I’m delighted to say that ten years after I had the honor of serving at the Billy Graham Crusade in Flushing, New York in June 2005, I had the honor of serving as a counselor at Luis Palau’s festival in Central Park on July 11th!
What made last Saturday’s festival even more special is that I have been able to meet Luis Palau twice! The first time was a few years ago. He shared that he had always dreamed of doing a festival in New York City and that a few of the local Spanish churches had invited him to come. I encouraged him to come! After meeting him that first time, I had a feeling I would see him again.
Imagine how excited I was when I got to meet Luis Palau a second time just this past June at a lovely event he hosted at Chelsea Piers! I even got to give him a copy of my book Waiting on God Well! I also told him I would be counseling at his upcoming event.
In the span of one week (July 6 -11), Luis Palau had events in legendary NYC sites including Radio City Music Hall, Times Square, and finally the Great Lawn in Central Park. This really felt like my missions trip for this summer! The Gospel was proclaimed right here in my own backyard. Glory!
So I’d like to share a few lessons I learned from Luis Palau’s visit:
Beautiful Things Happen When You Wait on God! For more than twenty years, Luis Palau dreamed of hosting a festival in New York City. Over the years he’s traveled the world, but that desire was still inside of him. It was wonderful to witness God granting this desire of his heart and how God honored him. His picture was in ads all throughout the city. His event in Times Square was televised on many of the surrounding giant screens!
Modern Day Calebs Exist! I was surprised to hear that Luis Palau is 80! He could be doing plenty of other things at his age, but he is still faithful to the call God placed on his life. At 80, he took on the Big Apple. He reminds me of Caleb from the Bible who at 85 was saying that he wanted to take on the mountainous land that God had promised him through Moses 45 years earlier (Joshua 14:6-14). I guess there really is no retiring from God’s work.
The Gospel can Still be Preached Outdoors in NYC. I loved hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ being boldly, yet kindly preached out in the open in Manhattan! At a time when some are shying away from talking about salvation through Jesus, Luis Palau and his son, Andrew, are openly proclaiming the Word. And one of the highlights of Saturday’s festival was when we all got to pray for Mayor Bill de Blasio, who made a special appearance at the event. God is at work in New York!
I could say much more, but I’ll stop for now. I pray the short video greeting below blesses you. I shot it right in Central Park. I’m so thankful that I got to experience a Luis Palau festival in person and in my hometown! Let’s see where the Lord leads him next!
Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.
I’m an author, speaker, life coach, Bible school instructor and evangelist who wants to encourage and inspire you as you walk by abounding faith, hope and love and dare to live your God-given dreams! I’m also an author for Our Daily Bread. My NEW book God-Given Dreams: 6 Ways to Live Your Divine Purpose (NavPress) is available wherever books are sold.
My books Feisty Faith, By Faith, Crossing Your Jordan River, Waiting on God Well and Abounding Faith are available on Amazon. To learn more about Abounding Faith’s books, coaching, online training, the Abounding Faith for Today podcast, online store, YouTube channel and more, visit AboundingFaith.com. Join my email community today right here. Blessings!
I thought I’d have some fun this week debunking some common myths that people have about short-term missionaries. I hope you enjoy this list. Perhaps it may even help give you a fresh perspective on missions.
They all like to fly. Not so. Some have to battle the jitters to jump on planes. For others, a missions trip is the first time they’ve ever left their home country and gotten a stamp in their passport.
They’ve all felt called to missions since childhood. Wrongo! I can speak from experience. I didn’t grow up learning about missionaries. I never dreamed I would go on even one trip, let alone five.
They’re all fearless. Nope. Many go with fear and trembling. They have to push past the fear of insects, safety concerns, and leaving behind loved ones.
They’re all “people” people. Think again. Some of us are 100 percent introverts. We don’t necessarily like the spotlight or being center stage. We just have a passion to help others. We’re daring to step out of our comfort zone and saying, “Here am I Lord, send me!”
They all have rich relatives that finance their trips. As if! Yes, we’re grateful for any and all donations we’re blessed with. But many skimp and save and spend hours organizing creative fundraisers to help raise support. Others forgo spending money on other items to pay for their whole trip on their own.
They’re all seasoned believers and mature in their faith. Wrong again. Some are just starting out their faith journey. Others are still working through doubts, fears, insecurities, and a myriad of questions. We’re all a work in progress.
