It Came to Pass

Once upon a time, when the west winds of Texas blew hot as a campfire with no marshmallows, a not so young woman was told to hit the trail. The "town wasn't big enough for the City folk who knew there was gold in them there dilapidated sheds. Their plans were to come in with giant machinery and build something taller, bigger, better, newer, and probably shiny.

I am used to being "on the move" but this is a new adventure in faith, things hoped for "as yet UNSEEN." There is not much to see in my apartment except piles of boxes and bags (you use what you've got - and I have a lot of suitcases).

I will never forget sitting in a small room in China with a fellowship of fairly new believers. My friends were teaching them how to study the Bible and discern wisdom from its pages. One of the listeners spoke up and made this declaration and in true communist form said, "No Bible, no breakfast!" That indictment has served me well in the years since I was privileged to hear it. In the midst of a huge mess - "no Bible no breakfast."

Today's Oswald Chambers passage hit the mark: "it is when crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely...the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him."

The boxes and disorder I see as I look around will eventually find a suitable spot in my organized life. The balance in the ministry bank account will go up and down and even though it is at an all time low - I have faith - for the Lord of the Harvest needs workers willing to go and bring them into the family.

As I was praying for the peace to commit to returning to Russia, my daily Bible reading (no Bible no breakfast) was Acts 26. It is the passage where Paul encounters the Master; "but now up on your feet-I have a job for you. I've hand picked you to be a servant and witness to what's happened today, and to what I'm going to show you. I'm sending you off to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light...I'm sending you off to present my offer of sins forgiven and a place in the family, inviting them into the company of those who begin real living by believing in Me." v. 16-18

I am humbled to have an opportunity to serve the Special Operatives of the United States Marines and their families. I have freedom because men and women like these VOLUNTEER to put themselves in harm's way and LIVE outdoors in the sweltering desert heat carrying over a 100 pounds of gear so I can carry a Bible and pray, and preach in places far from home.

I treasure the opportunity to practice pure religion undefiled and visit the widows and orphans of the Kirov region in Russia. It will be my first trip to the area in seven years.

With all the coming and going, packing and unpacking- my refrigerator is empty. I am feeding on the truth of one of my favorite phrases in the Bible:

"It came to pass..."

It did not come to stay.

On about the Father's business

"What does Scripture say? Charlynn entered into what God was doing for her, and that was the turning point." Romans 4:3 The Message

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