This is the talk I managed to stammer out to my church community while my legs did an Irish jig behind the podium:
Don said that I should speak after the Offertory because this is my offering to God, and when he put it that way... It just about made me rethink the whole idea!
But I guess it's true. I will be going to West Africa for the next few months through Avant Ministries. I'll be leaving on September 4th, and coming back in the beginning of November or December, depending on how the Lord leads. I will be teaching ESL, and doing some counselling, as far as I understand it, but I've had a few surprises from God in the past, so I think I'll just leave it in His hands.
I was actually supposed to speak in church a couple of weeks ago, when Mary Charlotte was talking about Joseph the Dreamer. I chickened out because, I've got to confess, I haven't had any dreams about going to Africa, or about anything bowing down to me – not even, like, a turnip...
So I thought it might be kind of a let down to talk to the church about how I have no idea what I'm doing. That I have no plans except that I want to offer myself, my soul, and my body as a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice to the Lord.
So I thought it might be kind of a let down to talk to the church about how I have no idea what I'm doing. That I have no plans except that I want to offer myself, my soul, and my body as a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice to the Lord.
So I was dreading talking to the congregation about my total lack of purpose in mission. I was even talking to a friend of mine a couple of days ago about how I'd be of greater use if I could give the years of my life away to other, more focused people so that they could do great things. She just looked at me like I was insane and said, “Sharon, give your years to the Lord.” And it was like a light had just been switched on in my head! Duh!
So as much as I'd like to say that I've seen a bright light, and heard the voice of God telling me what to do... I can't. I've offered myself bit by bit in weakness, and the Lord has returned to me more than I could ask or imagine. As a small example: After I'd decided to go to Mali, I kept job hunting. Frantically. I thought I needed a job at the very least during the summer so that I could afford to go in the fall. I was praying... sort of. But it was a very constrained, very practical prayer: Just a job for the summer, Lord – that's all I need... Just for the summer.
I couldn't think about anything else. I was barely even praying about going to Mali, or preparing to go because I thought I needed a job first. May turned into June. Which turned into July. And I was still jobless and frustrated. Finally I was up against the wall. I could either start preparing to go to Mali and give up on the whole financial security thing, or I could choose to back out of the trip. By that time, I'd convinced myself that I wasn't supposed to go to Mali at all. That God didn't want me to go. But something in me kept hoping otherwise. So I started getting ready for Mali. I got the immunizations. I prayed with focus about going and offered everything to the Lord. And at the end of July, I got a job that I can actually come back to in November or December.
2 Corinthians 12, verse 9: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So I'll boast in my weakness, which is that I don't hear God as clearly or as often as I would like. I don't know His plan for my life. But I am a witness to His power working through me. And that's my mission in Mali – to be a witness. And all I can pray is a few great verses from Psalm 138 (though the whole psalm is pretty amazing): “I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart... for you have exalted your name and your word above everything. On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul... The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.”
I'd love it if you could all be a part of this mission by praying for me before I go and while I'm there. I've started a blog – there's nothing on it at the moment, but hopefully I can stick with it so you can stay updated on what I'm doing. You can find the blog at sharonplainsandsol.blogspot.com. I'll leave the address with Don and Mary Charlotte as well, and hopefully some of you will be interested to read and drop me some advice or encouragement or comments about what God is teaching you through this mission and through your walk with Him!
