He was born a miracle child and destined to encourage others through his physical health challenge, which gave birth to a testimony.
President and CEO of MAP International, Steve Stirling, is set to release his book, “The Crutch of Success,” available in bookstores and online stores nationwide on Sept. 17, 2019.
Stirling’s wife, Sook Hee, planted the seed in Stirling’s heart and mind to give birth to an idea about how to convey his testimony of Jesus Christ to the multitudes: through writing this book.
“The Crutch of Success,” tells the story of how God continually uses Stirling, who was stricken by polio and abandoned by his father in a Christian orphanage at an early age in childhood. It recounts this story from his early childhood years leading up to the years that he became president and CEO of MAP International.
“When I speak to people with mental or physical disabilities, I tell them that God loves them just the way that they are,” Stirling tells Atlanta Christian Voice. “I tell them that God allows it to happen for His glory, honor, praise and hope.”
“When I speak to people with mental or physical disabilities, I tell them that God loves them just the way that they are,” Stirling tells Atlanta Christian Voice. “I tell them that God allows it to happen for His glory, honor, praise and hope.”
The goal of MAP International is simple: to supply people with medicines and medical supplies through the help of partners, donors, missions hospitals, clinics and medical missions teams in developing countries around the world, according to www.map.org.
At the age of ten, Stirling was adopted by Christian parents from a Christian orphanage and spent his childhood in Alaska. Since his childhood, God allowed Stirling to go through and overcome many obstacles related to his polio-stricken condition.
Stirling was more than an overcomer in the midst of these trials and tough circumstances that he faced related to his polio-stricken condition. Stirling is continually reminded by God to surrender his polio-stricken condition to Him so that He can use him in any situation, especially to bring those with physical and mental health challenges to Christ.
“God has used me to lead people to the Lord and has given me a choice to share the love of Christ through swimming and saunas,” Stirling tells Atlanta Christian Voice. “There are usually one or two people I talk to in the sauna and I speak to them about Jesus. I thank God for His blessings and that the benches [at the saunas] give me a time to fellowship and talk about the Lord and lead others to Christ.”
Stirling’s life Bible verse is Ephesians 2:10, which is written, according to the New International Version, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” He accepted Jesus Christ as His Lord in 1987 and surrendered His life to Christ as His Savior in June 1994.
Stirling does not let his crutches for his polio-stricken condition hinder him from sharing about the goodness of God as well as his testimony to those he comes into contact with through swimming, saunas or anywhere that God has him to witness of the miracle work of Jesus Christ in his own life.
“I think people find it surprising that I have crutches,” Stirling tells Atlanta Christian Voice. “I tell them that if I had the vaccine, I would not have gotten polio. We all have God-given potential. We all have obstacles. We all have challenges. If we respond with trusting the Lord, He will use us to bring Him glory, honor and praise.”
Stirling believes that if God did not allow for him to contract polio, then he would not have been able to be used by God to bring Him glory nor become president and CEO of MAP International.
“God used [my polio] for his purpose and for his glory,” Stirling tells Atlanta Christian Voice. “I get to be the voice for MAP International so that children can get access to medicines. We all have a purpose and God created us in His image. I want to realize that I was created for this.”
“We all have a purpose and God created us in His image,” Stirling tells Atlanta Christian Voice. “I want to realize that I was created for this.”
To find out how you can purchase your own copy of, “The Crutch of Success,” visit your bookstore near you or online store for more information. To find out more about how you can contribute or assist with the healthcare and medical needs of MAP International, visit www.map.org.
