Wow! What a difference a year makes. My grandma told me when I was younger, “Burton if you want to hear God laugh tell Him your plans.” I never really understood that until a little over a year ago. I had given everything over to the Lord. At the time I had taught several Sunday School classes, helped with vacation Bible schools, gone on a few mission trips and spent 2 summers working at a summer camp. I had given it all over to Him except one area, relationships.
I had been dating this girl for a little over two years and thought she was the “one”. To save time I'll condense the story, that was my plan, not the Lord's. After everything transpired I found myself on the way to visit the camp I had worked at. I was driving up I-85 and had some things to say to God, some questions to ask. So for about 10 minutes I began to lets say voice my frustrations. In actuality I probably looked like a crazed manic to those I was sharing the road with but any way, back to the story at hand. I told God “Look what I've done for you! I have done all that You've asked me to do! I EARNED THAT!!!” . So after about 10 minutes of me telling God what I had “earned” I heard this small still voice. It said “Are you done yet?”. “Yes!” I shouted back. “Good, I have heard all you've had to say so you listen to me.” That day I was reminded of all these things I had learned about God over the years. He is good, He is just, He is sovereign, He is love and then I was reminded of one I had forgotten. He is Father… WHOA!!!! And like a dad picking up his small child and comforting him when he has scraped his knee, God-right there in the driver's seat of my car riding up I-85- wrapped me in His arms and said,”I know what your plans were but that wasn't mine. So listen as I tell you what mine are.” He said “Go”. What a second, go where? “First I want you to go back to work at camp and tell those kids what I have just reminded you of. After that I want you to return home and Go here.”
“Here” was a small church out in the country. There I began working with their children and youth programs. It was while there or here… there I heard the Lord say “Alright, now lets go someplace… New”. Little did I know “new” meant the World Race. So I applied and to my surprise was accepted to the World Race September 2011 team. So buckle your seat belts and hold on to your hats because it off to the races… Well of to the race.
