Because He called,
I was willing to be poor —
and I was.
I was willing to be single —
and I was.
I was willing to be sent to the ends of the earth –
and I was.
The King sent me because I was willing.
Because He called
I was willing to forego my higher education—
and I did.
I was willing to set aside professional advancement—
and I did.
I was willing to lose my reputation
as “most likely to succeed”—
and I did.
The King sent me because I was willing—
to steaming jungles
wind-whipped deserts
oppressive slums
the crush of humanity
to be crushed.
And now?
I am not poor.
I could crash land anywhere on earth
and find my friends.
I have owned more homes than 98 percent
of people in all of history.
Old fine china serves
our guests of many languages.
I have been rich enough
to give more than a million dollars’
service to the King.
Now I am not single.
I am a wife
mother of three on three continents
“mother” to scores scattered on the globe
grandmother of seven cherubs.
Now I am not sent away.
I go by invitation
living in three countries
teaching in two score
traveling in dozens.
Because I was willing
to be poor
single
sent away
to serve my King
I am a privileged graduate of five schools
envied for my “field experience”
“distinguished alumna” for service
professionally “advanced”
because I was willing to be “stuck.”
Because I was willing, O my King,
to sign Your blank page,
You wrote on it
all the desires of my heart—
and more.
This article is a classic originally published in our early print magazines.
View the original print magazine where this article was first published.
