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By Carol Cohen, Adopt Ministry
Volunteer
Have you ever been amazed at God's hand working
in your life? As my pastor says, "Be amazed but never surprised."
I most definitely have seen God's hand at work in our
Heart to Heart Mentoring Ministry.
As a general rule when putting two participants
together in the mentoring ministry, I try to find people living
close together and with like interests. Sometimes the common link
is as small as a favorite hobby oar as big as the type of farming
that they are involved in. In many cases, I find myself coming
up empty-handed in this department. As often as I come up against
this wall, I also am given a great revelation of direction from
the same Father that gave me His grace.
Proverbs 16:9 "In his heart a man plans
his course, but the Lord determines his steps".
It is not always given at the time I had planned
to make the connection, but always at the perfect time for a smooth
exchange of information. The following events written by Joyce
Abney, Hull, Illinois, an Adopt Board Member,
give a perfect example of God's perfect purpose and timing in
this ministry with His, Heart to Heart.
"Early this year I was asked by Carol,
on behalf of our Heart to Heart Ministry,
to contact a farm wife in West central Illinois. She
and her husband were going through some financial difficulties
only too familiar to many farm families today.
We phoned each other several times, had some
very forthright discussions, shared the blessed hope in Jesus
Christ, and prayed together, but we had been unable to find time
to meet in person.
Then, one day as I was out visiting with the
Ladies Ministry from my church about fifty miles from my home,
Cindy, and I were trying to locate a young girl who had moved
out of our area and was reportedly staying with relatives in another
town. After several stops and a lot of questions, we were led
to a farm home hoping to find this teenage girl. Of course, there
was no one home, so we knocked on the door of the neighboring
farm home.
Well, praise God! We had found the right family
and were standing there talking with the mother of the young couple
trying to help the same girl we were so concerned about. After
several minutes we found out that she was in a Christian home,
going to church and doing fairly well. We then thanked the lady
who was so friendly and helpful. I gave her a tract (just in case
she had any doubt about her salvation). I had written my name
& phone number on it as I usually did when out visiting.
This lady stared at the tract, look at me and
said, 'Do I know you?' Well, indeed she did. I was standing face
to face with the very lady that God had told me to contact through
Heart to Heart Ministry!
We hugged and prayed, smiled and cried, and thanked God for His
goodness!
When we sincerely pray for something to come
of a situation, we must expect God to answer. But all too often,
we begin planning His answer ourselves. How often we wonder how,
or if, God is going to answer our prayer, then when He allows
us to see His answer, we are shocked?
The Lord is teaching me that He is totally
and completely in control. His timing is always perfect and it
is always His timing. Even though we know God's grace is always
sufficient, we still stand amazed at His Amazing Grace."
I would encourage you to take part in our Heart
to Heart Ministry.
If you are interested in receiving or giving encouragement
or whether you farm, are widowed, lonely or just need a friend, you will be amazed
with wonder
at the mighty work of His hand in your life.
If you would like more information, please
fill out the form below or call RR Adopt toll-free at..... 1-800-472-4674
or Mary @ 573-471-7966.
adoptmarymyers@sbcglobal.net Through
friendship and His encouraging Word you can find joy.
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