They Saw Only Feet by Dean Nelson

I finished reading one of the missionary books put out by my church today, They Saw Only Feet by Dean Nelson. The call of a missionary often means sacrifice and surrender. Nobody knows that better than their children. Yet as the missionary kids in this book will tell you, God is faithful to care for His own. Between these pages you’ll meet men and women whose life experiences on the field changed them forever. Listen to their hearts, and let your own faith be strengthened as you do.

It is a book that details experiences and lessons learned of five missionary kids (MKs) stationed all over the world. What they shared was humorous, interesting and profound. One story in particular really encouraged me. Anita Birchard Reglin shared that her grandparents preached and played the organ in an empty building (church) for a full year. How discouraging that could have been, but they saw feet outside the building and continued following God's call on their lives. So often I tend to judge the results NOW, but in God's economy we are not the judge of effectiveness. We are just called to obedience.

Ted Esselstyn shared about the death of his brother Jimmy while on the mission field in Africa. Ted described that tragedy as a miracle. "God was at work. We forget sometimes that God performs more than miracles of healing; He performs miracles of transformation. And the greatest of all those mireacles is when He let His own Son die for us. Jesus died, enabling our own transformation." Pray for transformation in the lives of all Christians as we strive to become more like Jesus.

At the end of the book a Call to Action is given:

After reading this book, please consider doing one or more of the following:

1. Pray for missionaries serving around the world, that God will protect, guide, and sustain them.

2. Talk with your pastor or missionary president about how your congregation can provide better support for missionaries who might have special ties to your church.

3. Pray specifically for the children of missionaries, that the Lord will protect them and use their unique experiences to draw them closer to himself.

4. Find ways to "adopt" a missionary kid (MK) in college. Support him or her with prayer and small gifts throughout the year.

5. Pray for those who shared their stories in this book that God will continue to bless them and honor their faithfulness.