Sharing our Journey of Faith, Part 1

It was an honor to be asked to share our new adventure in a chapel at Taylor University! Before a thousand or more students, faculty, and staff, Chris read Hebrews 11:8-13, and Bob began by unpacking the passage…

Bob: "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called." These words capture the significance of Father Abraham’s legacy. They are words you might expect to find on the Patriarch’s tombstone, but we have something better that that--Hebrews eleven’s litany of lives lived in total surrender and praise to God! And Abraham is not the only example in chapter: By faith Abel offered…By faith Noah constructed...By faith Abraham obeyed… By faith, by faith, by faith. This repetition makes the author of Hebrews sounds more like a preacher driving home his point! You can almost hear him pounding the pulpit, "By faith, by faith, by faith!" He exhorts his hearers to live by faith. But what exactly does that mean, and how has that looked in our lives?

Chris: About 5 years ago I attended a gathering held by Hank & Johanna Voss, Taylor alum, as they updated friends on their work with World Impact. Hank spoke of his involvement with The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI), a ministry of World Impact that provides Biblical and theological training for urban pastors and other leaders in the church. As soon as I heard about TUMI, I knew that Bob’s gifts, training and experience were a good match for this ministry. I took home as much material as Hank could spare. Bob was impressed with TUMI, but the time for transition had not arrived.

The Holy Spirit had prompted us to pray in some general ways, “Lord, give me your heart for the lost.” “Lord, open my eyes to a kingdom view.” “I desire to live totally for you.” “What do You have for us in this next season of life?”“Enable me to release comfort and empower me to be faithful and to do your will.” “And would a warmer climate fit into Your plans somehow?” We had no idea how the Lord would answer those prayers. We sensed that the Lord had a new direction for us. Our only child, Rebekah, graduated from Taylor in 2007. She became a houseparent for His House Children's Home, a Christian social service agency providing, among other things, residential foster care for children in need in Miami/Dade County, Florida. It was there she met Jorge Veitia. They were married in January, 2009. Last November (2010) during Taylor's World Opportunties Week, Hank and Johanna were in town and hosted another gathering. Dr. Keith Philips, the founder and president of World Impact, also shared at their gathering. Bob attended that meeting and returned home looking a little like a deer caught in the headlights. “I think we need to look into World Impact.” And so we did.

As Bob and I have been on this journey, we have had to make decisions to respond to the Lord in obedience by faith. Some of these decisions have not made logical sense on the surface. In June of this year, before we completed the application process with World Impact, and so before we were invited to be on staff, Bob submitted his formal letter of resignation to Taylor. Why resign from a fulfilling position before knowing that the new door is totally open? Because the Lord called us to be obedient by faith. A couple of friends offered to take our stuff--furniture, books, clothes, books, photos, books, kitchen gadgets, books, dishes, books (you get the idea)--to take our stuff to LA during Taylor's fall break. We are not yet fully funded and thus are not eligible to be on the field as missionaries in training. Why take advantage of this generous offer and send most of our things ahead when we don't even know when we will be there? Because the Lord is calling us to be obedient by faith.

To be continued…

    One generation shall commend your works to another,
        and shall declare your mighty acts.  (Psalm 145:4 ESV)

We had the privilege this morning of speaking in Taylor's chapel. Our topic was "By Faith," and the passage was Hebrews 11:8-13. What a joy to share our journey of faith with students, staff, faculty and visitors! Each time we have this kind of opportunity, we are energized. The Lord does speak to each of His children. The Lord does work through each of His children. Our prayer is that our journey of faith will encourage others.