Introduction

I AM, BY NATURE, a shy person who is perfectly content serving in the background. I never had a desire to speak publicly or preach from a pulpit. In fact, I ran from such things for the first ten years I was in full-time ministry. I wanted to throw up whenever Matthew, my husband, asked me to stand up front and simply greet the congregation. Once on stage, I would tremble like an exercise Shake Weight.

But not anymore. Now I can stand confidently in front of a crowd of people to tell my story or share God’s message.

The change didn’t happen overnight. But it did require a simple understanding of God’s plan for me. I had to stand and speak to others in order to do the work I knew He was calling me to do in my community. And I was willing to do whatever it took.

It is with such willingness that I approach my ministry today. I am humbled by how God has used me and countless others to make the Dream Center a place where lives are changed for His glory. I am humbled by how He has blessed my own life. These were the driving factors behind my desire to write this book.

What I’ve learned is that once we make ourselves available to God, we can make a difference in the world’s brokenness (no matter how large or small the problem we take on). When we act within God’s plans for our lives and are open to taking a risk, we can make a positive impact on social injustice through service.

I didn’t always think of service and social justice this way. As with most things, God had to open my eyes to see the connection between my life’s work and His work. Even though I had been in ministry for years, I always assumed that our best efforts would only scratch the surface of the problems in our communities and in the world. The problems were just too big. Many times I felt like I was trying to save a sinking ship by scooping out the water one Dixie cup at a time.

I had no expectation or hope that the work I did alongside others could eliminate certain social injustices. I couldn’t see that I was, in fact, a part of God’s answer to the world’s problems. And then God began to teach me about Himself and His purpose for my life. I began enlisting supporters for the Dream Center’s women’s ministry. What God had put on my heart to accomplish needed an army to make it happen. And sure enough, just over five years later, what our women’s ministry has accomplished is remarkable. You’ll read about this amazing ride throughout this book.

One of the key stories from the Bible that God used to prepare me is found in Matthew 14. Jesus’ disciples are caught in a storm in the middle of a lake, fearfully battling strong winds, waves, and rain. Then Jesus shows up in a most unbelievable way.

About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

“Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.

MATTHEW 14:25-29

Even though he is terrified, Peter takes Jesus at His word and literally walks out his faith with courage—courage to climb out of the boat. I feel God wants us to do the same thing. He wants us to face our fears and do the seemingly impossible. What it requires is desire and availability.

In his description of the same scene, the Gospel writer Mark adds a stunning piece of information. He recounts that Jesus “saw that they [the disciples] were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them” (Mark 6:48, emphasis added). As I meditated on this passage I couldn’t get the sentence “He intended to go past them” out of my mind.

Jesus knew the disciples were in trouble. And yet although they struggled in the storm, none of them cried out to Him for help. As they unsuccessfully scuffled with the elements, pitting their puny human efforts against raging winds and crashing waves, one thing was clear: they couldn’t do it on their own. They weren’t strong or capable enough. The storm overpowered them. In His mercy, Jesus moved closer to them. But He waited until they called out to Him before He intervened. Had they not cried out for His help, I believe He would have walked past them.

God Wants to Use You

This walking-on-water illustration is applicable to us today. God knows the world is in trouble; the news is full of it every morning. If you’re like me, when you hear about people in need, you deeply desire to get involved or take a stand. But we rarely act on those feelings, right? When we hear stories about modern-day slavery, sex trafficking, hunger issues, homelessness, or child abandonment, do we stop and say to God, “Show me how to solve this problem”? No, we don’t.

But we should.

God wants to use us. However, He won’t force ministry or a life of service on anyone. What He will do is partner with us and make it possible for us to find solutions to the problems plaguing our communities the world over. We just have to be willing to do the work. We can get it done if we trust God and follow His plan.

I believe if every Christian in the world were willing to make a positive change, we would make a significant impact in remedying and mending the brokenness that runs rampant in our local and global communities. The numbers are in our favor.

According to the most recent Atlas of Global Christianity, there are 2.2 billion Christians (that’s a third of the world’s population) and 4,850,000 congregations in the world.1 With an army this large, is any problem insurmountable? Some people may look at the statistics and say it is.

No matter how overwhelming the amount of suffering or number of people in need all over the world, I believe that we, the Christian army, led and empowered by the Creator of the universe, can overcome these atrocities. Sure, it will take effort. It may take getting involved in the government’s efforts or galvanizing a team of people or starting an organization. It may mean joining forces with the many Christian organizations around the world that have already started conquering these issues. It may require something as simple as sending a few dollars to a charity or knocking on the door of someone in your neighborhood who needs help. But all it initially requires is your willingness.

Lasting Rewards

For me, living my life with eyes and heart open to God’s leading has brought fulfillment and joy. It has deepened and increased my faith. It has helped me focus less on my insecurities and on what I lack, and more on Jesus and what He can do through me. It has taught me about the love of God on a personal level. And it has resulted in countless miracles for those we have reached.

I know God has the same desire for your life. He wants you to change the world and make a strong impact in the particular area of injustice that speaks to your heart, whether it’s helping the poor, feeding the hungry, adopting a child, preaching to the lost, healing the sick, mentoring a troubled youth, helping out a single mother, or teaching basic life skills to someone who needs them.

It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do. Whether you’re a pastor, a “domestic engineer,” a student, or a CEO, God wants to use your willingness to do great things simply because you are His child and it’s your responsibility to help to run the family business. He wants to ignite in you a passion to start doing something about the brokenness in the world.

My hope is that after reading this book, you will become convinced that you are part of the miracle God is looking for to help change the world. I pray that whatever has held you back from taking that first step of action to walk on water—whether lies, insecurities, doubts, or fears—will be brought to light and shattered.

I’ve divided the book into three parts. I begin with my own journey into ministry and how God has helped me understand and define my missions for His Kingdom. Then we’ll look at the roadblocks that cause people to hesitate to serve, and I’ll suggest ways to get past them. Finally, I’ll share several lessons that I have learned over the past ten years and how they could benefit you. Hopefully the stories, Scripture, and practical ideas will help you identify your unique passion for service and clarify what God asks of you.

Before getting started, consider these questions:

If you answered yes to at least one of these questions, I hope you’ll continue reading so God can begin to speak to your heart. When you couple your willingness to walk on water with God’s desire to perform miracles in people’s lives, an exciting and fulfilling future awaits you.

Ready to start walking?

Caroline Barnett