God Sightings in September

I enjoy the time that Teri and I have in the car each morning as we go to work. Sometimes she asks me to drive so I can get some experience. The time in the car allows us to get to know each other better. We particularly enjoy sharing our God Sightings….meaning that we tell each other the cool ways we’re seeing God work. Last week we seemed to have at least one God sighting to report each day, and I really want to share them with you too, especially since I know so many of you are praying on my behalf.

One morning Teri was telling me that the school principal had called her the previous day and said she’d really like to get the school painted. It was really beginning to look shabby. Paint just doesn’t last long here. I don’t know if it’s related to the quality of the paint, or the ever present kids (350 in the school). Anyhow, Teri looked over the budget and was sorry to tell her there just wasn’t enough money right now. The next day, Teri ran into one of the pastors of a large church in the city. He said his men’s group wanted to do a service project and was wondering if there was any painting on anything that needed to be done. The painting started on the school last Saturday. Pretty cool, huh?

Another morning Teri was telling me that she was beginning to wonder if she should go to the conference in South Korea. The more I’m with Teri, the more I’m amazed at how many impressive organizations she’s networked with. She’s apparently very well known, even beyond these borders, and well thought of too, but you’ll never here her say that. She’s not at all prideful. I don’t really know (actually don’t remember) what the purpose is of the S. Korea conference, I just know it’s quite large and is drawing ministries from around the world. She’s been asked to organize and coordinate all the registrations for the attendees from Latin America. She has to pay for her airfare, but all other expenses are covered by the S. Korea team. When she travels, her husband Osvaldo almost always goes with her. After looking at the budget, her own and the ministries, she just couldn’t see how there would be enough for her airfare. She said she and Osvaldo had been praying about it, but just wasn’t sensing God’s answer. She said she told the Lord that she felt like there was only money for ½ of the airfare, and she’d need Him to provide the other half. A day or so later, she got a call from one of the conference leader in S. Korea. He wanted to confirm that she would be one of the session speakers. She told the caller about her financial concerns. Not much later he called her back and said that since she had several conference responsibilities, then ½ of her airfare would be covered. Ding! You are the grand prize winner of another God Provision! By the way Teri and Osvaldo leave this Monday Sept 17th for a one week ministry conference in Columbia, and will return in one week on Monday Sept 24th. They’ll have a side trip to the capitol where she and a couple others have been asked to have breakfast with the President of Columbia. How cool! If you think of it, please pray for her during her travel and time away and that all would go well her too.

Another morning Teri was being rather open and transparent with me and telling me of some of her fears. She said that at times she became nearly paralyzed with fear, and it became particularly bad when she herself (not her parents) took control of the book ministry (7 bookstores around the country and a book distribution center) some years ago. She said she had called member of the Board of Directors (and of course her parents) many times to ask for prayer for her fear. And she said that just recently she really been praying a lot about overcoming fear. She and I both know the Bible is loaded with verses that say we shouldn’t fear and that God is on our side and that God does not give fear but instead he gives “the spirit of power, love, and self discipline.” But she says it’s a near constant battle, sometimes worse sometimes not too bad. Anyhow, just after she finished telling me all of the above, I remembered that when I got in the car that morning, I threw in a package that been had delivered by our mail courier service to the Home. She said to open it…a big, white, over-sized envelope from JMM (Joyce Meyer Ministries). Teri and I both enjoy the teachings of Joyce. Are you ready for this? I pulled out a series of teaching CDs from JMM titled, “How to Overcome Fear.” We cracked up! I’m so glad I wasn’t driving! The timing couldn’t have been better if we’d planned it. I reached in to pull out the next thing….two books from JMM re: fear (one a daily devotional). Now we were in hysterics and equally amazed. She said she’d forgotten that she’d order these things a while back. Then I pulled out the last item- a 2008 desk calendar with a daily verse or reminder on how to defeat fear. She guessed the JMM just threw the calendar in for good measure because she didn’t remember ordering it, but was sure glad to have it. It’ll be awhile before I forget that morning’s drive to work, and it’s amazing how much good laughter can do!

Yes, there’s more (and I promise you that all of these are true and happened mostly last week- and some this week).
The low attendance to the Expo certainly caused a sizable financial blow to the part of the ministry that oversees the book stuff. To make matters worse, one organization here about a month before the Expo ordered 1500 bibles from us, and then later cancelled the order. Unfortunately, we’d already ordered and received the books from the publisher. Some publishers accept returns, but the shipping costs, taxes, and other fees to send the books back equal about the same cost of the books. Now, 30 days later, the out bill to the publisher was due and we were stuck with 1500 Bibles. Teri called the publisher and got an extension on our bill. Then she got a phone call from World Vision. They said the needed 1500 Bibles quickly- could we help? They said they’d contacted another distributor, but they didn’t have them in stock. Cha-ching! We’ve got 1500 brand new Bibles ready to go! However…before you start counting the dollar bills…realize that we’ve been doing business with World Vision for a long time and we always give them 45 days to pay their bills…which would not arrive in time to cover our original cost to the publisher. Teri said each week she knows which big bills are due that week…and each week she wonders how God is going to provide. And this bill was no exception. Except…low and behold, within one week’s time World Vision paid the full bill for the 1500 Bibles…just in time for us to pay the publisher. Aint God great!

Got time for one more? Sorry this is going on so long, but I sure am having a blast telling you about these God Sightings.
At the end of every month my church (West End Assembly of God in Richmond, Virginia) sends a check to my ministry bank account for any donation that has come in for me that month. They also email me a list of names and amounts. In August a couple of people who normally give me a monthly gift did not do so. (They were probably on vacation or something came up or whatever. I understand that life happens.) However, here’s my God Sighting of His provision once again. This same financial report also showed that 2 other people (one person I haven’t even heard of before) gave a one-time gift in August that ”happened” to equal exactly the same amount as the other 2 folks who were unable to give their gift in August. Is that way cool or what?

Well thanks for listening to me go on and on about God. There’s actually more I could tell you…but I should save more for some other rainy day.