The Future's So Bright...

When we made our decision to embark on this so-called African Adventure, there was great excitement about the immediate future. The next 6 months or so of ministry in Uganda with ABU and Sixty Feet and Pastor Ernest’s pastor training efforts were crystal clear to us. We knew God was calling us to this. However, the more long-term future was anything but clear. The path ahead was dark, foggy, unclear. I will admit that I was concerned about coming over here for five months, knowing that I did not have a job to return to when my work here concluded. I know that some of you shared those concerns (and some were not afraid to tell me so). At the end of the day, we became convinced that God was calling us to embrace this short-term ministry opportunity in Uganda and entrust the foggy long-term future into his care. I saw this as a really important step of faith for me. It was time for me to follow Jesus to Africa and trust him with the future of our family.

Well, God has done “immeasurably more than we could have asked or imagined, according to his power that is at work within us.” Since coming to Uganda I have essentially had three long-term job opportunities come my way. And we have become convinced that God is calling us to one of these.

So here is the very short version of how this happened. About my 3rd week in Uganda, one day on campus, I overheard someone say something about the “team from Athens.” I remembered that my friend Hal Farnsworth, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Athens, GA, was coming to Uganda with a small team from their church. I found Hal on campus, and as we were chatting, and catching up with each other, Hal mentioned that Redeemer was looking for a church planter to come start a new church in Madison County, just north of Athens.  I was interviewed right here in Uganda. Hal and his team returned to Athens with a short video “interview” of me for the core group at Redeemer to see. We communicated some more via email and skype. Andrea and the girls went over to Athens and Madison County for a visit. Then Andrea and I and the girls prayed and talked and prayed some more. And now the future has become bright and clear. We are very excited to be able to say that we will be planting a church in Madison County. There is an awesome core group of couples, individuals and families at Redeemer who are ready for a church in their home area of Madison County, and we cannot wait to joint them and begin this new venture in the work of God’s Kingdom together!

So after trying to figure out this whole “future plans thing” for about three years, who knew I simply needed to come to Uganda, and that it would all become clear there?That’s how God, in his amazing sovereign grace, works. We are thrilled. And I cannot wait to tell you, in a soon to come future blog post, about the ongoing Uganda connection to this church planting work with Redeemer, Athens.

The plan at this point is to move to Madison County in August (I return to Atlanta on June 15), so please pray for us as we begin this transition. Also pray for this new church plant: for Redeemer, for the core group and for Madison County. Pray for Andrea and the girls in the swirling chaos and mixed emotions of transition added to all the "normal chaos" of daily life. And pray for me to finish well here in Uganda – about 6 weeks to go. There is much to be done here before I leave. Finally praise God with us for his good and gracious provision.

For Jesus’ Sake…

Tim