Tomorrow is the day

 This morning I got up to go send off our Youth Group as they go off to camp.  Typically I would be going with them.  This year the Lord had other plans for me.  

I have for a long time wanted to go to Kenya, since I was a early teenager actually.  Then, the Lord called me in my later teens, early twenties, to go into full time ministry and go to the mission field.  While the road to the field is different for everyone.  Mine has been all over the place and I have lived my life as if everywhere I have been has been my mission field, but isn't that how life is supposed to be anyway?  We are all called to share the love of Jesus, where we are.  

The Lord has given me opportunities to go to Honduras on mission trips and ultimately live in Honduras for 3 years.  I then returned home to minister to my mom after the death of her husband.  It has been an honor to serve her these last 20 years.  She has not always needed me, I have just made myself available for any and all situations where I can assist.  

Twenty years ago the Lord introduced me to Operation Christmas Child where I began my journey as a Relay Center drop off volunteer.  That meant that as people came to drop off shoeboxes, I would accept them and get key information from them, thank them for the gift and put the gift(s) in a carton to send on it's journey to Atlanta where it would be processed and then sent to a child in another country.  

Through the  years I have held various volunteer positions with the ministry.  I have been an Area Coordinator, Central Drop Off Leader and now the Logistics Coordinator.  It has been a privilege serving in this ministry all these years.  

Tomorrow is a fulfillment in this ministry that few get to participate in, going on a Vision Trip to see first hand the life changing ministry of a shoebox gift.  

To say I am excited is not enough.  I am excited to see how the Lord will use me this week, and more importantly I am expecting to hear from him.

For a long time now, I have known a transition would be coming in my life and I feel like the Lord has been preparing me and guiding me in this transition.  I don't know when, where or how the transition will take place, only that it will.  

I have always known that my life is not my own and that the Lord can send me where ever and I will follow, whether it be for a short time or a long time.  

Is the Lord preparing me for something larger?  I don't know.  I know I have been praying that the Lord would enlarge my territory so I could be used by Him more.  Take my life, the gifts and talents He has given me to be used for His glory, wherever that be.  

Isn't that all he requires of us, is to use the experiences, talents, gifts and life He has given us to bring Him glory.  Everything that we go through in life, the big and the small, can and should be used to bring Him glory.  

As I go throughout my day today, putting the finishing touches on this lifelong dream trip, may the Lord be glorified.

I'm sure I will not be able to sleep tonight, it's like a kid anticipating the big event that is about to happen, thankfully I do not have any issues sleeping on planes.  Be watching my social media pages (Facebook and Instagram) for photos of the journey.  

Providing I have internet connectivity I plan to blog and post each day.  If no internet, the blogs will be posted as I gain internet Access.  

Love you all and thank you for your continued prayers for this journey.

Yesu Anakupenda (Jesus loves you),

Barbra

Patience and God's Timing

Every year I receive a key word from the Lord.  The year 2024 has a word and that is courage.  Oh my, what will 2024 bring?

This year was all about perseverance.  When the Lord gave me that word I thought, OH MY, what is this year gonna hold?

Not gonna lie, this has been a crazy year.  It has been a year of waiting on the Lord and HIS perfect timing.  When we are serving the Lord, and in HIS perfect will and we are desiring what HE has for our lives it is HIS desire to give us our desires.  

I am reminded that many years ago I read a book that was LIFE CHANGING.  While the Bible is the book that is life changing, sometimes we are able to read other books that have a huge impact on one's life.  I have read many books that have impacted me, but none so much as a book by Bruce Wilkinson entitled "The Prayer of Jabez".    I read this book while on a mission trip to Honduras with my church.  

I Chronicles 4:10 says: " Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request."

In the book one is challenged to describe the best thing that happened to you in the last three months.  James 1:17 states "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows".  

What would my life look like if I asked for blessing?

Jabez name means "Because I bore him in pain".  Jabez didn't let his hurtful past or unpromising present keep him from asking God for a huge blessing.  We typically see our negative life experciences as a disadvantage that God can't use, nor will He bless.  Do you sometimes feel unworthy of His calling on your life?  Do you feel like nobody cares or sees you?  Many times that will affect how we see God.

