God;s Divine Timing

Uganda Newsletter #2                                                                                    July 6, 2014

Tameka here: We started our journey early this morning from Entebbe in route to Gulu. We arose and loaded all of our trunks; that we are so grateful to have finally picked up from Entebbe Airport yesterday.  Prior to pulling on our journey, we took a few minutes to thank God for His divine timing, and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. We took our first stop at a local café, which was totally warranted since some of us are professional coffee drinkers.

So we arrived, and as the newest member of the team, I (Tameka), describe Gulu as a breath of fresh air. We met the newest members of Sanctuary of Grace (SOG): Teresa, Jenny and Elizabeth. We then quickly began unpacking supplies for VBS and got settled in our spaces (preferable bunks). Before long it was time for dinner. The Coggins were so grateful for the smallest things like parmesan cheese and ranch dressing. It was quite the finishing touch to our delicious spaghetti dinner. We sat around the table like a big happy family and began telling of how we all came to meet. In that very moment we all realized that nothing can compare to God’s divine timing.

The Bible says “obedience is better than sacrifice” and we as children of God, should always incline our ear to the heart of God. This is when we can firsthand experience God’s perfect will and not just His permissive will.  God’s timing is always perfect no matter how inconveniencing we find it at times. He reassures us of His promise, His guarantee that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and His timing is not our timing. We look forward to all that He has in store here at SOG and are marveled of all He has allowed to happen. Tomorrow is pregnant with possibilities.

Rhonda here: how Blessed we all feel to be serving within Gods will for us. He knows just who to bring together to make a complete “team” with each bringing the special gifts that He has nurtured within them.  No matter how many times I’ve been before with Cindy, Susan, & Debra each time, to include this one, is filled with new Blessings.  There is always so much to write about, but I want to share what I wrote today in my journal as we took the 8 hr bus ride from Entebbe to Gulu (awesome experience within itself).  Each page in my journal has a “Thought for the Day” & a scripture to go with it.  My scripture today (06 Jul) is from Mark 1:15 (NIV), “The right time has come. The kingdom of God is near. Change your hearts and lives and believe the Good News!” It is the “Thought for the Day” that got me thinking, it reads: Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.  I wrote…”absolutely, especially if you travel as a missionary to a 3^rd world county where there is extensive poverty that is increased by an enormous lack of clean water & health care & education.  It’s more of a reality when you’re physically staring at it, when you’re shaking its hand, when your sharing the Love of Christ with it. Really, what is 1,000 of miles & money when you’re serving God? All you have means nothing if you are not serving God. How far would you walk to church carrying your own chair to sit in simply to hear God’s message & be part of the body of Christ? Oh, the walk is in the heat of noon, on red dirt roads/paths, & without shoes. Do you really mean “use me God”