The Next Most Good & Reasonable Thing

In college, in the mountain valley of the great San Juans, I joined a young adult community through my church. We met Monday evenings for a few hours, taking over the living space of our pastors' quaint house. We met for nearly a year, then the bustle of life and the magnetic pull of people elsewhere dissolved our group. But it was there that I unearthed my deepest friendships. And it was there that a kind girl, wholly invested in ministry and youth, spoke words shared by her hometown pastor – the words were simple, a daily encouragement for the unknown and a practical application for ministry:

Do the next most good and reasonable thing.

---

My life has been outlined in bold as I have served in a range of capacities through various organizations, ministries, and programs. My life has been colored brightly with intentional relationships, deep connections, and lasting change in the lives and hearts of people.

I can remember from a young age being so moved by the stories of children across the world and touched by the people mobilizing to care well for others. I distinctly remember giving my coins to help the children of the world through various programs and services; following along religiously as a middle schooler watching the KONY 2012 movement in Uganda and praying in youthful innocence for the revolution and deliverance of children across the world from me. And I remember in my own corner, being so touched by the testimonies shared in the dark hours of night at a summer camp on the Grand Mesa and sharing tears with girls of 11 and 12 years old who had lived through experiences far beyond their years. And then too, praying in innocence for revolution and deliverance in the children near me.

It was in college, after Jesus took hold of my heart and I intentionally stepped away from my pursuit of soccer, that I wholeheartedly dove into ministry. I served with a college ministry as a leader and mentor to college-aged girls for three years. I served as a young adult leader for a high school youth group filled with vibrancy and exuberance. I sat side by side with people as they grieved. I sat across from people as they shared their greatest desires and deepest dreams. I celebrated with people over small and great victories. And I prayed with people, I studied the Bible alongside people, and made intentional decisions to give my whole time and attention to the very person in front of me. Friendships flourished; people bloomed.

And I quickly realized, as I walked in faith and with intention, my heart in ministry was never to convince people of what I believe. I learned early on that I valued relationships over opinions; I opted to sit with people - any person with any opinion, belief, or presupposition, to walk with them, to learn together through intentional relationship that fostered vulnerability and trust, and testify about God's goodness in my own life. And, if nothing less, I held hope that God through His Holy Spirit in me, moved in such a way to display His Awesome Wonder through my life, my actions, and my choices, that even where words lacked God's hand of grace was visibly seen.

.

.

.

When I initially came to Uganda, I lacked in direction. I did not know exactly what I would do or what my practical goals were. I thought I would serve in the Primary School and utilize my Teaching English as a Second Language certificate, but all schools were in lockdown. And little did I know then, they would be in lockdown for the entire first year of my time in Uganda. I came to Uganda with the intention to serve, and with the vision to build intentional relationships - to learn, to walk alongside, and to love well. I came with no agenda and no definition of success. I came because I wholeheartedly believed that God had stirred my heart to come. And naturally, when I arrived, I asked the question:

what am I doing here?

And time and time again, I found consolation in the words of Oswald Chambers as he reflects on the life of Christ and the testimonies of people documented in the Bible for generations. In reference to Hebrews 11:8 which says, "He went out, not knowing wither he went" Chambers writes:

Have you been "out" in this way? If so, there is no logical statement possible when anyone asks you what you are doing. One of the difficulties in Christian work is this question - "What do you expect to do?" You do not know what you are going to do; the only thing you know is that God knows what He is doing. [1]

And the truth is, I struggled.

I struggled because I came to serve and to minister, and supposedly when I crossed the oceans and seas I became a missionary. I struggled to reconcile my idea of missionary with reality. The term itself made me slightly uncomfortable and the perceptions and notions made me that much more.

If it was true that I was a missionary, then it was true that I was a missionary before I ever arrived in Uganda.

If it was true that I was a missionary, I had been a missionary my entire walk of faith since the beginning of my love for Jesus and my response to His love by intentionally loving and serving His people. My purpose had not shifted when I moved across the world and my desire remained steadfast: to serve and minister through relationships - a mission of humble love in selfless action with a desire to grow alongside others.

