When you can see God working in your life...

In December of 2009, I met with a lady from my church whom has turned out to be one of the greatest people I know! Laura had just returned from Honduras in November with her husband, Alex. They had decided to move their family to Puerto Lempira, Honduras in answer to God's call for them to be long-term missionaries.

Laura and I started talking at a Christmas party for the kiddos at church and I began asking her a ton of questions about their adoptions of their two youngest sons and of their mission in Honduras. I learned a lot but I was thirsting for more. The following Wednesday we met at Starbucks to chat more about these topics. I originally thought that my interest would be focused primarily on the adoptions, because that has become so near and dear to my heart. However, as we were talking, my passion opened up towards the mission work in Honduras. The more we talked, the more I wanted to know, the more I needed to know! I became completely invested in what was going on in P.L., Honduras. I felt like I NEEDED to go there myself. This is when we discussed getting a team together to go during Spring Break. I was still slightly unsure of how this was going to work, but I felt confident that God was calling me to serve Him in Honduras for Spring Break!

While Laura and I were talking at Starbucks that afternoon, Brian walked in...knowing that we would be there. He was feeling a bit "left out" of the meeting so he decided to crash it!!! I loved it, and I'm pretty sure Laura did too! Brian mentioned a number of times that afternoon and the days following, that he would support me 100% in going, but that he didn't see himself going. His reasons were primarily based on the fact that money is not falling from the trees in our backyard, and he was very concerned about leaving the kids while we travel to a 3rd world country. We planned on me going, we didn't know how I was going to get there, who I would travel with (because there was a chance that Alex and Laura would go before I could leave), or how any of the details would work out. We thought this would be a good way to spend part of our income tax return!!! I spent a great deal of time praying and studying God's word in preparation for the trip.

It worked out that there was a group of 8 of us who would travel together to Puerto Lempira for Spring Break. Alex, Laura, Aidan, Arlee, Holly, Katie, Wendy, and myself would form the Spring Break Team from Texas! As you can see this team is heavily weighted by the females. Alex (Laura's husband) and Aidan (their son) were the only males going. This was a concern of ours, we wanted more men to join us. There seemed to be a few possibilities, but nothing concrete.

One evening at a church meeting for Sunday school teachers, Laura was not feeling well at all. As soon as the meeting was over, she was ready to leave, but on her way out the door, she approached me and said she had a question for me. She asked me if the main reason that Brian wasn't going to go to Honduras with us was because of financial reasons. I explained that yes, I felt that this was primarily what was causing him from not going, along with his concerns for our 3 young children. She responded by saying that someone from our church (Pin Oaks Christian Fellowship) had contacted her and was donating $1000 for BRIAN to go to Honduras with us. I could NOT believe what I had just heard!!! Laura explained that the people who had donated the money wanted to remain anonymous, and if Brian didn't feel that he would be able to go that they said to at that point give it to another man from the church who might be able to go. Laura included that if I knew who it was, that I would be so touched, and she shook her head and smiled a smile of love and gratitude!

My jaw dropped, my eyes swelled with tears, and I was speechless. There had been so many prayers devoted to this and my desires for Brian to be there with me for this experience...and here it was, layed out in front of me...GOD WAS WORKING IN OUR LIFE AND I COULD LITERALLY SEE IT BEFORE MY VERY EYES.
I told Laura through the tears that were clouding my eyes and clogging my throat that I would talk to Brian and that I couldn't believe how this came from out of nowhere...this was a gift straight from God and there aren't words that are worthy of expressing my gratitude, appreciation, admiration, and love for my Lord, my Savior.

Brian and I talked about it and of course we told Alex and Laura that he would love to accept the opportunity to go to Honduras to serve in any way that God might use him.

Isn't that amazing! As I am reflecting on the entire process I am brought to tears again at the realization that NO MATTER WHAT...if you will just stop and listen, God is talking to you and HE WILL PROVIDE!!