This whole thing started after I read Radical by David Platt, had a conversation with a good friend about going on a family mission trip, and then gave the audio CD to Keith to listen to. You want to mess up your thinking? Read that book. It will help. Then go on a mission trip. Take your family. You'll never be the same.
God provided for our trip well before it....
Right away in the beginning of the year God provided the money we needed to do this trip, in His style, He knows how I would worry about that, but then He took care of it and I didn't need to worry any more.
In dropping off our visa paperwork, we found out that Keith and I needed new photos taken, which we were able to do right there. The children's pictures were fine, which worked out perfectly since our children were not with us.
The timing of our trip was determined by several factors...we wanted Phil and Cindy Ketcham to be back in Brazil...we wanted to go during the school year....we didn't want to miss a very important wedding so we chose to leave two days after that wedding. It turned out perfectly, of course, that one of the teachers in Brazil could go home for a wedding because it was during the time we were there. I was her substitutue teacher!
...God really provided for us in our preparation for our trip at the last minute
Our engine light that had been on for a couple of months and we'd had it dealt with already, but it was still on. Finally it went off on it's own two days before we left.
We ordered Brazillian reis (hay-eyes) from our bank to pay for our expenses while in Brazil and they came on the last possible day they could have, Friday.
Saturday morning I was able to obtain Megan's shot record that I thought we might need (didn't end needing it) without having requested in advance or anything.
Our friends were able to lend us their luggage the day before our trip when we realized one of our bags wasn't going to work out. Thanks, Hazzards!
Several friends gave us cash right before we left and this really helped us out with our time in the airports. Thanks so much!
The night before we left I couldn't not sleep at all. There was a line from a song that kept running through my mind. It was "Be strong in the Lord". Turns out it's a line from this song by the Sidewalk Prophets. The Words I Would Say
Some of the verses that stood out to me from my daily Bible readings during our time in Brazil.
Jeremiah 23:23-24
“Am I a God who is near,” declares the Lord,
“And not a God far off?
“Can a man hide himself in hiding places
So I do not see him?” declares the Lord.
“Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the Lord.
Psalm 84:8-12
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah.
Behold our shield, O God,
And look upon the face of Your anointed.
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside.
I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord gives grace and glory;
No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts,
How blessed is the man who trusts in You!
Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah.
Behold our shield, O God,
And look upon the face of Your anointed.
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside.
I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord gives grace and glory;
No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts,
How blessed is the man who trusts in You!
2 Thessalonians 3:3
But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
2 Thessalonians 3:16
Now may the Lord of peace himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!
1 Timothy 1:12
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service.
1Timothy 4:8-9
On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things.
1Timothy 6:7
For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out either.
Psalm 94:19
When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, thy consolations delight my soul.
Hebrews 7:23-25
And the former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers, because they were prevented by death from continuing, but He, on the other hand, because He abides forever, holds his priesthood permenantly. Hence also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him since He always lives to make intercession for them.
And on that note, I'll go ahead and post this while I think more about our trip and process it more and maybe I'll post again later.
And here's a picture since it seems obligatory to me to put a picture on every post.
This is Megan's special friend. She gave Megan little purse on her birthday. She's a very sweet girl.
Holly...and family...I can't tell you how much we enjoyed following your postings from Brazil. Thank you for sharing your hearts and your experiences and your beautiful photography. It was so special for us to see you go as a family, since it is something we hope to do one day, too. (And, Radical deeply affected us, too!) We'll be praying for you as you re-settle back into life in the States...with all its occasional excess and nonsense that seems so glaring after returning from a missions trip. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving...with so much to be thankful for!
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