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Susannah had never been around so many people her own age before. She forgot exactly how many Christians were in attendance. Twenty thousand? They were all over the place, spread out over the campus, flowing in all directions at once. Was this what it would be like to attend a big college?
The entire first day was a blur, from the early morning drive to the Spokane airport, the flight to St. Louis, then the crammed shuttle to the university campus. Next the check-in procedure that felt even more involved than airport security. She’d been so overwhelmed by the sheer number of people around her and the general noise that she couldn’t remember what the opening speaker talked about.
Terrified that she’d lose her way between the big conference center, the cafeteria, and her assigned dorm, she resolved to spend the next morning walking the campus and trying to find her bearings.
Lord, I know you brought me here for a reason, but this is way more overwhelming than I would have ever expected. Guide me, Father. One step at a time, please. I need you.
The main conference events included speakers and comedy sketches and drama teams and a worship band that made Susannah feel closer to heaven than she thought humanly possible. In between were breakout sessions with missionaries from all around the world. Susannah listened to an ethnomusicologist talk about helping Christians develop indigenous styles of worship and a panel of speakers giving reports and updates on the persecuted church.
In one of the campus’s huge halls were hundreds of tables where students and interested individuals could meet representatives from missionary sending agencies. For the first time, Susannah was glad that her future was clearly laid out for her in Orchard Grove, or she would have been overwhelmed from the sheer number of options. As it was, she found the hall far too crowded and noisy and preferred to spend her time in the breakout sessions. She thought it was strange that more of the students here didn’t attend the smaller meetings. Sometimes she was one of only two or three attendees, which fortunately gave her the chance to ask questions and feel like she’d gotten to know some of the missionaries personally.
Yes, Lord, Mom and Derek were right. This is so refreshing.
She’d taken her new journal with her, and when she wasn’t in one of the breakout meetings or group sessions, she’d find her way to the room they’d set up as a prayer chapel and write. For the first time in almost a year, she wasn’t just scribbling about Scott.
Lord, you are so big. Your heart for the nations is even greater than I ever imagined. I realize now how lonely I’ve been in Orchard Grove. It’s so inspiring to be here with other believers who want to take your gospel to the ends of the earth.
She didn’t know how or why, but for the first time since her mom died, Susannah didn’t feel trapped at the thought of spending the rest of her life in Orchard Grove. Nearly all of the missionaries she’d met in the breakout sessions talked about how important it was to have an intercession team back home, and Susannah realized that prayer wasn’t just a last resort. It was the power through which the gospel was spread, missionaries were equipped, and God’s glory was taken to the nations. She’d used all of the spending money Derek sent her with to buy prayer guides and other resources to take back with her to Orchard Grove. She even bought a few audiobooks that would guide her prayers for the nations and that she could listen to while she was cleaning or cooking or getting Kitty ready for the day.
She’d also been convicted here about how little time she spent each day helping Kitty grow in her spiritual walk. Kitty loved the Lord, would joyfully try to sing along with the hymns their mom played on the piano, but there was so much more Susannah could teach her. How to pray for different countries. How to intercede for missionaries. She was out of cash, but as soon as she got home, she wanted to find a map of the world and tape it up on Kitty’s wall. She pictured them sitting in Kitty’s room for an hour or two every day praying for God to send his workers to the different countries of the world.
Susannah couldn’t go to the mission field, but that didn’t mean God wouldn’t use her to advance his kingdom worldwide. The best part of it was she never had to leave Orchard Grove. Unless it was to come back here. With careful budgeting, she could afford to return next time. Receive that same excitement she now felt in her soul, the excitement she was eager to carry back with her to Orchard Grove.
Lord, thank you so much for putting this idea in Mom’s head. Thank you for Derek remembering and forcing me to come here. Thank you for all the people here that you’ve called to spread your gospel around the world, and thank you for opening my eyes to the part I can play in spreading your kingdom like wildfire across the land.
She glanced at the clock on the wall of the prayer chapel and closed her journal. The next breakout session was in five minutes. It was a talk she’d been looking forward to about creating a missions prayer program in your local church. Susannah had never considered herself a leader in any way, but she knew God was calling her to stay in Orchard Grove. Most people there never thought about the Great Commission beyond the annual December offering they collected for the few missionaries the church supported.
She was nervous about stepping up into a more active role in her church, but she also felt the weight of responsibility pressing down on her. God had given her a passion for world missions and yet kept her from ever leaving Orchard Grove. Instead of complaining about the way her life had turned out, she could spend her energy not only praying for the gospel to spread but encouraging others around her to do the same.
It wasn’t hopping on a plane to take care of children at an orphanage in India or teaching classes to kids in Africa, but it was the work God had called her to.
She didn’t want to fail.