Two days ago, my husband, Austin, and I officially decided that we will be journeying on a mission trip together to Santa Maria de Jesus in Guatemala in July. This will be the first mission trip for both of us.
There is a wonderful, Godly couple at our church, Rod & Lisa Keller, who for the past 10 years have visited Guatemala 17 times with their families to serve the people in this village. Last year, Rod & Lisa spoke about their yearly mission trip to our congregation and I was immediately in tears and moved by their stories. It has been on my heart to travel with the Moving Mountains Mission team since then.
Just a couple days ago, my bosses were talking about Guatemala and I said, “Ohhh, one day I really want Austin and I to go with the Keller’s to Guatemala!” My bosses said, “Well, Court, why don’t you just go this year?” I responded, “Austin and I have other financial priorities at this point and just cannot afford to go.” Little did I know, the weekend prior, my bosses discussed sponsoring someone who wants to go this year so it was ironic that the topic came up randomly in conversation. Not ironic at all actually. God’s hand was clearly in all of this.
When I got back from my lunch break, my boss nonchalantly said, “Hey Court, if we sponsor one of you, will you and Austin go?” I was stunned for a moment. How awesome! I thought, “WHAAAT! Wow, they are really willing to sponsor one of us? That’s a lot of money! Oh my goodness! YES, now we have to go, this is our time!”
Then, I quickly remembered the team was supposed to register to go on the trip back in October 2016 and assumed, “it’s January 2017 and must be filled at this point. We cannot go this year.” I frantically texted Lisa to ask if there was any room left for Austin and I to join. She was pretty sure they were all full, but wanted to double check and said she would let me know that night.
Around 8pm, Lisa said “This is a God moment. We have exactly one room available for 2 people. Nobody would ever believe this. We have the largest group ever. Liz (Lisa & Rod’s daughter) and I were quickly grouping families together, trying to make as many rooms with 3 and 4 people first. We didn’t remember how many rooms the hotel had. We seriously prayed and pulled up the floor plan and had one empty room for two people.”
Again, I was STUNNED. That moment is when I realized God is opening all the doors for Austin and me to go on this mission trip together this year with the Keller’s. God is opening the door and telling us to Go and serve.
Now, the expense to go has been cut in half. There is actually room in the hotel for us. And then of course, Austin and I start thinking about the “what ifs.” What if I end up pregnant before we go? Do we lose that money? Do our sponsors lose their money? What about the health risks of being in Guatemala? Zika virus? What if we get stranded there? Etc, etc, etc!
That night and the next day I spoke with Lisa and my bosses to talk through some of these worries and concerns. Lisa reminded me, “…I believe so strongly in the power of Satan working against God’s work. Fear and doubt do not come from God. God says, “Trust Me.” Satan says, “What if?” Lisa’s words were so comforting and just what I needed to hear to officially say “yes” to the mission trip in the midst of all the what ifs and the unknowing. Leaning on the “what ifs” to make a decision shows very little faith in God.
In Matthew 6: 25-34, we are told not to worry and to trust in God. Worry robs us of our faith. Austin and I know God is in control. God is in control of today, tomorrow and every day. He has opened the doors wide for us to be on the Moving Mountains Mission team this year. We are so thankful for the opportunity to join the team and cannot wait to be on that mountain!
25 “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 than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 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 much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
– Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)