Mark Sewell

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On my departure from Zimbabwe I was very clear on what God wanted for our family, as He led me to Jeremiah 29:11-14. Not sure of what the plans were I took a huge leap of faith and came to England. On my arrival I brought with me this attitude from Africa where I was successfully self employed, had a good life style and felt I was owed something by the world! I had arrived here seven weeks before the family with the intention to find a job in good time, however, God had other plans, firstly because I had forgotten God and needed humbling. Only until I was at my lowest I suddenly remembered God and really had to ask for forgiveness and desperately needed His help because at this stage I was unemployed, broke and desperate. It took three months to find a job from the time I arrived (1 Timothy 6:3-9). I soon realised that God had a different agenda for me and only once I realised that could God instil a positive attitude and a sense of willingness (2 Corinthians 6:4-10). Once the job was realised we as a family were relocated to Derby (where the Lord intended me to come), here is where things really started to happen as we needed a home, church, schools etc. I prioritised these into church, home, school etc. This agenda clearly pleased the Lord and we received everything in the order that we had set out. We had really hardly settled in and we realised that our home would be a stepping stone and support for our immediate families who were now leaving and planning to leave Zimbabwe. All through the year God has been controlling our agenda which seemed to flow like this: - the arrival of Michelle's Grandparents and their departure to New Zealand, the arrival of Michelle's parents for Christmas and their departure to the arrival and resettlement of her Grandparents, Michelle's return to nursing practise course, the arrival and resettlement of Michelle's parents. I ask what's in this for me? And yes we have an answer in James 2:20-22. My lesson in all this is knowing God has an agenda which grows faith and deeds, creates a positive expectancy, instils peace and, despite feelings of anxiety and helplessness God is fully in control all the time and I have to learn to recognise this and live by these attributes, remembering that Gods will, will be done no matter what.