August 7, 2013

One thing we celebrated this week:  A great School
for Bible School Principals held at KBTC, as well
as one finishing today at the coast.

Celebration – the word I noted over and over during my devotions last week.  I took time yesterday to edit lots of views of the last week to share today in a ‘celebration’ themed update, hoping that I could finish writing a bit earlier today! Yet once again, things began changing.  I’ll begin this story of change with last week’s devotions.

As I read Ezra, I was challenged and even reprimanded.  As the Israelites returned to Jerusalem, they were fearful of the work ahead (3:3), yet as the house of the Lord was rebuilt, their mood switched to praise and thanksgiving (3:11).  Discouragement, frustrations and delays came, but the building was finished, followed by a time when the people of Israel “celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy” (6:16).

God did create lions with hiding skills!

Newly added questions in my Bible include: How often do I stop and praise God for what He has done? Have I ever wept for joy about an action of our God?  How often do discouragements to cause me to lose focus and my joy? Do I believe that God can and will change the hearts (1:1; 6:22) of both those He calls to do His work and those who thwart His work? Do I claim the power shared in Ezra7:28, the power of having “the hand of the LORD my God.. on me” and do I act courageously as I serve my heavenly Father?

Inquisitive Ostrich

What changed today?  As I completed by usual early morning FB/e-mail work, news appeared of  a fire at Nairobi’s international airport.  As my day’s schedule was delayed, fear, sad memories and lots of questions crept into my mind and heart.  Was this an accident or a planned action? Today is the 15th anniversary of the US embassy bombings in Nairobi and in Tanzania, which lead to the deaths of more than 250 people and hundreds injured.

But as I did my morning devotions, a bit later than usualm and reread Ezra, I felt God reprimanding me again and asking:  Do I trust Him to take care of this situation?  Do I choose to allow the negatives to keep me from praising Him and celebrating what He is doing? Will I allow myself to worry about things, such as will volunteers who have been working at the Kenya Baptist Theological College be able to return to the States on time?  Do I trust God to give the guidance and peace in this situation? 

Spotted a queue of zebra passing on our left...

My choice?  To trust God and celebrate today as I pray for the guidance and peace needed by many in Kenya.  A bit selfishly, I’m praising God that our daughter, Jessie, flew out over the weekend and was safely back in the US before all this happened! AND I will share in this update and in a new album, “Celebrating God’s Creation,” celebratory photos taken last week at the School for Bible School Principals at the Kenya Baptist Theological College and photos captured during a safari to the Nairobi National Game Park last Friday. 

... and then realized another line of zebra was on our right
waiting for us to pass and allow them to join the queue.

Please do join us in praying for those affected by the fire at the airport and those who will be affected in coming weeks, as you to celebrate lots of good/GOD things with us! Pray that Jack and I will be courageously seek to be a part of making sure that every People Group in our part of the world will have an opportunity, like Ezra, to study and know of our Father’s words, love and salvation (Ezra 7:10). BERT YATES

Can you find the Serval cat?

Lots of photo of our 'safari' to the Nairobi National Park at “Celebrating God’s Creation,” - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152080082710130.1073741832.685050129&type=1&l=9cda711b4d. 

Fire destroys Jomo Kenyatta International Airport arrivals unit - http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Fire-destroys-JKIA-arrivals-unit-/-/1056/1939786/-/4ctk15/-/index.html

Nudges to Action - Praying, Serving and Giving for Sub-Saharan African Peoples can be found at  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sub-Saharan-African-Peoples/100173880060607?ref=hl or at the blog
 SSAP Nudges to Action – Praying, Serving and Giving.