"Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out." James Bryant Conant, US chemist, diplomat, & educator (1893 - 1978)
One of the best parts of the North American Convention of the Church of God each year is seeing old friends, fellow students, former professors, pastors, and colleagues in ministry. I was delighted to see a colleague for the first time in several decades – my former Tri-S team mate, Denise. As we reminisced traveling 3000+ miles without a car, Denise remarked, “I can’t believe we did that.” That was quite a stretch for me also, a faith-testing experience. Here’s the lowdown:
Jesus sent out his disciples and 72 others in pairs to share and serve. Likewise in the early 70’s Anderson College (now Anderson University) Tri-S program called ‘Student Summer Service’ (now called ‘Study, Share, Serve’/international only) included sending out student teams of two on domestic tours to serve in youth camps, Bible schools, and camp meetings. I applied for a summer 1972 U.S. tour expecting to be matched with someone who had a car. Denise did the same. We were paired together and assigned an itinerary of Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, and Michigan. We had the option of finding transportation or letting the assignment go to other students. We both strongly felt God calling us to that service program that summer, stuck out our necks trusting God to provide each step of the way, and He did!
It was indeed one step at a time. We were able to line up most arrangements before starting, but not everything. Three days before we needed to travel approx. 500 miles from Yellow Creek Lake Camp in Indiana to Michigan, we had no earthly ideas how we would get there. We prayed – big time... asked around, made calls, and God provided via the guest speaker for the Michigan Camp Meeting.
That summer’s stepping out in faith and experiencing God’s provision step-by-step helped give me the courage to stick out my neck in faith and say yes to the invitation to go to Cote D’Ivoire for October 2007 to catalog French books for the West African Bible Institute library and lead a 2-day Christian Education Seminar. I confess there were many a “yes, but” – but I don’t know French, but I don’t have the money, and more. God provided and helped me accomplish the tasks with the help of many folks.
Having experienced God’s provision for transportation for the 3000+ miles during summer 1972 and October 2007 in Cote d’Ivoire gave me the courage to again stick out my neck in faith for the even bigger challenge to accept Sherman and Kay Critser’s invitation to join them as a career missionary in West Africa. I continue to stick out my neck in the humongous task of raising missionary support and invite your partnership.
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A summary of the 1972 experience of God's provision went around the world in the devotional booklet, Pathways to God, Winter 2005-2006, p.16:
God Provides
For nothing is impossible with God. --Luke 1:37
In 1972 I applied to work in church camps and vacation Bible schools through a summer program coordinated by the college I attended. My partner and I found, however, that we were responsible to find transportation to our work sites. Arranging for travel that covered over three thousand miles seemed impossible.
Many individuals in the Bible were faced with tasks far more overwhelming than mine. Nevertheless, people such as Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Paul, and Mary found that God is able to provide a way when there seems to be no way.
My partner and I decided to be obedient and to trust God to help us work out the details. Throughout the summer transportation was provided by a variety of people: an uncle, a boyfriend, an evangelist, and others. Thank God for the marvelous ways he provides, even when we think we have run out of options.
Trust God at all times.
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