I have been home from India about 2 weeks. It will be in my heart forever, and I can't wait to get back there. But WHY did I go and WHAT DID I LEARN? Well, the answers to these questions are truly of the miraculous nature, so I will cover them in a couple of posts so you don't have to sit for hours and read.
So here goes.
I had never felt really "called to Missions". I had never felt called to go to India. But, last year I made a conscious decision to strip away a lot of *extras* in my life, and focus more on God and loving Him. I felt Him say the time is short, and He wanted us draw closer to Him. Much fruit was gained from this, but most of all, I felt like I *heard* Him much more. Quiet can do that apparently.
I read a post on Facebook from my closest friend that mentioned she was planning on going to India on Missions for two weeks. I felt God say, "GO!" I laughed OUT LOUD. I was standing in my messy kitchen actually laughing at God telling me to go to India. I have 6 children. I run two businesses. I basically do like EVERYTHING at my house to keep it running, and usually people are fed and clothed. India? Two weeks? Bwahahahahaaaa! Then I realized I was acting like Sarah in the Bible when God said she was to have a child in her advanced age. Ooops. Better stop laughing and pray about this.'
I approached my husband cautiously with this new idea, pretty sure he would think I had been abducted by aliens. He did not say anything. He looked at his calendar. He walked into our room and shut the door. Hmmmm. Crickets. Then he walks out with tears in his eyes and hands me an envelope. It was savings bonds from when he was a child. He said he had never had a good enough reason to cash them until now, and offered it as my first support donation. (Wow) I guess I am going to India.
I started to process of getting support letters written, and felt God very clearly say NOT TO WORRY about the financial part of this trip. He would provide. Well, he better! I certainly can't afford to just finance it! So my kids and I stuffed envelopes and prayed over them, and I sat back expecting the money to just start rolling in. LOL. A few weeks passed by and I had about 3 donations, one being from my parents of course. The deadline for the first half was quickly approaching like a dark cloud. I started to worry. I felt guilty about the worry- felt like it was a lack of faith. But I just. couldn't. help. it.
I set off for a quick trip to a home school convention with some of my sweet momma friends. I needed a miracle in 3 days. I needed about $1500. I confessed to my friends my lack of faith and begged them to pray with me about the situation. I felt like God was trying to teach a lesson to me about TRUST and I kept thinking about the Israelites wandering in desert and getting their manna provided WHEN THEY NEEDED it. Not before. They couldn't save it. It was there just when they needed it. But, oh boy, that is tough to wait.
The next evening my husband called to say he had a card from the mail and was told we should open it together. It was from my Aunt whom I had sent a support letter to. I told my friends - maybe this is the miracle! Maybe she sent a large donation! Maybe, just maybe it was close to the $1500! Could God really do that?
Well folks.....wait for it....IT WAS $5000! Yes. BUT WAIT, THERE's MORE! There was a letter. It said that she had already donated to my trip online, and she felt confident I would be 100% fully funded through means OTHER THAN this check. But she didn't WANT ME TO WORRY. *She* didn't want me to worry! Really, that letter was penned by her from my Heavenly Father to me. It was *HE* who didn't want me to worry- just like He said! And wouldn't you know it, friends, all $1500 of the money I needed for that deadline DID roll in those 3 days, so that I did not need to use that check from my aunt. Of course. Sometimes I think God like to show off a bit :)
With that lesson learned, and my faith renewed, the second deadline was also met TO THE DOLLAR right when I needed it.
He provided. Just like He said. Lesson #1. Stay tuned for the next post for Lesson #2.
