How Do You Turn a Meteorologist into a Missionary? Part 2

So after coming to Christ, I started considering what to do with this newfound relationship. I asked Karen what to read in the Bible. She said "Mark", and I read it in a day. I asked her what next and she said "Romans", and I read it in a day. It was at that moment that she introduced me to Chris. Chris and I would spend time each week reading through Luke, pausing to discuss or answer questions along the way. That would be my foundation of how to study the Bible and pray.

I learned the importance of Scripture memory as well. The first passage I memorized was James 1:2-4 - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds. For the testing of your faith produces endurance, and let endurance have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." I had taken a Bible class my Freshman year for which I had bought a Bible. I marked the James passage, and over the next couple years marked more and more as I sought to discern what I should do. I eventually replaced that Bible, as the binding eventually broke.

About a year after coming to Christ, I went to the Urbana missions conference in 1990. I went there not knowing exactly what I wanted to do. I went to as many booths as I thought feasible, looking for ways to use my impending meteorology degree in God's service. I left with a better understanding of missions and a ton of books, but no clear path for how to serve. Of course, someone else might have taken that as a sign to change majors. But remember, I was stubborn.

After graduation, the jobs that I thought were perfect for me turned me down. I stayed in Tallahassee and had a series of part-time and temp jobs as I tried to discern my next move. I decided to consider some type of full time ministry, which meant a need for Bible college. I made visits to Atlanta Christian College and Florida Christian College, two of the closer schools to Tallahassee. Florida Christian College seemed to be a better fit, and I decided to go there in the Fall. It was a decision that would shape the rest of my life.

How Do You Turn a Meteorologist into a Missionary? Part 1

So I said in my first post that I'm a Christian. I've told many friends over the years the "short version" of my coming to Christ. This post will be an effort to finally give the "long version" of this pivotal moment in my life.

I grew up with a moderate addiction to alcohol. I often drank alone, and I would bribe my friend Larry with gas money if he would come pick me up so we could get daiquiris or whatever. I hosted some parties, but most of my drinking was at night alone.

College opened the door to greater accessibility and abuse. I would type papers for people and often get paid with a 6-pack instead of cash. I had a group of friends that got together once or twice a week my freshman year to drink. My grades suffered greatly as I continued to drink and be the person I thought I was supposed to be.

I met Karen my sophomore year. I was working as a receptionist and checking in the new students. I found that there were several cute girls on one of the floors, so after my shift I went up to talk with them. I soon built a friendship with Karen. In spite of my advances, she kept me as a friend that year. Any time I talked about partying or drinking, she refused to go with me. But she was always accessible to me to talk. My junior year, she invited me to dinner to celebrate my birthday. This would be a turning point in my life.

Dinner with Karen was an enjoyable experience. I don't remember everything we talked about, but by the end of the evening she had invited me to spend some time with her friends the following weekend. We went bowling at the campus lanes, as I had mentioned how much I liked to go bowling with my friends. We made a quick stop at the campus ministry where she attended services and Bible studies. I learned later that she went in and mentioned to people there to be praying for me.

Our next stop was my place to make cookies. I had mentioned to Karen in one of our many talks how I liked to make chocolate chip cookies. So we had fun mixing and baking and sampling our work. At the end of the evening, they suggested I go to church with them the next day. It was about a 15-minute walk from my apartment, so it was doable. I said that as long as I got up on time, I would consider it. I wouldn't promise anything more than that. I sent them on their way and ended a long day.

The next morning I did get up and go. The regular minister was out of town, so one of the members spoke. I enjoyed the message greatly. At the end of the service, I actually got up and recounted what had led me to that point. I even added that I wasn't sure what the next step was, but that they might see me again soon. When the service ended, Karen wouldn't let me leave. First, she had me go upstairs and hang with some of the guys, then I went out on the back deck with her while she did her homework. My mind was going over a lot of what I had been through lately, and I tried to make sense of it. Then she handed me a tract.

"The Four Spiritual Laws" opened my eyes to my sin condition. I realized that my efforts to manage and control my life weren't working. It talked about the importance of allowing Christ to reign in your life and how things would get better with Him in control. The image showing the contrast of you in control and Christ in control shook me. I always thought I was in complete control. Maybe that explains why my life was crumbling at that moment. By the time I finished it, I had realized what I'd been looking for. I calmly asked Karen for a piece of paper and a pen. I wrote her a note, saying that I had made an important decision and would need her help in following through. I gave it to her, and she smiled, hugged me, and started to cry. I began crying, and she took me in to meet with the minister who had come back from his morning trip. I still vividly remember sitting there, weeping and trying to explain what I felt. When that day was over, I knew I had made a critical decision.

This November will mark the 20th anniversary of that decision. I look back on it as a pivotal time in my life when I finally submitted to Someone greater than myself. Choosing to put Him first and follow him has made me who I am, and it has made all the difference in my life. If you haven't found Christ yet, I encourage you strongly to humble yourself and seek Him. I'll be happy to help you find Him.

What was I Thinking?

Welcome to my world. This blog is my effort to practice writing and maybe entertain, enlighten, and encourage people out there in cyberspace.
Perhaps I should back up and introduce myself. My name is Dave Parker, and for the past 14 years I have pursued a career as a missionary with a Bible translation ministry. For 7 years I have worked in West Africa and Dallas, TX, as a print shop manager and graphic designer/editor. And I never would have done these things without God's calling and equipping in my life.
It might also be helpful to know that I have a degree from Florida State University in Meteorology. My best explanation of that is that I was very stubborn in college, so much so that I got a degree in a field that would prove to be of little value to my longer-term efforts. I value my time at FSU, for coming to Christ and developing strong friendships that continue to today. But I will always wonder "what if", and I am annoyed at my closed-mindedness. So God took a meteorologist, gave him a passion for the ministry of Bible translation, and sent him to West Africa.


When my feet hit the ground in Africa in 2002, I had never printed a book. I had never operated the equipment that would soon consume my life and define me for 4 years. But I learned to run a Risograph and staple, fold, and trim booklets. I published Scripture and literacy materials in 10 languages. I was at the top of my game. But as happens in Africa, things fall apart.


I found myself one morning restricted to my apartment, as sounds of marching feet and shouting voices told me that the people had reached their limit with the government. They demanded change, and as a result I couldn't work as the streets became unsafe. A month later I was preparing to evacuate, never realizing that my feet wouldn't return to this hard, red ground.


But God used the civil unrest of an African nation to send me home and start another chapter. Now, two and a half years later, I find myself with new skills and abilities in the areas of design and printing, aiding my organization to look better in print and on the web. And God equipped me at every step to do it.


These articles will (I hope) share stories of the past and give you a window into my present. I will strive to stay away from predicting the future, as I know the futility of guessing what God will do next. Thank you for joining me in the journey.