Wow! It's been way too long since my last blog. It tells you how busy I've been.
It's already been two weeks since I went to a leadership conference at Saddleback with my friends from Green Valley. It was great to see my church family during the day and then spend some evenings with my Mom.
I learned a lot that week. It started with some testing of my faith and some careful listening to God's voice. On our way to the states, my van got a flat tire. I was still in Mexico, about 20 minutes north of the orphanage. Having car trouble was one of my greatest fears when I came to Mexico. God is his great mercy allowed me to have a flat in an area where I could easily pull over. My son Tyler was with me and is always encouraging to have with me in these situations. I called a friend at the orphanage to send David and his friend Julian to come to our rescue and they did. They changed my tire to my spare and I was good to go.
My greatest fear had been overcome. Practicing the presence of Jesus, acknowledging Him wherever I find myself, has brought me great peace. It's a great feeling to have God confirm His promise to never leave us or forsake us. He is always with us; even on the side of the road in Mexico.
When we arrived at my Mom's we rested a little and then took Tyler to see his Aunt Becky and Uncle Tony. He would stay there for the week so he could work on his school work using their internet service and get to know his Aunt and Uncle a little more. I stayed at my Mom's. While turning in for the night I began to pray about going to the conference on my spare tire. I had been told in Mexico that I was good to go, but when I got to the states I was being advised not to travel on my spare. I knew I needed to use my ATM to get some money for the replacement of the back two tires. I had been unable to use my card because it was being converted according to the bank. So, I decided that if I still couldn't use it that I would not go straight to the conference on my spare, but that I would wait for the bank to open, get the funds and then tires. After purchasing my tires I was on my way to the conference. Suddenly it began to pour rain harder than I'd seen it in a long time. Much to my surprise, my windshield wipers actually buckled and bowed. They quit working. I pulled of the freeway safely and asked the LORD to help me get the wipers fixed. When I looked in the sky, the rain was moving away from the conference and back towards my Mom's house. I bent the wipers back in shape enough to make them work and get to the conference.
On the way to the conference I couldn't help but think about what God was sparing me from. Had I missed an accident by this 4 hour delay. Perhaps is was a test in perseverance, or my response to inconvenience. Whatever the reason, I did sense that God had spared me from something that I may never know. Sometimes, many times, we may never understand the reason for God's delays. I have learned to trust Him. I am so convinced that God is with us, that if we'll acknowledge His presence throughout our day it gives opportunity for Him to speak to us and build our faith in Him, Emmanuel; God is with us.
It's already been two weeks since I went to a leadership conference at Saddleback with my friends from Green Valley. It was great to see my church family during the day and then spend some evenings with my Mom.
I learned a lot that week. It started with some testing of my faith and some careful listening to God's voice. On our way to the states, my van got a flat tire. I was still in Mexico, about 20 minutes north of the orphanage. Having car trouble was one of my greatest fears when I came to Mexico. God is his great mercy allowed me to have a flat in an area where I could easily pull over. My son Tyler was with me and is always encouraging to have with me in these situations. I called a friend at the orphanage to send David and his friend Julian to come to our rescue and they did. They changed my tire to my spare and I was good to go.
My greatest fear had been overcome. Practicing the presence of Jesus, acknowledging Him wherever I find myself, has brought me great peace. It's a great feeling to have God confirm His promise to never leave us or forsake us. He is always with us; even on the side of the road in Mexico.
When we arrived at my Mom's we rested a little and then took Tyler to see his Aunt Becky and Uncle Tony. He would stay there for the week so he could work on his school work using their internet service and get to know his Aunt and Uncle a little more. I stayed at my Mom's. While turning in for the night I began to pray about going to the conference on my spare tire. I had been told in Mexico that I was good to go, but when I got to the states I was being advised not to travel on my spare. I knew I needed to use my ATM to get some money for the replacement of the back two tires. I had been unable to use my card because it was being converted according to the bank. So, I decided that if I still couldn't use it that I would not go straight to the conference on my spare, but that I would wait for the bank to open, get the funds and then tires. After purchasing my tires I was on my way to the conference. Suddenly it began to pour rain harder than I'd seen it in a long time. Much to my surprise, my windshield wipers actually buckled and bowed. They quit working. I pulled of the freeway safely and asked the LORD to help me get the wipers fixed. When I looked in the sky, the rain was moving away from the conference and back towards my Mom's house. I bent the wipers back in shape enough to make them work and get to the conference.
On the way to the conference I couldn't help but think about what God was sparing me from. Had I missed an accident by this 4 hour delay. Perhaps is was a test in perseverance, or my response to inconvenience. Whatever the reason, I did sense that God had spared me from something that I may never know. Sometimes, many times, we may never understand the reason for God's delays. I have learned to trust Him. I am so convinced that God is with us, that if we'll acknowledge His presence throughout our day it gives opportunity for Him to speak to us and build our faith in Him, Emmanuel; God is with us.
