One of my Bible teachers once said, "When following the Lord, the path from point 'A' to point 'B' is rarely, if ever a straight line." Time and time again I have found this to be true.
For the last four years our family has been living, serving, and loving in Africa. Even through the difficult times this journey has been the realization of a life long dream for Sara and I. Over the years we have seen the hand of God upon our lives and experienced the working of the Holy Spirit in ways that few can comprehend. Life in Africa has opened our eyes and brought us closer to the heart and ministry of Jesus. As a result, I find myself with an increasing, insatiable hunger and burning passion to pursue all that He purchased at the cross.
Until recently, I thought that we would never leave Africa. About four months ago our family came to a bend in the road; one of those seasons where you know that you are on the right path, but you are no longer 100% certain of what lies ahead. We discovered that our two oldest kids were beginning to experience all the transitions of entering into adulthood. Our "babies" were now facing important life decisions related to education path, career choice, and personal calling. In the midst of helping to guide and encourage our children, I felt my own heart being drawn more and more to the local church. I found myself entertaining thoughts of church planting and transition into pastoral ministry. As Sara and I considered the possibilities, we shared our thoughts with our pastor, the elder board of our home church, and a few close friends and prayer partners. This process triggered a chain of events that has been for us an amazing adventure; a beautiful winding country road of prayer...followed by answer...followed by confirmation...
Sometimes life's road can take so many twists and turns that we find ourselves disoriented and even questioning whether or not we were ever heading in the right direction. Stay the course. Romans 1:17 is a great reminder. "The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith." Or maybe we could say, the 'rightness' of God's path is discovered by trusting Him through every bend in the road. After all, it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
If you are following the Lord and find yourself at a bend in the road, unable see what lies ahead, take heart. You are most likely right where you need to be. Remember, most of the time when there is a sharp bend in the road its purpose is to navigate through terrain that has been left in its natural beauty. Slow down and enjoy the journey.
In passionate pursuit,
Chad
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