McKeighen February 2025

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. … Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them ” (Psalm 139:14, 16).

This is one of my favorite Psalms. It really puts life into perspective. From beginning to end for each of us, God has the complete plan. We can’t seem to pull that together for ourselves, no matter how hard we try. But God has it. What a relief! What a comfort! All that is left then is, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10). If only we can cease striving.

This term in school we are studying the Book of Esther. It is fascinating to see how God orchestrated the life of Esther both for her good and for His glory, from being orphaned as a child to becoming queen of an empire. I am always moved when I read Mordecai’s challenge to Esther in the fourth chapter. “…Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape… For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place… And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14). In the “Gospel According to Mordecai,” our sovereign God will do it with or without us. The question to ask then is this—is this your “such a time as this” moment?

God tells us in Isaiah 46:9-11, “…I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning … saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country … I have purposed, and I will do it.” Sixteen years ago I experienced a “such a time as this” moment, God called, He planned it, He did it. And here I am in West Africa. Do not underestimate God’s plan for your life. Something new may be on the horizon.

Here in Liberia, the business can be overwhelming. Our 2023 graduates have finally begun University. Our 2024 graduates await entrance exam opportunities and our upcoming 2025 graduates are anxiously awaiting national exams as well as their own graduation in a few months. In just two short years, our resident population has gone from sixty-seven to fifty. In four short months, that number will be at thirty-seven. My nest is shrinking. But at the same time, the school is growing as we add new classes each year. We now have over 300 students. We anticipate the Rafiki Institute of Classical Education will receive official approval to offer a bachelor’s degree this year. The range of impact widens as new classically trained teachers go out and the Outreach Program adds more schools using our curriculum. With the core of our curriculum being the teaching of the Bible and the coursework focused on a biblical worldview, there is great potential. Yet we are always reminded that this is the Lord’s work, not ours. We will remember, His declaration “…My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose…” (Isaiah 46:10).

Cousins as youngsters at Rafiki