Stepping in Faith

by Allison Matthews

Chapter 1
"For we walk by faith, not by sight" II Corinthians 5:7

What is faith? Faith is simply put having belief or trust is in a person or thing. We all
have faith in something, but for majority the faith is in something they see. It is hard(not
impossible) to have faith without seeing something. The Christian life is a excellent
example. We have faith in Jesus Christ our Lord; however, we have never seen Him.

On February 28,2013 I got to step in faith only trusting in God. Rewind the calendar
back to March 2012 so that I can give little background information. In 2012 my life was
great. I had a wonderful job teaching two-year olds(now most people would question that
being wonderful) and thought everything was great.

March 13, 2012 my life came to a halt, I was involved in a major car accident and
suffered a lot of injuries. I fell into a deep depression and wondered if my life was worth
living. Through a lot of counselling and talking with my Pastor and his wife and other
friends, I finally was able to come out of the depression. This was from March to
September 2012.

September also started a new school year; however, the school went from having 36
students to 5 students. So in October I had to start looking for a job. In my quest for
searching for a job I started praying that God would provide me not only a job but a
ministry. On an online job site, through the university I attended in the past, I was looking
through weekly for a full time job. For approximately three months the same school was
listed in the first slot, would not move down or nothing would be added. At first glancing
at the school I saw it was in Lima, Peru. I started arguing with God that Peru was not
where I wanted to go, never ever tell God where you do or do not want to go because
He will place you in a place where you do not want to be. Finally, God won, as He
always does, and I emailed my resume to the school not thinking I would ever hear back
from them.

January 2013 I had a phone interview with the principal of the school in Lima, Peru,
also on the same day I received my passport(which I applied for thinking about a mission
trip opportunity that fell through) and a check from the insurance company from the
wreck I had back in March 2012(the check was for $7,000). I was blown away by the
timing of all of this. It was obvious that the school in Lima was where God wanted me to
go.

Now we are back to February 28, 2014. I boarded the first plane to fly me from
Huntsville, Alabama to Atlanta, Georgia. While waiting in the Atlanta airport for more
than 4 hours I started getting nervous wondering what I was doing there. Just about the
time I started questioning I looked up and saw Dr Bob Jones the third and his wife at the
gate right across from mine. I was able to briefly talk with them and pray with them about
the upcoming trip. I then boarded the plane that would fly me Lima, Peru. I arrived
shortly after midnight and made it through customs and everything smoothly and went
outside to meet the Anderson family(who were the first missionaries that I would meet
and have the privilege to work with at the school).

I did not know anything about where I was going or what I would be doing or who I
would be with. That right there would scare some people, because they would want to
know everything in advance. Walking by faith means that you would not know why or
where but you will have the sense of this is where God lead me and the ability to have
God work through you.
“We Walk By Faith”
by Henry Alford

We walk by faith, and not by sight:

No gracious words we hear
of him who spoke as none e’er spoke,
but we believe him near.

We may not touch his hands and side,

nor follow where he trod;
yet in his promise we rejoice,
and cry, “My Lord and God!”

Help then, O Lord, our unbelief,

and may our faith abound;
to call on you when you are near.
and seek where you are found:

That when our life of faith is done

in realms of clearer light
We may behold you as you are
in full and endless sight.

We walk by faith, and not by sight:

No gracious words we hear
of him who spoke as none e’er spoke,
but we believe him near.
 Chapter 2
" They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" Lamentations 3:23

We have all said or did something that we wish later we can take back. What an
encouragement it is to know that no matter what we do in a day that the next day we
wake up with clean slate when it comes to God’s mercy towards us.

Being in another country you make a lot of mistakes and you are constantly asking for
help/forgiveness even if you do not understand what is going on or why. Learning a new
culture and its traditions and customs and ways of behaving, plus learning the language
can be trying to say the least.

The first month(okay truth, first two months) were hard on me. I had peace that this is
where God wanted me to be; however Satan tried his hardest to get me to stumble and
fall.

Arriving in Peru and going through customs was an adventure in itself, and finding out
that February was the hottest month in Peru, so my sweater and winter coat was too
much. Three weeks of being in Peru I developed a parasite from the combination of new
food/culture and the water. I lived on saltines and ginger ale for four weeks.

Everything finally fell into place and I was learning the culture and language. One day
while working in my classroom, I knelt down and felt something pop in my left knee. I
was rushed to the hospital and the diagnosis was a torn meniscus.

