Stories of His Faithfulness

Written by Mike Verkaik:

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story. – Psalm 107:2

One of the joys and life giving gifts of leading kingdom encounter trips is to almost daily hear testimonials and stories of our Father’s faithfulness and provision from local people, and partner ministries. To me, listening to the accounts of people following the promptings of the Holy Spirit, are an extension of the Bible living and breathing in our day. Each story is a new chapter in God’s enfolding plan of bringing His kingdom to earth. As I listen and watch the stories bring life, hope, and joy into a world that can be so filled with negativity and darkness.

During one of our family times in South Africa we invited Brian Steele and his wife Zelia to share their story of how God led Brian to leave his current position at a larger private school to become the new principal at VTC, the Christian school moving onto the Oceans Retreat Center (ORC) campus.

His story was a beautiful reminder of the orchestration of our Abba Father to bring His kingdom to earth through His obedient followers. To begin, Brian actually spent much of his childhood years living on the campus of ORC, while his parents managed the facility, so in many ways this is somewhat of a homecoming. His advancement into leadership at his former school was not through self-seeking actions, but from the encouragement and persuasion of his co-workers. His work was satisfying, and he was well respected by students and staff, however, there grew in him a deep hunger to be and share Christ’s “salt and light” to the students under his care.

Although Brian was currently leading through his example of Christ’s love for him, God placed a deep desire to also verbally share Christ’s love to his students, however, that was not permitted at his former school. What followed is a beautiful story of God taking the seed of Brian’s seeking heart, and spiritually germinating, watering, growing and pruning him to have the courage to leave his economic security and step into the calling on his life to speak the Father’ truths into and over children He places in His care.

That night we heard and saw the beautiful story of our Father’s Spirit wooing Brian and Zelia to hear and listen to their Father’s voice, and through them choosing to have the Father’s story lived out in them, the words of Jesus took on life once again:

…the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice … My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. – John 10:3-4,27

What a relational God we have. As we continue to listen and follow His leading in our lives, may His story of faithfulness be the story we long to share with a world that needs more and more of His salt and light.