When God Sends Just the Right Person

As I was getting on the airplane at Dayton, I really was not thinking anything special about the trip to get overseas besides it was going to be LONG. I had my mind on getting to Israel and then beginning the journey and experiences when I got there, not on my way there. I really did not expect to have any meaningful encounters or events happen before then. To my discredit, that was a very narrow-minded approach and I realized soon after boarding my first plane that God had a plan in motion already and it started right then in the U.S.
Before boarding the plane for my first leg of the trip, I was reading my Bible while waiting at the terminal in Dayton. I then carried it onto the plane with me when I boarded. As I sat down in my seat, I noticed the guy sitting next to me had a large book with gold fringe on the pages. I assumed it was a Bible. So, I nonchalantly leaned over and said, “Hey man, I like your book.” He proceeded to smile and then glanced at my lap and saw my Bible and replied with an even bigger grin, “I like yours too.” It turns out, I was sitting next to Greg Dyson, Baptist minister and assistant to the president of Cedarville University near Dayton. He was on his way to up-state New York to give a some talks to Christian youth at a major teen camp being held there.

As we started to talk, he conveyed to me some of his background and experiences pastoring a church for 20 years, and then he described how that lead him to his current administrative and teaching position at Cedarville University. I was amazed at what this guy had done and what he was still doing for God's people, and he told me he was more on fire and alive for the Lord than ever before. I asked him about how he knew what the Lord was calling him to do in life and how he came to realize it. At this point, I basically was asking for a HUGE back-story...and that is what I got. He proceeded to explain his journey from the beginning. He was an electrical manufacturing specialist and then sort of fell into ministry work because his church needed a youth pastor but did not have the finances to hire one. Him and a friend decided to take on the responsibility pro bono. This then lead to his decision to enter seminary and pursue ministry work in greater depth and full-time. During this process he described how he came have a family with his wife, his church, and then lastly he recounted his steps in transitioning from pastoring to teaching in academia. 

Aside from a very intriguing and enlightening back-story, Greg offered me several points of wisdom that he learned along his journey:

1) “Don't overlook parental wisdom.” - They've known you longer than anyone and they have more life experience than you. It can never hurt to ask your parent's, 'What do you think?' You may not agree with them but they also may say something that helps you make a decision.”

 2) “40 days is significant. A 40 day process is helpful in many regards.”

 3) “Don't talk or think yourself out of the future.” - It has not happened yet and anything is possible.

 4) Don't try to overcome God's circumstances.” - If God is doing something, you don't need to. Realize that God's direction will always trump yours.

 5) “Whatever it is: GO FIND OUT!” - No one ever learned what they should do by only thinking about it.

 6) “It is easiest to steer a car when it is moving. It's hard to do anything standing still.”

 7) Read: “The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose for Your Life” by Os Guinness

After we got off the airplane, Greg was still interested in talking. I have never had someone want to talk to me AFTER I got off the plane...haha. I was stunned but said, “sure” without hesitating. I had 5 hrs to burn before my next flight. The ironic thing was that as we were sitting at his gate waiting for the plane to board, his plane had several short delays where they were going to board and then stopped. He checked in regularly to get an update on the plane but as we were talking apparently somehow they boarded the plane and left....ROFL. Actually, it was not funny....BUT HE THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY!!

Greg was full of experience and wisdom for making your way through the unknown times of ministry service and to distinguish God's call as a vocation from what we think we should do as an occupation. At the end of our conversation as I got up to depart to my gate, I expressed my appreciation and thankfulness that he was willing to sit and offer me guidance and advice on navigating my way through the years to come in life. Thanks Greg!  :)