When you tear your meniscus that normally means surgery. In Peru surgery means
you buy everything and I mean EVERYTHING! After months of bed rest and walking on
crutches and limping and pain medicine and prayer, my pastor and principal of the
school and myself felt it best for me to return to the States early and see my doctor.

Now most people would be angry with themselves and God wondering why this
would happen. Not going to lie to you, I was angry and hurt and confused. I kept asking
God “Why!”

When I arrived in the States I made an appointment to see my doctor the very next
day. I had the MRI results from the hospital in Peru with me and my doctor got to look
over them. After consulting with an orthopedic doctor, they came to the conclusion that
surgery was not needed just physical therapy and pain medicine.
 I was in Peru for a total of six months. Through those six months I grew tremendously
in my spiritual life. I knew that returning to the States was part of God’s plan and that He
has the future already planned out.

A hymn that became one of my favorites while in Peru is “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” by
Thomas Chisholm. The lyrics are:
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness"
By Thomas Chisholm

Great is Thy faithfulness,

O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not,
Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy Faithfulness!

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided---
Great is Thy faithfulness,
Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter, and springtime and

harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses
above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and
love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that

endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to
guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for
tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand
beside!
In the chorus the writer wrote ​“All I have needed Thy hand hath provided”. ​God
faithfully provides for His children, all we have to do is ask. Being a missionary for six
months in Peru gave me a stronger prayer life and a stronger faith. I saw many times
how God provided, even the little stuff that we take for granted).
 Chapter 3
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by
it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the
universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of
things that are visible." Hebrews 11:1-3

After returning to the States I was not sure what I was supposed to do. My first priority
was to get my knee healed. I started praying that God would guide me and show me the
next step to take.

Exactly two months after coming back to the States I received a job offer from a local
school in Alabama(coincidentally the main rival of the high school I attended).

I started working Bethel Baptist School in Hartselle, Alabama in October 2013. I was
working in the daycare during after school time. I loved my time at Bethel and learned a
lot by watching the teachers.

While living in Alabama I wanted to get involved in a Spanish ministry to practice my

Spanish. The church I was attending had just started a Spanish church, Iglesia Bautista
de la Fe (in English it is Faith Baptist Church). Helping in that church burden my heart
more and more for the Spanish culture.

After months and months of praying, I applied to Bob Jones University in Greenville,
SC. God led me to Bob Jones University to study Spanish and major in it. Now deciding
to trust God and go to school was not an easy decision. I reacted the same way Sarah
from the Old Testament acted when she found out she would bear a child at her age.
Yes that is right I laughed!

One of my all time favorite song is written by Keith and Kristyn Getty entitled "By
Faith". The lyrics are:
​" By Faith"
By Keith and Kristyn Getty

By faith we see the hand of God

In the light of creation's grand design
In the lives of those who prove His faithfulness
Who walk by faith and not by sight

By faith our fathers roamed the earth

 With the power of His promise in their hearts
Of a holy city built by God's own hand
A place where peace and justice reign

We will stand as children of the promise

We will fix our eyes on Him our soul's reward
Till the race is finished and the work is done
We'll walk by faith and not by sight

By faith the prophets saw a day

When the longed-for Messiah would appear
With the power to break the chains of sin and death
And rise triumphant from the grave

By faith the church was called to go

In the power of the Spirit to the lost
To deliver captives and to preach good news
In every corner of the earth

We will stand...

By faith this mountain shall be moved

And the power of the gospel shall prevail
For we know in Christ all things are possible
For all who call upon His name

Chapter 4
"He who calls you is faithful; he with surely do it". I Thessalonians 5:25

God will never give us challenges that we can not handle. Being human we panic, stress,
worry etc when we feel like we have too much going on. We often forget that God brought the
challenge and that we should lean on Him and ask for His help and guidance.

Not going to lie coming back to school was challenging. There have many days and nights
where I ask " What and I doing here"? Isn't it funny how when we take our eyes off God that is
when we start questioning and wondering why.

Some people may ask why I went back to school and what I was thinking. Honestly it was
all God's plan. Originally I was going to go back to Peru as soon as I could raise the money.
About halfway through the Peru process the door all of the sudden slammed shut. I was hurt
and confused and mad wondering what is next in my life.
 When asking God for wisdom and guidance about Peru and school, He simply said wait to
Peru and that another ministry opportunity burden my heart. The new burden in Peru would
require me to be a little more proficient in Spanish then I was at the time. When God shuts the
door on on ministry it does not mean that He will not open a door to another ministry.

