To receive one of my college credits I had to do hands-on ministry. From the list of nearby programs, I chose “Kid’s Corner”, located in a trailer park a few minutes away from the campus. It was a simple ministry: invite kids and tell them the stories of Jesus.
Teaching the children was no problem, especially with the ministry team that I was privileged to work with. Activities, stories, games… I could pull off any at the drop of a hat.
Then came the day. Invitation day. The one where we went door-to-door and personally invited every child to come.
We were in groups of three, one guy and two girls. I hung back, happily allowing the other two to do all the work. This door to door thing? Not for me. This talking to strangers thing? Definitely not for me.
Finally, the other two insisted that I take a turn. I frowned, gave them puppy-dog eyes and almost got down on my knees and begged. They insisted. “What could happen?” the girl said to me. I didn’t have an answer. So instead, I thought grumpy things about them as I stepped forward.
I reached the door and heard a dog start barking gruffly. I cast a worried look over my shoulder but the other two just nodded encouragingly. I lifted a hand and knocked softly. Immediately several dogs began attacking the other side of the door as an angry man’s voice hollered, “Ah, shut up!”
By this time I had backed up five steps and was literally shaking like a leaf, I offered a horrified cry of, “Dddaaaannnooo” and turned to the guy with me in sheer panic. Thankfully, he stepped forward and I immediately ducked behind him as the door flung open and a man holding back two pit-bulls came into view.
Needless to say, I stayed hidden during the entire exchange and that home did not contain any children.
I have traveled extensively, but I can still be a world-class coward when pulled from my comfort zone.
In Call of a Coward, Marcia Moston tells the story of moving her family from middle-class suburbia to the Guatemala and how her boots quaked at every step.
It is a story about stretching, about growing, about following the God who uses men like Moses (who had the horrible job of knocking on a really grumpy man’s door as well) and Jonah (who tried to hide as well) and even Marcia Moston, a coward like all the rest.
“But then, that is one of the marvelous things about God– he can do anything, any way he chooses.” (pg 177)
Her hope in writing? That you will see how God still leads, just as clearly as He did in Biblical times. That you will understand that one of the most important lessons to learn is to trust and obey even when faithfulness seems foolish.
It’s about the God of Moses becoming the personal God of a middle-class housewife. The God that wants to be your God.
If you {like me} love missionary biographies, you’ll love this candid tale.
Years earlier we had pledged to follow the Lord wherever he led, but after ten years of marriage, my fervor had settled around me like a cozy comforter on a winter’s night. Zealous promises made on a beach under a starry sky lay buried under the security of paychecks and health insurance. Bob’s return from his mission trip with the conviction that we go to Guatemala unleashed a torrent of fears that shattered my tidily defined world. (pg. 17)
You can visit Marcia’s blog (marciamoston.com) or purchase the book through amazon by clicking here.
I received this book in exchange for my honest review from booksneeze.com
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