Johannes Adendorff, the author of A Different Plan, finds direction in his life and decides to return to South Africa.
One of the first times God actually spoke to me was when I was jobless. I’d been going to church in the U.S. after years of trying to fill a growing emptiness inside my heart. With my skydiving job gone, church had become the only regular thing in my life.
Little did I know, God saw my lack of direction. And when He spoke to me, it was completely new and exciting.
That morning, I woke up out of a dead sleep. No voice or sound had called to me. I just had to get up.
“Okay,” I said, glancing around my room. “I’m awake. What is it?”
I immediately sat up and turned on a light, squinting to find my Bible. When I opened the book, I happened to flip to Ezekiel 2:1. I read the whole chapter, taking in the story.
God had called Ezekiel to be a prophet, speaking to him through signs and giving him instructions to lead his people. I wondered if I was being called to spread the word of God, or at least help others through their spiritual journey. But to do that, I needed direction.
The truth was, I was in the U.S. illegally. I’d overstayed my visa and was running of out money. If one thing was clear, I needed a new start. And I needed to do it right this time.
A few weeks later, I visited the immigration office and, by the grace of God, didn’t get deported. Instead, the worker gave me some paperwork and told me to come back once I’d gotten married to my American girlfriend. My heart leapt with joy—I’d be able to stay in the U.S.!
Unfortunately, the timing just wasn’t right. We weren’t ready to get married, and I still had no direction in my life. I sat down with my pastor and prayed on my own time constantly, asking the same question. What do you want from me, Lord?
It soon became clear that God wanted me to return home to my parents in South Africa. I had gained what I could from America, with the help of my pastor and his church. As conflicted as I was about it, deep down I knew the time had come. My faith would see me through as I embarked on the next journey of my life.
With God’s help, I knew anything was possible.
A former military man and professional skydiver, Johannes Adendorff shares his experiences of overcoming adversity and bullying in his memoir, A Different Plan. After years of life in the skies, Adendorff commits his time to spreading God’s message and encouraging others to live for Jesus Christ. You can contact Johannes, here.