Tim Baker - Leave a Footprint--Change the Whole World

For Ruth Shorey

Teacher. Missionary. Mother. Wife. Life-shaping friend to hundreds ofpeople. You effortlessly lived the love of Jesus, traveling the world withjoy and color, enthusiastically seeking to bring others to the Savior youloved so dearly. The world felt heavier when you left it. We miss you.

ZONDERVAN

Leave a FootprintChange the Whole World
Copyright 2009 by Tim Baker

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ePub Edition January 2009 ISBN: 978-0-310-56973-2

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Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

ISBN 978-0-310-27885-6

International Trade Paper Edition

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Cover design by SharpSeven Design

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CONTENTS

...would others want to follow your tracks?

...would you love him back with your life?

would you see yourself differently?

would you unleash it on the planet?

would you use it for Gods glory?

...would that affect how you served the body?

would you dance and sing and create?

would you use it to change the world?

would you rise to the challenge?

would you shed your ordinary, tourist self?

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to the people who worked hard to pull this book together, andwho provided encouragement along the way

Jay Howver and everyone at the YS publishing team. You are goodpeople doing good work. Thanks for the gift of working with you.

Doug Davidson. Youre the biggest prize any author has ever received.Where have you been all my life? Thanks for your unending patience,for making dozens of changes, and for challenging me.

My church family at Hope Fellowship. Your encouragement throughthe writing of this book means the world to me. Ben, somewhere alongthe way in this project you stopped being senior pastor and became myvery good friend. What a good friend you are.

Nicole, Jessica, and Jacob Baker. Travel. Learn. Be grace-filled. Seekforgiveness, peace, and reconciliation. Keep your eyes fixed on thehorizon. Dont settle for stale, prepackaged answers. Love everyoneyou meet. Thanks for being Gods young hands in my life.

And Jacqui. You make our marriage a poetic praise to God. Youvesacrificed more than anyone could know so I could write this book.
I love you.

...would others want to follow your tracks?

Small, very-used-up toys and old baby pushcarts often litter our churchs small nursery. As on most other Sunday mornings, there were a few toddlers struggling to move around on the floor, their attentions shifting quickly from one toy to another. Julie sat in the room rocking babies, building red and yellow block castles, and changing an occasional diaper.

Id met Julie four years earlier, when she was a freshman in college, and wed been friends since. Julie had always seemed wise well beyond her yearsan old soul trapped in her young body. She was quiet, but not timid, and often spoke with restrained strength. And there was always laughter flowing out of her. You know how it is when you have a friend whos about to graduate or move? It seems like the last few conversations you have with these friends are always the best onesthe ones that make you say to yourself and to them how much you wish they werent moving away because you want to have more good talkseven though you really havent had that many really great talks. Well, as I sat in the nursery with Julie that day, thats the kind of talking we did. Julies graduation was rocketing toward her, and she was stressingfeeling unready to go out into the world. It was too much pressure. Julie was caving...

And drowning

And worrying

Shed been studying to be an airplane mechanic, but as graduation approached she was questioning the decision shed made years earlier. Did she really believe God had led her to this major? Had she made the right decision investing four years of her life at this university? Should she have become a pilot? An English teacher? A politician? Shed loved airplanes since she was a kid, but doubt was creeping in and ruining the certainty shed had about her future, and stress was taking over and making her feel like shed chosen the wrong major. After investing a lot of time, money, and emotion imagining herself as the jumpsuit-wearing airplane-mechanic girl, she was realizing now that airplanes were the last occupation on her list.

And, it felt like everyone had gotten in the disappointment line, waiting to blast her for any change in major or life direction. People like

Her parents Theyd spent tons of money sending her to the right school. Theyd invested countless hours on the phone encouraging her. Theyd shared their pride in her to their friends. Their focus was on Julie actually doing what shed been training to do.

Her friends They were all heading off to do what theyd been preparing four years to start doing. Grad school. Their first jobs. Getting married. Buying a carrenting a housefinding new places to hang out.

Her teachers Theyd invested hours teaching her the finer points of overhauling airplane engines. Her advisor had spent more than a lot of time working with her to craft the right course schedules.

And Julie, herself She was afraid she was ruining her entire future and life. She didnt want to let anyone down, including God. It was a weighty time for her.

How do you take on the world when youre not sure youre really readyand not sure you really want to do what youve been saying you want to do for years? How do you live with the tension of doing what God wants, what your parents expect, and what you love? How can you know Gods will for your life so clearly that you dont mess up what he wants you to do?

A DIVINE BLUEPRINT?

I tried. I did my best to ease Julies fears. Im sure you know how compassion kicks in when you see a friend hurting. It spills out of you like warm hot chocolate. I offered her my sweet warm fuzzy ideas God loves you no matter what, I said. Youll be fine, just take a step of faith, and make sure you honor God with what occupation you do choose, I continued.