Even though it delays…

Praise God! The move to New Hope Philly is complete. Troy, Rahim and I have relocated and are ministering the Hope of Christ in a dark place.   I stand amazed at what God has done; although, It didn’t happen without great opposition.

When God first moved in my heart to answer the call to go as a missionary to Southwest Philly as an Associate Pastor and Director of New Hope Philly; I thought the hard part was God getting me to say “YES”.  Boy was I in for a surprise.

Three months in to the purchase of the apartment building I was feeling anxious about challenges I faced. One night I told a friend that I felt that God wanted me to journal how he had been moving.  The next morning these were my devotional verses in Habakkuk 2:2, 3

And The Lord answered me:  “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.  For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end-it will not lie.  If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.

This is a reminder that God’s timing is perfect!  I wrote thirteen pages and truly found God’s peace.

 At another point in the journey, from a human perspective, things seemed so far off tract that I asked friends and family to join me in a day of prayer and fasting. I received this text and picture of children 900 miles away. These little ones joined hands and prayed "Dear God, please hear Billy's prayers. He needs your help today." This was just the encouragement that was needed

On another day, while I was praying asking God for encouragement to keep pressing forward the phone actually rang during prayer.  I almost didn’t answer thinking it was irreverent to take a call.  I had the thought “what if it’s God’s answer to my prayer.”  I said “hello” and on the other end was a man I had spoken to five months earlier.  He was telling me he could resolve the issues that were blocking me from moving forward.  I couldn’t believe my ears.  It really was the answer to my prayers.  How God prompted this man to call at that moment seemed like a miracle to me.

On July 10, 2014 the purchase of 5520 Woodland Ave. was complete to begin God’s work at New Hope Philly. This apartment building will be used to help men coming out of addiction to become ministers and missionaries.