Kept: Lessons From 40 Years of International Service
Sep 19th, 2025 | Ashley Hendrickson
What happens when you spend more than 40 years following God to unfamiliar places? For Paul and Elizabeth Musser, a lifetime of service with One Collective has been less about places they’ve been or accomplishments they’ve made, and more about discovering who God is and learning to live out of that reality.
The Musser’s story offers lessons not just for those in vocational ministry, but for anyone seeking to follow Jesus with faith, joy, and restful perseverance. Here is some of the wisdom that they have gained along their journey:
1. God calls us first to Himself.
Early on in their ministry, the Mussers wrestled with why God had sent them overseas. Elizabeth shared, “When we were in Montpellier, there was a period when I was questioning why God called us to France. But he so clearly took me and said, ‘I didn't call you to France because I needed you in France. I called you to France because you needed me there.’”
This was an important lesson of identity and perspective. The Mussers’ years of church planting, raising their family, caring for other workers, and even pioneering “firsts” like being one of the organization’s first married couple to serve long-term or the first family to buy a house overseas—none of these things were about what they could do for God, but about how he was choosing to show himself to them and build a relationship with them.
“We have learned that God loves spending time with us and inviting us into what he is doing because of his love and desire for a relationship with us. It’s not about our service to him.”
1990 - The Mussers (right) in Montpellier, France with their second team
2. Provision is personal and relational, not just practical.
From their first days of training in Chicago, through two decades of ministry in Montpellier and Lyon, and into their more recent years of caring for One Collective workers across Europe and the Middle East, the Mussers have experienced God’s provision in their relationship with one another, their practical needs, and the timing of important transitions. And, this provision has been even more rich and abundant than meets the eye.
The two explained, “Trusting God and watching him provide is not just about getting what you need, but about seeing his character. God provides in surprising and personal ways… in order to show his individual delight in us.” For the Mussers, each met need is not just a checked box, but a window into God’s personal care for them.
2003 - The Mussers in Lyon, France with Andrew, 15, Chris, 13, and Beau
3. Confidence and rest come from depending on God.
The Musser’s have experienced the most good fruit in their lives and work when they have stopped striving and started sitting at Jesus’ feet. They shared, “We often feel like we're not good enough. We wonder if we are measuring up. The remedy is simply sitting at Jesus's feet and accepting his love without anything else.”
“He's the one doing the work. It's not us. We have learned that it’s better to live by watching him, slowing down enough to ask, ‘What are you doing, Lord?’, and then joining him in that, instead of having our own plans and trying to control everything.”
2025 - The Mussers (center) with One Collective’s Global Member Care Team
4. We can always count on God’s redemptive care.
Even through challenges and uncertainties, the Musser’s sense of trust in God’s character has only deepened: “We love the thread of redemption that runs throughout our lives. The Lord can use anything, and he does. He is in the habit of building back broken things. We sometimes feel that there is no way out, but God's never stuck. We’ve gained a deeper trust in his love and his sovereignty. God is always faithful.”
The words of Psalm 121 have become an especially enduring touchstone for Paul and Elizabeth, anchoring their story in God’s promise of steadfast care as they care for others. “God is our encourager, our shepherd, our protector. We would never have made it on the field without him. But, ‘The Lord is our keeper. The Lord will keep us from all evil; he will keep our life. The Lord will keep our going out and our coming in from this time forth and forevermore.’”
Paul and Elizabeth’s experiences are specific, rooted in their own unique journey with One Collective. But the wisdom they’ve gained is universal. It speaks to anyone who longs to find Jesus in their daily life. The Musser’s testimony reminds us that walking with God - even serving God - is not primarily about doing things for him, but about knowing the One who chooses us, delights in us, empowers us, and keeps us through every season.
The Musser’s story also beautifully displays One Collective’s vision: ordinary people, kept by an extraordinary God, sharing his power and transformation with their communities. If this kind of work interests you, we’d love to explore tangible ways for you to get involved, whether through volunteering, partnership, or full-time service. You can find out how to get in touch with us below.
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