For two years we had been studying the Bible with Haneen, a Syrian young adult who was part of our Pathfinder Club. She was interested, responsive, and seemed to understand everything we studied together. But we never saw her take any step toward a decision about what she was learning. We didn’t know what else we could study!
Last year, on the final night of Ramadan, after having a meaningful study with her, my husband and I knelt in prayer. We knew that only the Holy Spirit could convict her. We placed Haneen in God’s hands. We claimed His ability to bring her to a decision how and when she was ready.
The next morning I opened my phone to see a message from her: “I know that I still don’t know everything about the Bible, but I’m thinking about baptism.” Tears filled my eyes as I read the rest of her message. “I want to continue studying the Bible even after I become part of you.”
The pandemic slowed the celebration of her decision for Jesus, but she has finally taken that step. And, as God does so often, we’ve been reminded that He will patiently continue the work He has begun, no matter how long or how circuitous the path is. We are simply tools in His hands to share, teach, and invite. The real work in Haneen’s heart has been His.
-–A Gospel Mission Pioneer