Be Creative for the Creator!

Donna O’Daniel has worked as a seabird biologist in a variety of remote places, including Madagascar.

Donna O’Daniel (M.A. in Biological Sciences from the University of Texas, USA, 1987) has worked as a seabird biologist in a variety of remote places, including Madagascar. She currently serves at Johnston Atoll National Wildlife Refuge (a remote US island in the Pacific Ocean). (A previous article about her “creation evangelism” efforts on the island was posted recently.)

After studying evolutionary theory in graduate school, Donna spent the next several years struggling to reconcile evolution’s atheistic implications with her Christian upbringing. The day she arrived on Johnston Island in 1998, she totally surrendered to the Lord, accepting the truth of creation as presented in the Bible and rejecting the folly of evolution. Since then she has done everything she can to witness to the 1,000+ residents of Johnston Island, including military personnel and visiting scientists from around the world. Her burden extends far beyond her remote island, and she offers some encouraging ideas …

Have you ever wondered how you could extend your sphere of influence for the Creator? I mean really extend it, even to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., or wherever your legislators meet?

I was wondering that one night in early January when I had an idea. Each day for months, I had been praying for the two legislators and their chiefs of staff listed on the Washington Prayer Bulletin1 for that particular day. It struck me that I should write a card each day to the two chiefs of staff, letting them know I was praying for them and their legislators, and enclose the card along with a copy of AiG’s booklet Why is there Death and Suffering?

I knew that, number one, they would not want to throw away the attractive card (so it would be a continual reminder to them that people are praying) and, number two, the card and AiG’s booklet had a good chance of being shown to their senator or representative.

Recently I was eating lunch with a friend of mine here on Johnston Island when he asked me what I was going to do that weekend. I replied that I was going to study. When he asked, “What are you studying?” I replied that I was taking an Internet course on creationism. His comment, “very interesting,” gave me another idea.

The following Monday I sent my friend a copy of a small book on evidence for creation. A few days later, I sent him an e-mail asking if he would like to borrow a creation/evolution video. When he replied with an enthusiastic “yes,” I took one over to his office. He engaged me in conversation, asking questions for almost an hour.

The Lord gave me the opportunity to answer my friend’s questions about evolution vs creation, and I also had an opportunity to give him my personal testimony of salvation. He wants to look at two more creation/evolution videos. His latest comment to me was that he had been challenged to think about these things for the first time in twenty years.

Opportunities abound to speak to people about the Creator! Evolutionary doctrine pervades our society. We see it in the newspaper, on TV, in promotional and tourist brochures, in books, in natural areas like parks and wildlife refuges, etc. We must turn this ubiquity of evolutionism into opportunities to educate people about the Creator and creation.

For example, I recently saw an article that appeared in a New York newspaper about the horseshoe crab, written by a naturalist who writes each week for this paper. It stated that the horseshoe crab had been around for millions of years. I couldn’t let that go unchallenged! So I wrote to the author, complimenting him on the well-written article, and then challenging him on his statements about the antiquity of horseshoe crabs. I enclosed a copy of a creation booklet and challenged him to read it and consider the scientific evidence for himself.

People are out there … waiting for answers. We have the answers and we must provide them to all who will listen (and even those who won’t!). Most of us are not rich, but God has given us creative minds to reach those who are. Most of us are not geniuses, but God has promised us His wisdom. Listed below are some ideas to help you extend your influence.

Be willing to invest in a variety of AiG’s booklets, books and videos to give away, loan and/or sell to others.
Write down who received your gift/loan. (It’s easy to forget.)
Always carry a few booklets with you, in your purse, briefcase and car, ready to hand to an inquiring soul.
Subscribe to Creation magazine at Christmas for your doctor’s/dentist’s office, your uncle, a Christian high school library, your family and friends …
Invite a few friends over and show one of Ken Ham’s videos. Entice them by making it e.g. an ice cream social.
Be alert to people’s interests and follow up with an appropriate piece of literature.
Pray, pray, pray! If you ask for wisdom, ideas and opportunities, God will give them to you.
Create opportunities by asking a friend, “Did you ever wonder where Cain got his wife?” Have that booklet handy to give out.
Be well-read and well versed in the creation/evolution arguments—including the ones not to use.
Provide your Christian family and friends with information about AiG’s vision of a Creation Museum to reach millions of people and challenge them to make a donation to the museum’s Phase 2 Fund.
If the Lord speaks to you, urging you to do something (pray for someone right then, send someone a booklet, etc.), do it!
Always have your spiritual “antennae” up, listening. Opportunities are everywhere!