From July 29 "Life is a Safari"

          Back in the saddle again!!!     Still processing our time in Mapanza!     Met with my discipleship group for the first time in two months yesterday.  We are studying through a book co-written by David Platt and Francis Chan called Multiply Movement.  It is a 24 week group study.  I highly recommend it if you want to be challenged to grow as a disciple of Christ.  Jeff was sharing a story about being distracted like Peter was when he was walking on water toward Jesus, and something that occurred during our say abroad came into focus.
      We had the privilege of participating in a safari in Botswana with the Rosemont team when they were in Zambia.  Our transport was a truck with 6 rows of seats mounted on the back.   No walls, allowed an almost unobstructed view of any wildlife we encountered.It was no time that we were seeing Sable Antelope, elephants, African Fish Eagles, Giraffes, African Hornbills and other assorted wildlife.  We saw elephants up close early on, but all of the other wildlife was far off.  Out of the blue our vehicle began to race off into the bush.  We pass all varieties of wildlife up close, but never stopped for good photos.  Some of us (I confess I am part of the us.) began to be a little irritated that we were passing up multiple opportunities to get excellent photos of African wildlife.  We came roaring up to a copse of trees, and then began to creep to a stop.  There about 20 feet way was a lioness and and lion resting in the shade.  Baking in the sun was a freshly-killed juvenile elephant.

     There were several safari vehicles jockeying for position to get pictures.  After getting picture of him, her and it, we raced off again.  Some people (not me this time) were complaining they didn't get a chance to take good pictures.
     After twisting and turning between Acacia trees and digging through the sand, we came upon another gathering of safari vehicles.  We were told that there was a leopard crouched under the bush near us.  Because he was in shadow, it was difficult to photograph him.  But I did!

Because of the diligence of our guide Jack, we saw four of the African Big Five.  We we only missing the rhinoceros, which does not live in Botswana.   So you are probably wondering how this relates to Peter walking on the water.
      I agree with Henry Blackaby that God has a will, but not a personal will for my life.  However, God brings opportunities into my life that prepare me to join God in His will.   Just like the many varieties of wildlife that we kept seeing as we sped from lion to leopard, we are often distracted by the things of the world.  Like Peter, we take our eyes off of Jesus, and become distracted by the shiny things of this world, or the troubles of the world.  Meanwhile, God is directing us to opportunities to prepare to join Him in His will.   We are so distracted by what we want to do, see and experience, that we can't see the opportunities God provides, or hear Him telling us that He has great things in store for us.  
      Wes and Laurie Wilcox from NDO were with us on the safari, and have been doing safaris with groups for 10 years.  They told us that is the first safari they have seen lions and leopards in the same safari.  Because of Jacks diligence and ignoring our protests.  We saw leopards and lions.  I have to stop and reflect on what opportunities I have missed to join God in His will because I was distracted by my own agenda or the things/people of this world.