Thank you to all who are supporting us and holding us up in prayer. I needed it. It has been a chaotic week leading up to this inaugural trip for Running The Race. Last Thursday I was feeling overwhelmed and uncharacteristically anxious with the responsibility, planning, and thinking about all the things that could go wrong with this trip. Time was being swallowed up in big chunks and I couldn’t stop the clock. I was feeling very weak. I reached out to my board members and they encouraged me with their words, prayer and scripture. (I have a great group of people helping me lead this organization.) In particular, Chad shared a quote that really spoke to me.
“There is nothing – no circumstance, no trouble, no testing – that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment. But as I refuse to become panicky, as I lift my eyes to Him and accept it as coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing to my own heart, no sorrow will ever disturb me, no trial will ever disarm me, no circumstance will cause me to fret – for I shall rest in the joy of what my Lord is! That is the rest of victory!”
-Alan Redpath
My weakness was actually a good place to be. In that weakness I was totally dependent on God and His sovereign power, (2 Cor 12:9-10).
Looking back God was preparing me for the events of this the past few days. The terrorist attack in Nairobi was unsettling. We had experienced similar circumstances on previous trips to Kenya, but this was different. I am responsible for the group and I was concerned about their well being. Paul’s words to Timothy repeatedly came to mind through out the day. God did not give us a spirit of timidity or fear, but of power and love and discipline. (2 Tim 1:5-9) He was encouraging Timothy to be faithful to his calling while utilizing the gifts he was given in spite of the circumstances. God will be faithful. He had called us to this mission and He would accomplish His purposes through us in spite of our weakness.
During a conference call the night before we left the group confirmed their commitment and faithfulness to their calling. Not because of any strength or security of our own, but only because of God’s strength. He is sovereign and faithful. We can trust Him. I was never really in control and that is good place to be.
-Jeremy