Signora Sheila

They said we were crazy — and we probably were. But we’ve got a story to tell. It was May 1989, 37 years ago, when we embarked on this crazy adventure, a craziness that has only intensified over the years. ‘It’ll never work,’ they told us. ‘Don’t do it! It’s crazy. Insane. You’ve got to use common sense, too.’ But we had read Oswald Chambers too often and found words in his writings that resonated with us.

Words that encouraged us to follow God immediately and recklessly, casting all that we have on Him and being willing to risk everything for Him. See My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers).

Reckless abandon!

Chambers called it ‘reckless abandon’. To friends and family, it was just plain foolishness.

You see, we set out for Italy with almost nothing. Just two kids and eight suitcases. We had no support base, no money in the bank, no property or assets, and very little cash. People said it was craziness and they were right; it was crazy.

But we’re still here. We’re still trying to serve God with the same reckless abandon. That’s why we have a story to tell. It’s a story that we must tell in the third person, because it’s not our story, but God’s. It’s His story in our lives.

Like Peter walking on water, we should have sunk long ago. We would have, but for God’s keeping power. He never let go of our hands and He kept us looking up at him.

Total failure was the forecast. Or, at best, a humiliating return home. By all logic, we shouldn’t still be here. Yet over 37 years have passed. There have been good times and bad. Times of plenty and times of scarcity.

But more than a quarter of a century later, we’re still here, hearts overflowing with thanksgiving. Hearts that are still shouting, “We can follow the God of reckless abandon, even when it seems crazy” – because He never abandons His children!!

And now, with the anniversary of our 37th year in Italy approaching, we find that the wind is still boisterous and the waves are still high. Life will always have its storms and trials. But even in the midst of these storms, God takes care of us. He even provided us with two houses on our below-poverty-level income!

The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad, (Psalm 126:3).

Things were tough in our early years. Our expenses greatly outweighed our income. Despite practising simple living to the fullest, our expenses towered over our small pile of coins. In case you think I’m exaggerating, we counted out pennies for food and often wondered where the next meal would come from. Any accountant would tell you that we shouldn’t still be around. But we are, and we have a tale to tell.

Gradually, over the years, things improved, and life became a bit more normal. Although I sometimes wonder if that’s been a good thing. In every way, those earlier years were the best of our lives.

It is through the hard times that came our way that we learned to recognise God’s voice and His ways.

Perhaps following Christ in the same reckless way isn’t necessary for everyone. I don’t know. But in our own lives, we have found that comfortable living does not force us to put all our trust in the One who cares for us. Rather, it lulls us into peaceful passivity.

Too often, material things can get in the way of totally entrusting ourselves into God’s care. These things pull our gaze away from Him and towards well-being and riches. We start thinking that we can take care of ourselves.

But poverty can likewise ensnare us, causing us to wonder if the Lord has forgotten us. And our downcast soul pulls our eyes off Him and on to our problems.

Eyes on Jesus

The key is in remembering to always keep our eyes on Jesus. That alone will give us the courage to follow Him wholeheartedly, come what may.

By keeping our eyes on Him through good times and bad, we learn not only that He is with us in the storm. We also learn that it is He who calms the wind and the waves. We learn that with Him, we can never truly sink. Because even if we were to find ourselves at the bottom of the sea, we would still be in His arms. He will never abandon us.

We learn that following Him with reckless abandon is the height of wisdom. It is foolishness in man’s eyes only.

Everyone who follows that path has a special story to tell. It’s a tale of God’s great faithfulness and care! Of God’s care and faithfulness in their lives!

📷 Image by Joshua Earle.