We have to be patient and keeping asking God to show us His will. Sometimes when
asking God about a ministry He says no, other times He says yes, and sometimes He simply
says wait. In general, we do not like waiting. We live in a fast paced society where we have
access to everything instantly. Waiting on God is hard, believe me, but the end result worth it.

One of the best songs about seeking God's will and asking for His guidance is "Seek Ye
First" by Karen Lafferty. This song is from Matthew 6:33 which says " But seek ye first the
kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."

"Seek Ye First"
By Karen Lafferty

Seek Ye first the kingdom of God,

And His righteousness,
And all these things, shall be added
onto you,
Alleu, alleuia

Ask and it shall be given unto you,

Seek and ye shall find.
Knock and the door shall be opened
onto you.
Alleu, Alleuia

Seek ye first the kingdom of God

And His righteousness
And all these things, shall be addded
onto you.
Alleu, Alleuia

Chapter 5
"And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, " Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I
said, "Here I am! Send me." Isaiah 6:8

Several people have asked me how I knew God was calling me to go to Peru and how I can
know that I am supposed to be in full time Christian service. First there comes a time that you
 surrender and you are willing to go any where and do anything. For me that came the end of
my Sophomore year at Bob Jones University.

One night in April of 2005 I surrendered and told God that I would serve Him any where He
wants to send me. Surrendering your life to God means any where, everywhere I will follow
Him.

After I committed to full time service God started working in my heart in the area of
missions. My heart kept on getting heavier and heavier thinking and praying for a specific
ministry. God started laying on my heart the burden of Hispanic children(primarily orphans).
Once I submitted to go to Peru then it was like everything fell into place. Other ministries that I
have tried fell through, but now everything is working out for Peru.

If you are willing to go anywhere then God will open doors of opportunity. There will be tests
along the way. God will open some doors to see if you are willing to go through with serving Him
anywhere.

A song that I loved even as a little girl is "Here Am I Lord" by Ron Hamilton. This song has
become my life song that I sing to God daily. I am willing to go anywhere and do anything for my
Lord.

"Here Am I, Lord"
By Ron Hamilton

Lord, I give my life to you,

Take control each day.
I will follow anywhere
Near or far away.

Here am I, Lord send me,

Here am I, Lord send me!
I will serve you faithfully
Here am I, Lord send me.

Lord, I want your perfect will

Be my faithful Guide
I will never be afraid,
You are close beside.

Here am I, Lord send me,

Here am I, Lord send me!
I will serve you faithfully
 Here am I, Lord send me.

Let me see my Mission field,

All around each day.
Fill my heart with Jesus love,
Use me Lord, I pray!

Here am I, Lord send me,

Here am I, Lord send me!
I will serve you faithfully
Here am I, Lord send me.
Here am I, Lord send me....

Chapter 6

This last chapter is just full of verses, songs that kept my faith from faltering. The verses
and songs were a big help when times were tough, or the fear of the unknown.

​"Rejoice In The Lord"

By Ron Hamilton

God never moves without purpose or plan

When trying His servant and molding a man.
Give thanks to the LORD though your testing seems long;
In darkness He giveth a song.

I could not see through the shadows ahead;

So I looked at the cross of my Savior instead.
I bowed to the will of the Master that day;
Then peace came and tears fled away.

Now I can see testing comes from above;

God strengthens His children and purges in love.
My Father knows best, and I trust in His care;
Through purging more fruit I will bear.

O Rejoice in the LORD

He makes no mistake,
He knoweth the end of each path that I take,
For when I am tried
And purified,
 I shall come forth as gold.​
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Lord I Need You"

By Ron Hamilton

Lord I need You, when the sea of life is calm

O Lord I need you when the wind is blowing strong
Whether trials come or cease, keep me always on my knees
Lord I need You, Lord I need You

Sometimes when life seems gentle and blessings flood my way,

I turn my gaze away from you, and soon forget to pray
But when the sky grows darker and courage turns to fear
My anxious voice cries upward with words You long to hear

Lord I need You, when the sea of life is calm

O Lord I need you when the wind is blowing strong
Whether trials come or cease, keep me always on my knees
Lord I need You, Lord I need You

Lord help me to remember, I’m weak but You are strong

I cannot sing apart from You, for Lord You are my song
Although I’m prone to wander and boast in all I do
Lord keep my eyes turned upward, so I depend on
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Press On"
By Bridgette Smisor

There's a course that must be finished,

There's a race that must be run.
There's a mission to accomplish,
And a battle to be won!
We've been called to take the challenge
By God's might and through His Son;
He will give us grace to complete the race,
Moving forward, pressing on.

