Watching
Him at Work...
I recently
went on a mission trip to South America. This was my second year
going there. The first time I went, I had eagerly signed up to go
without knowing where I was going - I really didn't know where the
country was or what it was all about.
Let's just
say that after my life insurance came through and my friends and
family had farewell dinners and final goodbyes, I didn't think I'd
be returning home!
God is
good! That trip was about letting Him have control of my life.
This
year's trip was about obedience. Here's my story...
Praying
for a Second Chance
When I
heard they were going back to the orphanage again this year I
wanted to go again and had planned to sign up. However, due to air
fares, the due date for payment on the trip came right before
Christmas instead of just after the 1st of the year. This really
threw me off and I couldn't see how I could come up with the money
when I still had Christmas presents to buy.
It looked
as if that door had closed and that I perhaps was not to go on the
trip after all.
Every time
I heard others talking about the trip, something inside me would
get fired up and I was wishing that I could go!
About a
month before the team was to leave, I really prayed hard that God
would somehow open up the door for me to go. "Please, please,
if you can make it happen...," I prayed.
The
Door?
About a
week before the team was to leave, I heard that one of the team
members, Mark, was in terrible pain, back problems, and was going
to have an MRI done to see if he had an injured disk.
I was
unsure if I should say something, because I really wanted God to
be the one to make it happen. But after asking my husband and
another friend, we agreed that it would probably comfort Mark to
know that I would be willing to buy his ticket and take his place
should the news be bad regarding his back.
Mark and
his wife were relieved when I called, in fact they were going to
call the travel agent to see what could be done should they need
to cancel. Mark was in extreme pain and regardless of the MRI
results, felt that maybe he would not make the trip.
I told
them just to know that I would help if needed, but not to make any
decision based on my offer.
A
Crown
That same
Sunday, I received a gift from my secret sister, a new journal
with a crown on it. "Hmmmmm...," I thought, " I
could use that on the trip IF I went."
The next
day was Monday and I met with my client, Julie. She is an awesome
woman of God, beautiful and graceful. This day, she had a unique
pin on. As we talked, I kept looking at her pin and then finally
told her that "the crown" seemed to be the theme of week
for me and that I had received the journal. Then I told her about
the possibility of going on the trip.
She gave
me the crown pin. I was so humbled that she just took it off the
moment I told her about the journal. She read some passages from
the Bible to me and then sang over me, anointing me with oil. She
even anointed my feet!
Wow! This
in itself was another confirmation. I had just read in John,
where Jesus washed the feet of His disciples and had thought that
IF I went, I would need to wash Jeanene's feet. Julie anointing my
feet confirmed this to me. IF I went, I would need to do this!
It's
a Go!
Tuesday
afternoon, I got the call from Heather, Mark's wife. She said that
after praying about it, they had decided it would be best for Mark
not to go and that they would let me buy his ticket. Heather would
contact the travel agent and get things rolling to transfer the
ticket.
Later that
day, I call the travel agent and gave her my info. Then I started
to get excited! We went and bought all the things I would need for
the trip including supplies to give the orphanage and toys for the
kids.
Swinging
Door...
Wednesday
was a busy day for me. I had tons of work to do and planning to be
gone for a week left me feeling unprepared.
We had a
meeting scheduled at 2:30 that day. About 10 minutes before we had
to leave, the phone rang. It was the travel agent. She said that
international tickets cannot be transferred. "What did you
just say...?" I was floored. Could this be? After all that...
was it THE closed door?!
I asked
her how much it would cost to buy a ticket at this late date. The
cost would be $500 more than I had planned for. I hung up the
phone and looked at my husband with begging eyes, hoping he would
lay an egg with the money we needed!
We left
for our meeting. I got in the car and he quickly checked the mail
as the car warmed up.
There's
Nothing Like Mail from God!
Rick got
in the car and we quickly looked at the mail. A man I have never
met, but who I do work for, sent me some samples of t-shirts he
had made for the website we did. In the package was an unexpected
check for $400!
(God must tell him when to send money!!! ...out of the blue since
we don't bill him.)
We both
cried! That was the bulk of what we would need to say, "Book
it!" So, we called the travel agent on the way to our meeting
and told her to book my trip. I was going!!!!!!!!!!!!
When we
returned from our meeting, I checked my email and had received a
confirmation for my ticket. But something was strange!
It was
only the cost it would have been to buy Mark's ticket! How could
that be? I called her right away. Apparently, after we had asked
about the price and before we said to book it, 2 more spaces had
opened up on the flight and the cost was right where we needed it.
Not only
was I going, but only 4 days before the trip, I was paying the
same as if I had planned it in December!
On
my way...
I left on
Sunday knowing that God was indeed in charge of this trip! I was
not afraid this time. How could I be?!
What would
God have in store for me? AND how in the world would I get
Jeanene's socks off her feet to wash them!!!!!!!!
That
story will be coming in my next posting!
EX Press -
April 2004
