I thank God for a mom who raised my siblings and me in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, a mom who loved me and loved Jesus. She took me to Sunday School where God burdened my heart for missions 57 years ago. By God's grace, I became a follower of Jesus Christ, 50 years ago this summer.
God, in His sovereignty, took me overseas in the military and rekindled my burden for global missions. This renewed relationship with Jesus took me through Bible College, seminary, and post graduate studies, preparing me for global missions and church leadership. We served a short time as missionaries in Spain developing and directing the Bible Baptist Seminary of Spain.
Our family left Spain, statistics of missionary attrition. Jesus helped us through biblical counseling provided by Faith Biblical Counseling Ministries. He healed our brokenness and led us to receive training in biblical counseling. He used me to grow and lead the missions outreach of Faith Church and to lead the establishment of biblical counseling training programs in Moldova and Brazil. He also allowed me to serve as the founding director of Faith Global Missions, helping local churches equip and send missionaries.
God used our failure as missionaries to stimulate my interest in learning more about missionary attrition and missionary equipping. That led to a Doctor of Ministry in Missions and Evangelism.
In my journey with Jesus now, I use the experience, training, and knowledge God gave me to come alongside churches to help develop biblical, local church-centered missions ministry with Propempo International. I also work directly with missionaries and missions leaders.
I am compelled to fulfill what Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:2:
And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men and women, who will be able to teach others also.
I have learned that the path on which Jesus is taking me is filled with twists and turns that often surprise me. I often think I know where the path is leading, but in reality, I cannot see around the next curve or over the next hill. I pray that I will stay focused on following him so I do not stray from the path he has laid before me.
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