Relying on God’s strength, not my courage
CMS Short-Term Worker (STW) Gillian Akers decided to forgo a comfortable retirement in Australia to serve in church ministry in France. Read on to find out why she made this decision, and how God has worked through various challenges to bring new joys and gospel opportunities.
‘Despite these difficulties, God has opened wonderful opportunities to serve.’
Last week in home group I prayed out loud spontaneously for the first time in French. It was just one reminder of my weakness as I continue learning how to be Christ-like in such a different world.
After decades of balancing secular work with church service, and driven by a desire to use my retirement well and a love for most things French, I am serving in an evangelical church in France. God kept prompting me to serve in this post-Christian, fiercely secular country, where people need Jesus. It took time to realise that following God’s call would rely on his strength, not my courage. God does answer our prayers for strength, but often in ways that stretch us, just as the disciples prayed for boldness and were filled with the Holy Spirit to speak God’s Word boldly (Acts 4:29-31).
As I am a STW with CMS, my expected time in France is two or four years. Though it’s shorter than the typical long-term CMS mission, at my age it is still a long-term commitment. Each day, I need to trust that God will sustain me.
Challenges in moving to France
My first ten months in France have been challenging.
My family ties have been stretched. Families of missionaries need strength and courage to endure separation from their loved ones. For me, living alone is a new experience.
Getting settled has also been a challenge. Simple tasks take much longer, such as opening a bank account, setting up a phone plan, shopping for groceries or booking train tickets. But from the start, God reminded me that everything is ministry. Relocating within France, living in temporary accommodation, finding an apartment as a foreigner, and navigating French bureaucracy all required courage and resilience.
New joys and gospel opportunities
Despite these difficulties, God has opened wonderful opportunities to serve. I regularly meet with an English-speaking woman who had longed for another English speaker to share with. Attending a women’s Bible study and joining a home group has helped to foster deeper relationships with other members of the church. My ability to drive allowed me to spend many weeks supporting the family of a hospitalised church member.
Interestingly, my limited speaking skills have made me a better listener and bolder in speaking about Jesus. Others tend to assume that anything awkward I say is just the language barrier, which gives me freedom to share my faith.
Slowly but surely, sharing life’s joys and struggles is becoming possible: the grief of losing a teenage nephew, the sadness of from being far from family, and the painful decline of a loved one with a degenerative illness.
These challenges have been softened by moments of deep joy, such as a regular ‘creatives meeting’ where we reflected on the theme ‘Who am I in Christ?’ The honesty and insight in the room was deeply touching, as participants shared from the heart about their journeys as followers of Jesus.
“For when I am weak, then I am strong”
Yes, moving to France has been surprisingly difficult. It has required all the strength I could summon, but my weakness far outweighs any earthly courage I possess. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10:
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me … For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
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