If you were to walk into our church on a Sunday morning, you probably wouldn’t notice her. She would look like the other Indian single moms who attend our church. What is so special about Micaela? She has raised three daughters and a son alone, who faithfully serve the Lord. Her son attends Bible College, and one of her daughters is the wife of our pastor.
But what I would like to tell you about Micaela is her love for the lost…especially for the people in her native village. She rides the bus there often, and gathers family and neighbors in one of the houses, and shares the Gospel message with them. Several of her family members have been saved.
Recently Micaela received a phone call at 2:00 a.m. from her nephew who was suicidal. Our church had been praying for him. He called to say, "I don't want to die; I want to live. But if I live, I need Jesus. Can you help me find Him?" Micaela led him through the plan of Salvation and he said, "Tía I'm kneeling in the street, and praying for Jesus to come into my heart. I'm giving my life to God."
So why do I love working with ladies? There are those saved in my ministry who will possibly never attend a church service, or become pastors’ wives. While my desire is to see every one of them serving the Lord, my joy comes from two sources: I have done what the Lord wants me to do, and the rest is up to the Holy Spirit. And they will have a home in Heaven when they die. But at the same time, like my husband would say, “I’m looking for another Micaela.”
In the month of February, I was invited to teach ladies in two different sessions in a conference at Mount Hebron in Monterrey, where my nephew, Jonathan Ashcraft is pastor. What a joy it was to spend a wonderful week with my brother, Tommy, his wife Brenda, and their children and grandchildren for the first time in several years.
On March 3, I flew to San Francisco, and participated in the Pastors’ and Workers’ Conference of North Valley Baptist Spanish Church where my son, David is now pastor. It was an honor to speak twice to different ladies’ sessions; I also gave my testimony on Sunday morning, and my daughter in law, Jolene, asked me to speak to her college ladies’ class the next morning.
On to Fallon, NV on the 10th, I enjoyed playing for the services of the Victory Baptist Church mission conference, where my son in law, Steve Miller is pastor. It was one of the best mission conferences I have ever attended, and their Faith Promise went far beyond what they had set for their goal. On Sunday morning, Steve baptized a family of four…the result of their bus ministry! That night, Steve asked me to share my testimony. What a joy it was to teach the ladies in Ruthie’s Thursday evening Bible Study. It goes without saying, that both in California and in Nevada, I enjoyed getting to spend time with David and Jolene, and their 5 children; and Steve and Ruthie and their 8 children.
I am writing this from Chaparral, NM, and am having a wonderful time with Joel and Margaret, and my two granddaughters. I really have to move fast to keep up with them and their different ministries here. Lord willing, I return home to Chiapas on April 7.
I don’t know what else the Lord could do to show His love for me!
Billie Sloan
Nahum 1:7
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