Читать книгу In This Place - Kim L. Abernethy - Страница 2

Early in 1987 the calling to write this story began deep in my heart. God had given me a desire to keep rather detailed journals of our cultural adaptations and the emotions behind the challenging times we experienced when first arriving in Liberia! The journals were initially written out of a desire to share these experiences with our family. Although most of my journals were either handwritten or typed on an old Selectric II typewriter, I am forever grateful that I committed to document our first years as missionaries in West Africa.

I am even more grateful for my mother and father who kept those journals in a file. About ten years ago, my mother handed me a thick manila folder stuffed with various sized papers. “These are for when you write your book,” she said as she handed them to me. “I know you will write one day about all that God has shown you in Africa. These should help.” Stunned they really had kept all my African journals, the seed to write grew into a plant shuttering with potential.

It has been a five year journey to bring this book to reality, mostly because of the demanding yet rewarding ministry that we have with college students. Carving out time in the summers and breaks, I began to plunder through my journals and was amazed all over again at God. Though our stories are not the most compelling I have ever heard nor the most important, they are real and powerful. Simply put, God asked me to put them down in book form for HIS GLORY! May He amaze you with His sovereign beauty as you read!

Jeff and I are deeply thankful for our parents, Bob and Geraldine Lennon and Hal and June Abernethy, for how they have loved and guided us, for the vivid examples of how Christians should live through all phases of life; and for the many prayers on our behalf. We felt the power of their love and heartfelt petitions deep in the jungles of West Africa. Any spiritual fruit reaped throughout our years of ministry is placed in their accounts! We are blessed more than we could ever describe with our four amazing parents!!

Debbie Benfield, Melissa Carrara, and Joy Almond, TR Black and Kelly Gurley-Scites–You blessed me with taking your valuable time to do some great editing! You were a powerful part of this project and important parts of my life.

Janet Grams–for using your photography skills to provide a great head shot of Jeff & me. The pictures were taken in the botanical gardens on the campus of UNC-Charlotte where we have ministered for the past eight years with Campus Bible Fellowship International.

Heidi Sheppard–an up and coming young photographer. She is the daughter of Mark and Nancy Sheppard, our former co-workers, who are still ministering in Liberia with Baptist Mid-Missions. The picture on the front cover is hers and was taken in Liberia. Thank you, Heidi, for willingly sharing.

Nancy Freund–an amazing graphic designer and editor for Baptist Mid-Missions. She graciously offered to design my book cover while we were working on a CBFI project. It is evident that the cover is a work born out of her heart for God.

April Stinson–you find joy in bringing the beauty out in others. Thank you for being a blessing and going the extra mile. I’ve seen your heart as you work and know that your love for God is real!

Barb Stevenson–Over twenty years ago, I aspired to be a Bible teacher/speaker that could touch the lives of others just as you had so powerfully touched mine. You so wisely said to me, “Kim, no doubt you will, but first you must live out your own life stories. You need to see that God is exactly who He says He is.” And so, I have. Just as you said. Thank you being the kind of example that I could follow.

Debbie Johnson–Thank you for going above and beyond on the last edit! “Feed a sneak” is a classic! You are dear to my heart.