Last week, I went in search of a print shop that could make copies for material I was going to use to train a group of local pastors. The first print shop saw a white guy (mzungu), saw dollar signs, and hiked up their prices significantly. The second place had a broken computer. The third place had no power. The fourth place could only do half the job. Finally the fifth place worked. As I was waiting to get the copies made, helping the employee to figure out how to open a document and print out on their printer, I shared with her in my rough Swahili about the work I do.

A man was sitting in the corner, listening and kept glancing up at me. After a while, I went over and met him. A HUGE smile spread across his face as he excitedly told me that he himself is a pastor, and has been praying for God to send someone who could train him and the other pastors he knows. His name is Edwin Seleli, and it became clear to both of us that God orchestrated this meeting so I could help him and the pastors he knows with their need for pastoral training. We prayed together, and celebrated God’s goodness in intersecting our paths. Since that time, we have been in communication, and he is planning to attend some trainings I will have in the future.

This got me to thinking about how God works, and the many other times that I may not have seen God’s hand, but He was working none the less. It took the fifth print shop before I was in the place God wanted me. At other times, I tend to get frustrated when things don’t work smoothly, forgetting that God may well be moving me to the place I need to be for His purposes. Prov.16:9 is one of my life verses, “Man plans out his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” It is a good reminder to me to keep my eyes open for the divinely appointed opportunities God brings across my path to offer hope to the discouraged, truth to the confused, and Christ to the world. Perhaps you can relate.

Pressing on by God’s grace, Eric.