I Love Austria!

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

“I love Austria”. That was a bumper sticker given to me many years ago. It was true! My love for Austria had been a seed planted as a young child. In my childhood years, this seed was watered and grew to the point where, in my senior year of High School, I wrote a short, 12-page story, which took place in Austria. I showed it to my Literature teacher, Miss Montgomery, who told me the story had much potential. She encouraged me to do something with it.

The next two years I spent the majority of my free time doing research for the book. Research wasn’t my forte, but the help from my mentor and friend at the time, made it fun. She loved research and helped me in this phase of my book. The Novel continued to develop and so did my love for that little, land locked, history filled country in the middle of Europe. Then, while I was a preschool/daycare teacher, the opportunity of a lifetime opened up, to go to a 6-month Bible School in Germany. I jumped at the chance though I only had the money for a one-way ticket to Germany and half the tuition. I felt I was to go, and leave the rest in the Lord’s hands.

While at the Bible School I never lacked the needed funds for the school or spending money. Furthermore, I was accepted by Operation Mobilization to be a summer missionary in Austria. My church decided to support me for this missionary trip which included my airfare home at the end of the summer. God was opening up opportunities each step of the way. Even when it looked like He skipped one step, He had it all worked out. There were around 3 months in between school and the missions’ trip. What would I do during that time?

One afternoon I was summoned to Charlie Moore’s office, the school director. Normally any opportunities that came to the school he would open up to the whole student body. Not this time. He felt this opportunity was perfect for me: an Austrian family needed a nanny for a few months. It was a paying job. Austria, here I come!

The year I was in Germany and Austria not only gave my book (The Austrian Heirloom) more life than I ever dreamed possible, but it confirmed the fact that God had something planned for my future which involved Austria. This was exciting. I had left part of my heart in Austria.

While attending Prairie Bible Institute (now Prairie College), that piece of my heart kept calling to me, beckoning me, longing to be reunited, so I prayed much about going back to Austria as a missionary. I looked into all different mission opportunities for Austria but nothing seemed right. Meanwhile, I was also very intrigued and burdened for Eastern Europe. Perhaps God had only used Austria as a stepping stone to the East? Wanting to be open to whatever God had planned, I kept an open mind. In my senior year of Bible School, I applied with a mission that would take me to Black Forrest Academy in Germany during the school year, as a dorm mom, and working in Eastern Europe in the summer months. It wasn’t Austria, but it was the next best thing.

The next best thing. When God places something on our hearts, like I thought He had placed Austria on mine, He doesn’t settle for the next best thing and neither should we.

Frustrated and seeking the Lords will in all this, I went for one of my long walks. I poured out my heart to Him, telling Him I was more than glad to keep going down this path if He wanted, but if not, what was I supposed to do? That’s when He told me I was to stay on at PBI as secretary after graduation. It wasn’t an audio voice from heaven, but the message was clear enough, just the same.

There was a problem with that option. Years before, I had been a secretary and vowed I would never be one again. Secretarial work was the last thing on my mind. Moreover, it wasn’t Austria. That is when an argument began. Well, it was a one-sided argument. I presented all the reasons why I couldn’t be a secretary but He just listened then held to His instructions. Finally, knowing I was fighting a loosing battle, I said ok, but on conditions. I dared give Him conditions?! I told Him I was not going to go apply for the job, they would have to approach me. As if that would be too hard for Him. I think He just smiled. What an amazing, patient God we serve!!!

A few weeks before graduation, I found myself in Ed Wallan’s office, talking to Shannon about nothing that had to do with secretarial work. As I stood up to leave, she stopped me. If I hadn’t come in to see her, she would have requested an audience, as she had a job opportunity for me. She wanted to know if I would consider staying on as a secretary after graduation.

Three things PBI always required new staff, one being a two-year commitment.  So, when she asked me if I would consider it, I told her I couldn’t commit to two years. She replied, “that’s ok.” Then I proceeded to not commit to the other two as well. Her reply each time, “that’s ok.”

Finally, I told her I would have to pray about it. Her reply, “ok, pray about it tonight and I will see you tomorrow.” In that moment, my argument with the Lord came to mind and I started to laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

“I already know the answer,” I replied and proceeded to tell her why.

She smiled. “That’s ok, you go and pray about it anyway and I will see you tomorrow!”

If you read my blog from last week, you will know, as Paul Harvey used to say, the rest of the story. God never makes any mistakes, or detours. In fact, the Bible tells us in Ephesians 1:4, “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…”  Before the world began He already knew me. Mind boggling!! Furthermore, He has a plan and a purpose for my life! Psalm 139:15-16 says, “My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet uniformed. And in Your book, they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.”

Moreover, He doesn’t just leave me to stumble around and try and figure His will out for myself. Psalm 32:8 makes it clear, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” I don’t always understand what He is doing, but He has been faithful to guide me each step of my life’s journey, and He’s not done yet. Philippians 1:6 states we can be confident “of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

He placed me on staff at PBI so I would be where I needed to be in order to meet the people I needed to meet, who would tell me what I needed to hear so I would know what God would have me do in Austria. Now that’s mind boggling!!!

Blessings, Mari