Matthew 14:28-29

Since Jason, Michael & I got back from Haiti in February, we've been planning a return trip for this summer. We've held several planning meetings and have now gathered a group of 9 additional disciples who will accompany us back to Gonaives, Haiti in July to work at Tabernacle of Christ Methodist Church. We are going to hold a VBS (Pastor Guercy has told us to anticipate over 100 kids!) and we are going to have a building project, helping them maintain/update their church facilities.

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)". 

"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!

~Laura