Roxanne’s Testimony
I grew up in a Christian home and was taken to church from the time I was in the nursery. I heard the gospel in Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and summer camp. When I was about seven years old I remember praying to receive Christ. I know that I am in Christ and will someday spend eternity with Him because of His sacrifice on the cross in my place and His resurrection into heaven to prepare a place for me.
I think I grew spiritually at a steady pace for someone that age. I never rebelled against God or my parents while growing up and tried to live a God-honoring life. After graduating high school, I worked in an office for a year to save money and then entered Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN in the fall of 1980. While there, the Lord directed my plans from only going for one or two years to finishing a four-year degree in Office Administration. During my first year in college, I met Paul and our relationship grew during the remaining three years.
Paul had a desire to go into ministry but wanted to live in the country. He couldn't figure out how to have both until he thought about Christian camping. He was also interested in missions. As our relationship progressed, I had to answer the question in my mind: "Am I supposed to be called into missions myself in order to be his wife, or is it enough that I am simply called to be his wife?" I had grown up with the teaching that a wife is to be a helpmeet for her husband. Along with that was the expectation that the wife follow her husband in his job or ministry.
I asked an older missionary lady who was visiting my home church the question about a "calling". She told me that I needed to know if I was called to be his wife. The rest the Lord would make clear in time. I took this as godly advice and Paul and I were married after my graduation from college. Paul had two years left of college when we got married.
I worked full time in an office while Paul finished college and then three days after he graduated, we moved to Camp Forest Springs to begin the Leadership Training and Development (LTD) program for a year. While he was the LTD student, I worked in the administration office at the camp. It was during our LTD experience that we were asked to join missionary staff at Camp.
During our stay at Camp Forest Springs, we fell in love with the people and ministry there. Spending time with the missionary staff was good for us to see what missionary life and faith was like.
When Paul started talking about Mexico, I really struggled. I did not want to go. It was the desire of my heart to stay at Camp Forest Springs. Through the process of time I've realized that I needed to surrender everything including my own desires to the Lord. Since then, I've grown in my spiritual walk. I have realized that I had been on a spiritual plateau for a long time and I didn't know why. After I came to the point of understanding my need of surrender, I then knew why I hadn't been growing. I feel that I've grown a lot since then. I have come to accept this change in our lives--I know it's from the Lord. It's been a special time as my relationship with the Lord has deepened. The fact that the Lord has given me specific verses in Scripture has been encouraging as well.