They’re all serious and don’t know how to have fun. Are you kidding me? Gather together a group of adventurous, like-minded folks out on a mission to help impact the world for Christ and see how much fun we can have! Laughter is good medicine. After long days out in the field, it’s great to unwind as a family.
Did I miss anything? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments below!
What is God saying to you about your possible future in missions? To read more about how to decide what kind of trip to go on, feel free to read Short-term Missions Trips 101.
“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:35-38)
Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and be sure to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.
For more encouragement and to learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.
I’m an author, speaker, life coach, Bible school instructor and evangelist who wants to encourage and inspire you as you walk by abounding faith, hope and love and dare to live your God-given dreams! I’m also an author for Our Daily Bread. My NEW book God-Given Dreams: 6 Ways to Live Your Divine Purpose (NavPress) is available wherever books are sold.
My books Feisty Faith, By Faith, Crossing Your Jordan River, Waiting on God Well and Abounding Faith are available on Amazon. To learn more about Abounding Faith’s books, coaching, online training, the Abounding Faith for Today podcast, online store, YouTube channel and more, visit AboundingFaith.com. Join my email community today right here. Blessings!
I’ve met some incredibly brave souls during my various short-term missions trips. I’d like to take a moment to share some of the obstacles they faced and overcame, with the help of Jesus. My prayer is that if you are on the fence about going on a short-term missions trip, you will be encouraged by hearing about some of the giants they faced down in order to answer the call to “Go Ye”. Blessings!
What does a short-term missionary look like? So glad you asked! Take a look in the mirror. You might just be looking at one.
There’s nothing super special about short-term missionaries in and of themselves. They are ordinary folks just like you. They have jobs and families, are students and professionals, and many have to trust God to provide the finances for their trips. Lots and lots of prayer is involved before they ever get on the plane!
My teammates over the years have inspired me. It’s been an honor serving with them! Here’s a glimpse of what a few of them had to contend with during our trips:
Age is Really Just a Number – I’ve had teammates as young as 12 (accompanied by a parent) and some going on their first trip in their 60s! If you’re worried that you’re too young or too old to go, rest assured that God is well aware of your age and He isn’t fazed by it!
Not Always What the Doctor Ordered – One of my brave teammates went on a trip while being on chemo for a certain condition she had. Another went while battling mononucleosis. Still others have gone despite being allergic to bees or having extreme allergies. Of course, always check with your doctor first, but know that when God calls He also protects you!
There’s No Distance Between Family – Some of my teammates have temporarily left behind spouses and teens. Others have left behind their kids as young as 2 years old with caring family members. It’s never easy to leave your loved ones behind, but we go knowing that God is protecting our families while we’re away!
Faith Trumps Fear – Some of my teammates have pushed past extreme fears of insects or of being on long flights. Others have gone despite not getting the emotional support from their family, friends, or church. It’s not always easy to say, “Yes!” to missions, but oh what joy it is to be in the center of God’s will for your life!
What is God saying to you about your possible future in missions? To read more about how to decide what kind of trip to go on, feel free to read Short-term Missions Trips 101.
“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:35-38)
Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and be sure to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.
For more encouragement and to learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.
I’m an author, speaker, life coach, Bible school instructor and evangelist who wants to encourage and inspire you as you walk by abounding faith, hope and love and dare to live your God-given dreams! I’m also an author for Our Daily Bread. My NEW book God-Given Dreams: 6 Ways to Live Your Divine Purpose (NavPress) is available wherever books are sold.
My books Feisty Faith, By Faith, Crossing Your Jordan River, Waiting on God Well and Abounding Faith are available on Amazon. To learn more about Abounding Faith’s books, coaching, online training, the Abounding Faith for Today podcast, online store, YouTube channel and more, visit AboundingFaith.com. Join my email community today right here. Blessings!
What an AMAZING time we had in Lima, Peru! It’s going to take me a bit of time to process some of my thoughts from this short-term missions trip. In the meantime, I’d like to share two of the short videos I shot from there. Blessings!
Shot on our last morning in Lima:
Shot on the morning of the Crusade:
To read about the other missions trips I’ve been on, click here.
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!'” (Isaiah 6:8)
Did these videos encourage you? Please hit “like” and be sure to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.
For more encouragement and to learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.
