Called For His Purpose

By Vicki Smith, Women’s Ministries Executive Director

“Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.”

– 2 Timothy 1:9

Merriam-Webster defines the word calling as “a strong impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence.”

I sometimes have felt that the phrase “I feel called to do it” has been used flippantly and often without real thought. I do not know how many times a woman has come to me and said, “I really feel called to do this,” and maybe six months later says that she does not feel called in that area anymore. We could spend countless hours discussing what it truly means to be called. Calling for each of us is different, and it comes in different forms. And yes, God does move us from one service area or “calling” to another. There is a passage of scripture that, in my mind, sums it all up. Isaiah 6:8 “Here I am Lord, Send Me.”

I ran across a quote by the author Emilie Barnes that says “Instead of thinking of the will of God, why not think of it as I will. God, I will do whatever you desire me to do.”

I have been so blessed in my life to have known so many Godly women. Women who only want to do the will of God. Some have stepped out of the box and have or are serving in some areas that have made them true pioneers in the denomination. Others have served in very traditional ways, while still others are unsung heroes serving quietly behind the scenes but faithfully answering God with “I will.” They cover a broad spectrum of ages and live in varying demographic areas. Their experiences are varied. Some I have known for a long time and are close friends. Some are colleagues that I have served alongside at some time or another. Some I have known only for a short time, but I am so thankful that God caused our paths to cross.

In 1911 Asenath Brewster responded to God with “I will.” To date, over 100 women have answered with “I will” and have gone to serve on one of our General Baptist mission fields. Over one-fourth of those going as a single woman.

I hope that as you read about these seven women, you will be as touched by their testimonies and as blessed as I am by their faithfulness. I also pray that their stories will inspire you to search for the “I WILL” in your life.

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Transition - A way of life for the Yeomans

At This Point In Our Lives… Transitions – Part 3

by Nicole Yeomans, General Baptist Missionary to the Philippines and Niger

“A man’s heart plans his ways, but the Lord determines his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9

In all of our planning over the past several years, I never thought we would be here at this point in our lives. Most of us have said that at some point in our lives, I’m certain. I am saying that now. The first rule one becomes aware of in any type of mission work is to be flexible. Overall, I consider myself a flexible person. However, if you were to ask my husband, he would probably tell you that I often get upset if he asks me to alter the schedule that I lay out for myself each day, though I may not voice it. I am still a work in progress. I find myself looking more and more to Proverbs and other Scriptures that have a great deal to say about the plans we make for our lives and who is ultimately in control of our lives.

As you know, our family had planned to depart for Niger, West Africa at the end of July, just in time to get settled before the start of the new school year. The girls and I did just that, thinking Kris would be right behind us. We got settled in our house. We unpacked everything. We learned our way around to the school, the gas station, the grocery stores, and our favorite restaurant that serves the most amazing hummus.

Transitions are taken differently by different peopleAs for Kris joining us, a day turned into three days, then three days turned into 10 days, and then when he got the news that he needed a heart catheter, we knew then that we needed to return to the states to be with him. I have to brag on my kids for a brief moment. Eden looked downtrodden for a split second, but then decided she would be ok if she could get her ears pierced soon after landing. Emily, who has been to more schools now than blanks provided for previous schools attended on school forms, was upset about missing the first day of school at Sahel and yet another change in schools. After being upset for about 45 seconds, she came back in and said, “ok, let’s get to packing. We gotta do what we gotta do.” For a girl that never wanted to leave the house for the first 7 years of her life, I can’t tell you how thankful I am for her flexibility, how blessed I am to have her as a daughter, and to see how God is working in her life.

So, we packed everything back up, not knowing what this latest transition would look like or how long it would be before we returned, and 3 days later, boarded a plane back to the U.S. I was prepared (or at least ready for the challenge as best I could be) to be in a new culture, learning a new language and way of life. I was not prepared to be back in the states, enrolling my girls in the local school and helping Kris recover to full health while working his way thru new medicines and their side effects.

A lot of this transition is the same as it would have been in Niger. I’m learning to cook with fresh fruits and vegetables rather than canned/packaged items for a low sodium diet. I’m learning French. I’m watching my girls adjust to a new school (and love it!) and make new friends, praying the next stage of transition is not too hard on them. I don’t know why God has us here at this time, but I am continually learning that His timing is perfect, and to trust, even when I don’t understand why or for how long.

God has a way of placing us in situations that require a dependency on Him. This is where we grow. This is where we learn. This is where we find peace and learn to trust God completely, without reservations and without glimpses into His plan. I didn’t expect to be back in Greenville, KY, but here I am. I am learning. I am growing.

The Yeomans in Niger - transitionI must confess that this phase of the transition article took a lot longer for me to write than I expected. I have had to start, and start again while working my way thru an array of emotions. I have been angry. I have been confused. I have felt sorry for myself. I have felt sadness. I have felt joy. While I will never know all the details this side of heaven, I know that God had a purpose for this delay. I am thankful that my husband is alive and well and feeling more and more ready to go with every passing day. I truly believe that God saved his life by not allowing him to get on that plane.

I do not have the gift of discernment, and I have had to work my way thru what this delay means. Is it from God, similar to what Paul and Timothy faced in Acts 16:6-7 when the Holy Spirit prevented them from going into Asia to preach the Gospel? Or is it a test from God to test our faithfulness? Or is it spiritual warfare, an attack from the enemy? I wish I could read between the lines and know how Paul and Timothy felt, and how they arrived at their conclusion in Acts 16:10 when they concluded that God had called them to evangelize in Macedonia rather than their planned destination in Asia.

What I do know is that the Spirit of God has not released us from Niger. Our calling has not changed, and we are still committed to being obedient to that calling. We are hoping to depart (all of us this time) mid-October for the next phase of this transition. Please pray with us as we journey together in this walk of faith and obedience.

James and the Giving Bottle

James and the Giving Bottle

By Pattiy Thornton, Women’s Ministries Director

James TurnerThere is usually only one thing that attracts young men to the Women’s Ministries display at Summit. The candy bar. Chocolate, jelly beans, licorice, and more right there for the scooping.

But on the first day of the 2016 Summit, an 11-year-old boy made his way eagerly to the exhibit hall, looking specifically for our booth. Better yet, he was looking even more specifically for a place to put his water bottle.

This wasn’t any old water bottle. And James Turner isn’t any young lad. James attended the Missions & Ministry Summit last year, and several missionaries spent some time there with the children talking about the children in their own lives.

James’ heart was bitten by the missions bug. Women’s Ministries had just started a new campaign, asking people to fill water bottles, a giving bottle, with dimes. A full bottle would mean $100 for ministry. His mom shared with us that he saw our display and thought, “Hey, I can do that!”

Oh, yes he could. He was a radical dime saver. He asked for change in dimes in stores. He asked relatives to empty their purses and pockets of dimes and drop them in his bottle. He scooped up loose dimes between cushions. He even had his mom post a request on Facebook when he doubted his ability to fill the bottle up in time for Summit.

There was an indescribable glint in James’ eyes when he carried that bottle over to Hope and Vicki while they were getting ready to open up shop. His giving bottle was the first in the bucket, and he received the very first thank you gift from Women’s Ministries. He may not have been thrilled about the cool “Be You, Bravely” tote bag, but when Hope threw some extra candy and an empty Tervis cup into the mix, he was happy.

Actually, I don’t think James cared a bit about the gift. He had accomplished his goal – a sacrificial offering that stemmed from a heart of love. Thank you, James, for the example.