Exceedingly Abundantly Above All I Could Ask or Think

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:10

Today was one of those "once in a lifetime" days. A day when things come together in a way that defies all odds. My heart is overwhelmed with joy.

When my oldest son John-Mark was born in 1982, the woman at the hospital who brought us the birth certificate application expressed delight in our choice of names. We had told her we were naming our baby John-Mark because we were going to be missionaries in Liberia and he was going to be, like his Bible namesake, our missionary companion.

When we said John-Mark would be our missionary companion we were, of course, thinking of his childhood. At the tender age of 22, which was how old I was when John-Mark was born, the thought of tiny little John-Mark growing up and actually becoming a man one day was all but incomprehensible. But time passed and it happened. John-Mark grew up. And God did a tremendous work in our now-grown missionary companion's heart.  As a result, he and his precious wife presently live and minister in Voinjama, an interior town of Liberia. 

Yesterday the President of Liberia, Madame Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf or "Ma Ellen," was visiting their town and spent some time working the crowd, of whom John-Mark and Sara were a part. They don't know exactly why, but perhaps because they were holding my two little grandbabies who just happen to be absolutely darling, the President took notice of them. In fact, she not only took notice of them, after speaking with them briefly she invited them to dinner at her local house! 

Crowd waiting to greet the President

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf holding my grandson Noah

They went and enjoyed themselves tremendously. And then after dinner the President invited them to breakfast. How could they refuse? Again, they had a lovely time—and this time they were even able to have a photo taken with her. It was all very exciting.

The President with my granddaughter Audrey, Sara and John-Mark

Audrey in the president's "queen chair"

At the same time all of this was happening for John-Mark and Sara, something else was happening for me. Several weeks ago I submitted the e-book edition of Confessions of a Transformed Heart to Bookbub, an e-book promotional website that each day advertises one to three price-reduced or free books in several select categories. (Confessions falls under the religious and inspirational category.) To my great joy, the book was accepted. The date for Bookbub's e-flyer was set for February 19th. 

Yesterday, within an hour of the beginning of the promotion, several thousand people had downloaded the book. Thrilling indeed! And then this morning I woke up to Confessions of a Transformed Heart as the #1 free non-fiction Kindle book on Amazon. 

This has to be a "God thing" because there is no human probability that John-Mark and Sara would ever meet and then eat two meals in a row with the President of Liberia and there is no human probability my book would be the #1 non-fiction free offering in the Amazon Kindle store. But yet both of those things were true—and at the same time!

I am overwhelmed with the goodness of God. As those who know us already know and others may seriously suspect, Mark and I are completely ordinary people. Yet an extraordinary God has chosen us for this job. And today I wish so very much that all of those who have loved us and supported us through the years could join hands with Mark and me and sing one of my favorite hymns, "To God Be the Glory"!

"To God Be the Glory"

To God be the glory, great things he hath done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
and opened the lifegate that all may go in.

Refrain:
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father thru Jesus the Son,
and give him the glory, great things he hath done! 

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
to every believer the promise of God;
the vilest offender who truly believes,
that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
(Refrain) 

Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done,
and great our rejoicing thru Jesus the Son;
but purer, and higher, and greater will be
our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.
(Refrain)

See Embracing Humility.
See The Worst Mother Ever!