I believe everyone has a desire to make a difference in this world and leave some sort of impact with their life. Yet, we rarely feel as if we do. We live frustrated, inadequate in making a difference. We think that if we had someone else’s life, personality, finances, education, or circumstance; then we could make an impact.

Death always leaves us recalculating life and recalibrating the way we live. One of my close friends recently died. Death never seems right. We weren’t created to die. Thank God He loved us enough to make a way for us to live eternally in Him! Yet, the sting of death still remains real. 

Sara, or “Kumba” as they called her in the village, lived and loved. Whether you smelled of American middle class perfume, excessive body odor from drawing water from a well, or cigarette smoke from a habit formed long ago - she LOVED you! Her passport had so many stamps from going on mission that she needed to add more pages. Nothing was an obstacle to her; only an opportunity to learn, pray, and go with the flow of a creative God at work around her.

Something within us makes us think that to make an impact, our name has to be known. Women’s names like Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer are in the files of our mind of women who make impacts. (At least they do in Christian-American circles.) Yet, if you went to K-village in West Africa and mentioned their names, the village would reply “Who???” 

Even as you read this, you have no reference of my friend, Sara Williams. But if her name is mentioned in K-village, words from smiling faces would pour out stories of a crazy white woman who demonstrated love to them, taught them stories from the Bible even though they couldn’t read, helped them harvest crops, pound food, dance and sing, and prayed with them in times of hurt. 

They know Sara’s name. However, her name, generations from now in this village, will eventually be diminished to “some white woman who told about Jesus.” And therein lies the beauty! Some white woman becomes small, and Jesus’ name is remembered. He must increase, and we must decrease.

We assume people like this had some magical, spiritual key we don’t have and could never measure up to or find. I’ve rewound and replayed the journey I saw Sara walk the past nine years. When I first met her, she was 42, with a heart to know God, His Word, and pray. She wasn’t seminary trained (or married to someone who was). She didn’t have the religious jargon we often think is the vernacular of “real” church people. She actually believed “nothing is impossible with God.” 

On our women’s leadership team, Sara led her first Bible study. As one of four unlikely women on a pioneer mission team to West Africa, she caught the vision to reach these people. She learned as she went, then transferred what she learned as she encouraged others to go on 13 of the 20 teams we’ve sent to this village.

Big stories like this are impressive. Yet, countless small stories with immeasurable significance have shaped people. Many have said, “It was Sara who made me feel welcome at church and so I came back.” Or, “It was Sara who hugged me every Sunday.” Or, “It was Sara who always said, ‘Let’s pray about this.’”

What in God’s name are you doing for Heaven’s sake? Not measured by your standards, but measured by the standard of God’s name. Your name may never be known. I pray it’s not. May “His name and remembrance be the desire of your soul” (Isaiah 26:8-9).

Lori McDaniel is hopelessly addicted to chips and salsa, collecting quotes, completing her bucket list, and being on mission around the world. She, her husband Mike, and their 3 children have ministered in small town USA churches, served as IMB missionaries in Zambia, Africa and currently minister at the church they planted in Bentonville, AR in 2001.

Lori leads SheLivesOutloud Women’s Ministry at Grace Point Church. She has a passion for teaching the Word so that people get the threads that run through it and then equip them to tell it themselves. Having a heartbeat for the world, she loves training volunteer mission teams to story and think with a different worldview before they head off on mission journeys. You can find out more about Lori at iLiveOutLoud.com.

Photos/LoriMcDaniel

What in God’s name are YOU doing for Heaven’s sake?