What do these things have in common? A man losing his job, a sick child, another man's dream of a place to help people, a college degree that doesn't seem to make sense, and a desire to serve God no matter what. The answer is quite simple. It is God's timing that brings it all together and works it for the good.
If you consider these instances individually then you cannot see the common thread. Please understand my point here. I am not saying God plans for a child to be sick or plans for a person to lose their job, what I am saying is that scripture is right when it says "and we know in all things God works for the good of those who diligently seek him." We are not promised roses and chocolates all the time in our Christian lives. We are promised in fact the opposite. Trials, tribulation and persecution are the items listed for the believer. So it is with that premise that I write this.
Last night, I watched as community members, local church youth groups, and skeptics piled into The Underground. The Underground is a youth center located in Spencer Iowa at the Spencer Dream Center. It was opening night. There were over 120 individuals who signed the check-in book. There were lots of laughs and games played. More importantly there were lives that were forever changed. Of the 121 individuals who signed in 98 of them made some commitment for Christ. Twenty four of the students accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and savior of their lives. The other seventy four students proclaimed that want to allow God to use them for His purpose in their lives.
So what do the items listed earlier have in common? That man is me. In January of 2009 my son Joel was born at 28 weeks and 2 days. You can read my blog about that. At that time I had to fulfill my obligations as a youth pastor as well as still be a father to my two older children, as well as, be a husband to my wife who was with our newborn 2 and 1/2 hours away, and take care of the house work and meals. I would like to take this time to thank the Kraft company for you never fail child favorite. I had gotten my teaching degree in music and education, but was not even coming close to using what i had learned.
The other man was from the west coast and a successful pastor. Answering the leading of God, he began to look for a position at another church. He interviewed in the middle of the mid-west. As he drove by the old hotel he had a God idea. The kicker here is that through a short intricate series of events things suddenly snapped into place. It lead me to interview a unity of vision. Last night that vision came to pass and the results earlier mentioned were the result.
God is truly bigger than we can imagine
