Cannot Stop Speaking

The seeds that were planted at the Answers in Genesis conference I attended had been germinating—pressing against the soil of my soul, desperate to emerge and stretch towards the light. I learned there was going to be a four-day conference called Creation College. I had to go! It would be held at the headquarters of Answers in Genesis and attendees would get a preview of the soon-to-open Creation Museum. The good folks of my little country church agreed to sponsor my trip and I was on my way to Kentucky!

As before, there was this incredible sense of slipping into comfortable shoes. Many unrealized tensions were released as I learned more and more; I was like a sponge. I went to as many sessions as I possibly could, took copious notes, bought materials, and talked to speakers and people. There was one woman I always bumped into. She seemed to be at the same sessions, I would see her in the hallways, in the cafeteria. We ended up sitting together often, and eventually, I asked the standard question, “So, where are you from?” Her answer left me speechless. “I’m from Canton, South Dakota.” That was where I lived. Remember, we were in Kentucky! I marveled that of all the people I could have met, God orchestrated a meeting between two people from the same small town in South Dakota—in Kentucky. We couldn’t help but take note of the coincidence (not!) and felt sure we were meant to walk together in our ministries back home, armed with all this new knowledge and evidence for our faith.

Upon returning, my mental sponge was so full I just had to wring it out! I couldn’t stop talking to anyone who would listen about all I had learned—Acts 4:20 took on a whole new meaning. Admittedly, seeing Jesus do miracles would be far more mind-blowing, but I simply could not help but speak about what I had seen and heard. I led a Bible study, I spoke to the women’s group, I spoke to the high schoolers, and I even spoke to the primary school kids! I remember taking my kids’ Fisher-Price Little People pirate ship as a stand-in for Noah’s ark. I marched little plastic animals up the ramp, two-by-two. Dogs, cats, dinosaurs . . . Hold on! Dinosaurs? Two of these little preschoolers were brothers whose dad was an engineer. These kids knew a thing or two. And they were emphatic that dinosaurs did not go on the ark. They went extinct sixty-five million years ago, before there were even people. These kids were like four and five! I remember thinking, how could this be?! Indoctrinated—brain-washed—about evolution by the age of four! The world was speaking loudly—the church had better speak up. We had better speak up. I had better speak up.

You know, I did end up meeting with that gal a few times. I even loaned her some curriculum and materials I had purchased. But my creation ministry didn’t exactly flourish then . . . you know, the hamster wheel.

“As for us, we cannot help speaking about

what we have seen and heard.”

Acts 4:20 NIV

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who

believe in me—to stumble, it would be better

for them to have a large millstone hung around

their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” 

Matthew 18:6 NIV