A typical American mindset is to want everything to be planned out ahead of time… and then to occur on time. However, the prevailing message of the Bible is to go first, and then to see where God is leading. Abram was told to leave before he was told where he would end up. He was later tested when God told him to sacrifice his promised son, his heir. Instead of wavering, laying other plans, or reminding God that they had made a deal, Abraham simply went where he was told to go and did what he was told to do. So many times God just gives us enough light to see the next step. And American or otherwise, our job is to step out in faith and believe that God is sovereign and knows what He’s doing.
This is on my mind a lot after the retreat because I was just reminded there that the next few days (and certainly the year!) will be very uncertain. I won’t meet my host family or see the house till tomorrow. I meet with my ministry leaders on Monday. There are a lot of variables between here and there, a lot of schedule changes that will take place, a lot of doubts, and a lot of misunderstandings. Just like Abraham had, I’m sure. However, what I know to be true is that I can look back on God’s faithfulness and say with confidence that He knows what He is doing… and that I can safely trust Him with my life, my future, and even something as trivial as my schedule. A week ago at this time I was at our church surrounded in prayer by fellow believers. At that point I only knew three of the 7 Americans with whom I would share my experiences in Mexico this year. But God had been drawing them here for a long time before that, as I found out over the past few days. What sweet times we had testifying to His faithfulness! What joy as we looked back over uncertainties of our past and saw the fingerprints all over them! What strength we drew to face an uncertain next few days.
I know you want updates. You are mostly Americans and that’s the way we’re wired, for better or for worse. However, I don’t have concrete details to share at this point. Instead, rejoice with me over the goodness that God has shown to me in shedding some light on my time here already:
--At the retreat I began to really get to know some quality people (Buena gente, as we say here) and am blessed to be working with them this year. I will have the inbuilt additional fellowship of my roommate Ashley and look forward to common experiences with her.
-- God has provided wonderfully financially for this trip and I am able to focus on the Lord, other people and my ministry while I’m down here, rather than spending my time worrying about funding.
-- God promises to go with us wherever we are, so I can trust Him that He will be with me in this new phase just as He was in the past!
