Dear Friends and Family,
Today, Thursday, I was scheduled to fly from Zimbabwe to Nairobi to Rwanda. My flight from Zimbabwe was originally scheduled for 11:55am. Well, it happened again. Kenya airways delayed my flight enough that I will miss my connection in Kenya and now will not leave Kenya until 1:40AM Friday, arriving in Rwanda 2:10AM, and I will be speaking at the seminar at 8:30am Friday. Not good.
You’ll remember that just before the trip began, I asked for prayer that no flights would be cancelled or delayed. Then my first flight was delayed and now this flight is delayed. So, again, the question arises. Why isn’t God answering this prayer (the way I want Him to)?
I was reflecting on this again today and was reminded of two passages in particular. In Matt 26:39, Jesus asked the Father to “remove this cup” but followed it up with, “Yet not my will but your will be done.” Hmmm. Maybe no-delays is not God’s will. Hmmm.
Then I thought of Paul, who was given a thorn in the flesh and prayed three times that God would remove it, and three times God said “no” and followed it up with “My grace is sufficient.” Hmmm. Maybe there is a lesson here for me.
I’ll admit. I plan my trips carefully, bunching things together to save days. And when things run on schedule, I am able to put my life into auto pilot and function stress free. Then when the schedule gets turned on its head, auto pilot doesn’t work. My stress level begins to rise, and my stomach responds.
You can ask my wife. I love ruts. I drive my car using cruise control even locally, block by block. So, when the situation gets turned upside down and I have to turn off auto pilot.
So, maybe (there is that word I try to avoid)… MAYBE there is a lesson in all of this for me.
In closing, I need to remind myself of a slogan I adopted years ago in another “topsy turvey” situation. “What is, IS. I cannot change what IS. God is in control of what IS. So, let God be God.” Ouch.
“Lord, help me to accept these schedule changes, and resulting hardships as your will for me in this time. Help me to learn the lesson I need to learn. And may your grace be sufficient.
I will have another chance Sunday when I am scheduled to fly from Rwanda back to Kenya and then to Uganda, again on Kenya airways.
I am not adding any pictures today but if you missed some, here is the link.
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I will be speaking at another two-day seminar in Kigali, Rwanda Friday and Saturday, and speaking at a youth camp Friday evening. Pray for those. Pray for me, my strength, my presentations, good illustrations, clear communication, and for the attenders, for clear hearing and understanding. And that the instruction will be applicable.
By His grace,
Steve