Nobody knows

This morning I woke up thinking about last night's service, which began with a 10 minute presentation recapitulating the life and ministry of Thomas E. Trask, complete with black-and-white photos of a 21 yr. old Tom, pastoring his first church in Minnesota. When Brad Trask got up to introduce his father, he filled in even more details, as well as providing a couple of humorous stories. (Apparently when Thomas Trask told his father Waldo in 1988 that he had been approached about being the General Treasurer, his father was adamant that he should refuse: the only treasurer mentioned in the Bible was Judas!)

I was thinking this morning how no one knew when that 21 year old young man started pastoring that he would one day be the General Superintendant of our fellowship. No one knew he would have such a far-reaching and varied ministry.

I reflected on meeting Professor Brubaker in the entry of the building last night--a man who was one of my first Bible college professors when I was only 17 years old. He is always interested in whatever ministry I'm currently doing; as I talked to him very briefly last night, he got a look on his face and shook his head slightly, as if I was amazing him somehow with my latest plans. I thought, he probably remembers me at 17, so no wonder he's surprised that my life has changed in the ways it has. I wasn't even planning to be on the missionfield back then, and here I've been a missionary for at least 10 years.

All that to say: I'm glad I don't know where I'll be next year or twenty years from now. As much as I sometimes get frustrated with the not knowing, I'd rather let God direct my steps, because its been pretty exciting so far!