Book review: ‘Colliding with the Call'
In “Colliding with the Call,”
former SEND North missionary Corella Roberts takes her readers on a journey through the wilderness, both literal and symbolic.
Corella and her husband, Troy, moved with their brand-new teaching degrees and a load of student debt to a tiny community in Alaska. The pathway to the community had been an easy one: Within a week, they applied, interviewed and were hired to be two of the four teachers at the K-12 school.
“I believe God made this door into life in Alaska so obviously open for us because He knew the countless times ahead that I would look back and wonder if we made the right choice,”
Corella writes.
In the village, they face challenge after challenge. Some—like a terrible experience with wolves—are unique to wilderness living. Others, like managing conflict among co-workers, could be experienced anywhere, but are complicated by living in a small community. Christian fellowship is limited to one other couple, and they are told time and time again that they should stick to teaching the curriculum, not to sharing about Jesus.
Corella is frank about the hardships that eventually led her and Troy to move to another, more spiritually open community. Rather than label that first teaching experience a failure, she describes this book as “my attempt to sit with the Lord in these memories and let Him tell me the truth about them. I no longer believe that we failed at our first teaching assignment; rather, I hear Him say that He was using it to refine us and make us more reflective of His glory, not our own.”
Corella and Troy’s missions journey doesn’t end after that first teaching assignment, and “Colliding with the Call” also describes friendships and ministry opportunities made all the sweeter by the struggles that preceded them.
Corella also describes a relationship with Jesus made all the stronger, purer, and more beautiful by the time she spent in the wilderness.
“I had believed He let me go through those experiences so that I could be better equipped for the next assignment, still viewing myself as a utilitarian pawn in His kingdom plan,”
she writes. “But it was so much more than that. He was laying the foundation for a relationship with Him that was deeper and stronger than I could have dreamed.”
This book would be a great pre-field read for anyone considering missionary service. Corella went into ministry with big hopes and expectations, but had to shed dependence on herself so that she could fully depend on the Lord. Her refreshing transparency dispels myths about missionaries (like all people, they sometimes get irritated with their spouses, go through times of doubt, or struggle with relationships).
But this isn’t just a book for missionaries! Corella has a knack for sharing her story and then peeling back the facts to find the spiritual lessons hiding beneath. She seamlessly incorporates stories from Scripture, and follows up each chapter with a few questions to help the reader approach their own stories in the same way—even if their lives don’t include encounters with wild beasts and extreme weather.
“Stories are everywhere and, in my opinion, the best ones help us to understand ourselves and God better,”
she writes. “God has never, not even for a moment, left you to scribble out your story alone. He has been writing and dog-earing and dripping His blood and tears all over the pages of your life. You are a walking novel full of hurt and healing, war and victory, fear and love.”
Click here to pick up a copy of “Colliding with the Call”
from your favorite book seller.
Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
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