.” He said. “This is My ministry; I simply want to use you as My vessel.”
Trust. There was that word again! It seemed I still had so much to learn about trust. December brought a visit from the Earnharts and a conversation with Mrs. Earnhart that confirmed to me God’s direction, lighting a fire under me to get going! My parents also greatly encouraged this new ministry. And so, donning hat and coat, I skated around to various bus stops, passing out invitations to the first Girls of Grace and Truth Club. I began planning lessons and recruited a team of faithful friends who committed to pray for the ministry weekly. Without a clue as to what would happen next, I found it both exciting and a little scary to be “out on a limb” with the Lord! J Walking by faith and not by sight took on a whole new dimension.
Of course, God’s grace proved sufficient once again. Even on that first rainy night when no one showed up (except my loyal sister J), He assured me that He was working, and to just keep trusting! The following week, five girls came! Since that first Monday, a variety of girls have passed through our doors to learn more about Jesus. A small handful have remained faithful to come each week. Watching God work in their hearts has been priceless! Just recently, two precious 12-year-olds put their faith in Jesus, receiving the gift of salvation! Seeing everlasting fruit come forth has brought incredible joy and has made every ounce of work worth it all! God has even used the club as a way of reaching one girls’ entire family. They have begun coming to church with us and the mother also just become a Christian. Now my mom is discipling her! Again, Jesus has done exceeding abundantly above all we could have thought. I can only stand in awe of my Lord and praise His Name!
Two years of adventure now draw to a close, but the journey continues. As I study for Spanish tests, hug piano students farewell, and continue to write Bible studies each week, the Lord is preparing my heart for the next step. Miraculously, He has opened the door to serve as a counselor this summer at a Christian camp ~ another dream come true!
Beyond August, a question mark is drawn. Once again I face the unknown and the inquiries of curious onlookers. Foreign missions continues to tug at my heart while my family and new sisters in Christ draw me homeward. I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know Who holds the future! And He is trustworthy.
Dear friends, are you trusting the Lord to show you the path of life while finding the fullness of joy simply to be in His presence? He wants to give you pleasures at His right hand! Are you delighting yourself in Him? He wants to give you the desires of your heart! Are you struggling in the day of small things? He wants to prepare you as a servant! Are you in a season of waiting? He wants to bind you closer to Himself! Are you walking by faith and not by sight? He wants to surprise you with amazing wonders! You are on an adventure with Jesus.
He who hath led will lead, all through the wilderness,
He who hath fed will surely feed…
He who hath heard thy cry will never close His ear,
He who hath marked thy faintest sigh will not forget thy tear.
He loveth always, faileth never.
So rest on Him today - forever!
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Luke 14:22 1 John 5:12 1 Peter 2:9 Proverbs 24:10-12 Luke 1:28 Phillipians 4:7 Job 28:11, 31:4 Isaiah 43:16, 19 Zechariah 4:10 Psalm 31:23 Psalm 101:6 Luke 16:10 Psalm 27:14 A Chance to Die, by Elisabeth Elliot
