Ministry is Hard

Ok, any of you involved in ministry on any level know that it can be challenging and messy.  The month of May started off with a wonderful sermon by pastor Chad Miller on the difficulty of ministry. In his great way he allowed God to speak through him and I certainly was convicted.  We studied John 6:66 and that when faced with the hard questions many turned away and no longer walked with Jesus.  So, I was challenged: What do I do when the questions, the choices, the decisions and my walk with the Lord gets tough?  Honestly I am still struggling and praying over that one, please pray with me.  I hope I stick closer to God and that is my desire.

God in His grace gave me many experiences over the last month to see ministry working well and to see the need for complete surrender when doing His work.  I first had the opportunity to visit my church family in Nicaragua.  The Perry’s and the Harbinson’s are serving God there in a mighty way.  I went to see what their transition was like and to get a glimpse of how God is using them.  It was a quick trip but a very special experience with my Nicaragua family.  It was a sweet and precious time that God ordained for me, including sitting next to a young woman moving to Nicaragua to be a full time missionary with ABWE (the organization I have been looking in to partnering with).  It was also a painful time, resources are limited and the need is great.  Pray for Rosa Emilia a woman in the village with a very serious medical condition.   I had the opportunity to visit and pray with her, but my medical skills could do her no good. (Did I mention God wanted me to surrender all to Him).  The beautiful smile she gave through her pain when we prayed was such a blessing and sweet reminder of what is important in life. 

I then had the amazing opportunity to go to ABWE (Association of Baptists for World Evangelism) headquarters in Harrisburg, PA for a medical mission’s conference.  I was humbled even before I got to the conference by a severe cold, fever and chills that almost made it not possible for me to attend.  The power of prayer prevailed and I made it there, a little worse for wear.  Within 10 minutes of being there I knew this organization was where God wanted me.  I was welcomed with open arms and one of the first speakers challenged all of us to provide “the kind of healthcare worthy of the name of Jesus Christ”.  Wow, talk about being humbled.  That speaker is correct; we are all called to live in a way worthy of the name of Jesus Christ.  Please pray I may be a better example of His love, compassion and grace in my everyday life.  Anyone can provide healthcare, but when it is done in His name with His power the gift is so much more.  The goal is providing first and foremost for the spiritual needs of others.  As the conference continued the challenge and honestly the fear came out.  I spoke with people and watched presentations about the extremely limited resources in some of these healthcare facilities.  I heard of people’s medical skills being stretched far beyond their training and I said to the woman leading my trip in September “it is a good thing God told me I am supposed to be on this trip before I came here because I might have chickened out”.  I admit I still have a little fear, but I know that this trip and wherever that leads is God’s plan. As the president of ABWE said “our life assignment is to remain with Him and bring people along and when the assignment is larger than life and unnerving we know He is with us (Emmanuel)”.

So, yes ministry is hard but the reward is great.  I pray for all of you as we each have a ministry in our day to day life that can be ugly, messy and difficult sometimes.  May God’s light shine through you and may you follow Him closely.