When I was first asked to come to this ministry to do this project for a few months, my first reply was no.  I felt like my time there was done.  But the woman asking me asked me to pray again.  I took some time and prayed and again came back with a no answer.  Several months passed.  I received an email again asking me to reconsider.  This time as I was reading the email my heart did a 180 degree turn as I was reading this email.  I knew this only could have been from God.  And from a persistant woman praying for help!

But before I could totally answer in the affirmative I told her I had to check with my church leadership.  I had them pray.  I prayed.  I received a yes answer.  They received a no.  Hm.  What to do?  So a few months later I had them pray again.  I prayed again.  The woman on the other end waited for a firm commitment.  I received a stronger yes from the Lord.  My leadership received a stronger no from the Lord.    A third time I asked them to pray.  A third time I prayed.  I received an even stronger yes from the Lord.  They received a definitive no.  What to do?  Do you obey what you feel like the Lord is telling you to do and go against your leaders?  Or do you obey your leaders but go against what God is telling you?  What would you do?

Then about a week later it came to me out of the blue.  I bet it’s a timing issue.  I bet that we are both hearing from the Lord correctly.  I approached my leadership and asked them to pray if it was timing.  We both prayed.  We both got a yes.  We both even got the same semester I was to staff.  It was a valuable lesson in hearing from the Lord in community.

I bought my plane ticket for a couple of months ahead of time to prepare for the school. As I prepared I had no peace again.  I was miserable.  I would stay up at night worrying about everything.  This went on for months.  I felt miserable leaving my job.  I felt no peace about anything.  It was terrible.  And then I wondered if it was timing.  I felt this was maybe the issue.  So I called up the airline company and changed my ticket to a month later but still enough time to prepare for the school.  Immediately after the peace came rushing back.  It was a timing issue.  For some reason I was to be there a month later than planned, no sooner.

Upon arrival I’ve wondered why.  Why this month and not last?  And this month and not next?  Perhaps this month verses the previous month is a little more clear.  Due to some work circumstances staying one more month financially allowed me to pay the remaining balance on my student loans, something I had prayed about before returning to full-time ministry.  But why not a month later?

Last night I think I got my answer.  I was at a financial seminar that was taught by a man of Issachar, one who “understands the times.”  It was so very Scriptural, so very practical, and so potentially life-changing.  Had I come any later I might have missed it.  Had I come too near this I might have been so jet-lagged that I would’ve opted out.  And yet there I was receiving revelation from Scripture that is so Biblical yet I had never heard before.  Something that could alter my future and the future of my family.

And I have to fall to my knees and thank God.  Thankful that He is the Shepherd that is guiding us for our good.  He is the Shepherd that works with our human leaders for our good.   He is good.  And after the last few days, I am so very, very thankful.  Truly, HIS timing is everything.

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