From Brad:

God never ceases to show me His power and authority.  At the same time…He shows me my weakness.  Yesterday was a perfect example of all of it in one situation.

To make a very long story short, the container was delayed 5 hours.  The driver had a blowout, waited 3 hours for someone to change it, then ran out of duty time so he was not legal to continue.  He was only 73 miles away when all of it happened.  So close, yet so far away.

When I got the news, I was standing in line at Krispy Kreme doughnuts (I like to keep the volunteers well fed and happy).  I had to take a deep breath because I could feel myself getting worked up inside.  This always happens.  Why can’t it go right just one time!!!  I called the dispatcher back and was as kind as I could muster at that moment.  I don’t think I did very well.

I think Rick’s and my greatest concern is not the fact the container is late, but the effect it has on the volunteers.  People have set time aside.  Everything is coordinated.  I feel bad for changing plans on them.  That is what gets me going.  I tell myself every time that God is in control. Yet, I always feel I fail at trusting Him in the midst of it.

In the end, it worked exactly the way God wanted it to work.  It actually gave me time to go get more organized at the storage facility, have some quality time talking with a friend who helped load supplies, it gave other volunteers time to get things done with their families and eventually have a relaxed pace of loading the container.

Nine volunteers were there.  One drove from 2 hours away just to help.  We had time to talk and grow closer as a group.  We had the opportunity to pray and acknowledge that God’s ways are not our ways.  It all worked out well.  Even better than I would have expected.  If the container worked the way I wanted it, everyone would have showed up last minute, loaded the container and went their separate ways.  In God’s timing, we were able to share fellowship and enjoyed each others company.  It was much more meaningful.

I stopped for lunch at Dairy Queen and the cashier asked me about my Mission Mobility shirt.  She has a mom who has many chairs and pieces of equipment.  Turns out, the cashier has two degrees and is working towards her PhD to teach.  She needed a job to help fill in her time that would not require a lot of effort.  Yet, there she was, in God’s provision.  Another conversation with a person I would not have had otherwise.

Lastly, there was the driver.  His name was Andy.  He is German-Hungarian who is from Romania. He appeared to have physical disabilities.  He was a kind man.  I offered him money to buy dinner on the way home.  He refused.  He said, “If you want to give me anything…find me a good woman”.  I asked him what kind of woman.  He just wanted one who would accept him for who he was.  I asked him if he was a follower of Jesus.  He said he went to church sometimes but believes he just needs to help people, which he does by volunteering in his Romanian group in his home town.  I told him I would do something better.  I would pray that God would bring the woman He wants Andy to have.  Andy’s eyes got big.  I don’t think he was expecting that.  It opened a conversation about why Jesus came, and how our service to others is ultimately meaningless without the Holy Spirit and allowing ourselves to be used for God’s purposes…not ours.

Which brings me back to myself.  I struggle to get my pride and plans out of the way and allow myself to be used in the way God wants.  Friday was a reminder that God is sovereign and that He knows better in ALL circumstances.

Proverbs 19:21

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

God is Good!