Today after church we started our final meeting (above, not everyone is pictured) and I hear Brandon begin by saying that usually before a trip everyone experiences a lot of difficulties and spiritual warfare.
I couldn't believe my ears...WHY didn't I think of that?!?
Let me explain...
Yesterday I was emotionally and physically spent...so much so that I skipped dinner and gave myself a "time out" alone in my room for about an hour. Tim has been more tired than usual. Hudson has had a rough week sleeping (he caught a cold), which means I didn't get hardly any sleep for a few days. And the kids have seemed more difficult (and excited) than usual. Roll that into a ball with "we have so much to do" and I was needing a break.
Yet, I couldn't believe that I didn't realize (or recognize) that there was a HUGE spiritual battle going on.
YEA!!!! (no, I'm not being sarcastic) It is so good to know that I'm not imaging it and things have been a bit crazier than usual. You know..."one step forward, five steps backwards" kind of a few days.
I am so glad that the Lord reminded me of this. Twice actually...right after the meeting we stopped by a friend's house to borrow a cooler to keep in our van on the drive. She asked me to come in and get a quick tour of her new home I have been meaning to see. While were walking and talking she shared with me about the sermon that they had at their church this morning: Spiritual Warfare.
Yep. I LOVE how God always encourages me, reminds me and even disciplines me by bring up the same verse or topic in many ways.
We are in a battle everyday. Satan doesn't want me to stay at home with my kids, teaching them about the Lord, making healthy foods to heal them, encouraging my husband, planning a mission trip to Mexico.
NO! Satan would love it if I would spend my days in self-pity, laziness, ignorance or comparison--rather than know he exists and to be fighting for the Kingdom of the Lord. I think in general Americans (even in the church sometimes) don't want to look into or admit that there is a spiritual realm. So it's kind of a touchy subject.
Did you notice how you responded when I started writing about Spiritual Warfare? Did you get uncomfortable? Annoyed?
Jesus talks a lot about this in the Bible...and He made a lot of people uncomfortable too. Not just to be mean, but to wake us up to the reality of the world around us. To take action and to be prepared.
All this to say...please keep our whole team in your prayers. We are going to need it and it is such an encouragement to know you are praying for us.
James 5:16 "The prayer of righteous person is powerful and effective."
Your prayers mean a lot.
Well, the meeting went well (except for the occasional noisiness from our kiddos!)...we reviewed briefly how each of the team leaders are doing in preparing, we covered how we need to be efficient and timely when we stop on the road so that we work as a team to get things done and back on the road again, the last of the money for the company we are using was due today (of course we forgot ours at home! lol! Don't worry, we got it there later!), costs for food on the road, remembering passports (I do keep thinking that we are going to forget these! lol!) and many other little last minute details that need to be covered before we pack up and hit the road.
I have been so grateful at the thoroughness of the notes and detailed plans that we cover. If I was a college age student, I probably wouldn't care too much, but as a mama to young kiddos and needing to feed them a bit differently-it has been wonderful! You can tell this team has done this more than once!
Here is a picture of our kids sitting off to the side eating lunch (the meeting was about 2 hours right after church)...sorry to everyone who had to smell it cooking! They were so thankful to have food (and I was too knowing that they were not melting down from low blood sugar! lol!)...although Auston was bummed about not having any cheese in the meal.
Yeah...he loves cheese.
God is taking such good care of us. Things are coming together more and more every day (although, like I said above, sometimes in the moment it feels like a "five steps backwards" day or two!) So many friends and family members are praying for us and have sent money for our trip. I love seeing all their hears joined to our trip in a beautiful mosaic of support. Every little bit has helped and together it is creating an amazing masterpiece.
I hope to find a minute in the next few days to share more on all the support and love we have received to go on this trip.
Just for good measure, God worked it out to bless me personally:
Today my in-laws are watching the kids for awhile (it was a surprise to me!), Tim and I stopped at the store and got me a salad, some dates and some tea...so here I sit in SILENCE (!!!!!) enjoying some delicious jasmine tea enjoying the snow delicately falling out the windows when we got home, and now the gorgeous puffy clouds and blue sky...makes my heart full and refreshed.
AND!!! I just got a phone call (yes, honestly-right NOW!) from some friends of ours that want to cover ALL the remaining costs of our trip.
IS GOD AMAZING OR WHAT!!!???
But, we already knew that. =)
(George Mueller would be proud..."If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,' and it will obey you." Luke 17:6)
Serving Him,
tarena
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