Where You Send, I Will Go

May 19th, 2025

The plans God has in our lives often don’t match the ideal lifestyle we have preconceived in our mind. In the Scriptures, we often read of biblical figures who perceived themselves in one manner, while God had another story in mind for them—like the prophet, Jeremiah, who was challenged to live a life of spiritual authority in order to pursue the call God had placed in his life. The ways of God haven’t changed in recent years. He still takes people out of their comfort zones in order to further His Kingdom, as we can see in the life of Abby Barton.

God Uses a Simple Question

Barton grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. She went to church regularly, but was also a quiet child. As a young person, Barton kept to herself, and didn’t get involved much in ministry. Once, an individual in Barton’s church approached her as a teenager and asked if she would like to participate in a camp they were involved with called Christian Youth in Action® (CYIA™), by Child Evangelism Fellowship®. Considering this camp would involve going out into the world and sharing the Gospel with children she didn’t know, Barton was uninterested. Like many people God has used before her, Barton didn’t think this opportunity was something for her. God, however, had a different plan.

As Barton discussed the camp with her mother, she was simply asked, “Do you want to go? Should you go?”; and God took it from there—using just a few simple questions to spark an interest in her heart for the calling He had in mind. Acting on faith, Barton stepped out of her comfort zone and went to Camp Moses Merrill for training with Christian Youth in Action.

Christian Youth in Action Teaches Boldness in the Gospel

Having been a shy, reserved teen, Barton became involved in a ministry that took her outside of what she previously knew. During a week’s training at Christian Youth In Action and Camp Moses Merrill, Barton grew in spirit, as well as in her motivation to reach a world that is lost with the Gospel. After being sure the teens in attendance clearly understood the Good News of Christ, Barton and her peers were taught how to be leaders, and how to share the Gospel with children. She was able to grow with those at the camp, forming friendships that reached beyond CYIA™. Her demeanor of being shy and quiet, also, began to shift as she was surrounded by peers who shared in her passion for Christ and spreading the Gospel.

In an interview with Child Evangelism Fellowship worker, Lydia Kaiser, Barton shared that her best memories of Christian Youth in Action and Camp Moses Merrill was being around individuals who shared her goal to minister to boys and girls. She was surrounded by peers who had the same mindset she did, and were “on fire for Jesus”, as she puts it. While going out and teaching the Gospel during the summer, Barton began to experience a heavier burden and passion growing in her heart for the lost. God used that calling for the lost and hurting to guide Barton in her next steps as a young adult: continuing to lead and share the Gospel through Child Evangelism Fellowship, becoming a Summer Coordinator and intern, and expanding her learning through the Children’s Ministries Institute® at CEF International Headquarters. God used many small steps to grow Barton into the young woman He needed her to be, continuing to guide her hand as she shares the Gospel to so many needy children.

Barton’s passion for children continues to drive her life choices as she pursues the things of God. By listening to God’s call to attend Camp Moses Merrill and Christian Youth in Action, she pushed through her shy, reserved nature to step outside of her comfort zone and reach children with the Gospel. Currently, Barton is pursuing a career in biblical counseling for children after witnessing the hurt and trauma many children experience today, and wants to aid in their healing journey through scripture-based methods.

God’s plan for Barton mirrors the journey of Jeremiah, as she was initially reluctant to pursue God’s call, but found His guiding hand evident in her training with Christian Youth in Action (CYIA) through Child Evangelism Fellowship. Barton’s story also proves that, when we trust Him, God’s calling always extends beyond our own measures—exceeding our expectations when we follow His lead.

To learn more about Christian Youth in Action (CYIA) or how you can join Child Evangelism Fellowship in reaching children all across the globe with the life-changing power of the Gospel, visit cefonline.com or get connected with your local CEF chapter.

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