Go Beyond

A Page from My Journal
En Route to Uganda, November 3, 2008
Posted from Amsterdam

   Pastor Alex and I are en route to Kampala aboard a packed KLM flight. We are on our way to The Comforter’s Center, the pregnancy help center our church helped to start in cooperation with Life International. Alex and I are seated among new friends in Row 39. Next to Alex is a young man from Ukraine who is a Christ-follower. And, seated next to me is a Catholic couple from Kerala, India – the place where Thomas took the gospel in the first century. I told them about our boys’ school in Orissa. The husband told me about a Catholic priest they know who was killed there a month and a half ago. Leaning close, he whispered, “The Hindus cut off his leg and an arm and he died. Be careful when you return to that terrible place.”

   Last month, we learned that an abortion provider was trying to purchase the building rented by The Comforter’s Center. However, the owner gave our center the first option to buy the building. He extended this courtesy not expecting that The Comforter’s Center would be able to come up with the $150,000.00 purchase price by the middle of October. But, he was not counting on the faith of Veronica, the director of The Comforter’s Center. Having survived two attempts by her mother to abort her, Veronica emerged from her mother’s hostile womb crippled but alive. She is not one to give up easily. She committed the matter to God and expectantly awaited His answer.

   God honored Veronica’s expectant faith through the generosity of His people at Kingsland. In the week after Hurricane Ike damaged many of our homes and the worst economic news in recent history damaged many of our hopes, God exceeded Veronica’s expectations by providing $180,000.00 – more than enough to purchase the building. When I spoke with Veronica by phone, a fountain of praise erupted from her grateful heart.

   Veronica’s story reminds me of Peter and John’s encounter with a man crippled from birth (Acts 3). This man sat by the temple gate called Beautiful every day where he begged from those going into the temple courts. When Peter and John came along, he looked at them “expecting to get something from them” (Acts 3:5). Having no money to give him, Peter healed the man in Jesus’ name – certainly more than the man expected. The beggar expressed his gratitude by walking and jumping and praising God. Beautiful!

   I don’t know what challenges you are facing this week, but I hope you’ll remember that expectant faith honors God and God honors expectant faith. Let God hear your petitions in the morning and then eagerly watch throughout the day for His answer (Psalm 5:3). He can exceed your expectations (Ephesians 3:20-21). And, that’s a beautiful thing!