To the glory of God...

My aunt from Florida is currently here with a group, part of which includes my cousin, Baylor, her husband, Adam, and people from their small group from their church in Birmingham, Alabama. Their church is Brook Hills, where David Platt, the author of the book Radical, preaches. Adam and I were talking about part of this book, where David Platt talks about God being able to use all skill sets to his glory. He tells of a man in his church, who led a rough life and I think came to Christ while in prison. Any way, this man offered his skills to "smuggle contraband across borders" if they ever needed to get Bibles into closed countries!!

I, too, feel like God surprises me in the way He prepares us for things. On Tuesday a lady from the Hogar called at noon and asked me to come to the Hogar at four to teach the girls a "baile de gimnasticos ritmicos"... which translates to a rhythmic gymnastics routine. So, never being one to say no, I agreed. I just happened to remember a routine from high school cheerleading, and I just happened to have the music on my computer. Of course, I don't really think that any of that "just happened"... I think that God was preparing me at age 16 for the job I would be doing in Comayagua, Honduras at age 23.

Stories like this are everywhere down here. My Grampy (my mom´s dad) used to volunteer for Turtle Soup Luncheons at Brooklawn Youth Services in Louisville, which led to my mom and dad later volunteering on their festival committee, which led to my mom tutoring boys with behavioral disorders once a week. Now, down here, that kind of experience has given her a basis to work with some of the kids in their projects. It is always fun to see people come down here who "had a little Spanish in high school", who then find that they remember more than they thought.

I guess the point of this post is that we never know how God is preparing us to later use us for his glory. Whether your skills include illegal transport of contraband across borders, cheerleading routines, "handy man" type stuff, bowling, etc. etc. etc., be assured that God can and will use you to his glory if you will follow his lead. You may be in a phase of life right now where you feel like you are going no where, but maybe this is a season of preparation that will later prove valuable as you serve God. May the Lord bless you as you seek to follow him.