God’s Challenge to Me

By John Korb
Vancouver, WA
April 28, 2009

I’m home now; it has been quite the experience. I’m not thinking only of the Romania Mission, but of how God has led me to this place, Romania.

About four years ago I was invited by Mick Turner to attend a concert of the His Praise Men’s Chorus at Sunnyside SDA Church. My wife Shari and I attended, mainly because we wanted to support Mick. He was the only one we knew in the chorus. We enjoyed the music, both the performance and messages. During one of the songs that I particularly enjoyed I thought, “Boy that sure looks like fun. I wish I could sing like that.” Later, as I was further moved by the music, I breathed a silent prayer that said, “Lord, I would be willing to sing in a group like that, but I would need to be invited.”

Following the concert we visited with a number of friends and expressed our appreciation to the singers for their wonderful music. We headed for the door and congratulated Charlie Drury and Rick Martin, chorus members who were standing at the door to the parking lot. We shared with them our appreciation for their music and they responded by saying, “Are you going to come sing with us?” I was immediately struck with the impression that this was an answer to my prayer. There could be no denying it.

But deny it I did. I made some miserable excuse that I didn’t know how to sing and I had never sung in a chorus. As we walked toward the car into the cool night air, I was sweating. I knew that God had challenged me to follow through with my commitment to sing if I was invited.

Once we arrived home, Shari and I were sitting in our family room and I told her, “I’ve got to tell you a story.” I shared with her my prayer and how God had created a situation for the invitation and yet I had not responded in a positive way.

Shari’s response was, “You have to do it!”

The following week I met with Mick to share my story. Much to my surprise he said we are having practice Monday and I should come. He said, “We are a ministry, not just a music group.”

It was Mick who also encouraged me to join OAMC. I agreed to try, knowing that I was not prepared, really didn’t know how to sing and scared to death of my own voice. At OAMC I also found that “It really was not about the music,” but fellowship and growing in our spiritual journey.

Fast forward four years. The amazing part of this experience is that by accepting God’s challenge, I have had the opportunity to sing in His Praise, sing with OAMC and to participate in this wonderful Romania mission.

Recently I read a quote that said something like, “God does not place a desire in your heart to do that which you have no ability to do.” I thank God for making the Romania Mission possible. I thank all those who answered the call and gave their time and made gifts to help fund the mission. Ask any of the OAMC members and they will tell you the investments made will have eternal results.

May God be blessed.