I am a "planner". I get so much pleasure & a deep sense of accomplishment from the minutiae of making things run smoothly. I like checking off all the boxes & crossing items off my to-do list. (I know - I'm weird... my family reminds me of this quite often! They laugh, because for me, the planning of a trip is almost as much fun as the actual trip.) But I sometimes bulldoze my way through the job, admittedly NOT always waiting on God's direction. I get so busy making sure every detail is covered, that I sometimes forget that GOD (not me!) is in control.
Example: I called a travel agency to help us with our plane tickets. She told me (with somewhat of an attitude) that mission trips need to be booked "3-6 months ahead of time - not weeks". She told me there were NO seats on any airline for the dates of our trip. So, I went to the airlines' websites myself (to prove her wrong) & found seats - but they were several hundred dollars higher than our budgeted amount. At this point I panicked. Jason was out of town, so I texted Michael. (his sweet, laid back disposition is such a good balance to my maniacal ways!) His response was simply, "ugh". THAT made me stop & giggle... and remember to give this trip BACK to God. So after a few deep breaths & a prayer, I got online again. THIS time Expedia showed not only availability, but the tickets were a couple of hundred dollars LESS than our budgeted amount! (Thank You, Lord!) At our last team leaders meeting we purchased all our airline tickets - $9200! So now I've got file folders and Word docs and Excel spreadsheets - I'm in the zone!
...but again, I stop to remember - why are we doing this? What does God want from me in this endeavor? Last Sunday in church, God had a sweet answer. Jason preached from Matthew 14:28-29 and Michael sang a song, "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)".
Example: I called a travel agency to help us with our plane tickets. She told me (with somewhat of an attitude) that mission trips need to be booked "3-6 months ahead of time - not weeks". She told me there were NO seats on any airline for the dates of our trip. So, I went to the airlines' websites myself (to prove her wrong) & found seats - but they were several hundred dollars higher than our budgeted amount. At this point I panicked. Jason was out of town, so I texted Michael. (his sweet, laid back disposition is such a good balance to my maniacal ways!) His response was simply, "ugh". THAT made me stop & giggle... and remember to give this trip BACK to God. So after a few deep breaths & a prayer, I got online again. THIS time Expedia showed not only availability, but the tickets were a couple of hundred dollars LESS than our budgeted amount! (Thank You, Lord!) At our last team leaders meeting we purchased all our airline tickets - $9200! So now I've got file folders and Word docs and Excel spreadsheets - I'm in the zone!
...but again, I stop to remember - why are we doing this? What does God want from me in this endeavor? Last Sunday in church, God had a sweet answer. Jason preached from Matthew 14:28-29 and Michael sang a song, "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)".
"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ~Matthew 14:28-29
Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)
You call me out upon the
waters
The great unknown where feet
may fail
And there I find You in the
mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand
And I will call upon Your
name
And keep my eyes above the
waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your
embrace
For I am Yours and You are
mine
Your grace abounds in deepest
waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear
surrounds me
You've never failed and You
won't start now
So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the
waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your
embrace
For I am Yours and You are
mine
Spirit lead me where my trust
is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet
could ever wander
And my faith will be made
stronger
In the presence of my Savior
I will call upon Your Name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your
embrace
I am Yours and You are mine
God doesn't need me to have all the I's dotted & T's crossed... He doesn't need me to plan every second of our days in Haiti. He doesn't even need me to not be afraid. To work with us & through us, all He needs is our faith. He has told us, "Come" and so we go...
Renmen ak benediksyon!
Renmen ak benediksyon!
~Laura
