Divine Kindness in Uncertainty

Walker, Meet Wacker (Drive)

Walker’s experience of God’s sovereignty began long before meeting Dawn or becoming an elder at Center. He had always considered himself a “Christian” because it was the path of least resistance in his particular context. After college, however, Walker began to struggle and stray from the very truths he had known all his life. Eventually, he realized something had to change:

“This can’t go on,” Walker recounted, “I have to pick one [life] or the other.”

In God’s abundant goodness, He hadn’t let Walker stray too far. Walker began hearing audible direction from the Lord to become a volunteer leader for Young Life, a ministry responsible for his maturity into what he called “Christian adulthood.” Joining leadership in Young Life, meant being discipled by other experienced leaders and trusting the Lord despite being out of his comfort zone and Walker’s faith began to solidify, in many ways for the first time. After several years leading in ministry and working in Cleveland, Walker was offered an employment opportunity outside of Ohio. Despite a desire to stay in Ohio, Professional doors continued to close and the Lord directed him to the only job opportunity available at that time.  “I never knew what the Lord was going to do, but I felt the Lord's leading in telling me to move to Chicago”.  At the time, he didn't understand why the Lord would move him away from his church as well as his family and friends; but he moved to Chicago.

After moving, Walker joined up with Young Life once more where he met a woman who insisted on setting him up with her first cousin—Dawn.

Dawn, Meet Walker

After she finished college, Dawn Wilson began working as an occupational therapist and living in Chicago. Though the transition to adulthood proved difficult for her, Dawn found her work to be rewarding and meaningful, finding joy in helping others and forming relationships she wouldn’t have made otherwise.

Throughout this time, the Lord showed Dawn that though her work, friendships, church community, and even her desire to be married were good things, she needed to find her true identity in Him. As she became more deeply rooted in her faith, Dawn found herself letting go of her dream of meeting someone to share her life with. In a huge step of faith, she put down deeper roots in Chicago. Little did she know, God was about to answer her prayers.

“This could be it,” Dawn’s cousin assured her. “He’s different from anybody you’ve dated before.”

Though Dawn thought she was crazy at the time, “She was right.” Dawn admitted, laughing at her younger self.

Nine months after their first blind date, Walker and Dawn were engaged and later married at a beautiful winter and Christmas-themed ceremony in December of 2010.

Acts of Devotion and Leadership

After navigating wonderful years living in Chicago, raising their family, and leading church ministry together, in 2017 Walker and Dawn began to discern that the Lord might be leading them to move to Libertyville, closer to Walker’s place of employment. Through prayer and a commitment to do whatever the Lord asked, the Macks followed the Lord's leading and moved away from their community in the city to the suburbs, not knowing what was waiting for them there.

As they were deciding to move, Walker met Mark Larson. The Macks soon joined what was then the Libertyville campus of Heritage Church. Even before becoming leaders within the church, Walker and Dawn were committed to being a part of a local community that was faithfully fulfilling God’s mission. Especially as the church transitioned from being a part of Heritage Church to being Center Church, the Macks prayed and wrestled with exactly where God was calling them to worship. During this time of discernment, they committed themselves not just to individual prayer, but to engaging in open (and sometimes difficult!) conversations with church leadership. The fruit of these challenging conversations was a greater clarity about God’s leading in their lives and a renewed vision of Center Church. Both Walker and Dawn agreed that they were thankful they were present for—and fully invested in—this vital time in the church’s history.

Both Dawn and Walker described this time period as a hard season in their marriage. Walker had taken on a role at work where he was traveling internationally, they had just had their 3rd child and had some uncertainty about where they wanted to put down spiritual roots. They began to feel a growing distance between them. But through counseling, honest conversations, and seeking the Lord, they experienced profound healing.

“We had to (and still have to!) intentionally choose each other above everything else except the Lord,” they recounted together.

Ultimately, Pastor Mark invited Walker to prayerfully consider becoming an elder at Center—a call that in previous contexts, Walker was hesitant to follow. This time around, however, Walker was ready to say “yes”:

“I had a choice to respond to the call. And [Dawn and I] both did so knowing that it would be some level of sacrifice—any leadership position is. But if the Lord calls us to a leadership position, he’s not just calling us into sacrifice. He’s calling us into other things. I was thinking of all the things I’d see the Lord do in our lives and in the lives of others.”

As he described his specific role at Center, Walker thoughtfully outlined his call to be above reproach and to maintain faithfulness in relationships as he, alongside the others on the board, provide direction, doctrine, and discipline for the church community.

Faithfully Working as a Team

As they shared their calling to eldership and how the Lord has used them in ministry, Dawn and Walker emphasized the importance of partnering together in the work.

“We decided early in our marriage, we always wanted to do ministry together in whatever way we could.” Walker noted. “We respect each other’s faith and what the Lord is doing through [each of] us.”

“It’s good for our marriage to do it together.” Dawn agreed.

Dawn has a passion for discipling women, and she is able to serve the Lord with this passion through her role as a Substitute Teaching Leader through Bible Study Fellowship (BSF). Dawn and Walker both have found much joy in leading various small groups, being involved as marriage mentors & involved in marriage ministry together. As they continue to do so, they are able to offer one another prayer, encouragement, accountability, and support for unexpected leadership invitations:

“When I’ve been asked to step into leadership, my first response is ‘Should I do that, or can I do that? Would that be good for our family or marriage?’ Whereas [Walker’s] response is ‘Why would you say no? … Saying yes to this role is going to grow your faith,’” Dawn stated.

When given the opportunity to share their story with their church family, Dawn and Walker asked for prayer—that the Lord would continue to strengthen their marriage and give them wisdom in both parenting and ministry. In the midst of it all, they articulated their deep desire to always remember that the Lord’s faithfulness never falters. They also asked for prayer for the entire elder board at Center, that the Lord would give them wisdom and discernment to lead the church well.

As they reflected on their story, the Macks expressed a deep appreciation for God’s sovereign care. He carried them through the challenges and rewards of a life lived in obedience to God and in community with his people. Reflecting on his life, Walker recapped: 

“He’s proved himself. I can look back and say, ‘The Lord has done this in my life. I didn’t know what he was going to do, but he’s done these things’… [As John 15 says], ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.’ If we ever fool ourselves into thinking we can do anything without the Lord, we won’t accomplish anything.”