Toward the hope of our high calling,

Toward the promise we've received,
With the strength that we've been given
Pressing on to victory!
 And toward the One who's run before us,
As we lay each weight aside,
'Til the race is run, 'til the prize is won,
'Til we reach the finish line, press on!

There's a faithful cloud of witnesses

Who inspire us in our task.
They have fought the fight,
They have run the race,
They have won the crown at last!
And the lives they've lived remind us
Though the race at times seems long,
God will give the grace to complete the race,
And the courage to press on.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"My God Is Good"

By Tracey Hager

Where can I find hope in all the trials that You bring?
How can I have joy while suffering loss?
When my soul's in prison how can I find cause to sing?
How did You find peace on the cross?

Tho' I may never understand,

I'll trust with all my heart.
And from the course that You have planned i never want to part.
In searching for Your way and wisdom,
Teach me if You would,
That for all time, in every place,
My God is good.

How can You give pardon for a life that's full of sin?
Where is there a refuge from my cares?
Is there any healing for a void that lies within,
When silence is Your answer to my prayers?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My God Is Near"
By Mac Lynch

Make me know your presence Lord, the King of Glory here.

You know each thought and action, hope, anxiety and fear.
 How can I hide from Thee? Can darkness hide iniquity?
Oh how can I unfaithful be, when You are very near to me?

When God is near, all the world seems far away.

When God is near, every fear is set aside.
When God is near, how can I stray? How can I falter?
I’ll stay upon the altar, I know my God is near.

Make me know Your presence Lord, when I feel so alone.

You know each trial and testing pain, the hurt that is unknown.
Oh, why can I not see Your hand so firmly guiding me?
Oh how can I untrusting be, when You are very near to me?

When God is near, all the world seems far away.

When God is near, every fear is set aside.
When God is near, how can I stray? How can I falter?
I’ll stay upon the altar, I know my God is near.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"A Tender Heart"
By Ron Hamilton

Take me now, Lord Jesus, take me;

I would give my heart to Thee.
Thy devoted servant make me,
Only Thine to be.

Savior, while my heart is tender,

I would give Thee every part.
All my talents I surrender;
I am Thine, Lord, here's my heart.

Use me now, Lord Jesus, use me,

As I tell of Calvary.
May Thy Spirit move within me,
Bringing souls to Thee.

Send me now, Lord Jesus, send me,

Lead me in Thy perfect way.
Thy command shall always guide me;
Gladly I obey.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"God Makes No Mistakes"
By Kim Moore
 My life I give to you oh Lord use me I pray
May I glorify Your precious name in all I do and say
Let me trust You in the valley dark as well as in the light
Knowing You will always lead me
Your will is always right

I know God makes no mistakes

He leads in every path I take
Along the way that's leading me to home
Though at times my heart would break
There's a purpose in every change He makes
So that others would see my life and know
That God makes no mistakes.

And when some day in heav'n above I see His dear face
May I then be counted faithful as a runner in this race
But now I'm trusting in the Savior to show me the way
In His righteousness He guides me as I seek to please Him day by day.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Lord, You’re All I Need"
By James Tilson

Oft times I’ve tried to live my life

According to my will.
When darkness comes it’s difficult
To rest and just be still.
But Lord, You are my shepherd
That guides me in the way,
And I will learn this glorious truth
If I Your Word obey.

You’re all I need.

You’re the Lord of everything.
All I need –
This is why I humbly sing.
Your strength is sustaining
And your grace has made me free.
You’re my heart’s lone desire,
You’re all I need.

By wanting more I’ve wanted less

Than all You’ve given me.
 You gave your all by laying down
Your life at Calvary.
So I surrender all, Lord
My best to You I give.
And thank you now for giving me
A reason to live.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I​ hope you enjoyed reading this short devotional. Hopefully it was a blessing and an
encouragement to your heart. Also I hope it answered some questions if you thinking God is
calling you to full time Christian service.

Introduction​:

How do you know your calling? How do you know your place? What is God calling you to do?
If you have asked one of these questions, then you need to step into faith.