This month’s post highlights a wonderful example of God calling a servant, who listened and followed that call, even though none of the details were at all clear. I am sharing this true story with permission from guest writer, and dear friend, Valerie Moore. Val sends out a weekly update and I was so touched by this message and its spotlight on how God works even when we don’t see it. He works in multiple places, multiple ways, and with multiple people, It was such a great tie-in to Sunday’s message that I was prompted to share this special story with you. I pray that you will be blessed through it as well.

From Val’s September 27th, Tuesday Newsday

Here’s how God has been working through your prayers for our teachers’ visas.

Backstory:
1st grade teacher applies for visa in May and is told she will have it within 90 days.  More than 90 days later, visa is still at large and the only “answer” (non-answer) from the consulate is, “You just have to wait.”  I have a conversation with the school administrator about my son’s class, like, “Is my kid starting school this fall??” And she says, “I really don’t know what we are going to do.  I’ve explored every possible solution.”  I recalled my Bible reading in Exodus where God’s people cry out and say, “Do you not see our suffering? Have you forgotten us?” but God had NOT forgotten them.  In fact, He was already working on a solution.  A baby.  A baby that would take 40 years to grow, then 40 more years to train as a shepherd in the wilderness so he would be ready to lead God’s people out of Egypt.  I said to the administrator, “I don’t know what the solution is, but I know there is one.  God is doing something, but we don’t see what it is.”  She assured me 80 years was not her timetable and we laughed (nervously).

Meanwhile, on this side of the Atlantic:
School begins.  Moms of first graders rearrange their schedules to be able to sub here and there.  “I can come Monday, but I have xxxxxx on Tuesday.” “Ok, I can do Tuesday morning, but I’m committed to xxxxxx in the afternoon” and on the planning went for the first 2 weeks of school.  By the third week, no moms were available due to prior ministry commitments, travel, hosting U.S. missions’ teams, etc.

Meanwhile, on the U.S. side of the Atlantic:
A teacher is seriously injured in an accident and is put on sick leave for a time.  When she returns, her position has been filled.  When she seeks another position within the school system, none are available, funding has been cut, blah blah blah.  It is suggested to her that she retire early because she is “old” which is undesirable.  She feels so rejected, devalued, and hung out to dry.  She is forced into retirement in March, but April 1 decides she will not pout about it and is going to find what the Lord would have her do instead.  To hold herself accountable, she makes a Facebook post that says, “I will not cocoon” and makes it known that she’s looking for the Lord’s leading.  A friend in Portugal sees the post and invites her to come for a month to visit and see what the Lord is doing here.  As she prepares for the trip, 3 different people share with her that they feel she will actually be gone longer than a month, which seems odd, but she does take note of their comments. One was her adult son who walked away from the Lord after the tragic loss of his child to cancer.  In fact, her son partially funded this “mission/vision trip” and encouraged her to stay as long as the Lord could use her here.  This was an unexpected (and in her words) a miraculous change of tune from her son.  Upon her arrival, she was involved with the host missionary’s church in some outreaches.  The host missionary brought her to the school one day to see what was going on there.  She said she immediately felt like the Lord was prompting her to be involved.  She asked if there was any way she could help at the school – clean, help organize the library, whatever.  The administrator shared our need of a more appropriate/permanent substitute for the 1st grade class while we wait for our teacher’s visa.  She said that if she could get her visa extended by a month, she would be happy to stay.  She was immediately able to extend the visa for a month – to which we all said, “HOW?????”  All of us who have been victim to this bureaucracy were amazed at the speed and simplicity of the answer.

I found all of this out by simply stopping by the 1st grade classroom after school to meet and welcome her.  I was amazed as she shared the details of her story.  Long before we even knew we had a problem and began fretting and wondering how it would be resolved, God was already speaking to and working in this teacher.  Just as I had been assured by God’s Word, He WAS working a solution, but it was in His way and in His timeframe.  I assured her that if she felt rejected or undervalued where she was, surely she has come to a place where she is so wanted and absolutely valued.  I committed to pray with her that, just as God has used her as an answer to our prayers, that God would use the mission’s effort in Portugal as an answer to hers for God’s work in her son’s life, as this trip has already opened avenues of conversation he has been unwilling to engage in for a long time.  As always, God cares about the big and small details of our lives, is always working His plan, and is ever faithful.

Have you been praying for something for a long time?  For 80 years? God does hear you.  His solution will come in His way and His time. We can rest in the fact that His ways and thoughts are always higher and better than ours.

Have a great week and please continue to pray for the visa.

Phillippians 1:6 “being confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in your will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Dear Father, Thank you for your work in our lives. Thank you that you hear and answer prayers. Help us to wait with wonder and anticipation as we watch for your answers in your perfect way and your perfect timing. Help us to be found faithful in waiting, and ready to step forward and serve when you call.  Prepare our hearts so that we will recognize, be ready and respond to the appointments that you direct in our lives. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen

Guest Writer: Valerie Moore

Val is a dear friend from our Lisbon area school (GLCA) and church. She and her husband along with Adam and Melissa Gibson together planted and pastor the church Igreja Baptista Evangélica das Colinas. Val is mom to 3 busy, wonderful children, a music teacher at GLCA, a Bible Study leader for women’s ministries at IBEC, and I could go on and on. I thank her for allowing me to share this story.