I struggled because of my own limitations and beliefs about what a missionary is and is supposed to do. And at every end, I questioned:

Was I supposed to stand on the rooftops and proclaim the name of Jesus and count the number of people that raise their hands to accept Him into their hearts? Was success a number and ministry measurable? Was I supposed to have a practical approach to ministry wherein success could be achieved and retained? Was I supposed to hide my struggles and showcase only goodness and grace?

When I arrived in Uganda, I knew my strengths. I believe one of my primary gifts is connection - the ability to relate and empathize with others. So my questions reverted: my strengths are not others' strengths and the way I serve is not the way others' serve.

For some, they have the gift of evangelism to warmly invite people who they have just met into relationship with Jesus. For others, they have the gift of preaching and teaching to proclaim the word of God that the fragrance of Grace touches those who hear and beckons them to Jesus. But God did not call me to Uganda to minister in the way of others' gifts, but rather honor and glorify Him through the gifts He has given me. I was supposed to do ministry in the capacity of my strengths that God has graciously bestowed upon me - to build intimacy and relate with empathy. I was called to walk with people, through struggle and triumph, with vulnerability and honesty, and cast light on my struggles and equal desperation of Almighty Grace, and testify of the One who covers and cleanses all.

From the very beginning God freed me from myself. God freed me from expectations, or lack thereof, and of the perspective I held of what a missionary was supposed to be and to do. God broke down the walls and perimeters I had built and commanded my attention – not of goals, or productivity, or success, or plans, or even of my own ability or gifts. He said:

Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep.

Walk with my people. Be with my people. Spend your time with my people. Give what you have, speak gentle and gracious words to them. Lead them. Shepherd them. Teach them.

And I realized the greatest that we could ever do to love God’s people well, is to seek and love the Lord our God with all our heart, and soul, and mind.

Is it any irony that that is the first commandment? And the second follows: to love your neighbor as yourself. Love God first and only then, in an abundance and overflow of love, joy, and deep satisfaction, can you love God’s people well.

.

.

.

I have spent 20 months in Uganda. I came with no plans or expectations of what to do, but I came with the intention to serve, to learn, to teach, and to empower. And, perhaps above all, I came to connect, to walk alongside, and to love. To deeply and intentionally love.

I dedicated two full years to serving with the Father to the Fatherless Uganda organization in the quaint and rural village of Namuganga, Uganda. The organization is nestled on the hillside of the rolling plains. My greatest desire was to love the Lord my God and to build lasting and intentional relationships with His people as I served, learned, and loved. Two years seemed an appropriate length of time in any given place to first establish, invest, and integrate into the community and then walk in ways to guide, to teach, to disciple, and to empower for lasting change in the lives and hearts of people.

And I am here to testify, that God has transformed people amidst my very eyes. He has softened hearts. He has restored lives. He has beckoned and He has called. He has been the sustenance and the satisfaction. He has been the daily bread. He has been the rain of Grace – to wash clean and renew. And He has been mighty and gracious in all of His ways.

It was through the kind and gentle shared words of an acquaintance all those years ago in a small college town: Do the next most good and reasonable thing. I moved across the world. I lacked in direction and purpose; but God satisfied in understanding and wisdom. It was through doing the next most good and reasonable thing that the women’s crafting and empowerment group began. And by God’s grace, it flourished. And it was through doing the next most good and reasonable thing that the girl’s project began. And by God’s grace, it blossomed and bloomed. And it was then that the vocational school began and God is steadily providing a way forward.

And now, as I approach the end of my two-year commitment, it was with wonder in my heart and peace in my soul as I reflected on those words of years ago:

Do the next most good and reasonable thing.

So alongside my husband – my dearest friend and greatest love, we are doing the next most good and reasonable thing to continue serving the people and children of Uganda. God, in His mercy, created us in likeness and intention; we have the same heart and purpose that we have held with us throughout our walks of faith – to love, to serve, to learn, and to empower through intentional relationships. We see ministry as walking alongside others and although we may not have all the answers to the question, “what are you planning to do” or a perfect plan of approach to ministry, we can surely tell you:

we need not ask the question in light of who our God is.

Africa Shades of Light is a ministry serving and empowering the underserved communities of Uganda through sustainable, ethical, and Christ-centered action.

Read more at www.africasolministries.org.

---

[1] Oswald Chambers. My Utmost for His Highest. January 2.