Driving for 20 hours gives you a lot of time to think, pray and ponder all that God has been doing. Daily I am in awe of the fact that we are actually driving with our entire family down to Mexico.
I have also been thinking and praying for the family that we are building for. One of the members of our team has been journaling the fruit of the spirit and praying for Carmela and her family daily. As I ponder the impact our team will make on this family, I feel a measure of understanding in what she must be feeling.
It's so easy to feel like the hopes and dreams God gives you are just beyond your grasp. There is great desire to do what God wants you to do, but too often we feel limited by our circumstances, finances, physical limitations or more. Yet God does not desire for us to give up hope. So what are we to do?
God has been teaching me so much about giving my hopes and dreams to Him instead of putting pressure on myself or my husband to bring them to pass. I believe this is how God wants it. Scripture is clear that we are to "cast our cares on Jesus", "trust in the Lord", and "believe God for the impossible".
I don't believe that God intends for us to do His work and go into debt, forsake our responsibilities or neglect our family. In this, however, we are again faced with the big question of HOW?
With us, a mission trip (or any travel, for that matter) seemed out of reach. However, I wasn't afraid to dream. I first believed for a cruise. It seemed crazy and out of reach, but I gave it to God. Years later, we ended up winning a cruise, going on that one day mission trip and catching the vision of taking our whole family to Mexico. I remember as we were traveling home from our cruise and praying for God to give us an idea of how we could take the family. That's when He placed the idea of how to raise money as a family for our trip. We worked for years and when the door opened, the basic funds were in place.
When I said I could understand how Carmela might feel with us building a home, I am referring to that feeling of overwhelming gratitude. As we prepared for this trip, we were stunned by the generosity of those around us. We were humbled by the overwhelming response to the stolen pop bottles (20 times by the day we left).
We realized that this money given to us was not intended to stop with our family, no, we were merely the funnel to pass on this blessing that God has given us. Just as I hope that Carmela (and her grandchildren) will recognize that the expansion of her home is intended to be a blessing for her to share with those around her.
God doesn't bless us so we can hold tightly to it. No! Blessings are meant for us to pass on to those around us.
Let's endeavour to be generous with all God has given us!
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