God of surprises

Our God is full of surprises at times. Some of them just come to us with joy and delight, and others come with disappointment, but they always come with the intention to help us grow. Two weeks before the month of May, I faced two setbacks. One concerned my internship, and the second concerned my telephone. I was open to doing my internship anyway God led. At first I was thinking of doing it in Dallas, but throughout the process, I was convinced that God was leading me instead in Michigan to be mentored under an incredible pastor that I know who actually graduate from Moody as well. I turned all my internship documents in, and I was looking forward to being in Michigan for the summer. However, just about when school was about to be over, I found out that there was no place available for me to stay. This was frustrating to say the least, but God’s plan remained firm, and he was checking what my reaction would be. I took this, along with many other concerns, to the Lord in prayer and fasting.

About two weeks later, I received news that my phone would be disconnected, so I would be without phone for the summer. It was hard to imagine living so far away from family without have a phone or access to one. There were too many things for me to worry about and weigh me down, when I needed to focus on my studies. Prayer was my best choice and my only option.  Prayer is essential for my relationship with God in any situation, especially this one. “Pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).

God answers prayer.  It sound so simple and cliché, but the fact is true, prayer is the foundation of finding out God’s plan for you in any situation. No matter how you feel about a situation whether it comes in difficulty or joyful ways, God always have an ultimate purpose. I have realized this in my daily life time after time. Similarly, the Apostle Paul says that God’s power is made perfect in weakness. Weakness in this sense does not always have to be understood as a physical handicap or paralysis, but sometimes it can be translated as an inability or lack of one’s own resources to accomplish something. It draws us to the one who is the source of everything that we need to overcome obstacles in life. At this point, I was praying concerning my internship for either a new direction if needed or for finding a host family. Also, as was I was doing homework in the library with a great friend of mine, the topic came up. She saw the importance of the phone as well, and she told me to pray for a week without making any decisions.  Within a week, I received a phone from her mother, and a week before that, God found me a wonderful family to stay with during my internship. Praise God! I’ll be doing my internship at a very wonderful church congregation in Oscoda, Michigan. So everything came together for the summer. “And we know that God causes everything to work togetherfor the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28)

Still, I have a few other things to get finished concerning summer camp in Haiti and internship. School went very well, and I am glad to finish my junior year. Thank you all for your prayers. I got several A’s and one B. I am so excited to see what the next move will be next year, and I await it with great anticipation for what God will do.  I am considering two possibilities, but I am not sure where God will lead me to first. I am hoping to either go to Haiti after Moody for two years of ministry, or go to grad school right away. Please pray for me that He makes it clear. With this in mind, I will like you to consider praying for these two things for me, faith and discipline. I have to finish a lesson plan for a summer Bible camp that we started in Haiti, and I still have to get things ready for my internship. I just love using my brain for the glory of God. He does not give me hands to touch, but a brain to study his word. I want to follow his commands, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2Timothy 2:15).

At school during finals week, I face another phase of disappointment, but God changed it to a surprise of joy and delight of his providence and of his full guidance of my life. This is the God I serve. He is unpredictable of course, but He is surely worthy of being trusted with and for everything, being completely reliable.  In the midst of joy and delight, I received terrible news, my mother was badly ill, and the sad part of this: it was on mother’s day, the day she should deserve praises and honor from her children. Three nights in a row, I couldn’t fall asleep or do homework because of a major headache. How I would respond depend on how big my view of God is. I am so thankful to have a God who is bigger than any problem I can face or will face. Based on everything I have mentioned that has proven that he is in control, I have seen that He is completely reliable. I was able to talk to my mother 2 days ago, and she sounds much better. She still has to go to another hospital to see a different doctor because the first doctor could not find out what is wrong with her. I believe God will intervene for her. Jesus knows the medicine she needs because he can sympathize with her. We have a high priest, and “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testing we do, yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

Many of my friends are graduating! One who has been a super helpful to me durring my Moody career will be leaving as well. It is sad, but I am glad for them all. That is life. People come and go in our lives.  Please keep my mother and father in your prayers. I believe in prayer and miracles because I believe in Jesus. One thing we all need constantly is Jesus because we will never achieve perfectness in this life, and we will always face problem that only He can overcome. One day we will be perfect and will not remember the problems of this passing world, for us who put our trust in Jesus. I am still wrestling with suffering, difficulty, and doubt, but God always come to my rescue in his own time. In my hardening heart, his Holy Spirit is constantly ministering to me and bringing me back to God, time after time. That is how much Jesus loves us. Thank you God, for this year.  I quote this verse in honor of my friends Luke Wapp because he is like a true brother to me who loved me unconditionally with Jesus’ love. I’ll miss him next year. “A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need” (Proverbs 17:17).

“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).