ASK GOD TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE

In Scripture, knowledge of God comes through experience. We come to know God as we experience Him working in and around our lives. I experienced God as my Provider during a mission trip to Romania. As the Lord prompts me, I will tell this story to others.
 
"What is it that you, not the person around you, but you would love to have God use you to do that is impossible? If God could use you to do the IMPOSSIBLE, what would you choose?"
 
These words were from a message preached by Dr. David Gibbs Jr. on November 4, 2001. Dr. Gibbs is the president of the Christian Law Association in Seminole, FL. Immediately upon hearing this question, there was no hesitancy in my heart to answer. I wanted God to use me to help build a church in Romania. Just months prior, I had participated in a mission project in Romania. This project was led by Bob Ward, missionary and president of Partners in Missions, International based in Cookeville, TN. With all my heart, I wanted God to use me to help build a church in Romania.
 
For the next several months, I listened to Dr. Gibbs' message until I could practically quote it verbatim. "Do you believe God can do the impossible and not even break a sweat?" Yes, I believe! Referencing Peter's water-walking experience in Matthew 14, Dr. Gibbs gave four biblical requirements you must meet if you want God to use you to do the impossible.
"You must first ask him to do the impossible. Take your eyes off the circumstances, get rid of your plan B, and finally, step out on faith." I felt challenged to meet these requirements in order for God to use me to do the impossible. That moment I began a journey of faith that changed my life.

My impossible request of God had to be specific. "Dear God, I am asking You to use me to help build a church in Ceica, Romania." Why Ceica? During my time there in the summer of 2001, I met Pastor Nelu Glitia, who serves God faithfully by pastoring and planting churches in Romanian villages. We had been corresponding since the beginning of that year.

An email sent by him contained a prayer requested that piqued my interest. "I want to ask you to pray for Ceica, especially for a place for the church. Ceica is a big village where there isn't any church. My heart became tight for that village. We've borrowed a little room there where we pay rent and in that place, every Sunday, between 20-40 children gather."
 
My mind was captured by the image of those children gathered to worship in that "borrowed room." It seemed I could hear them singing and see their faces in my mind. That summer, God gave me the desire of my heart when I gathered with them in that room on the Lord's Day.
 
The glory of the Lord filled that sacred place as we worshipped together. From those the mouths of those children came perfect praise.

After leaving the worship service with the children, Pastor Glitia took our team to a piece of property strategically centered in Ceica. Here he shared with us his vision about building a church for Ceica. Although purchasing this property and constructing a church was an impossible task for these people, we believed with God all things are possible.

Reflecting on that moment, I prayed, "Father, if you will, let Calvary Baptist Church help meet this need. Our hearts are full of expectancy, looking to You for great things." F.B. Meyer said, "You never test the resources of God until you attempt the impossible." I was ready to test God's resources.
 
Our mission team of five members returned to Calvary with a burden to help fulfill Pastor Glitia's vision of a church in Ceica. Other summer mission teams from our church shared ministry opportunities they encountered while on mission. With so many needs before us, it seemed our Calvary's involvement in church construction would not be feasible at this time.
 
My heart was burdened and the Lord continued to keep Ceica before me. This question kept ringing in my ears: Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? The answer from God's Word resonated in my heart, Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh, is there anything too hard for me? (Jeremiah 32:27) The money? The construction team?

Documents from the Romanian government? Even if we had the money for construction materials, how could everything be in place at just the right time the following summer, when our team was scheduled to return to Ceica? Daunting questions for sure, seemingly unattainable tasks.

In spite of the circumstances, I trusted God to do the impossible. My heart was saturated with the faithfulness of God to believers in the Scriptures. During this time, I read the biography of George Mueller (1805-1898), a German-born pastor and evangelist who is best remembered for his extraordinary answers to prayers for the orphanages he established in Bristol, England. My faith was bolstered as I read about God doing the impossible in response to the faith and actions of Mueller. Could I trust God to do the impossible?
 
I continued along this journey of faith and trusted God to supply the money for the church and orchestrate all the building details within the time restraints. I believed He would rain down blessings from Heaven just as He had sent manna in the wilderness. The following months God began to reveal His plan.
 
My family received information that my father might be eligible for compensation because of work conditions possible contributing to his death two years prior. I immediately sensed the working of the Heavenly Father to do the insurmountable!
 
Upon receiving the letter of eligibility, I sensed in my heart God working on our behalf. Every piece of correspondence I received from the Department of Labor was opened on bended knees. Within days the committee granted final approval and compensation was made available on April 18, my birthday.

Money was immediately sent to purchase the property and prepare the foundation for the church. Documents were secured from the Romanian government to build and a construction team of volunteers gathered on that spot in July 2002 to construct Ceica Baptist Church. What a mighty God we serve!
 
As I reflect on this journey, I can almost feel the heartbeat of George Mueller when he wrote this in his journal on January 4, 1851: "The Lord has given me precious proof that He is delighted when we expect great things from Him. I have received the largest donation I ever had. My joy in God on account of this donation cannot be described. I take the money out of the hands of the living God. Like a voice from Heaven, it encourages me to build. I will go forward in this service and build, to the praise and honor of the living God."

Oh, how we love to see impossible things accomplished! And so does God. I came to know God as my Provider as I experienced His working around me. The great, I AM WHO I AM, Almighty God miraculously provided for every detail of the construction of the first Baptist church in this large village in Romania. Just as with Nehemiah, the God of Heaven Himself prospered us; therefore we, His servants, had success. Ceica Baptist Church stands today as a testimony to God who does the impossible.
 
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."- Ephesians 3:20-21
 
I am thankful for the witness of people who continue to influence my faith. I pray a special blessing upon Dr. David Gibbs, Brother Bob Ward, and the memory of praying men of faith such as George Mueller. Finally, I am forever indebted to my dear husband, Steve, who walked this journey with me.

- FAYE MCDONALD : Calvary Baptist Church (Oak Ridge, TN)

A WORD FROM OUR PRESIDENT

Praise God for the zeal and direction Faye McDonald and her husband showed as they were instrumental in the church building in Ceica, RO coming to fruition. Thank you, Sister Faye and Brother Steve in leading the way in this project. Already God is using this building as a place to accommodate those who wish to hear the Word of God proclaimed in this village.

May I encourage our readers to pray about a couple of matters? First, would you pray about coming with PIMI to Romania on a short-term mission project? It will be a life changing time for you and for those whom you will minister to. Second, will you pray that God will use you just as He did with the McDonald family? It might not involve building a church, but whatever seemingly impossible task God calls you to do, trust that He will be faithful to supply all that is necessary for you to follow Him. Watch and pray that He may make your dream a reality.

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened." - Matthew 7:7-8

- BOB WARD: PIMI President (Cookeville, TN)