GOD'S TIMING IS PERFECT

by Heidi Owens (Bradenton, FL)

I attended my encounter in September of 2005. I was originally planning on going in May 2005, but my son was graduating that weekend, so I settled on the September date. That was a “God thing”. I say this because I know that many people are anxious and/or frustrated when the encounters are full for the weekends they would prefer to attend. Please don’t! God’s timing is perfect, no matter what your present circumstances tell you.

In July of 2005, before my encounter, my doctor found a basketball-sized tumor on my ovary and I had emergency surgery to remove it. I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and scheduled for a second surgery. The following week I had to ask my husband of 23+ years for a separation. Sadly, this decision had been looming for many months, even years. With the cancer diagnosis, I thought my marital situation might change for the better. Unfortunately, it changed for the worse. Needless to say, I was really looking forward to my September encounter…so much so, that I asked my doctor if it was safe for me to postpone my second surgery until after my encounter. He agreed. I have a very strong Christian background, being blessed with awesome godly parents, who instilled in me the desire to pursue God with my whole heart and depend on Him, in every situation. In the midst of my life at the time before my encounter, I was doing just that; relying on God and knowing that He had everything under control, even though I couldn’t see it for myself. Satan was not going to take my joy or my hope. And he didn’t!

The encounter was a time for me to get away from my routine for three days, just to focus on me and God. I wanted everything God had for me. I soaked in the teaching, the worship, the prayers, the ministry, the anointing, the rest, the love. Oh, the love. That was the best part. The love of Jesus is everywhere on these encounters. You can’t help but immerse yourself in it. I found myself opening up and letting go of my deepest hurts and fears. It was such a safe place, and I allowed God to fill me up to overflowing.

Since my encounter, my outward circumstances, by the world’s standards, have not changed. In fact, they may be considered worse. But by God’s standards, I am so blessed. God is ever so faithful to surround me and my family with His abundant love, joy and peace. Life is good! I regularly read the devotional Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman. It has greatly ministered to my heart and I hope this passage will minister to yours: “We often pray to be delivered from calamities; we even trust that we shall be; but we do not pray to be made what we should be, in the very presence of the calamities; to live amid them, as long as they last, in the consciousness that we are held and sheltered by the Lord, and can therefore remain in the midst of them, so long as they continue, without any hurt….We may not see now the outcome of the beautiful plan which God is hiding in the shadow of His hand; it yet may be long concealed; but faith may be sure that He is sitting on the throne, calmly waiting the hour when, with adoring rapture, we shall say, ‘All things have worked together for good.’ ”

Whether you are a seasoned Christian or a curious unbeliever, I encourage you to attend an encounter. Get away for three days and immerse yourself in the love of God and let Him touch you like never before. Fear nothing and expect everything. You are worth it!