We drove home this weekend to take care of a few more mundane things like paying bills and getting my “Protime” test to check the viscosity of my blood. Ugh! Martie drove and I rested. I find that if I stop I doze, so I dosed about half of the way of our four hour drive home. During my conscious moments I reflected on the past weeks and months that led up to our trip home.

I have often quoted Proverbs 16:9 “Men make plans in their hearts, but God orders their steps”. I am convinced that God is sovereign and that He has shaped each of us for a purpose in the context of that plan. I shared that with someone last week and they said “That is very Presbyterian of you”. Isn’t it odd how we want everything in nice, – manageable compartments. Everything in order so we feel comfortable. Well, Presbyterian or not – God “will” have His way.

As many of you know, we have been involved in assisting with the establishment of the Military Missions Network ministry for the past two years. As an aside, MMN was granted 501C3 status (non-profit) last month. I joined the staff last April and have been busy raising support so Martie and I could engage in the ministry full time. Then Katrina happened. I have never been cavalier about life choices – that is where we live and what I do to provide for my family – but God has a way of changing the course of our lives – ways that confound us – that radically change our thinking, priorities and life style. As I reflect on it, I find it disconcerting how often we have favored pragmatism over obedience. We say, well I know I have been called but until I have the money in the bank – well God wouldn’t ask me to go without some assurance that I am financially secure – would He??

Some retired missionary friends of ours, Edwin and Ruth Messerschmidt, told us “Where God guides, He provides”. We understood that to be true but not until we stepped out in faith did we experience that truth. No preconditions to follow, just walking in and by faith. We had been sleeping in the church with the rest of the volunteers and shelter residents. I was working about 18 hours a day and could not get away to rest. A man who works with the Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief sent his pop-up camper down for Martie and I to stay in. People and churches have been committing to supporting us while we serve on the Gulf. God is awesome. Scripture has come alive and its truth is being revealed in a new and powerful way.

The Lord is teaching Martie and I much about trust, faith and obedience. Yesterday we were talking with men from First Baptist Church Montgomery who represent FBC’s missions effort in the Gulf. We talked about the need to move West along the Gulf where the need is even greater. Martie and I agree that we will move further West we just don’t know when. As they left, one of the men, Buddy Ingram said – you are missionaries and we want to encourage you and support you in what you are doing. Missionaries, I had used that word, missionaries, to describe our life with MMN before but the reality of the life we find ourselves living had not sunk in. The truth is that with MMN we were talking about becoming missionaries … but today … we are living and serving as missionaries. Before it was words about what we were going to do … now it is about what we are doing. It is about showing our faith by our works … living out what James wrote about in chapter 2.

We have a new attitude about possessions and accumulation. We have seen how quickly the affluent can be brought low. Everything they owned washed away by the sea. They find themselves sleeping on floors or in cars. Standing in line to receive food or water. The words of the Lord were never more real …

I have had numerous conversations with liberal and irreligious people who have commented on the significant response of “faith based” organizations. They talk of how the national disaster organizations have floundered but the faith based organizations have met and are meeting the needs of the people. So God is receiving glory even from the lips of those who reject Him.

Please continue to pray for the people along the gulf. People have asked me for something to tell the people when they return home. What I tell them to say is this …. “Going and doing something is better than sitting at home and doing nothing” I don’t mean to sound harsh, but I want to encourage people who have never imagined they could do anything themselves to realize that Jesus has called us all to cross the road and help the man in the ditch (Good Samaritan parable). Come for two days or two months but please come.