December 6th, 2010

You may have heard about the Lankford from friends. Maybe you saw them on stage a few months ago in our worship services. Perhaps you, like many, have walked alongside them for many years at Brentwood Baptist through Kairos, Bible studies, service opportunities, and more.

If you don't know them from Adam, you should. Their spiritual story has raced from 0-100 mph in a matter of months—all because of their surrender and obedience to God's call on their lives.

Both Joey and Courtney were fortunate to grow up in Christian homes where they learned about Christ and His love. In high school and college, they followed the same path—wandering away from their faith and searching for their purpose.

"When we got married, we recognized the importance and value of our upbringing and wanted to make that the foundation of our home," Joey said.

Fresh out of college, Joey began working in a family-owned healthcare business at 22 years old. He was extremely successful, later building a home for their family and buying most everything their hearts desired. But it wasn't enough.

"In 2008, the comfort of this began to cause us to ask questions," he said. "I could see myself working in this wonderful environment for 25-30 years. But the thought of it began to plague me. If this were to happen, would I be satisfied that it was all I'd done in my life?"

God does what He does best—He stirred things up in their hearts and lives. Soon, they desperately wanted to "break free from the clutches of the materialistic sewage" they'd been drowning in. The desire to obey His call on their lives began to take control.

"In early 2008, we began discussing adoption and knew God was calling us to walk this journey with Him," Joey said. "As we surrendered to this call, we realized how much God could do with a simple willingness to obey. There were so many questions that surrounded our adoption. And, many days, we would go to God in prayer and confess our lack of faith and ask Him for direction. He began to reveal His faithfulness as we walked the adoption journey, which created in us the desire to seek more desperately His complete will for our lives."

One step after another, the kept walking the path of obedience.

Last year, the growing family prayed about moving to Cape Town, South Africa. They would act as Brentwood Baptist missionaries with Living Hope Community Center, a clinic that treats and offers prevention education to HIV/AIDs patients and is also a Brentwood Baptist Hope for the World Missions Offering partner.

Then, this past summer, they completed the adoption process, welcoming home a baby girl, Bristol, from Africa. She became the catalyst they needed to finalize their decision to move their family around the world. They sold their belongings and packed for a new chapter.

Joey, Courtney, and their children—Briley, Braxton, Barron, and Bristol—are now living out God's calling in Cape Town. Joey said, "We've been adjusting well to our move. We have tough moments when we miss our family, friends, and country, but we have a prevailing peace that only comes from knowing we're where God wants us."

In South Africa, Joey is working with a branch of Living Hope called Living Way, which economically empowers people from poor, under-resourced communities in Cape Town.

Courtney is enrolling their children in school and settling the family in their new home. As a licensed nurse, she'll begin looking for opportunities to minister using her gifts after the new year. Eager to find her place, she'll likely be helping AIDS and HIV patients in some capacity.

"We hope and pray our lives and ministry will bring glory to our Lord," Joey said. "God has put us in an amazing place and has given us an opportunity to minister to the 'least of these'. May He find us faithful as we build relationships and love the people that He brings us to."

How you can pray for the Lankfords:
• Protection
• Health
• Diligence in seeking God with all their hearts
• Faithfulness to respond to His calling in obedience

How you can support the Lankfords:
• Give to the Hope for the World Missions Offering, which supports our missionaries.

Follow the Lankford family's journey in South Africa on their blog.

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