There are times in life when God’s will is obscure, almost hidden; then there are other times when it hits you right smack the nose. Last week, the latter occurred as two counseling opportunities with two different women were literally dropped into my lap. While I know that many of you like to pray specifically for me and my ministries, the nature of my relationship with these women make it difficult to know what details are appropriate and important to share, especially in such a public place as a blog.
This afternoon, I met with Ana, a wife to a third-year seminary student and mother to two young children. Ana’s oldest child and only son has severe asthma, a precarious condition for which he has been hospitalized many times. Ana’s well-being is also unstable as she suffers from epilepsy. Her condition can be helped with medicine; however, last semester their family lost financial aid which paid for their medical insurance, and as a result, they have not been able to afford to pay for Ana’s medicine. This added stress, compounded by other events, has taken its toll on Ana who experienced several attacks, one quite severe, last semester. There is a detailed and sad history of sin and its damage behind the “other events” that, by divine providence, was brought to light through Ana’s attacks; thus a mutual friend, aware of my involvement with biblical counseling, steered Ana in my direction.
Please pray for Ana. She is a quiet woman with a firm faith in God who is ready to obey His Word and do His will; but there is a stronghold of bitterness built upon a history of sexual sin within her heart that must be torn down. There are also family issues regarding psychiatry and “mental illness” that need to be examined biblically. The permeating and destructive nature of sin is amazing and, apart from the power of the Holy Spirit, overwhelming, but I am excited by Ana’s willing heart and humble spirit. Most of all, I am confident of the sufficiency of God’s Word. The enormity of the obstacles to be overcome serve only to reflect the vast measure of glory to be given God’s name as Ana claims the victory promised her through the work His Holy Spirit.
Sara, the second woman, found me on her own. Last week, at the end of a long afternoon, I was busily working in the library, trying to get some email messages sent before closing time, when the librarian informed me that a blond woman was there to see me. Her comment confused me since I’m the only blond on campus, so I repeated what she said to make sure I had understood correctly. I had. The librarian then led me to where the woman was patiently waiting, but that only caused me more confusion. The woman was a complete stranger. Sara introduced herself as a friend of a missionary colleague, then stated her purpose: English lessons.
I do not think I sighed audibly; however, I know that her comment immediately and drastically diminished my interest. It is not that I don’t want to help Brazilians learn English (remember that I was very involved with the Manacial English Club in Fortaleza); however, I have been inundated with requests since my arrival at the seminary, and my past experience has proven that individual lessons, on the whole, to be very time consuming and have little ministry value. As I tried to graciously close the conversation, it took a sudden and unexpected twist, and Sara began to share her complicated past, which included several men and a couple of divorces. When all was said and done, the ten-minute conversation had extended to over an hour, way beyond closing time (the librarian had quietly left the keys for me to lock up on the table).
Please pray for Sara. Although older in age, she is a young Christian whom God is using as light in the lives of her children. At the same time, she is experiencing “growing pains,” as all Christians should, as she learns what it is to die to self and be transformed into the image of Christ.
I covet your prayers for me as well, primarily for wisdom as I seek to minister to these women. Over the past few years, I have come to appreciate the Bible as a very practical manual for life. “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:3, 4).
Pray for my discernment, that I will know in which ministries and activities I should invest and be involved, especially because, as I mentioned earlier, I have had numerous requests for English lessons, and not only for that but many other ministries and opportunities for involvement. Relatively speaking, my time in the Cariri Valley will be short; and I do not want to lose sight of my purpose in being at the seminary (i.e. language training, etc.) and overextend myself with “extras.” At the same, time, I want to be willing and flexible to “extend [my] soul to the hungry” (Isa. 58:10).
Above all, continue to pray that I will honor and glorify God through my life. He alone is worthy.