To encourage someone is to give them a courage transfusion.
I'm not eager to tell everyone that I could really use a dozen pints of the stuff right now. I have been discouraged for many weeks and have doubted my calling to Japan. This time of raising support is one of the most difficult times I've encountered in a long time.
I found hope in an old promise in Romans today.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:3-5, NLT)
I've named my blog "Confessions of a Water Walker" after a book that has had a powerful impact on my response to this calling to Japan. I heard a sermon preached by Dr. Richard Butmann from Wheaton College about risk taking last summer.
He spoke about John Ortberg's book, If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. From that sermon, I knew that God was calling me to be a Water Walker and to take a risk in going to Japan with Asian Access.
Now I'm on the water, and like Peter, I'm beginning to look around me at the storm. Only in my case the storm is the discouragement of not meeting my own terms of success in support raising. I'm wondering just how long it will take for the money to come in. I'm forgetting that God is the Source of everything I need. So, I'm beginning to sink in my fear and doubt.
Dear friends, I'm in need of a courage transfusion. Please pray for me. Pray that I will rely only on God and that I will not look to others to meet my needs. Please pray that my character will be strengthened and that I will be all the more prepared to serve in Japan because of this tough time. Please pray that I will be filled with a full measure of the Holy Spirit so that I will once again find joy in this time of preparation.
I'm not eager to tell everyone that I could really use a dozen pints of the stuff right now. I have been discouraged for many weeks and have doubted my calling to Japan. This time of raising support is one of the most difficult times I've encountered in a long time.
I found hope in an old promise in Romans today.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:3-5, NLT)
I've named my blog "Confessions of a Water Walker" after a book that has had a powerful impact on my response to this calling to Japan. I heard a sermon preached by Dr. Richard Butmann from Wheaton College about risk taking last summer.
He spoke about John Ortberg's book, If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. From that sermon, I knew that God was calling me to be a Water Walker and to take a risk in going to Japan with Asian Access. Now I'm on the water, and like Peter, I'm beginning to look around me at the storm. Only in my case the storm is the discouragement of not meeting my own terms of success in support raising. I'm wondering just how long it will take for the money to come in. I'm forgetting that God is the Source of everything I need. So, I'm beginning to sink in my fear and doubt.
Dear friends, I'm in need of a courage transfusion. Please pray for me. Pray that I will rely only on God and that I will not look to others to meet my needs. Please pray that my character will be strengthened and that I will be all the more prepared to serve in Japan because of this tough time. Please pray that I will be filled with a full measure of the Holy Spirit so that I will once again find joy in this time of preparation.
3 comments:
Dear Millie,
Reuben and I just want to send you love and encouragement. We lift you up in prayer. I love to read Psalms when I am feeling discouraged (sometimes I feel very discouraged in my mission-field of motherhood)! Anyway I send you JOY!!!
Your Partner in Prayer, Sister in Christ, and Old Friend,
Molly
Dear Millie, thank you for sharing and inviting us to pray and walk with you. Hold firm to the courage-infusing hope and promise of Romans 5:3-5. Often facing discouragement ourselves on the field (as well as during fund raising), we want to encourage you with a few things from our recent experience that come to mind after reading your post.
First, God has used periods of discouragement to bring us to a more acute appreciation of community. So basic, but don't we need to lovingly help and pray for one another? In fundraising and on the field, we can't tell you how many times we've called out to others for support and prayer. Through this shared sense of dependence, God really does great things, reveals Himself in fresh ways, and keeps us from sinking.
Second, God has used periods of discouragement to bring us to a greater appreciation of His Word, as it appears He's already doing in you.
Third, God has reminded us that discouragement has served to enhance -- not erode -- our calling to overseas work. Reading Hebrews this month points us to see endurance (a dynamic related to discouragement) as linked closely with faith and calling, grace and works. Discouragement can forge deeper an element that is crucial to calling: endurance, as Rom. 5:3-5 says.
All of this being written in retrospect, we certainly realize that talking about discouragement, on the one hand, and actually going through it, on the other, are two different things. But you are not going through it alone: in the face of circumstances in which you had more, you have community who loves and prays for you, you have His Word, and you have Him who endured all things so that you can endure this day.
Praying with and for you,
the Ryus
Millie, Please don't lose heart! God is at work in ways that will amaze us when we look back. You feel called to Japan so keep on presenting and keep on looking to Jesus to introduce you to senders. We look forward to seeing you over here as soon as possible!
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