Beyond Our Expectations!

I arrived in Dallas after midnight Friday night. Rena flew in around the same time. I was coming from Haiti to take part in Dallas Seminary’s missions week. Rena came for a long weekend with me and our daughter, Katie, a second-year student at the seminary. I planned to rest a little and enjoy time with Rena, Katie and some long-time friends here.

The Lord had other plans and wow! Our friends, Andrew and Lori Spurgeon, mentioned to us that they had told people at Lake Ridge Bible Church – our home church during our seminary days – that we were coming into town. People there expressed a desire to see us, so we decided to worship with Lake Ridge on Sunday morning. We ran into a good friends from our former home group, DeeAnn Thompson and Diana Marek, and also a member of the church’s mission’s committee. We enjoyed a long lunch with these friends at a good Texas BBQ – gotta love Texas! – and I planned to meet with the missions team leader the next morning (today).

Diana mentioned that our former neighbor was coming into town that evening and would love to see us. This neighbor and friend is Jewish. We had a good connection when we lived here and had opportunities to share gospel truth with her and her husband as we spent time together. So later that evening we met with her and two other friends to catch up on life, listen, love and encourage. We talked until after midnight. Unexpected and sweet gifts from the Lord!

This morning I met with the missions team leader from Lake Ridge. He is interested in our work among church leaders. We plan to talk more later today about specifics. Praise God! We are ready to carry out our full strategy in Haiti – more to come on that – and need our Father’s provision of further funding to do that. The Lord of the Harvest continues to give us unexpected and exciting connections with people and churches interested in this mission to the poor. I am humbled, so grateful, and more emboldened to press ahead in PPI’s vision and strategy to encourage, train and resource church leaders in key cities in all 10 Departments of Haiti. Our God leads us beyond our expectations as we surrender our lives to Him and pursue His purposes in the world!

Will you pray for us this week? Pray for Rena as she flies home to Michigan later today and her ministry among our friends and family. Pray for me as I take part in Dallas Seminary’s missions conference – speaking, presenting and talking with students, professors and other mission leaders. I desire to be a blessing to others and also to further develop the work of Partnership of Pastors. The Lord already is giving us the desire of our hearts – beyond all expectations!