On the 9th, we had a unique outreach opportunity, that didn't quite go as planned, which I'm finding is quite typical especially on the World Race.
One of the women here, Diana, was married about 8 months ago. Before they were married, her husband, Sasha, played a lot of soccer (and still does occasionally). His friends, who are not Christians, attended their wedding and I think, for most of them, it was their first time in a church. Monday afternoon we were able to spend time wtih these 9 men playing soccer and just hanging out. It was really fun to get to play, to be active and meet new people.
The plan was to play soccer, come back to the church, and share a testimony, sing, and have a sermon. Well, as I said above, it didn't work out quite that way. After soccer, we went back to the church and then all the men left, in about a 5 minute period. Long enough that after getting back, putting dinner in the oven, and going upstairs, the last two were heading out the door. It was a little disappointing, honestly.
But, it was in that time that the Lord reminded me that even though it's not how I forsaw it to happen, God was still present in that moment, he wasn't surprised by what happened but he still used us in their lives, if only for an hour and a half. I don't know what God's going to do with them, I don't know how he's pursuing them, I just know that he is, that he's always with them and one day he will win them over to himself.
My part in their story, at least up to this point, was to play soccer with them, to smile at them and give them a hard time on the court. I made sure the goals they scored weren't easy, and I did my best to make them feel included and loved in the way that only I could.
God does what he wants. And he uses us, even in the smallest ways. I did my part, I watered the soil as best as I could – it's up to Him to make them grow, to guide them and lead them; to woo them. But, it's a hard thing to trust in. We all thought, "did I do enough?" "Did I make a difference?" "Could I have done better?" But I just have to trust, to have faith that those men needed to be there at that specific time, and that somewehre along the way, this will play some sort of part in their eternal stories.
I would encourage you to remember that God is still sovereign, he is still God. He is omnipresent, omnipotent, and all loving. He is intricately weaving the stories of all of us together. Trust that he's using you in a way that only you could be used, that he is using you because you are special, because only you can do what you are doing. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, God doesn't make mistakes – you are there for a reason. The thoughts you think, the way your mind works, the words that you speak, it is all for a very specific purpose.
God has brought you to this point in your life, he has prepared you with whatever you have gone through in the past, for a reason. And the things you'll go through coming up will be used to prepare you for things in your future.
Trust him today.
In Him,
Amanda
