“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9).
Accomplishing something of value usually requires doing difficult things. Though often grueling and possibly even painful, perseverance will be richly rewarded. We rejoice at major events in our lives like graduations and births. We acknowledge the hard work behind the accomplishments, but God makes everything possible, whether we acknowledge Him or not. Starting a church in an unreached and resistant people group is like that. It’s unbelievably hard and extraordinarily rewarding, and God makes it all possible.
I was recently blessed beyond measure to attend the birth of our first grandchild. I could really empathize with my eldest daughter Megan during her long and difficult labor; I had labored nearly as long when I gave birth to her. It’s hard work—that’s why they call it labor! I also knew that even the hardest part of the experience would be more than worth it to her when she would finally hold her baby in her arms and gaze into her beautiful eyes. Nothing would compare to that feeling—the awe of God’s miracle of new life! Yet the work and the lessons of parenthood have only just begun for Megan and her husband. And it won’t be long before they launch to the mission field themselves, God willing, and do difficult things for His glory.
There are several major events happening in our lives right now. Our younger daughter Moriah will have graduated by the time you read this and will be going off to college in the fall! It’s an exciting time, but it’s still a bit hard for us to believe that our babies have grown up. We are all in new phases of life. Our parenting role has changed, and we are embarking on the wonderful experience of grandparenting.
I remember wanting to prepare our daughters to face life outside our nest; to teach them to depend on God rather than to remain dependent on us to make every choice for them. That meant we had to learn the right times to step back and let go, which is easier said than done.
When our girls were learning to walk, we couldn’t do it for them, and falls were inevitable. But we could guide them and hold their hands when they needed steadying. We could cheer them on and rejoice with them when their perseverance paid off, and they happily wobbled back and forth from one set of outstretched arms to the other.
As our daughters grew, we had to be willing to let go of them little by little if we wanted them to become strong and capable. It’s always a challenge to know when to step back and how much—to know the difference between helping them and weakening them. Controlling and influencing are two very different things. We have sometimes failed, but failing is part of learning for us, too. As challenging as parenting is, we are filled with joy to see our daughters maturing into amazing young women. They have a lot to learn—we all do. But, as parents, we celebrate the milestones they have met and cheer them on as they run life’s race. “. . . let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1).
We are also reaching a new phase in our church-planting ministry here in Albania. Our group continues to grow and mature spiritually. They still have a lot to learn—we all do. But knowledge doesn’t equal maturity. They still fall sometimes and then repent. Sanctification is the work of a lifetime. But even outward behavior isn’t always an accurate gauge of spiritual maturity, since some people can be quite skilled at displaying artificial fruit. Only God can truly see the heart. Perhaps the best outward evidence of a church member’s spiritual maturity is whether they take seriously Christ’s Great Commission and allow the Holy Spirit to work through them.
As people grow in Christ, they become dissatisfied with remaining spiritual babies. They want to grow up and make disciples for Jesus. They can’t help but share the Good News! Praise God, our Albanian members are sharing the Gospel! They have been studying the Bible with many people who had never seen a Bible before, and several of these new disciples have decided to be baptized when we return to Albania from furlough! They are becoming disciple-making disciples. We are nearing the time when, by God’s grace, they will be the primary church planters in Albania and perhaps beyond!
Our role in Albania is changing. As our spiritual babies grow up and take their first steps on their own, we step back and encourage them. Our goal is to lead them to depend on God instead of on us. We envision the planned building becoming so much more than a meeting house. We want it to be a center of influence in the community, a healthy lifestyle center and a training center for disciple-makers.
Sean and I continue to work as missionaries in Albania, but our roles have expanded to include serving as Europe Field Directors. We are now coaching indigenous missionaries in two other fields: Romanians in Ukraine and a project in Greece. Your support helps us serve not only Albanians, but also the hardworking church planters in these other countries. Thank you for making sacrifices and persevering to make this happen! Let’s keep pushing forward until the race is done! If you haven’t joined our team yet, here’s your invitation! Just call AFM or email us at maysalbania@yahoo.com, and we can dialogue about how you can help.
