Nothing takes God by surprise, and He is often working on the solution before we ever recognize the issue.

Forget to fill up your tank before the Sabbath, but then pray to God that He stretches your fuel until the Sabbath ends, so that you can stop by a filling station on your long drive home? God not only honors that prayer from the Haywards but coordinates the timing and location for an additional surprise (p. 20).

Ever have a tough time trying to secure important documents: a certificate, a passport, a . . . visa? Our missionaries often face delays and other obstacles. For the Wentzels, who are trying to obtain a visa to launch to Czechia, God had plans for how they could make good use of part of their time waiting . . . on a farm in South Africa (p. 31). And for the Castillos, well, their temporary stay in another country while trying to secure their own visa lasted much longer than expected. Not only was it filled with valuable lessons, but God opened up wonderful ministering opportunities as they brought light to people in a region other than where they planned to church plant (p. 14).

Not surprisingly, our missionaries often face health scares in the field. Malaria. Dengue. Worse. Did God know about them beforehand? Of course, He did. And even amidst an absolute health crisis for their newborn son, the Babiencos have tangibly seen how much God cares, from providing excellent medical facilities to covering them with prayer from supporters like you—even prepositioning a teammate to work with them whose translation abilities could not have been more valuable or timely (p. 12).

Look. You are going to face surprises along life’s journey—trials, if you will. Just remember, God already knew they would happen, and He has a plan to work all things together for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

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