Hurricane Irene kept Steve Byrd grounded (and dodging trees) for the weekend so I took his APL Seminar in Mt. Morris, Illinois. Unlike for the rest of you, it was a beautiful weekend here and since it was a Saturday night and all day Sunday seminar at a campground, Helen graciously came with me.
You are probably wondering why Steve would be scheduled to do a seminar in Illinois when I live right here. I was originally scheduled to be at one that eventually cancelled. So, it made sense that I take this one, anyway, and the storm just added to the common sense.
Well, the Spirit showed up, alright! We went through Lessons 1 and 2 on Saturday night at the Evangelical Free Church there in Mt. Morris. A gentleman named Chester came up afterward...in tears...and said (and I will try to quote him)...
"I read Paul Miller's book and enjoyed it. Then, I read it again. Then, someone at church asked me to review it so I read it a third time. By the third time, I realized that I should be reading this book every few months for the rest of my life."
Then he explained that his son was in the States on a visit from mission service in Zambia. He showed it to his son with a recommendation and a testimony of all that the book meant to him. The son started flipping through it, reading portions, and ended up spending the next 36 hours reading it!
Chester then said he would personally pay for all the expenses for a Trainer and spouse to go to Zambia if we would take the A Praying Life Seminar to all of the Action Intl missionaries, there! (BTW, I asked him if we could send someone in training with the Trainer as discipleship...instead of a spouse...and he loved that idea.)
He shared that the missionaries get discouraged out there and would benefit greatly from our training. I believe after getting to know him over the weekend, he would be fine with our taking POJ into Zambia on the same trip.
I am not sure what the next move is regarding Zambia. Not sure which Trainer team to ask to go. All I know is that it is very important, as Paul Miller tells us, that we "go where the Spirit opens the door." In other words, where we are welcomed.
Please be in prayer about this door opening in sub-Saharan Africa.
On a side note, Lydia was in Lusaka, Zambia a few years ago with a team from Trinity College, so she's pumped by this possibility!
