I thought I knew how to talk about what I believed. Not only that but I also thought I wouldn’t be uncomfortable in that process. So when I found out that my team would initially be in Cote d’Ivoire sharing the Gospel with male and mainly Muslim truckers, I was concerned.
First, I knew that they were people that I had prayed for and loved; however, I also knew that I had some fear and concerns about how they might respond to a group of 6 females approaching them and trying to tell the story of Jesus.
Second, I personally had not been in close relationship with any person that associated with the Muslim faith. Some of that correlates to my Bible-belt upbringing but also my tendency to associate with people that agree with me.
I got out there, y’all, and felt the most uncomfortable I had in a long time! A new country, language, environment, tools for sharing the Gospel, and community meant that my level of discomfort was greatly heightened. And I let it hold me back for about the first week.
With God’s leading, I realized that I had adopted fear in my heart and allowed it to keep me from building connections and relationships with these men and my team. And without those connections, I knew I would not open my mouth to speak and share anything.
This lead to the Lord walking me through other processes of why it was hard for me to speak of my faith. I had picked up some jobs and responsibilities that belong to Him, and He faithfully took me through setting down false beliefs, such as the false responsibility to save others. Since I’d had that expectation, I did not want to share for fear that people would not be saved. So while I knew that it wasn’t my job, now I understood how it had trapped me from sharing.
He then showed me that it was my job only to tell the story, build the relationships, ask the questions, pray, love others, and lead to Him. And that was it.
So I learned how to talk about my faith and share Jesus’ story with no pressure. And because of this, my team looked more like a team since all of us had contributed. I got the opportunity to realize that God has my back in this process and so do these 5 other women.
And with that as well, God began to show me the beauty of the Gospel being heard for the first time for someone, whether they accepted Him initially or not. I cannot even count how many men said, “I LOVE THIS STORY!” and had never heard it. Many accepted Jesus as well, and it was SO good.
With fear gone, I began to build connections with these men, received their hospitality, and discussed faith with more ease. I began to understood why they believed what they did and enjoyed them as people. If the Lord had not done this, I would have missed out on so much with my team and these men.
Some of my teammates sitting on cots and rugs and sharing the Gospel.
They offered us their seats, offered us a meal cooking in the background, and invited us to share.
We drank tea from the kettle cooked by this young man, shared the Gospel, & all laughed uncontrollably together.
I’m thankful that the Lord revealed my heart, helped me adjust my perspective with love and truth, taught me how to lean on Him and my team fully, and only carry what He instructed. This is a crazy, hard, beautiful, and good journey – I’d change nothing!
From my heart to yours,
Kim
