I was sitting on the beach, on the last Sunday before we would head back to Tanzania to fly home after 8 months in Africa when it dawned on me. I have made it. Wow, by Gods grace I have really made it. Me and my team have traveled all the way through North, West and East Africa, through 13 countries to our current destination in Pemba Mozambique and we can say we have made it.
For some of you this might not sound like much but for me it truly is a great work of God. Seeing that before this year I had never really led people. To be honest it is something that I have all ways tried to avoid. So when Anne Marie asked me to pray about leading the Explore Africa team I was very surprised. I mean firstly I have never really led people and secondly my walk with the Lord has been so short and now they want me to lead others which have probably been walking with the Lord for much longer on a epic journey through Africa. I mean it just sounds crazy, but what seems like madness to the world makes perfect sense to God.
For me it was really a step of faith. I knew that I did not have, in my own strength, the ability to do this, but I knew that if God had called me he would qualify me. Just like he qualified the great men of faith in the Bybel, like Moses, Paul and Joshua. I knew that the only way I was to make it was by starting every day on my knees and by listening to Holy Spirit as he lead me every step of the way. So that is what I did. It was not easy, there was tough time, times when I wanted to give up and go home like I'm sure every challenger feels at some point in the journey but I held tight to the promise my Heavenly Father gave me in Jos 1;1-9.
Verse 3 and 6-9 really meant a lot to me. Verse 3 : “Wherever you set foot, you will be on land that I have given you”. Verses 6-9 ” (6) Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I have swore to their ancestors I would give them.(7) Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. (8) Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.(9) This is my command-be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
I held on to this knowing that wherever I set my feet it would be ground that God had given me and it gave me the boldness to continue in those tough times. When I felt that I couldn't anymore I looked to God's promise that He would be with me wherever I go and asked him were to put my next step.
It is really amazing when you look back on something and know that what you just did was not you. And then you know it was just God. When I look back at this year I know with everything in me that it was God because I know with everything in me I couldn't have done it on my own. If he calls you to do something he will enable you to finish that. That is one thing that I learned this year. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called. He is so faithful. Nothing is impossible for my God and that gives me such a peace in my heart that I know this is the God that I serve. The God for which nothing is impossible. All glory to you my heavenly Father, all the glory to You!