“Brother Tim, can you recall how you escaped the plane crash that killed your friends and fellow ministers?” Tunde blurted from the other end of the phone. I momentarily couldn’t recall. But my wife, my life-event memory bank, came to my rescue! She gave an excellent recap of the testimony I shared 12 years ago in Tunde’s church in the North East of Nigeria. Pastor Tunde was about using Apostle Peter rescue from prison, Brother Stephen martyrdom and my story to challenge his church members to lean on God’s faithfulness and sovereignty as they live within the Boko Haram region.

Here is the story: I was planning to board an air plane from Jos to Lagos on 4^th May on my way to Cote d’Ivoire the next day on a mission trip. Due to human error, my travel agent wrongly booked my flight from Lagos to Accra, instead of Abidjan, on May 4^th instead of May 5^th! This was obviously a flawed arrangement. Why should I pass a night in Accra before connecting to Abidjan! Why was I booked to fly out of Lagos hours before my Jos-Lagos flight? I was furious at this development. So, I was forced to fly Jos-Lagos on May 3^rd. That flight was rough and problematic. The plane engine wasn’t at its optimum performance. But we made it to Lagos.

As I headed to Accra from Lagos on May 4^th my friends and fellow ministers drove to Jos Airport to catch their Lagos flight. It turned out to be their very last ride to catch their very last flight! That Jos-Lagos flight took off via Kano. It didn’t make it through Kano to Lagos. It crashed on the outskirts of Kano, killing all on board! That day Tunde and I lost a mutual friend, Clem, and half a dozen other Christian leaders.

So, it was God, after all, who scuttled my travel plan. Yet, it was Him who let others board the crashed plane. While my screwed-up travel plan signalled “you are still needed here”, my friends’ schedule turned heavenward route. That week, 18 years ago, my travel agent acted outside of my instruction, but was clearly guided by unseen hand of God! It is His Sovereignty.

This October, Nigeria turns 60 as a sovereign state. Let’s reflect on sovereignty of God. As you join us in prayer and take your part in ensuring God’s sovereignty over the nations, let’s rely on His faithfulness to respond to our prayers. Stepping into the last quarter of the year, let’s receive the Reset of our lives and our nation. And in the word of the Psalmist: Now, Lord, do it again! Restore us to our former glory! May streams of your refreshing flow over us until our dry hearts are drenched again. Ps 126:4 TPT

• Be Outstanding in October:

1. Allow God to introduce His plan in place of your scheme
2. Expect God to overrule in your life, family, ministry and nation
3. Let His order of events prevails on your calendar of events
4. Make good things happen for God and people, far and near
5. Believe God for something that the nations will praise Him for
6. Insist and make God One and Only, not an extra option in any thing
7. Don’t opt out of His task, because it is tough, rather stick out your neck
8. It is EGO to Edge God Out of October, stay within His radar for coverage
9. Delight yourself excessively in God, even when you can’t figure out His plan

Donate to any of God’s mission especially at El-Rehoboth Mission House project

Timothy Olonade, Team Leader
El-Rehoboth Global Mission, Jos, Nigeria.
Email: tim.olonade@gmail.com; 0803.786.5130