By Caleb & Kate Ernst, missionaries to Spain | SEND Europe
One ordinary Sunday morning in 2019, as the worship band started their final song, we felt a prompt from God to be prayed over as a couple. Like most times, when God speaks, it is a quiet, simple nudge — an undeniable feeling that God was asking for a simple act of obedience because He had a plan. So, we headed to the prayer room, not sure what to expect. Little did we know that a seemingly small step of obedience would become pivotal for our life’s direction.
The two years prior had been especially difficult. In the chaos, we had given up on our shared dream to become missionaries. We were tired, discouraged, and confused about God’s calling for our family and burdened by some heavy cares. So, as we found someone to pray with us, we asked for prayer over our hearts — that God would help us in our discouragement and bring us hope. Then we prayed.
Our prayer partner boldly shared something God placed on her heart as we finished praying. She felt God wanted us to know He was holding onto and cherishing dreams we had given up on. Not only that, but He wanted those dreams for our lives as well. We knew the moment she finished sharing that the dream she was talking about was mission work. We both cried as God ushered his hope into our hearts and gave us the direction we needed.
We share this story because as we gear up for our ministry in Spain, we want you to know that prayer matters. A simple act of obedience — our friend praying for us and then sharing what God placed on her heart — set in motion where we are today. She had no clue that the dream we had given up on was mission work. But as she partnered with us in prayer, she allowed God to use her to speak truth and encourage us. It was a beautiful moment of God at work in his body of believers.
As we prepare for the mission field, we need prayer partners in this ministry. We (and other SEND missionaries!) need partners who believe prayer changes hearts, brings comfort and clarity in times of need, and is the foundation of good transformative ministry. We need partners who will pray for protection over our family as we head to the mission field. And we need partners who can’t wait to see people come to know Jesus in Spain and other parts of the world.
SEND stresses the importance of prayer amidst the complex and joyful work of gospel ministry. Each missionary is encouraged to build a team of faithful prayer partners. Would you join us in praying for the Ernst Family and our many missionaries seeking to serve as fruitful ambassadors for Christ among the unreached?
