Opened Doors

Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of my leaving the United States for Australia. 2007 has flown by so quickly it hardly seems that I have been here for an entire year. But I have learned many things about the way God works in our lives. The Lord taught me this year the importance of waiting for his timing.

When I arrived in Australia on January 10, 2007 I expected to immediately become involved in missions work. But God did not give me opportunities to minister at the college I am working with. There weren't many opportunities to serve in local churches either. I was involved in a exciting youth ministry, only to leave it after six weeks. I prepared to teach three classes during second semester at the Bible College. But God did not allow me to teach any one of them.

For much of this year it seemed as if I was trying to walk through open doors of ministry. But God would always close those doors in my face. At times this was frustrating because I felt like I was doing little for the Lord in Australia. But in those discouraging times I always knew that it was God's Will for me to wait. So I focused my attention on developing relationships with Australian Christians.

Now one year later God is beginning to open up marvelous doors of opportunity for me at my local church. In 2008 I will also be running a young adults ministry that meets once a week outside of church. I will lead a small group at my local church as well. On Sundays I will be helping teach an adults Sunday school class, along with children's church, as well as develop power point presentations for the message.

I am teaching a group of teenagers from another church on Wednesday nights. I also lead and coordinate those youth services. I am currently beginning work on a strategic plan for the youth group along with other members of the leadership team. What makes this strange is that I have never had this kind of leadership position before.

I have also been given control of a distance education program that is offered by the Bible College. I am currently presenting that ministry in local baptist churches, and praying that God will provide students for me to teach. And by God's grace I will soon be teaching a class on the doctrine of Salvation.

In the year 2007 God has made me an active minister at a local church, a leader of a growing youth group, and a teacher of college level classes. Some of this has to do with the fact that I have a gift for working with teens and teaching. But my talent is not what opened those doors of opportunity. It was God. I firmly believe that he has given me these ministries because I did not force the door of opportunity open when he closed it.

I need your prayers now more than ever before dear friends. For I want to give all of myself to each one of these ministry opportunities. And it will be very easy to get burned out by doing too much. Pray that God will give me the strength to be the best minister, leader, and teacher that I possibly can be. The year 2007 has given me wonderful opportunities. I can wait to see what God does in 2008!