With much joy and excitement we began our journey at Mid-America the Fall of 2006. Our plan was simple, I (Brad) would get my Masters of Divinity and would get a commission in the military as a chaplain. It made perfect sense because of my past military and para-military experience. However, that Fall in the second term of the school year I took a class called Introduction to Southern Baptist Missions with a former missionary Dr. Howard Bickers. Little did I know how the Lord would use the class to direct our future steps in following His lead.
One day in class Dr. Bickers was telling a story from his days on the mission field in Africa. This was not unusual because Dr. Bickers often used personal stories in order to teach us. Yet, that day God used his story to challenge me and change our life's direction in following Him. Dr. Bickers was telling a story of meeting with a local African Chief. As he shared the story he told how the chief kept lowering himself, and showed us how he then lowered his head to keep it under the chiefs head because that was proper in their culture. By the time Dr. bickers had finished telling the story he was lying prone on the ground before us and the chief in the story. Why? So he could gain the opportunity to share the love of Christ with the people!
At that moment I heard God's voice speak within me as clear as it ever had, HE said, "Are you willing to humble yourself before men so that My name is exalted?" "Are you willing to go where I lead you to go?" I knew then that God was calling me and my family to serve Him on the foreign mission field. After surrendering to His calling I changed my major to a Masters of Missiology and we began preparing for a life on the mission field.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)
