God Speaks

I love the little ways God speaks to us. 

I have definitely had moments in my life where I felt like God was silent. I kept listening, but to no avail. To this day, I'm not sure if He really was silent or if He just wasn't giving me the answer I wanted. It's pretty easy to get those two mixed up! But today I am grateful for the ways He is speaking to me!

The fact that I am on this missionary journey is a complete miracle! I have always craved structure, predictability, stability. I am known for not wanting to even try a new restaurant unless there is someone with me to take the reigns and guide me. I don't like making decisions. When I must make one, I weigh every angle and count the cost. I try my very best to be assured I am making the right one. And because God knows this about me, He has been very deliberate in His dealings with me.

Over the past few years I have gained a tremendous amount of faith which is the only reason I can even contemplate a life of mission work. But, I am so glad that God doesn't leave me to rely solely on that. I'm hoping that I would still follow His Will without His whisperings of encouragement, but I am really glad I don't have to. Throughout the process so far, God has spoken clearly to us and guided us so that we don't have to doubt our footsteps. His most recent utterances came as an answer to prayer.

Among our prayers for guidance and direction has been the prayer for God to align my mom's heart with His. She was struggling a lot with her mama desire to protect her baby and grandchildren and to keep them close. As much as she wanted me to be in God's Will, her desire for safety was greater. I knew we would press forward with or without her full blessing, but it was really important to me that she be okay with our decision to pursue mission work. I didn't want to head into the field with the heaviness of disappointment. And so I prayed. I asked others to pray too. And then something that I expected to take months or even years to happen, occurred in one Sunday morning.

We were in Columbus for Labor Day weekend and Sunday was upon us. We decided to visit the church that my mom had been attending a Bible study through instead of the church that I grew up in. My Dad even came with us which is quite the rarity! So, sitting around two tables I had my immediate family along with my parents, my sister and brother-in-law and a couple of my mom's close friends; the very people that will be my mom's support system through this journey. And then the unbelievable happened!

The pastor spent the next 50 minutes preaching about Nehemiah. Everything he said echoed why Ben and I are doing what we are doing. Every argument my mom had was negated through scripture. My thoughts and feelings that I was having trouble expressing where out in the open. Yes, we are doing good work in Washington, PA. Yes, there is plenty of work to be done in the US. However, we cannot sit in our comfortable environment and be content that we are doing enough when God is asking us to do more! We will not be satisfied to sit back and let someone else do it when God is tugging at our heart for us to do it! 

Nehemiah didn't HAVE to go and rebuild the wall. He had a cushy job and was helping the King. The people in Jerusalem were content with their city. They didn't see the urgent need to protect themselves with a new wall. It was a huge task that surely someone there would be more qualified to do! However, God placed that desire in his heart. He placed him in a position where he could help. He gave him an ideal opportunity to ask the King. He equipped him for the journey and the task. He made it possible for Nehemiah to do something he would have never dreamed of doing.

And so in the course of that hour, the Holy Spirit was at work to speak to my mother's heart. He gave her the confidence and assurance to know that we are in His care and following His Will for our lives. Is she ready to throw a bon voyage party? Probably not. But God has spoken and she has listened. I am ever so grateful!

Blessed Beyond Measure- Anne

"The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall." -Nehemiah 2:20a