The Ray Family
Dawn Ray • July 31, 2020
"It doesn’t really matter where the boat goes, there are needs all around us, the important part is getting in the boat with Him. " -
After the sermon on Sunday, I couldn’t help but think of all the storms we weathered since we said yes to the adventure of following Jesus overseas. I found myself looking back at His faithfulness and smiling and crying at how thankful I am that I said yes those many years ago.
There were many storms. A few that come to mind are: learning how to be a single girl living in a Muslim country far away from my family for the first time. After Billy and I met and married, we had storms of our office being broken into; our things stolen; death threats left for us; and feelings of constantly being watched.
We had a friend get beat up and left for dead because of his faith and had to wrestle through all of those emotions.
We had storms of major issues with our kids leaving us in a place desperate for a miracle and coming to a deeper place of total surrender.
We walked through the dark night of the soul when all our dreams seemed to die.
Now, we have had a chance to glimpse at that time to see how how that formed us into different people that prepared us for the next step the Lord had for us. We took another leap of faith into the boat, and found ourselves back overseas.
There were years of getting used to ‘uncomfortable’ issues like long periods with no electricity; limited water supply; just a lot of energy to run a house; and homeschooling with limited resources. We walked through storms of ISIS; political unrest; evacuation; being kicked out of our house; learning to deal with the hard cultural things; isolation; exercising our faith muscle till it hurt and being willing to surrender over and over again.
Oh, but I don’t regret a bit, so many words He spoke to us in those storms. This life is full of storms and I would rather be in the boat that Jesus is in!
I saw Him calm the waves in the midst of a personal burnout, and speak specific words that carried us through many difficult crisis. It just makes me all the more confident in my Savior who is in the boat with us!
Just because we lived overseas for 19+ years - I realized in some ways when confronted with the future, the easy thing became to stay for me. But we had to stay in the the posture of holding it all with an open hand, and say “yes" to following the Lord moving us to Rockwall, Texas!
It doesn’t really matter where the boat goes, there are needs all around us, the important part is getting in the boat with Him.
We will never ‘arrive’ this side of heaven, it is a constant surrender, constantly stepping into the boat again-- knowing that there will be storms.
But after you have stepped into the boat over and over again, there is a joy that can’t be compared to that feeling: you know that there are storms, but you have complete confidence in the Savior who is right there with you and you know this next boat ride will take you that much closer and more dependent to Him.
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Dawn Ray and her husband, Billy, recently landed in Rockwall after living and serving overseas for the past 19 years. They have three sons: Peter (17), Andrew (15), and Jonathan (14).
The Rays became members our church during the pandemic (...in case you haven't met them yet!). They say thank you to everyone for the warm reception!
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, June 8, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 4:1-6 Prepare to suffer Is. 50:6-8a I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. 7 But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. The martial language indicates that discipline and grit are needed to live the Christian life, particularly in view of the suffering believers encounter. -Thomas R. Schreiner Some people won’t like you if you follow Jesus When a culture abandons biblical standards, when extramarital sex, cohabitation, and birth outside of marriage become normal, people attack the church for its moral snobbery and judgmentalism. Peter warns us that if we do take a stand, we need to expect slander, not applause. -Daniel M. Dorian This is one of the hardest things a new Christian has to face. Your friends liked you because you shared in “the same flood of debauchery.” It seemed great fun at times, but then you came to embrace Christ… But your friends have not… They will be surprised when you say “No.” -Juan Sanchez. Keep an eternal perspective Our outcome is glorious Suffering is good for us Let’s remember that suffering accomplishes God’s purposes. It exposes what or whom we are trusting (1 Peter 1:6–7). - Juan Sanchez Ecc. 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Discipleship Questions: Verse 1 tell us to arm ourselves by thinking as Christ did about suffering. How did Christ arm himself for and against sufferings? What does it look like for us to do that? Have you ever lost friendships (or had them change) because you were following Jesus? Do you fear that we (or our kids) will experience greater persecution in the future? If yes, how should we handle that fear?
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, June 1, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:18-22 Jesus suffered and died in order to bring us to God Jesus conquered death by his resurrection “A wonderful text is this, and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the New Testament, so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means.” —Martin Luther Problem #1 - he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison —Jesus preached through Noah to those who lived at that time (1 Peter 1:10–12) —Jesus proclaimed His victory to evil angels (see Genesis 6:1-4) Problem #2 - baptism now saves you —Scripture is clear - we are saved by grace not works —baptism pictures our salvation from God’s judgment through the resurrection of Christ “The waters of baptism, like the waters of the flood, demonstrate that destruction is at hand, but believers are rescued from these waters in that they are baptized with Christ, who has also emerged from the waters of death through his resurrection. Just as Noah was delivered through the stormy waters of the flood, believers have been saved through the stormy waters of baptism by virtue of Christ’s triumph over death.” —Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude —in baptism we are appealing to God for a good conscience "This appeal is an act of the heart looking away from itself and from all human instruments and calling on God, appealing to God, for grace to save.” —John Piper —in baptism we are pledging to God to live in a manner worthy of the gospel Jesus ascended to heaven and now reigns over everything “We can face suffering as Christians with confidence rather than panic, and hope rather than despair, because the road marked with Christian suffering is, no matter what its twists and turns are, the road to vindication and glory. The God who vindicated Jesus will vindicate you, and he will sustain your faith until that day.” –Juan R. Sanchez, 1 Peter For You Discipleship Questions: How does Jesus’ death and resurrection encourage us when we suffer? Why did we need Jesus to suffer and die to bring us to God? How does Jesus’ victory over death give us eternal hope? What are your thoughts regarding some of the problems in this passage? How does what Peter says about baptism elevate the importance of baptism? When were you baptized and how does this passage inform your understanding of baptism? How does knowing our victory is secured help us with all the things this life throws at us?
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:13-17 Nobody can (truly) hurt Christians Psalm 118:6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Rom. 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? The train of thought is as follows: “No one will be able to harm believers on the future day if they are zealous for good” (v. 13). Indeed, even present suffering is not a sign of punishment but of blessing both now and especially in the future, on the day when God rewards his people with eternal life. -Thomas R. Schreiner Honoring Christ Erases Fear Share your faith with strength and gentleness Embrace balance Be prepared to share The truth of the gospel is a public truth that can be defended in the public arena. This does not mean, of course, that every Christian is to be a highly skilled apologist for the faith. It does mean that every believer should grasp the essentials of the faith and should have the ability to explain to others why they think the Christian faith is true. -Thomas R. Schreiner Be prepared to suffer “I’ve spent a number of years in India and Africa where I found much righteous endeavor undertaken by Christians of all denominations; but I never, as it happens, came across a hospital or orphanage run by the Fabian Society [a British socialist organization], or a humanist leper colony.” -Malcolm Muggeridge Be bold! We will likely suffer as Christians in this world, but that suffering is slight and temporary compared to the eternal inheritance that awaits us. The worst thing that can happen to us is that we die and receive our promised inheritance. Can you imagine how emboldened Christians would be if we only believed what Peter is saying? -Juan R. Sanchez Discipleship Questions: Does the fact that nobody can (truly) harm us comfort you? What would change if we lived like we really believe that? Are you a more confident person as someone who knows Christ? Does your security in Christ embolden you to take some risks in life, knowing that the worst that could happen is death? How equipped / prepared are you to give a reason for the hope that you have? What would grow your confidence and competence in that? Have you considered joining Michael Clark one day for evangelism at the harbor? Well….you should….
