Don’t Miss Out

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Sharon Hawk, Retiree
October-December 2015

Flexibility was certainly a key word for peace of mind and sanity for me on the mission field. It’s not something I learned quickly, but as I immersed myself in ministry, I found it to be so important.

Tim and I worked at El Sembrador farm school in the late 1970s and early 1980s. I fell in love with the ministry there. Watching the boys arrive at the beginning of the school year with so many needs, and then seeing the physical and spiritual changes in their lives throughout the year was incredible. Nothing compares to that. It was hard work, but so rewarding.

In 1983, Tim was asked to be the Honduras field director. That meant we had to leave the farm school and move to the capital city. I found it very hard to be flexible and leave the ministry I loved so much. How in the world could I love another ministry as much as El Sembrador? Packing up and moving to the city was very hard.

But it didn’t take long before we were content in our new responsibilities. Living in the city opened up a whole new world to us: the national church. We began meeting pastors and visiting churches, working with some of the greatest people we have ever met. I would have been happy to spend the rest of my life in this ministry.

But, once again, God had other plans for us. This time it was leaving Honduras and moving back to the United States to work at WGM headquarters. This move really did test my flexibility. I left Honduras with many tears and lots of apprehensions of what was ahead. Upon arriving at headquarters, I was asked to work in the Media Department. My main responsibility was helping missionaries put their slide presentations together so they could share their ministry with their support teams. I had no formal training in this area, but I was willing to do my best. Soon I realized the great opportunity I had to get to know every missionary in WGM. We worked many hours together making their presentations the best possible. I felt so blessed to have a small part in each missionary’s ministry. Those are memories I will never forget.

Being flexible is so important! If I hadn’t been, I would have missed out on so much that God had planned for me.

ACT: Has God been asking you to make a change in your life? Have you created excuses to cover your fears? Surrender your fears to God this week and take the steps in faith to follow His leading. His plans are always greater than our plans.