Testimonies

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In my parents’ home in my late 30’s I went through an endless round of activities: children's Bible classes, teaching primary Sunday School, church secretary, church pianist, and visitation.

Several times I had left to do a work for the Lord. On four of these occasions I had suffered a nervous breakdown.

"Lord, show me what your will is for me," I had prayed over and over, but I received no answer. What was wrong? I wondered.

Then Ron Corley, a missionary to the Navajo, preached evangelistic services in our church for an entire week. He spoke to me, "Why don't you join us in Navajoland?"

"God hasn't called me to the Navajo," I replied. To myself I said, "I can't learn that hard language."

As I continued to pray for the Lord's will, I thought God might use the Spanish I had learned. But "God's thoughts are not my thoughts...His thoughts are higher than my thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9, KJV).

Ron had failed to convince me that the Lord could use me in Navajoland. He left for Bloomfield, New Mexico with my heart still void of joy.

I kept repeating my prayer, "Lord, open a door for me." Why didn’t God answer?

Meanwhile, Ron also kept praying for the Lord's will in my life. He was not convinced the Lord did not want me serving the Navajo. A year later he led another week of evangelistic meetings in Montrose, Colorado.

His preaching moved me. However, I still did not believe the Lord wanted me in Navajoland. I listened with my mind, but in my heart I said, "Not me, Lord."

"Why don't you come down and visit us for a week?" Ron suggested.

I took a deep breath. "Okay," I agreed. I had not taken a vacation for years. Getting away for a week sounded good.

Near the end of this week an event changed the course of my life. Don, Ron’s twin brother, drove me to White Rock. After ten miles of paved roads, we bounced and bounced over a deep-rutted, dirt road about sixty-five miles. We crashed through a big hole and my head hit the ceiling of Don’s VW "bug".

We finally arrived at White Rock, New Mexico. Berta, Don’s wife, set a can of coffee on the potbellied stove and served us lunch. Soon afterwards, Don and I made a few visits.

"Yá'át'ééh," a young woman called to me, greeting me in her native tongue."

"Yá'át'ééh," I replied.

That evening we sang songs in Navajo, Brother Don prayed and preached in Navajo. (Only about one in five Navajos speak English there.)

When we arrived back in Farmington, I asked Don, "Does yá'át'ééh mean hello?"

"You're a pretty good Navajo," he answered me.

This one word turned my life around. "I can't go to the Navajo," I had argued, "because I could never learn that hard language." God showed me I could by causing me to understand and speak one word.

Still I was not convinced. I kept saying in my heart, "Not me, Lord. I'm not called to the Navajo."

My last night, Wednesday, I sat alone in my room with my Bible. I opened its pages to Isaiah 42:6-7. Although this passage prophesies of the Messiah, God drove these words into my heart like a wedge. "I the LORD have called thee in righteousness...to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house" (Isa. 42:6-7, KJV).

"Who is so blind as the Navajo?" He said to me. "Do they not sit imprisoned by their sin? Do they not grope in darkness? Lynn, I want you to go."

God had broken down all my defenses. I tried other arguments, too, but man cannot win an argument with God. I could no longer say, "Not me, Lord." I now knew the only path to happiness and peace for me. If I refused, I could face only misery. At last I yielded to the Spirit's voice, and said, "Yes, Lord, I'll go."

When I came out of my room, Brother Ron asked, "Where have you been?"

I grinned. I could not share the secrets of my heart yet.

Obstacles stood in my way. When I arrived home, Mom asked, "Are you going back to the Navajo?"

"Yes," I replied.

"No, you're not," she countered.

"I'm over twenty-one," I said softly. Tears almost came to my eyes. I loved my Mom. I started planning how I could move to Navajoland. I thought of my friend, Sharon, near by. Perhaps she would take me to the bus depot.

Later, Mom said, "Dad and I will drive you there" when my departure time drew near. I started packing my bags.

Then big snows came, making Red Mountain and Lizard Head passes impassable. I thought of going ahead on the bus, but my folks said, "We'll take you when the roads are clear." For a week I paced the floor while my things cluttered up the guest room floor.

In January 1969 we loaded up the Red Ford pickup and traveled over Lizard Head Pass to Farmington, New Mexico. When we arrived, the missionaries told me they had planned a nice reception for me on my expected arrival date. I felt sorry to have missed it, but happy to be where the Lord wanted me.

I made my home here and served in various ministries among the Navajo. As far as I knew I'd stay here until the Lord called me home.

Once again my plans changed drastically. I met up with a surprise. A gentleman, Leon Wallace, came to work with the mission. I saw him at first in the Navajo language class. The mission for drunk Navajos met in the same building. I wondered, What was Leon doing there? I did not speak to him that night.

The missionaries wasted no time in checking out Leon’s references. It was then I learned he had come to help.

He noticed me at once in the Navajo language class, but he later told me, "I thought, You may be too young for me." Before long he found out my age and decided eight years did not make much difference.

Leon began to court me in earnest. Before long he popped the question, "Will you marry me?"

I kept him waiting for about two weeks while I did some of the hardest praying I have ever done. I tried to list the pro's and con's, but I had trouble with the con's. I somehow knew God had led us together and at last I said, "Yes."

Now my heart spilled over with joy and peace. In December 1970 we married and about two years later God blessed our marriage with a lovely daughter, Lynette. I'm glad I stopped saying, "Not me, Lord."

God does not call all of us to the mission field, but He has a work for each of us to do for Him. It can get no better than when we stop saying, "Not me, Lord."


Bio: After Leon and Lynn had served on the Navajo mission field for several years, God called her husband home. Shortly after this, God called Lynn to write. Over eighty of her articles found publication. Accent Bible Curriculum published two of her curriculum packages. In 2008 Ambassador Emerald International published her first book, Our Lifeship: A Study in Proverbs for Women. Now she is beginning a speaking ministry. See her bio, about her book, and more at www.writingfrommyheart.com.

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