. . .we spend our years as a tale that is told.
Psalm 90:9

Do you ever think of your life that way?
As a story that is told.
Page after page revealing the details, the wheres and whys, the who’s and whens of it.

After almost 30 years of marriage I know my husband’s story well.
I thought I knew pretty much all about this ministry in Ghana he was called to over 14 years ago.
I was with him in the Volta at the beginning of the Bible Training Center, but his love for Ghana, and especially the rugged north country began several years before all of that happened.

Over the last week here in the north I have discovered the missing chapters.

It all began on the tree lined road near Sandema.
Gary went along with Bill Holdridge of Calvary Chapel Monterey for an Inductive Bible Study Seminar. He just went along to grade papers. Bill was the teacher.

That tells me that God often begins to work in our lives through the smallest things.

Things we don’t attach much meaning to at the time.

His big plans for us often start out small and obscure.

Take Moses for example, or David.
Moses was in a key position and wanted to do something, so he began on his own to right a wrong, to bring justice to inequity.
It bombed.
He fled and when things shook out he was tending sheep in the backside of the desert. Not the most exciting part of Moses’ story.  That gig went on for years, but then in God’s time he saw a burning bush, and well you’ve read the rest—or at least you’ve seen the movie.

David began as the youngest son not much loved by his brothers.
He was sent as a servant to Saul’s house, an honor, but still a servant.
Saul developed a hatred for him, but God used even that dark chapter in David’s life.
I’m sure David thought the years of running for his life wouldn’t end, but they did.
Talk about a plot twist.

This is the Guest House where Gary stayed in his early days of coming to the north.
I’ve heard the stories and I’m glad for accommodations in Bolgatanga!

Yesterday we visited Bubba.

A chief among his people, after speaking with Gary many years ago, Bubba declared his people free to accept Jesus as Savior and no longer worship The Snake, the god of their ancestors.
You should see the church his nephew Eric pastors.
Your soul would rejoice at the love and light there in that place on the main road alongside the village!
Eric was in the first class of 5 students Gary taught in the Volta region 14 years ago.
Bubba is pictured in this post:
https://kellyjgrace.com/2014/01/23/an-open-door-for-the-gospel/

Tomorrow I’ll share our adventures as Wedding Crashers and the secret to never having a bad hair day again.

Wherever you are in the tale of your life, know that God can and does use the small things and dark times, the trials and injustices, and if you let Him, He’ll make it all into a masterpiece of non-fiction.

No one writes a story like God.