permissions granted!

Another example of God's grace....the operating permissions for Sakintepe were granted not by the officials but by our Lord, the Ruler of heaven and earth. While brad sat in the municipality office waiting to see the head man who would sign the permissions, he talked with several other businessmen who were not granted their operating permissions. We realized that our previous denial was not against us as Christians or even as Americans, but just a part of living here in Turkey. They too were suffering the consequences of a difficult government. So was it finding someone who knew someone in the office, or was it drinking a zillion cups of tea, or was it our perseverance in calling different key people, or was it anything we had done to make this possible? i believe that we have to be faithful in what He has called us to do, but really it has nothing to do with us. He is the sovereign God who moves hands, removes kings, who causes people to sign permissions. As i was recently reading in Job, i came across these words, "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:1-2)It is a comfort to know that His plans cannot be thwarted by men and that He will do what He wants with this retreat center, and all to His glory! I just sit back and marvel at the works of His hand and His intervention on the behalf of His children, whom He dearly loves.