miracles

Just over a month ago, I had switched to Global Expedition's Panama trip. I had no idea how I was going to get the money for this trip. I had only $500 that had been given to me months ago when my destination was different, and had been give little bits here and there but nothing huge. I remember back in November, I was very uncertain and unsure about going on a trip this summer, and then my dad came home with that check someone had given him for me, and I knew that the Lord had something in mind. But I didn't know what.

Fast forward to February, I knew that the June trip dates I'd originally signed up for were definitely not going to work, and in early March I was switched to the July trip dates, though the destination was the same. Shortly thereafter I spoke to my new rep and then took off for Costa Rica (for a class trip) and then immediately after returning I turned around and went to Iowa for a conference for a few days. About that time, my rep called me to let me know that due to some of the arrangements that would have to be made, a deposit of $500 was needed. I was very uncertain about it but decided to put the money into my GE account anyway. A few days later I got another call from my rep letting me know that one of the trips for my particular destination would have to be cancelled-and as it turned out, it was the July trip that was cancelled. Since I couldn't go in June, I now needed to pick a new destination.

I chose Uganda because it's somewhere I've wanted to go for a while, as well as the home country of one of my Compassion sponsored children, and because GE will be working with former child soldiers for part of the trip-and slaves, child soldiers, and prostitutes are very important people to me. I still wasn't entirely certain, though. I went to GE's TrueNorth seminar at the end of April, and just a couple days later was offered a spot as a country assistant on the Panama trip. Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE Panama! So I was very torn between choosing a country I'd never been to but wanted badly to visit, or a country that has entwined itself thoroughly in my heart.

It took several weeks of indecision but finally the Lord spoke to me and directed me to Panama. The next day I called the leadership rep and committed to be a country assistant in Panama, and called my "regular" rep to let him know what I'd [finally!] decided. That was just a couple of days before finals began. Then I entered the whirlwind of final exams, and the next day I found out my good friend Sarah was in the hospital in critical condition. After several hours in prayer and petitioning, I found out she had gone to be with Jesus, and I cried for the next four hours. I finally slept around five that morning, and I woke up a few hours later and my family went to lunch. Sometime that [utterly surreal] day, I checked my GE account and found a friend of mine had given $100! The next day we held a yard sale, and raised over $400! The day after, I spoke at a church about my trip, and about Sarah because it tied directly in with the pastor's sermon, and was given another $250!

That week was incredibly difficult-going to Sarah's services is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, and at times it still feels completely unreal. The day of her funeral, a friend of my youngest sister was killed in a car accident, so we travelled down for her services as well. The day after that girl's funeral was my other sister's baby shower, where someone gave me another $100 for my trip. The next day I spoke at two churches, from which I was given a total of $400 between them. I also had opportunity to use Sarah's story to minister to a young woman with many hurts in her heart, for which I am very grateful.

In the weeks that followed, I was given another $200 by friends and another $200 was raised at a second yard sale [in which I was also able to get rid of a lot of unneeded stuff!], as well as getting a darling nephew. :) Then, this past Sunday, I was given opportunity to speak about my trip at another church. Now, at each of the churches I have spoken at, I have given a small offering of $5-I believe it is important to sow into the lives and ministries that are sowing into yours whenever possible.

At the church I spoke at this Sunday, I was writing my check out, and for some reason felt impressed upon to write it for $6 instead of $5. I dropped it in the offering plate and then when speaking about my trip, I shared my project director's vision for our trip-GE's theme this year is "Touch the World," and my project director has a vision to expand upon that-to make it "Experiencing freedom to touch the world." His desire is that those on the trip would also experience the freedom Christ purchased for us on the cross, that they may be free to touch the world as He directs. I also shared about Sarah, because she was never able to break free of that which held her in bondage, and I do not ever want another brother or sister in Christ to be unable to break free of that which holds them.

This morning my dad got an email from the pastor of that church. There were thirty-six (36) people in attendance on Sunday, and when the offering was totalled up...

It was $636. From 36 people. When I gave $6 in the regular offering.

That is literally a hundred-fold increase. And I am in awe.

The Lord has done some incredible things to get me on this trip-to get me in Panama. I don't have any idea why He wants me in Panama, I only know that He does. I never got my support letters out [any of them, as I ended up writing at least three different ones, one for each of my three different trips I'd hoped to go on this summer], I didn't even get to bring my little trinkets from Panama to the church this Sunday, because I forgot the bag at home! It's been a difficult month in a lot of ways, but the Lord has absolutely been showing off how faithful He is when we obey Him. It's been awesome to watch this money literally pouring in from all over, from places I'd never expected, from churches where I personally didn't even know anyone! And as a bonus, I got to talk to a young girl at the church this Sunday about going on a Global Expeditions trip! Awesome!

The Lord does work miracles, friends. Crazy, awesome, extravagant, wonderful miracles. He loves to show off if we give Him opportunity to do so, and I am so, so thankful that He is my God.

Amen.

Bethany