Psalm 16:11 says, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life…” I love the idea that God has placed each of us on a path. My spiritual path started at a very young age. While I’m not entirely sure how old I was, I remember sitting at the end of my aunt’s bed as she braided my hair and shared the gospel with me. When she was finished, I recognized that I was a sinner who needed Jesus as my Savior and prayed at the end of her bed and asked Jesus to save me.
From then on, my desire was to stay on the path God had for me. In fourth grade, I went to a summer camp and the preacher challenged us to be willing to do whatever it was that God led us to do. That day, I remember believing that God was calling me to missions. When I returned home, I was so excited to tell my parents that I was going to be a missionary! And they were excited for me and continued to remind me of God’s call as I grew up.
In my teen years, I began to wonder whether I could have really understood salvation at such a young age. Then I talked with a Sunday school teacher about my doubts, and she reminded me that Luke 18:17 tells us that we are supposed to receive Christ like children, complete unquestioning faith that he will save us. Once I understood that there was nothing I could do to earn my salvation and that it was by simple faith that I was saved, I never doubted again.
But our spiritual path doesn’t end with salvation. Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” As I was growing, I would make mistakes and would get off the path God had for me. During these times, I could tell that there was something missing in my life. Psalm 16:11 continues with “in thy presence is fullness of joy…” I began to realize that true joy can only be found in Jesus, not in friends or a boyfriend or beauty or money or success or popularity. True joy is found in Christ alone.
As I continued to learn these lessons on my path, I began attending Bible college. I thought about choosing to study missions, but someone encouraged me to study education so that I could use those skills on the mission field. So I chose to study secondary education with an emphasis on English.
Four years later it was time to see where God would lead me next. I considered going to the mission field, but as I pursued that path, it seemed God was not leading that way. So I began asking God to show me. To my surprise, God led me down the path of teaching middle school English. That path would continue for the next ten years.
Then about a year and half ago, I began to see that God was leading me to a new path. He was leading me to the path that I had wanted to do since I was in fourth grade. Without question, I knew that God was leading me to the foreign mission field. I began to pray about where He would have me serve. He reminded me of a missionary who had given a presentation about open doors of service ready for anyone who was willing to go. This missionary, Bob Mach, just “happened” to be in town as I was praying, so I met with him and made plans to take a survey trip to the Ivory Coast. I took the survey trip and with each passing day I was more sure that this was where God was leading me.
As I look back, sometimes I wonder why it took so long to get to this point, but then I realize that all along God was working on me, giving me practical and spiritual skills needed to accomplish his work in the Ivory Coast.
The end of Psalm 16:11 says “at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.” The best place to be is right next to God on the path he has shown you. It is only there that you will experience all spiritual blessings not only in this life but for eternity.
One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 26:3, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” True peace is found when we fix our eyes on Jesus. If we allow our eyes to wander, we began to get frustrated or feel like something is missing and we are right. Jesus is the true source of love, joy, and peace.
Keep your eyes on Him and he will guide your path.
Abidjan’s exploding population has doubled in the last 15 years to five million in the metropolitan area, making it the third largest city in the Francophone world. It is the strategic key for evangelization of Côte d’lvoire, Mali and Burkina Faso. All people groups of these latter two lands have a significant community in the city, but most are neglected by the Church. Over 2.5 million Muslims, roughly half of the city, are scarcely touched with the gospel.
Young people are responsive, and wherever churches minister specifically to them, there is fruit. Liberty to teach Scripture in public schools is an exciting but under-used opportunity through lack of qualified personnel.
Source: Operation World, 2010