CHOOSE: GOD'S GUIDANCE & GOD'S TIMING

BUMMER! That's what I thought when I saw that the MidSouth Food Bank Collection box had been removed from "my" Kroger. Of course, I can pay for meals at the grocery check-out but I had been purchasing food to "give" and the sacks were in my trunk.

But God....had me see national news on TV about communities having "blessing boxes" to share food in neighborhoods. So....I started "scouting" Memphis area for some. A recent article in Commercial Appeal highlighted one in Binghampton area that was restocked on weekends. So....I decided to try and locate it and take food in middle of week when they might be running low.

BUMMER! Last week as I was headed to dinner with two of my widow ladies along, seated comfortably in the back seat, we tried to locate said box. It was "dusk." We could not find it and I could sense uneasiness from the back seat!

But God....had hubby with me at Board of Education on S. Hollywood last Wednesday. After the meeting, and armed with his GPS, the "hunt" began again.  Voilà! We found it at intersection of Merton St. and Harvard. If I had realized it was in front of Caritas Village, I would have found it much sooner as I've been there several times. 

The door of the "Little Free Pantry" at 2509 Harvard Ave. (38112) was swinging open.
It was almost empty so my assumptions were right. 

Hm-m-m-m God must have had someone in need in mind for that day!

It's always the right time to help feed the hungry, whenever God guides you to them. (Matthew 25:35)

Scarci-TEA to Opportuni-TEA

"In our weakness He is strong" is a familiar verse to most Christians. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

However, last week in Turkey, I saw the essence of that verse in a new light. His light. 

I saw my scarcity as His opportunity. 

My opening keynote speech was delivered with "scarce" light and "new" bifocals which made clearly reading my notes virtually impossible. 

The result had me sharing words  and experiences which I had not written down. Afterwards, a lady tearfully approached me and said thanks for sharing. 

"I thought I was the only one who had ever experienced that ." she said. 

We talked and it was as if the Lord used those words to release her from guilt and to renew a "right spirit" within her.

When my physical strength waned from lack of sleep, younger members of the team came alongside this "senior member" and offered "an arm" as we climbed the hill in Ulus toward the castle.

Last Wednesday, as we walked the road above the refugee camp, I was privileged to deliver food to families living down those narrow paths past the garbage. 

A needy place. A place of abandoned properties. A place with hungry children.

A place where the possibility of ISIS members roamed. A place deemed unsafe by some. A place of scarcity of food, both physical and spiritual. (Matthew 25:35)

At one crowded "home" a Syrian gentlemen invited us in. His "stove" offered us heat, and though he offered tea, we politely declined by "patting our chest"---  a gesture of thanks, but no thanks, as we were unable to accept because of time constraints. 

This stranger invited us in.....and offered hospitality out of his meagerness. S asked if we could pray.  He said yes. Together......Syrians, Turks and Americans bowed in prayer. 

I saw scarcity in lives of others that God used as an opportunity for the household of faith to share His love with both food and prayer. (Pix of family removed for their safety.)

Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, (Isaiah 58:10)

In Turkey, my cuppa scarci-TEA was clearly filled many times with His opportuni-TEAs.

Opportunities to allow me to experience afresh His sufficiency for myself as well as others.