I’m an author, speaker, life coach, Bible school instructor and evangelist who wants to encourage and inspire you as you walk by abounding faith, hope and love and dare to live your God-given dreams! I’m also an author for Our Daily Bread. My NEW book God-Given Dreams: 6 Ways to Live Your Divine Purpose (NavPress) is available wherever books are sold.
My books Feisty Faith, By Faith, Crossing Your Jordan River, Waiting on God Well and Abounding Faith are available on Amazon. To learn more about Abounding Faith’s books, coaching, online training, the Abounding Faith for Today podcast, online store, YouTube channel and more, visit AboundingFaith.com. Join my email community today right here. Blessings!
I’m just weeks away from my fifth short-term missions trip! Glory! I find that amazing especially considering the fact that while I was growing up, the thought of going on even one missions trip never even crossed my mind. Ever.
Sure, I liked to travel. Years ago, my goal was to travel to different Olympic stadiums around the world. God graciously allowed me to visit four. Not bad!
Once I got saved though, God transformed my passion for travel into a desire to reach the lost and to encourage and pray for hurting people not just around me but in other parts of the globe including in Brazil, Ecuador, Ethiopia, and Honduras!
This year, God has opened the door for me to go to Peru. I’ll write more about my trip in the weeks ahead.
That God would allow me to be His ambassador or witness anywhere is both an honor and humbling! It’s also pretty exciting! That’s why the sign in the store window above has been speaking to me lately.
Serving God can be an adventure for sure!
Now that my trip is so close, I would like to share 6 of my favorite verses that help to inspire me leading up to my short-term missions trips. May they help to encourage you to say, “Yes!” should Jesus call you to Go Forth!
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” (Matthew 28: 18-20)
“…’Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'” (Romans 10:13-15)
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8)
“I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.” (Joshua 1:3)
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
May you also remember that you don’t have to wait until you board a plane to be Christ’s Ambassador. You can be “A Sermon in Shoes” right where you are today!
Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and be sure to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.
For more encouragement and to learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.
I’m an author, speaker, life coach, Bible school instructor and evangelist who wants to encourage and inspire you as you walk by abounding faith, hope and love and dare to live your God-given dreams! I’m also an author for Our Daily Bread. My NEW book God-Given Dreams: 6 Ways to Live Your Divine Purpose (NavPress) is available wherever books are sold.
My books Feisty Faith, By Faith, Crossing Your Jordan River, Waiting on God Well and Abounding Faith are available on Amazon. To learn more about Abounding Faith’s books, coaching, online training, the Abounding Faith for Today podcast, online store, YouTube channel and more, visit AboundingFaith.com. Join my email community today right here. Blessings!
I first heard about Heidi Baker while on my short-term missions trip to Honduras last July. Some of my fellow missionaries were talking about the tremendous work God is allowing Heidi to do in Africa.
Of course, I was intrigued.
Just a few weeks ago, I got to watch the movie about her life called “Compelled by Love.” It’s the story of her 20+ years as a missionary to Mozambique and other nations. (Please see the film trailer above).
The movie was a wonderful testament to what God can do through a yielded life! What made the evening even better was that Heidi was there and spoke to the audience afterwards. What a blessing to see her spend most of her time on the stage on her knees, before her open Bible. She ended the evening praying for those called into full-time missions, the NYC leaders and pastors that were present, and others.
She’s a humble woman, yet powerful! She walks in the authority God has given her. That’s inspiring to see.
I’d like to share just a few lessons based on the film and what Heidi said to those in attendance:
Live a Life that Continually Says, “YES” to God– Heidi knows she has a BIG God and she’s not afraid to say, “Yes” to Him. She has made a habit out of continually surrendering to God. We’re called to do the same. No, we don’t all have to move to Africa, but we are called to obey and be led by the Holy Spirit.
Be Compelled by Love – Heidi doesn’t serve God because she’s afraid He’ll be angry with her if she doesn’t do everything He says or because she’s trying to earn His love. She does it out of her extreme love for God. Once we understand God’s love for us, we are set free to serve Him out of our genuine passion for Christ.
Spend time with God – Heidi shared that she makes it a priority to spend 5 or 6 hours with the Lord every day. She knows that we need to be filled before we can pour out to others! We may not be able to clear our busy schedules to spend hours with God, but we can make some adjustments to be with our Maker. We can also talk to Him throughout the day.
