Great God Stories

There are so many stories I'd like to mention here about what God has done leading up to my calling but I will share just a few.

God brought me to my new church back in January because of the focus on evangelism and missions. I had know Jim Nicolls (the missions associate at church) for over a year and had always enjoyed listing to his mission stories. I had been praying for over a year that God would lead me to His will for my life. Little did I know (but God did) that the church had been praying about becoming a strategic missionary partner in West Africa. As I think about it now, that was not a coincidence. I was asked to help share information on West Africa at our mission night in June because I'd been to Nigeria and could share some information (again, not a coincidence). That allowed me to opportunity to begin a dialogue with the missionaries in Mali, which ultimately lead to my calling there.

Shortly after I surrendered to go to the mission field back in July I was talking to my insurance representative and just mentioned that I was going to the mission field. We had a wonderful conversation about it and to my amazement (not really because we serve a HUGE God!) without asking she mailed me a support check. What a blessing of affirmation that was for me as I began my journey.

A crisis of God's will occured in August when I found out my church was temporarily redirecting their mission to Senegal and not Mali. Was I supposed to go to Senegal first in November and then go to Mali? I had been asking God and still was not sure. I was hiking one day and went off the trail. Found a note crisply folded laying on a rock. It was someones' testimony and could not have been there more than a few days. After reading I knew I needed to get on my knees and humble myself in prayer. So I did and instantly felt God told me "I called you to Mali; you need to focus there". As I began to argue "but why God would you not want me to help my church when they are asking for my help?". I no sooner got the words out of my mouth and something made me open my eyes, only to see a snake sunning itself about 2 feet from me! I jumped on top the rock, ending my arguing. As I realize later, God answered and sent the snake to keep me from arguing! I sat on the rock and had my lunch, peering over the edge to watch my snake :) I thought, this is probably the least of what I'm going to see in Mali and on "Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand". ... standing on the Lord, he will provide, protect and guide!