“He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” Psalm 18:19 NIV
I moved back home, but home had changed. After twenty years serving in overseas ministry, the once small town where we hoped to settle for retirement was no longer small. As we returned, locals were struggling with the building of a mosque—the first for our city—and what it represented to those who refused to recognize they were now living in a multi-cultural community.
We had been working among Muslims for decades. We loved them and saw many come to know Jesus Christ as Savior. We understood the teachings of Islam and had written books about it. What we thought was retirement proved to be just another season in ministry, as my late husband and I began teaching groups and churches. A few years after our return, we started an Arabic-language church, where I translated for English speakers and served as administrator. We served there together for four years.
After my husband’s death, I pressed on with the church, but ultimately felt the Lord giving me permission to move on. I needed to grieve and rest. I also needed to learn what He was asking me to do now, as a single woman. My children were grown and out of the house. I had to find my way.
During this period, God used Psalm 18 to help me rest in my decision.
He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me (Psalm 18:19 NIV).
Even though I was still working full-time, I sat in that spacious place of newly-provided free time and pondered next steps. I had always believed that my years in overseas ministry provided a worldview and life experience many Christians don’t have. I also knew that because I had been well-loved and supported in my missionary career, I wanted to pour back into the new generation of mission workers.
I drew a picture of a tree to represent my life. The big branches were my life experiences and knowledge in specific areas. From those, I could write, speak, and teach others—all with the purpose of making disciples, building the church, and bringing glory to God. In the process of growing excitement for the future, God used this verse from Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus to bring great comfort.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
I did not have to figure it all out. God prepared in advance the good he wanted me to do. He had prepared me as a writer. He had allowed me to have some amazing life experiences on the mission field and with my Egyptian-American husband. He had provided me a job at a public library, where I gained even greater experience in my home-country among a secular workforce.
I rested in all this and then sat back for Him to show me how and where to use it for His purposes. I’ve written books, spoken to various groups, taught Bible studies at my local church, and done trainings on Islam and reaching Muslims for Christ. I’ve been retired for almost three years and have learned that God continues to prepare good works for me, as people call or text me for counsel or prayer. I have learned to make lunch dates with people He brings to mind, trusting they need encouragement or a listening ear.
I’m living a life of steady trust in God’s timing for everything, because I realize that He is the one guiding my steps and using me as His instrument.
Nothing is wasted in God’s economy. I remember seeing a friend who had, years earlier, been through a difficult marriage and divorce. The verse he clung to was from the book of Joel: “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten” (Joel 2:25). He was joyfully serving and happily remarried, knowing God had restored his life. Now he could be an encouragement and supporter of others who were going through trials, because he was witness to the faithfulness of God.
Reflect on the details of your life
Who are you? How have you been uniquely trained through education or service? What jobs have you done over the years? Think about how these experiences can help you relate to others or can help you build bridges to the gospel.
What has happened to you? Have you experienced closed doors of sudden change through illness, divorce, death of a loved one, or other trials? How did that change the direction of your life? How did you see God working in and through that experience, changing you, growing you into Christlikeness? Even the hardest of times can serve as avenues of His grace as you share, write, or minister to others.
Finally, ask yourself this question: Are you trying to organize your days or letting God take control? He’s got good for you to do, but sometimes that means we have to say no to what we want. Allow Him to lead you to a spacious place of thankfulness and appreciation for all He’s done in your life and openness to what He longs to do in and through you to His glory. He’s got the material He needs in who you are and what you’ve experienced—it’s time to put it in His hands to be used for His purposes.
Grace and Peace
{If you enjoyed this blog post, you might also like this episode of The Love Offering Podcast, where Rachael chats with Kirby Kelly about how God has been faithfully stitching together the threads of her own story—through unexpected love, deep grief after the sudden loss of her mom, seasons of doubt, family struggles, and betrayal. And through it all, she’s discovered something powerful: God wastes nothing. You can listen to the episode here.}
About the Author:
Carol Ghattas has spent over forty years in cross-cultural service and has lived in six countries. Having served single, married, and now as a widow, Carol lives what she writes. She has written over ten fiction and non-fiction works, her latest, When You Don’t Feel Like Celebrating: A 31-Day Advent Devotional, was published in October 2025. She is a sought-after speaker on Islam, missions, writing, and other topics. Carol has been an active blogger since 2016, at lifeinexile.net. Now retired, Carol focuses on her writing, with her cat, Maggie, comfortably sleeping on her desk.
