I hope and trust that this seasonal shift finds you well. The month of September always carries significant changes for us at CLDI as our ministry to South Side youth adjusts to schools being back in session, a new group of interns settles in for the next 11 months, and we begin a new fiscal year. Truth be told, our September 1st feels more like the New Year than January 1st! If you have been a follower of CLDI for some time, you will know that I love these seasonal shifts as it provides a time to pause and recalibrate as we refocus on the work the Lord has called us to engage.
Not long ago, I was reading through the book of 1 Samuel and was struck by a section in 1 Samuel 7:2-3, which says, “Time went by until 20 years had passed since the ark had been taken (recaptured from the Philistines)…Then the whole house of Israel began to seek the Lord”
(bold print mine, HCSB).
“Time Went By…”
I’m hardly a patient guy. Okay, let’s be honest, I operate in the urgent and with a mindset that “this should have been done yesterday.” Thankfully, the Lord is mightier than my antsy spirit and fulfills His purposes in His perfect time. Undoubtedly, more often than not, the more significant works of the Lord take time to unfold. Looking back on these past 40 years since CLDI was established, the Lord has done far more than I ever could have imagined.
I pray that as we look ahead, His work continues in such a way that we all are moved in our hearts to seek the Lord in even greater faith and trust in Him.
Many Blessings,
Eric Basye
Executive Director
