“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” -Proverbs 19.21
Real talk, you know those moments when you think to yourself, “I’ve got this”. Something lies ahead of you, and maybe you think you’ve got it figured out. You’ve planned well, strategized over every angle and outcome, and even talked it over with others. Game, set, match. And then… those well-laid plans fail. These failures and following disappointments surrounding our plans are a part of the human experience. Circumstances beyond our control intervene, and we quickly realize how loose our grip on control over our lives actually is.
This year, a particular passage that the residency team here in South Africa continues to go back to is John 15. This passage details how Jesus is the true vine, and we are the branches. He is the root and the source of any fruit we may bear, and God is also the one who prunes us as we abide in Him. In His sovereignty, He calls us to place in Him our full hope, complete trust, and total faith. Over the past several months, this has become a very tangible reality for the staff here.
When our residency team first started recruiting for residency, there were only two prospective residents, one of whom was battling through fundraising and visa tasks in the States. Applications trickled in, and interviews continued to be scheduled, but the residency start date was quickly drawing near. If the residency recruitment team had held too tightly to their own expectations of planning and timing, the residency may have never left the ground. But they trusted in God’s timing, and continued to hope. At a couple points, the start date of residency had to be pushed back. Bringing the residency and its yet-unknown participants to the Lord in prayer became a daily rhythm in our staff community.
Incredibly, the Lord soon brought several more residents to us bringing our final total (or so we thought) to five. Right after the application deadline closed, however, we received two more applications from fantastic individuals. When least expected we found ourselves with seven residents in total: six South Africans and one American wrapping up fundraising to head over. Yet even in this, God had plans beyond our thinking. Within the first week of residency, one of our residents decided that the program was not for him in this particular season of his life. Though an unexpected turn of events and expectations, healthy conversations were had in helping this resident step back into his community well.
Many months and one roller-coaster of a ride later, we have our final number of six residents. In them we see answers to the many prayers lifted up when recruitment was happening. It has been a journey to arrive at this final group of residents, one fraught with challenges and moments of uncertainty as to what the future held. And yet, it was also a journey filled with moments of being humbled in awe before God’s divine will, perfect timing, and grace towards us. His grace allows us the freedom to trust and lean upon Him as opposed to holding fast to our own plans.
We see in the instructions of John 15 that, as the branches, we are called to abide in the Lord through faith and trust. This includes difficult seasons of pruning and growth. Though the recruitment season is over, we recognize that we must continue to trust in God’s timing and direction as we pair the residents with mentors and ministry partners, among other decisions. As the good gardener and true vine that He is, He will make a way for our residents this year to know and experience Him in ways that we could never orchestrate ourselves. We cannot wait to journey with these six incredible individuals whom God knew would be a part of our East Mountain community long before we even existed. Humbled by the invitation to journey into the vast and wild plans of God, we step forward with hope and faith for what is to come. Thank you for your partnership and prayers and we endeavor onward!