Acts 17:26 (NIV Original Translation)
HE (God) determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
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Acts 17:26 (KJV)
(God) hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
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(Comments by Joan Boney)
It is no accident concerning the time that we live on this earth and the exact place where we live. God chooses that for us. God puts us in the exact place we are to live and the exact time we live there. And God moves us from place to place according to HIS purpose for us.
In 1971, I took a job as orchestra conductor in the Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA) public schools. I became friends with the secretary to the district music supervisor. Her husband had recently retired and was beginning a business in American Indian Arts.
I started going out to the Indian reservations with them after school and on weekends where they purchased Indian jewelry.
It turned out that I had a natural eye for judging turquoise stones.
They began sending me to Santa Fe on weekends to wholesale Indian jewelry to dealers.
During the week, after school I would visit the Indian art stores in Old Town in Albuquerque and study the jewelry items and the prices so I became skilled in appraisal of Indian arts.
When I returned to Dallas in 1972 to teach at SMU, I continued selling Indian jewelry out of my apartment. Then I rented a portion of a retail space and sold jewelry on weekends. I later opened my own retail shop in small retail shopping mall.
At the same time this was happening, American Indian Arts became very popular in the USA. So I was at the right place, at the right time, with the right knowledge and skills.
All this was arranged by God.
I was born again in 1975. At that time I had 3 very competent women working for me and I didn't have to go into the shop except to do appraisals. So I could stay home all day and read the Bible. And I attended all meetings at church and also went to a weekly prayer group.
God was teaching me.
28 And now, little children, abide in HIM; that, when HE shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before HIM at HIS coming.
During these years, God showed me I was to be a minister.
I closed my business on July 31, 1979, to go into the ministry. I had no place to go. I just stayed at my apartment and studied the Bible and did what the scripture showed me to do by HIS Spirit. And I waited. (I lived on the money I had gained from selling the merchandise from my shop.)
Six-months passed.
Then on January 10, 1980, in the night I was awakened by a very loud voice which spoke 3 words into my ear: "Hartford, Seattle, KWJS"
By this, God put me on radio, starting with KWJS.
Within a year I was on radio from Hartford (NYC) to Seattle with stations in between these cities.
That move to Albuquerque, NM, was central in providing funds for me to go into the ministry and to operate in the early years in ministry.
Where we live and the times we live there are not accidental. Often they provide stepping stones for that which we are going to do later.
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