A Decision Today Makes an Eternal Impact
We all want our lives to count for something — to make a difference. God wired into our souls the desire to leave a legacy. As believers, we understand that longing is rooted in the fact that God made us to live in light of eternity.
There are two things that will last forever: God’s Word and people. When these two intersect, lives are changed forever! That’s exactly what’s happening as the gospel goes out into the furthest corners of the Earth and people encounter God through Scripture in their own language.
Why We Say Yes
The decisions we make today don’t just have an impact now — they have an impact for all eternity. Check out these stories from Wycliffe partners about why they said yes to God’s invitation to advance His Kingdom through Bible translation!
Family Values of Biblical Generosity
When Michael and Jamie Higdon first became parents, they were challenged to identify traits that they’d pray over their son, believing that with the Lord’s help, he would become fully who God created him to be. They went through that same exercise two years later when they were expecting their daughter. This time, they also decided to create family values that would shape the way they made decisions moving forward.
The Higdon family talks about these values a lot. The values provide guardrails for life’s big decisions and help the family members explain what they do, what they don’t do and why.
Over the years, Michael and Jamie have felt the Lord challenge them to say bigger yeses. Some of those decisions have been harder than others, but in those moments when fear and doubt have crept in, they have consistently returned to their core values.
“They inform our yeses and our nos. Our strategic nos position us to respond to what we truly feel like the Lord is inviting us to say yes to,” Jamie shared. “We consistently ask ourselves, ‘How can we position ourselves to say yes to the things that we truly feel called to step into?’”
One thing He has called them to is supporting Bible translation. “Bible translation has become an integral part of our family’s financial discipline,” Jamie said. Their family partners with a Bible translation project in northwest Tanzania and, as a result, their vision for the world has been enlarged.
Jamie noted: “God has cultivated our longing to one day know that boys and girls just like our son and daughter will be able to read about the life-giving, life-changing story of Jesus in their [language].”
“We long to live openhanded lives,” she continued. “We long to see God work through us to fulfill what He’s already promised He will accomplish. His Kingdom come, His will be done. Biblical generosity reminds us that our time, talents and treasures [are] all His! And for whatever reason, He’s entrusted [them] to our care. We, as a family, have the tremendous privilege of joining Him in the work that He’s already begun and will be faithful to complete: every man, woman and child knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that God speaks their language.
“Why does our family say yes to joining God’s global mission through Bible translation? We’re convinced the better question is, ‘How could we say no?’”
The Impact of a Toast
Larry Cheng — Wycliffe donor and former board chair — was born to Chinese parents, who immigrated to the U.S. from Taiwan. As was typical in the Chinese immigrant community at that time, parents wanted their children to stay immersed in the culture. Larry’s family had big weekly dinners with other migrant Chinese families. The name of the dinner, when translated into English, was “big eat meeting.” He also went to Chinese school as a young child to learn the language and culture.
As he grew up, Larry’s friendships expanded beyond the Chinese community. That’s when he became best friends with his neighbor Everett. The two of them carpooled to school together, took all the same classes, participated in the same sports and experienced all aspects of life together. There was just one problem: Everett always felt a sense of distance from Larry’s parents, who didn’t fully embrace him since he wasn’t Chinese.
Everett ended up studying East Asian studies in college. He went to Taiwan to study abroad and vowed to not speak a single word of English while doing an intensive Chinese language program there. He then graduated and went on to work for a multinational oil and gas company, for which he traveled from New York to Taiwan and China every few weeks for three years.
Everett learned to negotiate business contracts and deals in Chinese. He became so fluent that he continued a study program in joint international relations and business to study Chinese even more intensively.
Around this time, Larry married his now wife, Joanne. He asked Everett to be a groomsman and give a toast at the wedding reception. The reception was filled with extended family who were mostly native Chinese speakers with varying levels of fluency in English.
When Everett stood up to give his toast, he gave it in Chinese — the language of the people he was surrounded by. The crowd erupted in joy, clapping and cheering. Larry had never seen a group of Chinese people erupt with such enthusiasm!
It was an amazing moment. A simple wedding toast managed to bridge a gap that, for years, had gone unbridged. But Larry understood it at once — “He did that by speaking their language.”
The same is true for the Good News, Larry noted: “When you translate the Word of God into a language, generation upon generation upon generation will benefit.”
That’s why Larry is so passionate about Bible translation. He believes all people should have the opportunity to erupt in overwhelming joy after encountering the Good News of Jesus in their language.
A Church’s Heart for Thailand
Casa del Alfarero (CDA), meaning “The Potter’s House,” is a Hispanic church in Orlando, Florida. During conversation with members of Wycliffe’s Church Relations team, the church’s heart for Thailand became evident.
CDA had previously set aside $20,000 to open a coffee shop in Thailand, but the project wasn’t moving forward. In prayer, they asked God what could be done with the funds. It was then that they learned about the Thai Sign Language project — an opportunity they felt God wanted them to invest in.
The remaining need for the project was $40,000. Through the Bread of Life Church Match — a matching gift program for churches that give to Bible translation for the first time — their gift was matched, dollar for dollar.
We praise God for this opportunity and are excited to see what God is going to do — not only through the generosity of CDA but also through the lives that will be impacted in the Thai Deaf community as they gain access to Scripture in their language.
Living in Light of God’s Promise: Your Next Step
What are you passionate about? What excites you so much that you want to tell anyone and everyone about it? What causes you to erupt with joy? What motivates you to live your life on purpose, with purpose?
As His Church, we are called to make disciples of all nations, with each one of us playing our unique role. Whether you have the gift of intercessory prayer, biblical generosity or contagious advocacy, live it out with a passionate sense of purpose, knowing that, through your decisions today, you get to participate in impacting eternity!
Not sure where to start? Here are four simple ways to get started:
- Pray. Link arms with the global Church and pray for active Bible translation projects around the world through the online Wycliffe Prayer Community. Or if you prefer to go analog, download and print the Global Prayer List, updated on a monthly basis with timely requests from partners around the world.
>> Whose answer to prayer are you?
- Give. As we look forward to the day when all communities have Scripture, you have the opportunity to participate through your giving! Together, we want to be “all in” — whether that means supporting the start of translation in a language for the very first time or ensuring that the work continues to completion rather than halting due to a lack of funding.
>> Whose life will change because you gave out of a heart of biblical stewardship and generosity?
- Advocate in Your Community. As God raises up His Church around the globe, He’s inviting each one of us to be involved in this moment. You can be a part of inviting your community — your family, friends, Bible study group, church and others — to join in this transformational work.
>> What communities will be transformed — both locally and globally — because you encouraged partnership?
- Join the Movement. Feeling called to serve with your time and talents? You can be a part of God’s mission through serving in Bible translation, whether the role is full- or part-time, remote or in person, overseas or based in the U.S., volunteer or career.
>> What talents and skills can you contribute to God’s mission for eternal impact?
The Great Commission needs all of us, and as the body of Christ we have the privilege of joining hands in a united “yes”!
With every yes, fewer people are left without Scripture, and more men, women and children are invited to encounter Jesus personally and be transformed. What story is God writing in your life today? It’s a story that not only intersects with His but also with the stories of those you’ll one day worship beside in His presence.
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