The Great Inversion

Many of you may remember a blog I posted some time ago about a good friend of mine here whose name is Adam.  Adam is a follower of Islam and therefore in need of the saving grace of God.  In the previous post I shared with you the openness of Adam to speak about God, his Word and the differences between Christianity and Islam.  I wanted to share with you an update on my relationship with Adam and the progress that has been made toward turning Adam’s heart to God.  Adam and I have continued to have disjointed conversations over the past several months and in those conversations it seems that God is working and opening places in Adam’s heart for the truth to take root.  The newest development has been Adam’s desire to read the Bible.  I quickly found him a French copy of the Bible (he is not Kabiye) and encouraged him to start in the beginning and work all the way through.  He is currently working through Leviticus and wants to bring some questions discuss together.  I have recently purchased a copy of the Koran and will be reading through that so that I can understand more of where he is coming from and so that he sees me seeking to understand Islam.  I am asking you to be in prayer for Adam.  Pray that his heart will be soft to receive the real truth of who God is and how he desires relationship with us. 

A friend of mine who I recently reestablished contact with asked a question on facebook.  “What has God done to astound you recently?”  My response to his question was that God brought Becky, Hannah and Caleb safely from Togo to Washington.  Not that astounding you say?  Considering the thousands of miles, a year old infant son, eight year old daughter, twenty-four hours in cramped quarters on a plane, nine hour layover in London and four hour car ride at the end, I would say that is astounding.  If you don’t think so then you have never traveled with children.  Becky has traveled one other time to the states by herself with an infant and it was a nightmare.  Vomiting, crying, and little help from the airline staff all mixed together for a relatively nasty experience.  So when we decided that Becky would do that again, I began praying earnestly and specifically for not only a safe journey but also for an enjoyable one.  And I asked you to pray for the same.  Thank you for praying.  Her trip was safe and probably one of the easiest ones we have ever taken together or separately.  From Accra to London she was bumped up to business class and Caleb slept all the way.  London to Seattle God provided a wonderful older lady from the Czech Republic who spoke about six words of English and who held Caleb and walked with him and was basically a free nanny so Becky could catch a little break.  And driving from Seattle to Richland both Hannah and Caleb slept the entire four hour drive.  In the hands of God all things are possible and in his capable hands those planes just cruised on and Becky, Hannah and Caleb cruised on and all was touched by His powerful being.  If that isn’t astounding, then what is?  Praise and thanks be to God!

Currently my wife Becky, daughter Hannah and son Caleb are cruising at 33,000 feet over West Africa.  They are headed to London tonight and tommorow will continue from London to Seattle.  There are few things more difficult for me than to put a portion of my family on an airplane and say goodbye for a short period of time.  While I will enjoy having some special time with Elijah and Gabriel, nothing will be exactly right while we are separated by such a vast space.  As I pulled away from Kotoko International Airport in Accra, Ghana I couldn’t help but shed a few tears.  I am fanatically faithful to my wife and children and take their personal safety and protection very personally.  However, when I heard their plane take off and fly over the guesthouse here in Accra where we are staying, I was reminded how powerless I am to protect them in this instance in particular.  Control must be given to God.  I am reminded of this each time I am separated from my family.  So, I ask you to please join me in praying for my darling wife and children while they are away and that he would bring them back safely in a couple weeks.  Thanks!