What We Need, When We Need It

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

 

In September of 2012 I received a call asking me to teach in March of 2013. The Women’s Ministry team of the church who called me had looked at my website and had chosen the “Intentional Friendships” topic for their retreat. I was happy that my calendar was open and accepted the call.

In the meantime, and unbeknownst to me, a local university contacted this church asking them if they would provide mentors for the young women in the Christian fellowship group on their campus.  The Church willingly agreed though several of the women admitted that they were trusting God to lead them because it wasn’t anything they had done before.

When we gathered this past weekend for the retreat most of the women had heard the title and assumed it was just about friendships, they were not aware they were coming to hear teaching about mentoring.  It was a wonderful privilege to watch it dawn on them that last September God was already providing them with what they would need this March.

In His sovereignty God was giving them some instruction they longed for. He sent me armed with years of experience and a load of prayer before this weekend that he would prepare hearts for, and produce fruit from, the teaching.

It is a great privilege to teach women who are so eager to learn. I often wonder at how (and also teach that) God gives us what we need before we need it. This time He had it all set up for just when they needed it! In the timing of everything God also provided this church with a real confirmation that mentoring these college students was His call for these women.

Throughout the weekend God blessed me as they told me of their gratitude for the teaching. They recognized God’s work in giving them a Biblical understanding of what they were to do for these young women He was bringing into their fellowship. They talked of being equipped and even convicted of things they needed to change in order to be better role models.

As all of this was going on there was a crisis in my extended family and I was initially torn about where I should be. But, in His sovereignty and grace, God gave me the peace that passes understanding, that peace that penetrates the heart and soul when circumstances are out of our control. Throughout the weekend I was sure that I was exactly where God wanted me to be.

My peace this weekend came from God’s obvious work and will in the teaching. He had ordained this weekend for the good of His children who were hungry for what He had to feed them so they could faithfully feed others.

I  left the retreat feeling about these women as Paul felt about the Roman believers. He said to them, “I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers [Sisters], that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.” (Romans 15;14)

And, because God is good all the time, I was able to do what I needed to do to respond to my family when I got home. He gave me time and more grace than one woman should expect…..but that’s who He is.  All He does is good, His timing is perfect, and His love, steadfast. He proved it to me, to the women He brought for instruction, and for some college students who have some very enthusiastic mentors waiting to serve them.