I love Africa. If you know me, you know that. I love it so
much that I almost never stop
thinking about it. This weekend was Antioch’s mission conference: World
Mandate. And I walked out the doors of the Ferrell Center loving Africa even
more than before. This time I walked out with a call to do something about it.
Ever since I left South Africa in June, I have wanted to be
back. God continues to remind me how important it is to be present where he has
called me today. At the conference,
my heart hurt. It hurt for the children of Africa who have no voice. It hurt
for girls who are trapped in an industry that sells them as if they are an item
of clothing. It hurt for those who have no sense of hope, those who don’t know
that there is a God out there fighting for them. And then I got the call.
On my 20th birthday, God very clearly spoke a
phrase over my year. He told me that this would be a year of “Hope Restored.” I was unsure of what
that meant, and how I was supposed to pursue it. In typical fashion, Jesus
showed me. Today. I’m not even a week into my 21st year of life and
he has already given me vision for what this year entails.
In Jeremiah 1, it says “See, I have set you this day
over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck and to break down, to destroy and to
overthrow, to build and to plant.” My constant question since the
day I left Cape Town has been “Jesus, when will you bring me back?” Today I
realized that I’ve been asking the wrong question all along. Instead, I asked:
“Jesus, what can I do
until you bring me back?”
I got my answer. “Bethany, I am calling you to fight for
those who unable to fight for themselves. Some of which don’t even know they
need fighting for.” Who is it he is speaking about? Children. God placed a huge
burden on my heart for children who have no means of fighting for themselves,
because they shouldn’t have to. I got
picture after picture of little girls and boys that I met in Africa, and was
reminded of how the majority of them have no
one fighting for their future, no
one believing for their lives, no
one to give them hope. In that moment, God spoke. He said, “This will be
not only a year, but a lifetime, of
hope restored,” Because in Jesus, we have hope. And because of Jesus, I don’t
have to physically be with my people in order to fight for them.
So I made a decision to fight for these kids in every way
that I possibly can. I made a promise to God that I would believe for their
lives, fight for them prayerfully, and partner with my brothers and sisters
across the Atlantic in a way that goes against all things worldly.
“The nations of the earth
are at your fingertips, child. Begin fighting for them, today.”
When I made the promise, God asked me a question. “Bethany,
what are you willing to do? Better yet, what are you willing to give up?” I immediately got a picture of
the hundreds of articles of clothing hanging in my closet. Yes, I said hundreds. That’s when I knew what God
was calling me to do. He told me that he wants me to pursue a life of
simplicity.
“Lay up for yourselves
treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do
not break in and steal. For where your
treasure is, there your heart will be also.” –Matthew 6:20-21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be. That
is when God rocked my world. I do not want to store up my treasure here on
earth, I want to do everything I can to lay up my treasure alongside Jesus.
What better way to pursue a message of hope for the people of Africa than to
partner alongside them by learning to live with only the necessities?
This is what I realized:
Because I have a relationship with Jesus, I am never in want. Not only am I content,
but I am overwhelmed with the goodness of God in the midst of simplicity. The
people of Africa are in material poverty. Relationally, they thrive. They have
joy, they have a spirit of thankfulness, they are content with what they have.
The people of America are materially wealthy, but they constantly want more.
They never reach full satisfaction. What would it look like for me to pursue
relational fullness, and to partner with my friends who live in material
poverty? What kind of message would it send? How can I best fight for those in
need? By stepping into their shoes.
It is {a simple message} of hope restored.
Through this process, I will see hope restored for the
nations of the world. What do I need? Jesus. Only Jesus. A simple life, a
simple relationship that gives birth to hope for multiple generations. Every
day, I will get rid of one material item. Every time, I will see a child’s
face: children who are lost in poverty, who know no hope. Those faces have
names, and I have hope. I have hope for those face’s futures, hope for their
impact, for their education, for their families. And with each item, I will
pray for that child. The oceans have nothing on God. Distance is only a number,
because prayer REACHES. And it MATTERS.
I have hope, because I have Jesus. Only Jesus.
I am trading the American dream for a dream for the nations.
And I’m pumped.
So, what does this look like practically? Today, I took an
inventory of all the clothes in my closet. The numbers were actually
embarrassing.
13 pairs of pants
88 nice shirts
16 jackets
22 pairs of athletic shorts
84 t-shirts
12 pairs of shorts
6 pairs of sweats/leggings
37 pairs of shoes
9 skirts
32 dresses
15 sweaters
12 scarves
Everyday, I will sell/donate one item until the end of the semester. The money I raise will be donated to help with orphan care and
anti-trafficking organizations. [Still to be determined.] Through this process,
I am able to remain connected to the people who stole my heart eight years ago.
I am inviting you to partner with me as I see hope restored
for the next generation. Go through your closet, get rid of some excess (we all
have it), and intercede for those who will come alongside and after us. Because
they deserve it.
