God's Invisible Fingerprints

There are times in life when you just know that God is sovereign. Yes, we all know that He's God and He's in control but sometimes He enters so undeniably into your life and you see for yourself just how mightily He works. He leads you through doors without you really being aware of it until the reason why is staring you right in the face. It is in that moment, that you are just overwhelmed by the apparent paradox of how God can be both so big and sovereign and yet also be intimately involved in people's lives. And not just "people's" lives but yours.

I've had such an encounter this semester while working at Taco Bell. You see, God used a felt need in our lives through finances to move me into a situation where I could meet the spiritual need in the lives of others. If it wasn't for the fact that our financial projections indicated that I needed to get a weekend job in order for us to finish the training next December, then I would have never looked for a weekend job. There would have been no need.

At first, I thought God had provided Taco Bell only to provide for us financially. How small my view is at times! It didn't take many shifts until I realized that His provision in a job was for so much more than just finances for us. You see, God has led me to Taco Bell, to that environment, to rub shoulders and work alongside people I would have otherwise never met. I have the opportunity to spend hours each weekend encouraging my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to continue growing in Him. God is using me as a light and a friend to those who do not have the confidence and security in life that can only be found in Him. And, you know what, God is using me as an example that believers are not perfect people. Sometimes I mess up, get frustrated, and impatient, but no one has to be perfect to come to God. The Lord is using me to impact my new friends because He loves them! And it took us needing finances for Him to move me into their lives.

I am now co-leading a biweekly Bible study with another man from work on Sundays and Tuesdays at Taco Bell. We are working through the book of John and just talking about it - very informal and unstructured. Just reading the passage and talking about what it says and answering questions. After this semester, I will be stepping out of the jail ministry in order to devote time to this Bible study and the relationships I have formed at Taco Bell. I feel as if I have grown more through just one semester of Taco Bell then I have in three at the jail. While that's not necessarily accurate as jail aided in the refinement of my teaching, I just want to emphasize what an impact God has had on me through Taco Bell! While jail is very formal with me just going in and teaching and then having to leave without really getting to know the inmates, Taco Bell is real ministry, in real life, with real people! I cannot convey how encouraging my time working there over the last few months has been. I am learning how to apply the tools we've learned in class for a cross-culture setting here in America. Tools such as how to ask questions, talk on world-view level, and just be real with people.

I could tell story after story about how God is growing me and using me at Taco Bell but I hope this short summary post is encouraging to all of you! What started out as a curve ball for us in me getting a job, God has turned into the focal point of ministry this semester! God is clearly at work! Please be praying for me and the other believers there and those who do not know Him.

United in Christ,

Cameron and Caitlin