Many historical recordings document the lives of people who have lived the life that our greatest example, Jesus Christ, spoke that a Christian should live. Many of these people have been leaders. Some have shown themselves not full of avarice, or greed, in keeping with Christ’s rebuke from the scriptures of Luke, and have shown no interest in making the house of God a “den of thieves” (Biblegateway, 2016). The Apostle Paul is a great example of a Christian who happened to be a leader, although he never held a particular office in the Christian Church building as it exists today, of course. The Apostle performed many miracles by the authority of Jesus Christ throughout his life. The Apostle Paul was killed in Rome, Italy, circa 67 years after the birth of Jesus Christ, suffering torture, then beheading on June 29, of that year, or so it is believed (Cristianity.com, 2016).
Today’s church leaders, namely effective pastors, apparently have several traits in common, according to Christianity Today. They are loyal to God and others, they are fun, although they have a great sense of work ethic; they are aware of their weaknesses and strengths, they take initiative, love people, and are tenacious (Church Central, 2016). These traits are very admirable and excellent. Any pastor would want to have all of these. Yet, in remembrance of what Christian martyrs endured, everyone who is realistic knows that some leaders, like Apostle Paul, might never have the opportunity to be these kinds of leaders to people. This brings me to someone I have heard of, of whom I would like to write. The leader is not a male, but a female. She is remembered, in my mind, reportedly, for doing a phenomenal job at being a leader, even though it cost her a great deal in her personal life. I cannot expose the individual. The person who told me of the person says that they adamantly choose to remain unknown as they would say “to the glory of God, so no one can boast.” Therefore, she can only be referred to as the missionary. Considering the source of this information, I have no doubt at all it is true.
The missionary, as she would maybe prefer, left her home land. She went to the place where her sense of God commanded her to go. Just as Jesus, and Apostle Paul went, she was told in Hebrew when it was time for her to go. This may sound incredible, but it happened. When she journeyed to the place, she had a young son with her. It was deemed that they stay there in that set place for a number of years, by God, she believed. During her time at an apartment complex run down with drug activity, it is said that she became manager there at the project, and ran it “as if it was a church, and she was it’s pastor”. People breaking the law, and loitering, were handed over to the police, and drug activity ceased at the place as if it were supernatural. The place became peaceful and beautiful, for a couple of years while she managed it.
Other miraculous things occurred. These miracles include the story of a man who was deeply involved with drugs, being touched and prayed for by her, and he joined the city’s largest church. Another miracle tells of a man the woman laid hands upon who was in need of a transplant. At the time, there was no opportunity for months and he remained on the list for a donor. The missionary laid hands upon him, and 24 hours later, a kidney was found for the man, and he received the kidney, without rejection from his body. There was also a story of a 20 month old child drowned in a pool, whose eyes opened when the missionary prayed for Jesus, by The Holy Spirit, to go and open his eyes at the emergency room at the hospital. The most incredible thing is, that the child had been face down in the pool for several minutes, and was reportedly, dead. The child is alive and well, and shows no brain damage.
Yet and despite all the great things that happened, too many to record, the manager was put away, and lost her job. She was reported for protecting animals that were strays that had no home. She opened her home to them, and lost her place to stay as a result, becoming homeless. However, she found homes for all the cats and one dog before she left the city at the appointed time that her Lord and Savior gave her. She has since found a place to stay, and another job. While this story may seem unbelievable, I know from the source that it is true. I wanted to write of what I know about her, because the missionary is an ideal example of a leader who lives for Jesus Christ.
References
Bible Gateway.com. (2016). Bible gateway passage: Luke 19:45-48 – King James Version. Bible gateway. Retrieved 30 August 2016, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2019:45-48
Christianity.com. (2016). Apostolic beheading; the death of paul. Christianity.com. Retrieved
Church Central. (2016). Seven personality traits of effective leaders. (2016). Pastors. Retrieved 30 August 2016, from http://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2009/december-online-only/sevenpersonalitytraitsofeffectiveleaders.html
