By Ronda Knuth
How could saying yes to God’s call make her so miserable?
Lauren Pierce and her husband were missionaries to Tanzania. Nothing prepared her for the challenges and stressful life situations she encountered during their first term:
sold their belongings prior to moving to Tanzania
welcomed a second son
developed post-partum depression
suffered a seizure
nursed her 2-week-old baby who got viral meningitis
cared for her husband who acquired walking pneumonia
endured the flooding of their apartment
got stranded in the bush when their car broke down
lived in an oppressive religious culture
felt the need to be guarded and watchful in the inhospitable climate
Lauren wondered how she could face tomorrow. Then she met Ramonda Lunsford who works with SIM and partners with Entrust.
Ramonda asked Lauren, “Where do you see God in your situation right now?” Lauren’s answer revealed the desperate condition of her weary heart.
Ramonda suggested Lauren take Entrust’s Developing a Discerning Heart module.
Lauren took Ramonda’s advice. Being in a group of like-minded women encouraged and refreshed her heart. She was reminded of her worth in God’s eyes. Through storyboarding and other tools, she learned how to process some of those recent painful experiences in light of God’s word.
The module gave Lauren some practical ways to process her emotions, and to see that God was right beside her through every challenge she faced. She regained her hope and motivation for ministry.
Entrust Equipping Women modules are designed to do exactly what DDH did for Lauren: provide women with skills and opportunity to further their own spiritual growth and with tools to use in shepherding other women. It’s proven to be life-giving and transformative for women from all walks of life and all levels of leadership.
Lauren applied what she learned while serving as a missionary in Tanzania and now as she serves alongside her husband in the pastorate in The Woodlands, Texas.
What might God do in your life through an Entrust Equipping Women training module? Explore the options at www.entrust4.org/equippingwomen.
In addition to Developing a Discerning Heart (described in this story), Lauren also took the Entrust Equipping Women modules Facilitating Relational Learning and Discovery Bible Study.
Some of her reflections about FRL:
“My expectations were blown out of the water. The first chapter on adult learning caught my attention. My posture as a leader in the church began to shift as I read how not to treat people as empty buckets but rather as Holy Spirit-filled individuals with unique life experiences. I resonated deeply with this because I too have felt the frustration of being taught as if I were an empty bucket.”
“FRL impressed me with the idea that a facilitator has the power to kill discussions or help them thrive.”
“I came to the training with a desire to help people feel valued. Now I have the skills to do it.”