Urbana Archives Missionary Testimony

Shebrae Jackson

Sharing out of her brokenness, Shebrae Jackson related her story of what it means to find and follow God's will. The last year has been difficult for Shebrae-she lost a good friend in a plane crash-and she believed that she would need to "get it together" before she spoke at Urbana. God reminded her that she should come just as she is.

During her senior year of college, Shebrae felt the Holy Spirit speaking to her heart about serving God, yet she turned a deaf ear to his voice because she was afraid. With her degree in social work, she went to work with at-risk families and became involved with an urban Young Life group. Again she felt the call of God on her life as friends would write to her about participating with the agency Mission Year. She found as she resisted, she was "literally in pain." At last, yielding to God, Shebrae joined Mission Year for a one-year training program, where she spent an intense year in community living.

She found it a "messy," yet positive time. Living with four whites in a black neighborhood was messy. The violence around her was messy. Still she learned to be always listening to God because he is always speaking. Her final admonishment to the students was to hear God's voice in the small decisions, to listen to him who is intimately acquainted with all our ways.

 
 

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come!"

Revelation 4:8 (NIV)

 
 

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