What would my life look like if God enlarged my territory?

What keeps me from reaching more territory?  The territory could be your family, church, business, school or community.  God is ready to expand our territory for a purpose, so we have more influence for HIM.  How does this line up with Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

My territory = my spheres of influence = my potential ministry

Everyone has a ministry, did you get that?  EVERYONE!  Bruce states that "God carefully crafted you for a specific purpose.  When you pray for God to enlarge your ministry, He usually matches opportunities to your gifts and talents, if you were to describe the way the Lord could use you most effectively for Him what would it be?  

In Matthew 28:19-20  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

That being said, I have exciting news.  I received a text on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, just the kind of text I like to receive, especially this time of the year!

Vision trips are back on.  I will get email from Anita in the next couple of days.  They are doing it differently this year.  I will be in phase 1 since my trip in 2020 was cancelled.  I will have the opportunity to chose from 1 of 5 trips depending on dates, finances for my schedule.  I will have one week to pray about it, then phase 2 opens and others get to choose from trips as well.

Then, later this afternoon I received the following email.

Dear Barbra,

We are so excited that you will have the opportunity to participate in a 2024 Vision Trip!

Our goal for Vision Trips is to allow you to observe how God is using trained Ministry Partners to share the Gospel message, utilizing Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts and discipleship materials. This makes it unlike a mission trip or distribution trip.

As a reminder, because your 2020 Vision Trip was cancelled, you will have one week to register for the Vision Trip before registration opens to the rest of the 200+ volunteers. You will receive a registration email during the week of October 9^th, inviting you to select the trip you would like to participate in (all locations, dates, and costs are below). You will have until Nov. 10 to register or decline the invitation, but please note that all trips will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and once a trip is full, it will be closed.

Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago

Lima, Peru

Quito, Ecuador

Nairobi, Kenya

Asuncion, Paraguay

My choice is highlighted in Green.  I have always wanted to go to Kenya since I can remember.  I know that this area of the world needs Jesus and there is so much persecution for Christians in the neighboring countries.  

I covet your prayers as I prepare for this journey in life and how the Lord is preparing me for HIS plans in my life.

Wisdom Wednesday

 Today I had my mammogram.  The appointment was scheduled a couple different times.  I wasn't really sure why we needed to keep rescheduling on the same day, but you run with it and trust the Lord.  After my mammogram, waiting to see if I would be having an ultrasound as well I was in the waiting room at the Breast Center of South Florida Baptist Hospital and met a dear lady whose name is Miriam.  

Miriam was there for her mammogram as well as ultrasound for a mass on her thyroid.  She was filled with anxiety.  I spoke with her for a bit to get her story.  She has a family history of cancer and was extremely nervous today.  Not knowing if she was a Christian or not, I asked her if I could pray WITH her, not FOR her.  There is a difference.  Many times we say we will pray for someone and yet forget.  I don't want to forget.  I want to be used by God in every moment of my life.  When she said yes to prayer, I got up from what I was working on and went to hold her hand and pray with her right then.  I continued to pray for her throughout the day as she came to my mind.  Will I know her outcome, no.  That is not the purpose.  My appointment was changed so that I could pray with her and offer a bit of peace and encouragement for her.

After coming  home and working for a bit, I received a call back from Lisa at the Breast Center indicating that the radiologist has stated that we should do an MRI with contrast first before a biopsy, the MRI may determine that a biopsy is not needed.  Lisa was going to get with the doctor office to have them send over a script for the MRI and trying to get that scheduled prior to the scheduled biopsy on May 31, 2023 at 8:00 am.  Lisa said it might be a good idea to reach out to the office to help speed the process along.  She wanted to keep the biopsy appointment just to be on the safe side in case anything on the MRI determines that the biopsy is needed.  

All this may have been just to meet Miriam and pray with her.  In my spirit I have been at peace the entire day and have not felt anxious once.  I know many would be at wits end with the thought of needing a biopsy.  I trust the Lord so much, that I know he has everything in his hands and that no matter what I will be alright.  

I do not know what the Lord has planned, I know he has me through anything that I go through.

Until next time....