She knew it in seventh grade.
Stormie Udall, an Alabamian, said she was at the National Acteens Convention in Birmingham when God started talking to her about it.
“During the course of the week, I was exposed to all sorts of missions work from all over the world. For the first time, my eyes were opened to how God was moving across the globe,” Udall said.
And by the Thursday night invitation, she knew it was a done deal.
“That day, I dedicated my life to following Him wherever He may lead,” Udall said.
She meant it.
And at the moment, the “wherever” is a megacity in South Asia, a place that contains some of the area’s poorest and wealthiest people, a place desperately in need of the gospel, Udall said.
“Nearly every religion is represented here in our city, though evangelical Christianity accounts for less than 1 percent of the population,” said Udall, who serves as a Southern Baptist worker alongside her husband, Carlton. “We both felt God calling us to work in a city and among a Muslim population. When we first heard about our city and the incredible needs here, we knew God was revealing His will to us.”
Islam is not the major religion in the couple’s city, so the people they work among face prejudices, she said.
“Unfortunately this prejudice can even be displayed among the Christian community, preventing many Muslims from even hearing the gospel.”
But Udall is seeing things change.
“We are beginning to see local believers who truly are on fire for Christ. They are sharing their faith, and people are coming to know the Savior,” she said.
And a church in the States recently adopted one of the city’s people groups and has already seen Him moving in the people’s hearts.
“This church sent a team to our city to prayer walk and to begin building relationships with the people. After only a week, many people heard the gospel and several accepted Christ,” Udall said.
And small group Bible studies are now meeting weekly in the homes of those who have put their faith in Him.
“God is surely alive and moving in our city,” she said.
Right now, the Udalls are focusing mainly on language learning, something that brings blessings and spiritual warfare alike, she said.
“When I am at home studying language, it is easy to feel guilty about not being outside talking to people and building relationships. However, when I am out trying to talk to people, it is easy to feel guilty about not knowing enough language,” Udall explained.
The enemy uses that to make workers overseas feel constantly inadequate, she said.
“The truth remains that we are weak and Christ is strong. Making it through even a day here requires full dependence on Him.”
Udall asked for believers back home in Alabama to pray that she and her husband would soon be able to communicate well with the people in their “heart language.”
“Pray we will find strength and endurance through the Spirit,” Udall said. “Pray also for us as we build relationships with the people around us — our neighbors, our language helpers, those we meet on the street and in shops. Pray that we will be sensitive to how God is leading and bold to share the greatest message of all time.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — Names have been changed for security reasons.
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