On April 2, 2010, the Lord told me to resign from a full-time ministry position. The difficult part was that the Lord did not tell me where I was going. I was in a period of transition, seeking the Lord for guidance on my next steps.
During this time, I started attending a Thursday morning Bible study at Advancing Native Missions. I came feeling burnt out and lost, and was wondering if God had forgotten about me. However, listening to missionaries share their stories in this weekly gathering built up my faith as I heard about their trust in God’s provision. It left me filled with hope.
As a single mother with four mouths to feed, fear and doubt began to creep in as my savings were dwindling fast. I asked the Lord if He had forgotten me, and His response was, “Be still and know that I am God.”
During one of these Bible study mornings, Bo Barredo, President of Advancing Native Missions, expressed his desire to speak with me. He explained that there was an area within ANM that had not been fully realized and that he wanted to see it accomplished. It resonated with me, and I felt that the Lord had saved it for me. He then asked me to propose what International Women’s Ministries would look like, and I happily took on the challenge.
I left that day feeling God had just called me to a new season. Within a few days, the Lord inspired me to write a ninety-day plan of action for bringing International Women’s Ministries to life, and I presented the proposal to Bo a few days later. I also began praying and fasting for the Lord to open the door for me to join ANM.
I remember vividly the day I received the call. I was comforting my mom at her home, wiping her tears as she had just been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. It was during this moment that Bo Barredo and Oliver Asher called me, expressing their belief that I could take International Women’s Ministries to the next level. They loved my proposal and knew it was from the Lord, but were concerned about me being a single mom and raising my own support. I assured them that God was my provider, and Bo immediately invited me to come and talk to them.
As a single mom with four kids, I answered the call to global missions and raising my own support. It was scary, but I felt a peace and calm because I knew I was in the center of God’s will.
Though unsure of how I would raise my own support, I found myself feeling downcast in spirits one day while sitting in a coffee shop in the middle of a mall. Suddenly, Bo and Marlou appeared, and Bo presented me with a check for $1,000 from a faithful donor to start IWM. I was moved to tears and repented to the Lord for doubting His ability to provide.
At one point, Bo said something prophetic, stating that I would one day run my own organization. Little did I know that is exactly where God was taking International Women’s Ministries.
There’s much more to this story that I wish I could share. I’ll end with this: Putting my trust in Him led me to witness God work one miracle after another. Becoming a missionary was a faith exercise that took me to deeper wells of access in the Kingdom.
Accepting the call to “wipe the tears of sisters globally” began a movement of epic proportions! Now IWM is being replicated in various countries, and it all started as a dream of Bo’s to care for the wives, widows, and single women on the mission field. I’m thankful for Bo’s belief in me, his support when things seemed tough, and the training I received under him to advocate for those without a voice. I am committed to “wipe the tears of our sisters” until Jesus comes back to wipe away all tears.
Autumn Nims
President of International Women’s Ministries
