Editor’s note: I love this team. I had to work on something this morning, so I turned around and handed my laptop to Gary M. and asked if he wanted to write something for the blog, giving the morning update. Without a blink, he picked up the laptop, starts typing away. I wish you could experience the natural ease with how this team can operate. We’re not perfect, but we’re focused on serving God and serving others, and trying to get our agendas and quirks out of the way of those goals. Thanks Gary!
Good morning from Biloxi, MS. We’re on the way to another day at the site. The weather reports show a possibility of rain mid-day, but after Chris’ tearful devotional this morning, we are reminded to leave things to God’s plans.
Chris shared about the one year he missed coming to Mississippi (2010). He was sure that God was telling him that he needed to stay at home and minister to his family after his father-in-law had a major injury the Wednesday before he was to leave. Although he did not understand it at the time and had deep disappointment with not going on the mission trip, later on he came to understand how important it was minister to his family after his father-in-law passed the day he would have left.
It is a comfort to know that God has plans for us that will sometimes precede our own plans, and work out for the better of His will in ways that we sometimes may not realize until later and sometimes much, much later.
Ken, the director of New Life Disaster Relief where we are staying, chimed in after Chris’ sharing on how the problem with PK’s (Pastors’ Kids) is so prevalent because pastors have their priorities mixed up. It should be (in order) personal worship of God, immediate family, church family, then the rest of the world. He shared about a decision he made to cancel a week of speaking engagements in order to minister to his wife after a traumatic ordeal. How incongruous it would be to go and speak to all these groups about how their family had been terrorized while he had left his family at home.
Our fellow laborers, Jim and Nannie continue to be an inspiration and example to us. We will miss them as they leave today after lunch. Nannie gave us each a big hug this morning before breakfast and then later apologized if she had inadvertently offended anyone’s sensibilities. She went on to share how we have been the best group they have had the pleasure to work with. God is glorified.
Heads up. We drove past the bank that showed the current temperature at 77 degrees now at 8 AM. Radio just said the highs might be in the low 80’s . We’ll see.