What’s Holding You Back?

Lesson from the Rich Young Ruler

I didn’t really have a plan for my life, but if you told me a year ago that I would be called to overseas missions I would have thought you were crazy. I’m just a horse trainer, I’m not a missionary! But here I am, feeling God’s call to head to Africa.

I have always had the feeling that God could use my love for horses in a way that would bring glory and honor to Him. It’s pretty neat knowing that He gives us loves, skills, and natural talents that can be used to further His kingdom, even the skills of a horse trainer!

So, a little about my call to missions:

“Follow Me!”

-Jesus

As I was setting on my porch reading my Bible and praying, one afternoon, I was reading the passage about the rich young ruler (Mark 10:17-31) who came to Jesus and said “What do I need to do to inherent eternal life?” Jesus started talking about the commandments given in the Old Testament and the fellow says “I have kept them from my youth.” Jesus looked at him and said “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up your cross and follow Me.”

Jesus knew what held this guy back from giving himself completely to God, for the rich young ruler it was his possessions. Now, I’m not a rich young ruler, but it hit me as I read that there was something holding me back from completely surrendering to God. I have two dogs, Chevy and Dash, and they are both the best dogs I could have ever dreamed of, but Chevy has a special place in my heart, he’s my ride or die! Setting that afternoon I looked down to where he was laying by my feet, and the Holy Spirit nudged me and I realized that Chevy was the one thing holding me back from following the Lord. You see, since I got this dog it has always been “If Chevy can’t go, I’m not going.”

“Take up your cross and follow Me”

I was willing to take up my cross and follow Jesus, but with one condition: wherever we were going I had to be able to bring my dogs.

Looking at Chevy at my feet I felt the Holy Spirit ask me, “If I asked you give up your dog and follow Me, would you?” I broke. In tears I told God that if He called me and Chevy couldn’t go, I would still follow Him. I still cry about it when I think (crying right now as I write this!) that I may need to, at some point in my near future, say goodbye to my faithful friend and leave him behind, but I know that God wouldn’t ask me if it wasn’t important. I also know that He cares about me so much that, if my dogs have to stay here, He already has the perfect home prepared for them.

God is not a cruel, but sometimes obedience to Him means that we may cry a little, and that’s okay, the important thing is to keep running after Him in obedience. And who knows, maybe this is like the story of Abraham, Isaac and the sacrifice (Genesis 22) and somehow my boys will end up with me wherever I land, but regardless, I am resting in the knowledge that no matter what, God cares, and He has it all planned out.

With that surrender I immediately felt like I needed to reach out to a missionary couple in Angola. I had know about their ministry for years, but had never talked with them or knew much more than they operated a cattle ranch and used it’s connections as a bridge to ministering to the people in the area, providing work, healthcare, and the gospel. It took me a couple of days of wrestling with “Me Lord?” “Are you sure?” “But I’m just a horse trainer!” before I finally surrendered again and reached out to the Fosters.

More to come…

Walk with the King and be a blessing!

Liberty S