Other people look for critical answers from Heaven by flipping open their Bibles and interpreting whatever verse they come to as a divine revelation of God's plan for their lives.
Now I never jab my finger at random Bible verses to find answers but last night before going to sleep my Bible did just happen to open to ...*
I'm not one to ask for signs ... cause it usually takes hitting me upside the head with the sign post before I get the message. But around 3:00 AM this morning, let's just say both sides of my head were swollen like pumpkins.
Yesterday I got it. Yesterday I realized again that God's plan is so much bigger than mine, and I should forget all about trying to add my puny input or suggestions. I can't see the Big Picture ... though maybe I'm getting better about seeing the artist's signature inside the picture.
Things started off when the real mccoy stopped by unexpectedly during lunch. In a few minutes I was talking about Africa (again), drove home fired-up and ended up e-mailing Vernon at 9 PM (that's 2 AM in Dar es Salaam) about visiting TZ again ... though I didn't expect a reply before the end of the week.
But then I was up at 2:45 this morning (gotta wonder why) and there's not much to do in The Electric City at that hour, except check e-mail.
Vernon had written back "Shikamoo! Sisi hatujambo" ["Greetings! We're fine"] at 5:45 AM Tanzania time to say he was up so early because he was about to walk out the door for a 3-hour dirt bike ride through the bush to Mwanza ... the same place where last week 15 of 50 young people in the congregation accepted Christ and had their lives changed forever.
Travelling alone by motorcycle on six-hour round trips through rural Africa is awesome enough, but here's the exciting part: construction on a new 2-story, 12 classroom educational building at Vernon's church, and a new 150-seat church building in a "blowing and growing" neighborhood in Arusha, is about to get started.
A new building and a new church ... both in a country where the average annual income is less than $700. ... it didn't seem humanly possible. And Vernon added an overt hint about being there for the opening.
Talk about miracles and the importance of staying focused. Talk about how God's plan is bigger than anything we can imagine. God always answers prayers ... especially when leaders are committed to preaching and sharing the Gospel to countries and communities where so many people are anxious and ready to receive Christ.
God willing, I'm gonna be there to see both buildings when they open.
Recent news about Vernon and Mary's mission work in Tanzania here.
PS. Ever had a song that keeps popping back up ... and you can't get it out of your head? This one's at the top of my playlist ... though I hope it doesn't pop up while I'm driving.
If your laptop won't do video, shoot me an e-mail and I'll send you the audio mp3 version.
*- Proverbs 31:8-31
2 comments:
wow.. that's cool. :)
When you go, can you bring me back a baby zebra? he wouldn't take up much room in the suitcase.. ;)
lol
--b
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant,
Gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.
A Return to Love – Marianne Williamson
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