Divine Appointments

…and he determined the times set for them 
(and the exact places where they should live).

Acts 17:26b

I wish I could give justice to the beauty of the
grounds in Suan Bua, the resort we were in.

Sometimes, we meet up with people and we can’t help but marvel that we’re together, that we’re talking, and then later, praying. At times like that, you just can’t help but get the sense that everything happened according to plan. The Lord set it up and somehow He chose us to amazingly be a part of it. This last week was one like that. Our whole family was at our mission’s conference. Typically, we start with lunch on a Tuesday and we get to stay in a resort atop a mountain until lunchtime on Sunday. We go there to worship together, receive teaching, hear about God's work in our places of ministry, relax, visit with friends, and play. We get to eat delicious buffet meals. Interspersed between our times of sharing/fellowshipping and meetings, we also enjoy snacks over coffee or cold drinks. Different prayer times (in the morning and afternoon) are set, along with games and a talent show. Each year is slightly different as the committee determines the combination of activities to include in the schedule.

The schedule is tailored after survey comments from the attendees of the year before. We’d just finished attending our 8^th conference since we arrived here in 2004. Each one was a blessing in various ways. We started with a much bigger group including those working in several restricted access nations. As our numbers grew, our group was split into 3 smaller groups two years ago. We miss the people we used to spend the week with but each year had been a blessing nonetheless. Now, our “extended family” is just smaller in number. Since our get-together only happens once a year, we all look forward to it. It is six days of pampering, resting, receiving, learning, giving, and getting touched by God. He is so good for all of us (for a mere $250 US each) to get refreshed physically and mentally, (sometimes) refreshed emotionally, and (definitely) refreshed spiritually. By the time we go home, we feel strengthened to carry on our work for another year. For workers in restricted countries where they can’t worship as believers, it is the only time they get to openly fellowship and receive teaching. Like dried plants, they come to rest and drink deeply from God’s well. We are blessed to get to attend this conference every year.

On the way there last week, Eng and I prayed to know what to do with our time and who we should meet with. Typically, I would purposely individually connect with people and join them for meals. By the time our meal is done, we would have visited and shared our prayer concerns. We’d often end our time with prayers for one another.

In answer to our prayers, Eng and I only shared our first and last day’s meals together. In between, it was amazing to witness how God orchestrated the meetings with the ladies that I spent my time with. My visiting times got coordinated while I walked, when I got tea, when I stood in line-ups, and as I happened to see people. Even Eng prayed for a lady that was beset by nightmares and the presence of evil spirits. As he prayed, he literally felt a “spirit” pass them (he prayed with others) as it left her room. Miraculously, in 4 days, I prayed at least 15 times with different people and it included long prayers to do a deliverance, prayer counselling, and Theophostic prayer. What a privilege to be able to specifically pray for women who came from as far as the Philippines, Taiwan, and China. As one child worker remarked, “I’m just so awed that the Lord brought me all the way here just so I could deal with my issues.” Most child workers come here just for that time of caring and looking after the children. They often don't get a chance to return.

We have such a remarkable God. He stops at nothing so we could find peace, joy, contentment, answers to our prayers, and an awareness of Him and His goodness. Praise Him. =)