The Inspiring Faith Journey of Missionary Dr. Beth Ferrell
By Debbie Bannon
One of the first passages of Scripture I learned after becoming a follower of Jesus was Proverbs 3:5–6:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (NLT)
As I read Beth Ferrell’s story, these verses immediately came to mind. What stood out wasn’t simply a single decision to trust Christ, but a lifetime of continuing to trust Him and seek His direction. Her story reminds us that following Jesus is rarely one giant leap. More often, it is a series of faithful steps taken over many years.
A Childhood Step of Faith
Beth first trusted Christ as her Savior at the age of seven. She didn’t like to do things with other kids and hated school, even though she loved learning and always got good grades. Fascinated by science, she even enrolled in a summer course on celestial navigation and decided she wanted to become an astronomer because, as she put it, she “liked the subject and most of the work was done at night when there weren’t many people around!”
Yet God was already shaping her heart in ways she couldn’t see.
Learning to Love People
Beth’s mother kept trying to get her to be more social and sent her to church camps several times. Then, during the summer after graduating from high school, everything changed.
She went to church camp, again, and as she listened, she realized that her walk with Jesus required changing her attitude toward people.
“I needed to recognize them as created beings loved by God. So, I needed to love them too”
That realization became another important step of faith.
Following God’s Unexpected Direction
When Beth began college that Fall, she naturally pursued math and science but also wanted to interact with God’s special creation: people.
During college, an InterVarsity staff member offered a piece of advice that would change the course of her life:
“Beth, you do well in the sciences. Have you ever considered studying medicine?”
At that time, enrollment of women in medical schools was very limited. Still, Beth sensed that if this was God’s direction, she wanted to obey.
She chose to trust Him, and another step of faith began.
Trusting God into Medical Missions
The Lord continued to direct Beth’s path.
She met and married a fellow intern, and together they started a medical practice in Oregon. By nearly every earthly measure, life was comfortable and secure.
Then, at age 40, God called Beth and Bert somewhere entirely unexpected.
They felt directed by the Lord to leave their successful general practice and affluent life to move together with their two children, ages 11 and 8, deep in the jungles of Indonesia to minister to patients’ physical and spiritual needs.
As Drs. Bert and Beth Ferrell explained:
“We’re going to Borneo because thousands preach the gospel in the U.S. while millions in Asia have never heard of Christ.”
It was an extraordinary step of faith. They continued to trust the Lord and seek His will as they ministered there for another 26 years.
What is Your Next Step of Faith?
Beth’s story challenges us to ask an important question:
How does Beth’s life inspire you to take the next step of faith as you trust in the Lord?
Perhaps your next step won’t involve moving halfway around the world. It may be surrendering a career decision, investing in a difficult relationship, serving your local church, supporting missions, or simply choosing obedience in an area where God has been speaking to your heart.
What challenges are you facing that require your surrender, not depending on your own understanding but seeking God’s will?
For the Ferrell family, taking their two children, who were nearing adolescence, was a huge challenge with major changes for their kids, requiring tremendous sacrifice and trust. They couldn’t see every outcome, but they knew the One who was leading them.
Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us that God’s guidance comes as we trust Him, not as we figure everything out first.
Following Jesus has always been a journey of one faithful step after another.
Discussion:
On your own social media, after reading this article, post your response, or leave a comment on Instagram or Facebook.
- What does Proverbs 3:5-6 teach about trusting God?
- How does Dr. Beth Ferrell’s life inspire you?