God-Ordained Margin

I recently returned from the Middle East. I often get disappointed on days overseas when only 1 or 2 brothers schedule a visit. It is reasonable, since the purpose of my trips is to connect onsite with brothers. Yet it also reveals my lack of trust in God's sovereignty over my time, ministry, and relationships. Often, I find that I need that downtime to prepare for meetings in the next city, or to be available for something urgent back home, or to simply process what is happening around me. One day of this past trip, no one scheduled me. But it worked out perfectly because I needed to give the entire day to my host that night, who is struggling in many ways. If others had scheduled me, we would not have had the depth of conversation about several things that we had that day. I also would not have been able to observe him interacting with his kids and the real challenges he has as a dad. Would you pray for him as a husband, father, full-time minister, and friend to many?

Having some margin in my schedule also allowed me to join a Sudanese friend who visits his dad twice a week in Cairo. His dad is bedridden with a condition that has literally caused his fingers and toes to turn black and, eventually, they will fall off. It was quite humbling to see the joy of the Lord in his dad's smile while listening to him tell stories of evangelistic trips inside Sudan decades ago. Please pray for Sabri as he balances caring for his father, his own family, theological study online, and ministry to several former Sudanese Muslims now living in Cairo. Ask for Spirit-led creativity to resume meeting together despite challenges such as Cairo traffic between distances of homes, working long hours as refugees, little income for transportation, and small living rooms in which to meet.