Well, ... here we are again, preparing to return to the country of Honduras to serve our Father God by serving the Honduran people. If you're still following along since last year, so glad you're here! Hang on ... because you're sure to be blessed by our Awesome God as we follow His leading. If you're a newcomer to these posts and our support team or if you've just happened here by chance, ... WELCOME! We're glad you're here too and we hope you stick around.
We've officially begun our Team Building and Training meetings and the first one went quite well.
Brian asked Pastor Bob (who is also going to Honduras with us this year) to share a devotion with the group on "Obedience" ...
... it was perfect for this particular meeting and for those of us who were present.
There are numerous rules, tasks, obligations ... with which we are expected to obey on a daily basis. We all know them ... [speed limits, dietary restrictions, visiting hours, anti-piracy laws] ... do we obey them? There is a reason for every rule, guideline, or instruction we encounter. Obeying speed limits keep us safe on the road. Obeying dietary restrictions keep us healthy. You get the point ...
You know, there have been many people who have had the inner "desire" to go on a mission trip, several who have felt the invisible nudge to accept the invitation to go on a mission trip ... this mission trip ... yet, struggle with following "the pull", accepting the challenge or making the commitment to do so. Often, we may not even realize it or pay close enough attention to it ... but that "invisible nudge" may actually be God trying to let us know that He has a job for us to do.
The biggest reason to not obey is most likely "FEAR".
One particular team member has really struggled with whether or not this mission trip is indeed something meant for her to be a part of ... I know how she feels ... last year that was me. She has the inner desire; she feels the "invisible nudge" ... but there's also fear.
But there is nothing to fear when God is involved. He is always with us and he is an ever-present help ...
... after church on Sunday morning she approached me to project her on-going doubts and after responding with a few convicting but encouraging words, she was dangling by only a few threads of confidence as I was reminded of something that Pastor Bob stated many years earlier during a sermon.
[ It is the account of the parting of the Red Sea. Pharaoh has finally conceded to free the Israelites from slavery to the Egyptian people after succumbing to the ten plagues. As the Israelites are fleeing with Moses, Pharaoh changes his mind and sets out after them with his entire army, all of his chariots, all of his horses and every one of his troops.
The Israelites became terrified and they cried out to the LORD and basically wanted to give up and return to their grueling service unto the Egyptians.
13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
(Exodus 14)
15 Then the Lord said to Moses, ... 16 Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground ... 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left ... 26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward[c] it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. 28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.
When did the Red Sea part?
It might be tempting to respond "when Moses stretched out his hand" ... but in reality, and I'm sure you would agree, ... Moses had nothing to do with the parting of the Red Sea.
So, let's try it again ... when did the Red Sea part?
When Moses obeyed the Word of the LORD.
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding ... woot-woot ... we have a winner!!!
When did the Jordan River part?
When the priests just barely stuck their little toe into the water ... *translation* ... When they obeyed the Word of the LORD.
All I did was ask my fearful team member "when did the waters part?" and responded "not until they stuck in their foot". ]
When they showed they were willing to obey what God was asking them to do, God took over and did what ONLY HE can do!!
Amazingly, and SO LIKE GOD, Pastor Bob was inspired to reference this again during his time of sharing. Oh, dear team member, if that isn't God's confirmation, I don't know what is!
Obedience isn't always easy and sometimes it can be scary but it is usually rewarding and it is always for "our best". In this case, obedience to God, though it starts out seeming as if we are doing a job for Him ends up feeling like an nothing less than an amazing gift has been given to us by God.
So, ... any takers for going on a mission trip to Honduras?
After our devotion, we had a time of "team building". A member of our church who is experienced in military training and team building exercises has agreed to work with our team each month to whip us into "tip-top-team" shape and to correspond his training with our training.
For the first gathering, I have a feeling he went easy on us.
Here we were during a little exercise of "let's get to know one another while exercising our memory and attention-to-detail".
(this exercise involved little animal-shaped bean bags being tossed to one another while stating things that someone else said)
Then, my dear, sweet husband climbed aboard his ship (the tiny blue tarp you see in the photo) and awaited as each member of our team requested admittance to the team, as well as the tiny-blue-tarp-of-a-boat. Before admittance, Brian would ask each person what he/she had to offer his team to which each team member had to reply with only ONE word.
This is Laura ... her ONE word was "Nursing".
One by one, each team member requested permission to climb aboard and be counted as a member of the team ...
Would everyone fit?
Sure enough ... we ALL FIT!
What a GREAT team!
Honduras - GET READY!
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