It was August 2023 and we had just finished our summer run with teams. Our ministry had grown so rapidly that the short-term mission teams are only a piece of the entire ministry. When the teams are not on the mountain then we are busy with the school, church, medical clinic, etc. We were spending our time trying to catch up on all of the meticulous, but necessary things of the ministry.
However, it seemed like Soy and I were hitting a spiritual block wall. The Enemy had thrown some really sharp darts at us. We felt every single dart and they hurt. From the outside, no one would have ever known the spiritual battle taking place. The funny thing is that the darts are not from people of the world, but from people who we love, respect, and admire. The tongue is powerful. Words are powerful. They can pierce and cut deeply.
During the next few weeks, we stepped back and re-evaluated our lives. We searched our hearts. Maybe some of the fiery darts thrown at us had truth in them. If there was even a small amount of disobedience we asked the Lord to reveal it. Pride, arrogance, complacent—We would rather deal with it than live with it. We told the Lord that we would move wherever He told us to move. We would serve doing whatever He told us to. We would pick up and leave whenever He told us to leave. The absolute last thing we ever wanted to do was to be somewhere only because it is familiar, convenient, and easy.
And yet, we knew that we were right in the center of God’s will. God confirmed to both of us that we were exactly where He wanted us to be.
For some reason, we want to think that being in the center of God’s will means nothing bad can happen. We will not walk through the fire. The storm will not come. Nowhere in the Scripture is evidence of no trials, losses, or hardships for people faithfully serving and living for the Lord.
Six weeks later, I stood in a hospital room beside Soy. I cried as I questioned if we were in God’s will. Is it possible to be in God’s will and have such evil take place? I was a basket case and Soy was extremely calm. Soy reaffirmed that we were in the center of God’s will even if it meant the Enemy attacked.
I am so grateful for those hard conversations of begging God to move. Begging God to shake us. Begging God to reveal Himself to us. But God… over and over provided the confirmation to both of us!
“I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints, and to those who are open to his word.” Psalm 85:8
Shining Light Abroad Ministries 