A Most Significant Week

Last week, April 16 to 22, was a most significant week in a very significant year of my life. On
Tuesday, April 17, I was informed by email that the University of St. Andrews had accepted my
PhD thesis. On Thursday, April 19, I was informed by another email that the British Consulate in
New York City had issued me a visa. By 10 am Friday, April 20, I had my passport with the visa
in my hands. I have to say that I was in a state of shock; it had happened all too suddenly and un-
expectedly. I was stunned to say the least.

I had been expecting word on whether my thesis had been accepted or not for several months. I
had no inkling when I would learn of its status. To say the least, I was thrilled and relieved. When
I submitted my visa application early in April, I was expecting that I would learn of the success of
my application sometime in mid-May. But then last Monday, I received an email from the British
Consulate informing me that an Entry Clearance Officer was assessing my application. At anoth-
er website I read that the average time of the process was nine days. I figured that I would learn
whether I had been issued a visa or not sometime the following week. So at 9 pm when I read the
email informing me that a visa had been issued to me, I was thrilled. I could hardly sleep that night because I was so excited.

A lot of people have been praying that I would be receiving my visa so that I could return to Scot-
land to pastor St. Fergus Parish Church. For the past year I have been meeting every Thursday
morning with a group of pastors and Christian leaders to pray for the work of Christ in the area.
All during this time they have never ceased to pray for me to that end. Last Thursday I reported
to them that I expected to receive news of my visa sometime next week. There was a good ses-
sion of prayer on my behalf. Later that day, I read the email informing me that the visa had been
issued to me. It had been sent out at 12:30 pm, east coast time. The time difference between the
west coast where we are and the east coast is three hours. So the decision was made and the
email was sent about the time that we were praying on the west coast.

Through this challenging year of waiting, I have grown in faith in the Lord. I have also experi-
enced anew the faithfulness of God. These have always been lessons that I have had to learn
over and over for over forty years. I am overwhelmed by God's love, care, provision, and pro-
tection. God has guided me. I have been royally blessed by having gone through the past three
years. All I can say is God is good.

Blessings to you and yours,