A date with destiny

The title of this blog may have a sense of triteness except for how accurately it applies to my personal life. Let me explain.

I am aware that I will retire from my full-time responsibilities as a senior pastor in the next few years and I continue to ask myself, "What will I do?" I am confident God has something in mind for me but am curious (sometimes anxious, I confess) about what the future may hold.

In June I traveled to Haiti and "hooked up" with Gilbert Jules and have returned to organize a team to return November 15-22 to train 150-200 pastors and to hold a series of VBS classes for 2,000 children. I see that trip as a "date with destiny" since I can see myself as we build a sustainable relationship with those churches, returning often to minister and to give continuing oversight.

Last week Grace was blessed with the ministry of John Frances from India. In the last twenty years he has established/built 92 churches in India--18 are waiting to be funded (13 now as our church provided funds for five to be built now!--and he has also established a seminary to train pastors. Two of our ministry team will travel September 20-October 4 to India to teach at the seminary and I have been invited to come and teach students as well. Another "date with destiny".

We read at men's prayer time this morning from Psalm 139 and verse 16 caught my attention, "All the days you ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." It is exciting to see that God has planned for my life and Ephesians 2:10 affirms this, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do". How exciting it is to see how God is divinely orchestrating the steps of my life!

I believe we have an opportunity each day to discover what God has planned for us. The greatest joy is to join Him in His work!