Thanks for the Shade Tree

There will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain. — Isaiah 4:6 NASB

[Yilo District – Ghana]  Sometimes, just for a bit, I forget where I am.  Our teams have been coming to Ghana, multiple times yearly, since 2000.  Jeff and I often comment that it feels like we are “just down the street” from home.  This is certainly a blessing and grace from God.

Today was NOT one of those days.  We arose at 6 and set out for our morning of school ministries around 7.  Combined, Jeff and my teams led in 22 different school assemblies today.

The roads we traveled were long and difficult and seeming at times to be non-existent.  The weather was extremely hot today — a pleasant break from what some of our families are experiencing back home in the US — and the sun was beating with more intensity than I remember thus far.

The time away from our base was much longer today than anticipated and thus meant that I went through my water (which I carry with me each morning) long before the day was complete.  As the day lingered on and the heat became more intense I saw that God had provided a great provision for us.  We looked and saw a wonderfully beautiful shade tree!

Here under this grand place of relief, I more fully realized that God has already made provision for all of our needs.  There is no thing we face today for which God has not already proven Himself to be our provision.

I trust that all of us will stop and take notice of the shades trees in our lives.  Perhaps you, right now need to know again that God is going ahead of you and will reveal Himself completely at just the right time.

Pray for Craig Barker, James McLean, and Andy Poe as they travel down extremely difficult and dark roads tonight for three separate cinema crusades in remote and rugged villages of the area.  Pray for safety in travel, strength in testimony, and smoothness of translation.  Thus far, in 145 different venues, our team has shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with 23,635 individuals.  Thank God for the shade trees!