With God, all things are possible. We've all heard it. Sometimes we get too distracted by the things that are going on in our lives to believe it. It's hard to see the impossible happen when we refuse to attempt the impossible. Because we refuse to attempt, we become unaccustomed to seeing the impossible...and because we stop seeing it, we stop believing it. I believe that God wants to do things in our lives that we think are impossible...and I for one want to see the impossible happen!
I mentioned in a previous blog the short-term mission trip that we are taking to Belize this summer. For us, taking a short-term mission trip with national people was an impossible dream for a long time. Now that it's happening, I am a little stunned and a bit overwhelmed. I know that God has put all the pieces together to make this trip happen. But this is only the beginning. God is teaching me so many things through this trip...He's reminding me that my confidence has to be in Him every step of the way. He's speaking to our whole missions team about trusting in His provision, not only for our finances but also for how and what we will minister while we are there. We've all had many opportunities to decide that this is way too hard and to give up, but I am thankful that we have persevered. As we persevere, we see God work in new ways, even making the impossible happen.
This last week, we had a small crisis. We were finally ready to buy our airline tickets for the trip...and prices went up. It still showed the same low price online and at the travel agency, but as soon as we tried to reserve 12 tickets, the prices doubled. Maybe that's always how it works (I have no prior experience to organizing a group trip), or maybe it's just a Mexico-thing, but I wasn't quite sure what to do with the curve-ball. Buying tickets for the new price would put us over, way over, budget, and telling the mission team we would need to raise even more money was close to impossible- we are already working around the clock to raise what we can. I was tempted to call the whole thing off...just tempted. Although I had no clue how this was all going to work out, I knew we had to keep moving forward and trust the Lord to work out all the details. That decision was a turning point I think, and God's provision has been pouring out on us this week.
People have been offering to pray for us, even to support the trip financially. We had the idea of doing a yard sale at church this week, and it is going better than we ever hoped. We were able to book a hotel at a very reasonable rate for the trip home from Belize (our trip includes several buses, taxis, and planes, so on the way home we will have to stay overnight somewhere before our flight home). Most importantly, we feel indescribable peace and confidence in our Lord- He is our provider. Even when we can't see or understand how He is going to provide, we KNOW He will! It's a choice to believe His Word and His promises, even when our emotions don't necessarily agree. When the circumstances fly out of our control, we KNOW He is in control. We believe He is who He says He is, and we believe He will do what He says He'll do.
It sounds so simple, but if we can apply this truth to every situation in our life, it will transform us. It's all about looking at life though His eyes instead of through our own. The things that seem impossible for us, are totally possible and even probable for Him. He is LORD of ALL, and we are His children. He provides for our needs...and blesses us beyond what we can hope to imagine. I choose to see my circumstances through His eyes. There is no pain too great, no obstacle too high to overcome, no suffering too overwhelming for Him to deal with. Instead of trying to obtain results on our own, let's try to TRUST and let Him deal with the details. With God, ALL things are possible!
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?... - Matthew 6:25-27
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. .... - Matthew 6:34
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door will be opened... - Matthew 7:7-8
"how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him! - Matthew 7:11
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7
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