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PROGRAM D-8054
Do you know someone who has taken a big risk for Jesus? I’ve shared about two women in Scripture who took great risks—Esther and Deborah. But what about a contemporary risk-taker?
Let me tell you about my dear friend, Donnita Travis, who left her very successful career in marketing to begin an after-school ministry for under-served children in the poorest neighborhoods of Chicago. In 2001 she began with 16 children, coming three days each week to our church for tutoring, teaching and nourishing. Now there are over 1,200 children involved in By the Hand Club in four different locations in our city, and it is absolutely mind-boggling to see how God is using this ministry to bring children hope and love, and to help them reach their potential! These children not only improve in their schoolwork, they hear the gospel clearly and are loved by the staff. The success stories are abundant. By the way, you can learn the whole story by going to bythehand.org.
I look at Donnita and think, If only I had faith like she does, or If only I had her management and marketing skills. She is uniquely gifted, certainly, but it’s much more than that: Donnita heard God’s call on her life and she simply said, like Esther, “God has put me here for such a time as this.” She took an enormous risk and, for over fifteen years, has boldly moved forward with ever-growing impact on our city.
Let me tell you one more thing: It’s been loads of hard work, long days, many serious issues to resolve, safety issues, and legal issues—it has not been an easy road. There are days I see her and know she is simply tired to the bone, but she keeps doing what God has put her here to do, and God is blessing her efforts.
I know that God doesn’t call all of us to such highly visible tasks, but I know that he calls each of us to step out on faith, take a risk, and be willing to let him do through us what he alone can do. You don’t have to do what Donnita does. However, you will have to give an account for the opportunities that God has given you, and you don’t want fear of taking a risk and stepping out on faith to keep you from hearing, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Are you standing on the brink of a new challenge? Does your heart tell you this is what God wants you to do? Remember, “The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). Don’t miss the great thing God has for you to do because you’re not willing to take the risk.