The Beautiful Winding Road By Cindy Higham

Recently I was having such a sweet chat with my friend who is a tribal missionary in the Sierra Madres of Mexico. As she reminisced over her journey of the past decade, I was stirred to breathlessness by the similarities and the contrasts of our life experiences. We both had embarked upon our ministry with a specific skill set and had stepped out in faith to serve in that capacity, only to be redirected by God in mid journey. However, my redirection took on the appearance of a detour for a while, and her story reads like a promotion. My friend did not always envision herself wearing the extraordinary hats of Bible translator and teacher to the descendants of the ancient Aztecs. Thirteen years ago, with her shiny new Elementary Ed. degree in hand, she was itching to make a difference in the lives of her MK pupils. An MK herself, she was uniquely armed with empathy and not the least bit naïve about what she would be facing; but really, all she truly wanted was to be a blessing and to be used by God. This was obvious to everyone around her. As a young woman, The Holy Spirit had stirred within me a yearning to invest in the Gospel as well. I was literally moved by the plight of the animists who were trapped in dark jungles, dying, and going to Hell in thousands of concealed pockets all over the world. To this day, a missionary preacher’s voice booming through a microphone, still pulses in my ears. He appealed to us, wouldn’t somebody—anybody-- be willing to pick up their cross and carry it to these pagan image bearers for whom Christ died?

He read from Revelation 7 "Every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and they *cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” These words compelled me out of my seat, and I went. The Holy Spirit spoke, and I obeyed. My husband and I packed up our lives, and we moved to a tiny, remote village in the Amazon Rainforest. However, as Proverbs 16:9 says, “The mind of a person plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” This wonderful Proverb offers a tiny glimpse of the exhilaration that belongs to the Christian who dares to simply show up as prepared as possible with a heart that is fully surrendered to the will of God. What an adventure it is to be steered by The Holy Spirit and to follow His sometimes-mysterious directions. Ironically, my friend’s journey and my journey took opposite turns. After a few years of happily serving in our chosen ministries, we were each unexpectedly rerouted by God and plunged into unexpected seas of service: my friend, to tribal missions, and I was commissioned to the world of Christian education in the U.S. Looking back over my years in South America is like eating cotton candy. I pinch off the memories and savor the sweetness of the experience. In hindsight, God was obviously preparing the more immature me for the upcoming challenges of motherhood, illness, and a surprise change in ministry. He was using the people of my daily life to shape and sharpen me, and He was building my confidence. Time and again as we lived amongst the tribal people, I was hurled into leadership opportunities, although I certainly tried to avoid them. Time and again, He nudged me into uncomfortable situations in which, miraculously, wisdom and just- the-right-words were placed on my tongue. During those years, sometimes I thought I had arrived and was there to stay; other times I had to tamp down the feelings of restlessness that would arise from the isolation and monotony. Through it all, I learned lessons worth their weight in gold: my God could be trusted, and I could be used. The Lord works in beautiful and mysterious ways in the hearts of His servants. As my friend and I somewhat wistfully strolled down memory lane recently, a sense of pervasive joy emerged from our conversation. We both realized how much we had in common and how grateful we were for this beautiful, winding road beneath our feet. Once, I would have considered a change in plans to be a bothersome detour, but I have learned not to rush The Lord. I now realize that He is taking me on the scenic route, and I am going to see something impactful. He is not as interested in passing all the milestones as He is in my growing and knowing Him more. This is His journey, after all--the destiny and the path belong to Him, and it continues to surprise, delight, and challenge my soul.

8 Principles for Thriving in Your Faith Journey

1. Hold loosely to your plans and dreams-God uses our desires to mobilize us, but our desires should not be the rutter. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3, Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. Proverbs 19:10

2. Cling fiercely to God’s Word-It is our sustenance and our lighthouse; it provides nourishment and direction. “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4 Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Psalms 119: 105

3. Listen to His voice-The Holy Spirit is our source of power and energy. If we get unplugged…we simply can’t. “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 1:17-20 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

4. Walk faithfully -in each moment-even in the monotonous, mundane, and difficult ones. “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much…Luke 16:10 …making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil Ephesians 5:16 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. I Corinthians 4:1-2

5. Work wholeheartedly -at pursing excellence in the task at hand. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23, 24 This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart. Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

6. Embrace new challenges -no matter how unqualified or inept you feel. “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:35

7. Enjoy the journey, but don’t worship it. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21

8. Stay in Your Caravan-As believers in Jesus Christ, we share the same destiny as our brothers and sisters. The church is God’s presence here on earth. We were meant to travel together, reflecting Him to the world around us and drawing strength from each other. “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” Ephesians 1:22 Romans 12:1-4 "For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body." Colossians 3:14

About the Author:

Cindy Higham was born in raised in Warsaw and graduated from WCHS. She attended New Tribes Bible College, where she met her husband, Bruce, an American MK from Paraguay. They have served with Ethnos 360 for 24 years, 16 of those years they lived in South America planting a church and translating the Bible for an indigenous group. Due to the unrest in their host country, they now have an itinerant ministry with the same group of people. Their home base is Warsaw, and Bruce travels down to South America 4-5 times a year. They have two boys Noah, and Nathan a 7th grader; they both attend Lakeland Christian Academy. She currently teaches High school Spanish at LCA.