Work with God – Heidi said she sometimes pictures herself as a little girl who is standing on her daddy’s shoes and walking with Him. (Guess she’s a Daddy’s Girl too!) She’s thrilled to be a part of what God is doing on earth. Many times it seems we’d rather wrestle with God or try to somehow boss Him around, instead of simply joining Him in His plans.
Heidi’s story reminded me what a privilege it is to be about our Father’s business. God is looking for willing vessels to fill so we can overflow into other’s lives.
Your mission field may be right in your office, on your block, or under your roof. I encourage you to be faithful. Love those around you. Obey God. Shine for Jesus. Trust Him to do the rest.
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25)
Did this encourage you? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Please hit “Like” or share a comment below.
To get these posts e-mailed straight to your inbox weekly, and to get my free e-booklet MiraculousLovely Abroad: Lessons and Snapshots from the Mission Fields,click here.
For more encouragement, and to learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com.
I’m an author, speaker, life coach, Bible school instructor and evangelist who wants to encourage and inspire you as you walk by abounding faith, hope and love and dare to live your God-given dreams! I’m also an author for Our Daily Bread. My NEW book God-Given Dreams: 6 Ways to Live Your Divine Purpose (NavPress) is available wherever books are sold.
My books Feisty Faith, By Faith, Crossing Your Jordan River, Waiting on God Well and Abounding Faith are available on Amazon. To learn more about Abounding Faith’s books, coaching, online training, the Abounding Faith for Today podcast, online store, YouTube channel and more, visit AboundingFaith.com. Join my email community today right here. Blessings!
I’m just days away from my short-term missions trip to Honduras. I will be one of almost 2,000 missionaries that will flood the nation of Honduras with God’s love. Although I’m so excited to be going and ministering to the high school students there through testimonies, skits, and prayer times, I still marvel that I am going. As I pack my suitcase this time around, I’m reflecting on how I even started going on these trips and why I go. Blessings!
I must say I am an accidental short-term missionary. At least in my eyes. I never grew up wanting to go on missions trips. I certainly didn’t know any missionaries. Over the years, I did discover that I enjoyed traveling. My goal years ago was to travel to the cities that hosted Olympic Games. And God allowed me to go to the modern Olympic Games stadium in Athens, Greece and the stadiums in Sydney, Australia, Salt Lake City, Utah and Los Angeles, California. Not bad! I am so grateful for all the wonderful places I’ve gotten to travel to over the years.
But God had different plans for me. After years of traveling for vacation and for work and after my amazing time in Israel in 2007, I knew it was time to “give back.” Before I could even ponder where I might go, God introduced me to Tyler Burkett from Extreme International.
Tyler was in town with his wife and a group of teens who were on a missions trip to New York City. I was guiding his team on an outreach through the New York School of Urban Ministry (NYSUM). During our lunch break, the kids mentioned that they had been on a missions trip to Ecuador. I was intrigued. My Dad is from Ecuador so I asked them which part they had gone to, and they proceeded to say the name of my Dad’s hometown! What? Of all the places in the world, these kids had gone on a missions trip to the place where my Dad was born and raised? When Tyler said he went there often and invited me to join them, I didn’t need to see a burning bush in front of me. I KNEW that I would travel with him one day. The next time I saw Tyler, it was two years later. I was in the airport in Ecuador with my teammates from Texas for the missions trip in 2010.
In between meeting Tyler and traveling with his group, Steve and Dianna Butcher from Amazon River Churches came to speak at my church, and they made an open invitation to go build a church in the Amazon jungle in Brazil! I wrote here how tough it was for me to decide to go, but again God had already softened my heart towards missions. I had no previous desire to travel to Brazil, but in 2009 I packed my bags and went on an adventure of a lifetime!
After going to Brazil with Steve and the team in 2009 and Ecuador with Tyler and the team in 2010, I was open to Steve’s invitation to AFRICA, which I wrote about here.
All this talk about traveling can sound kinda glamorous to some, but it’s not always easy to get on a plane, leave all your loved ones behind and go to some foreign country. There are shots to take beforehand (and sometimes gigantic malaria pills to swallow during the trip!), money to raise, vacation time to be used. There’s also lots of prayer and fasting to get ready for the spiritual battles that will take place.
Surprisingly enough, sometimes the toughest battles are fought long before even setting foot on the plane!
So why do I go? Seriously. Why worry about mosquitoes and critters and what the sleeping conditions will be like? Why go to places where I have to brush my teeth with bottled water and avoid certain foods? And WHY go to places where I have to carry toilet paper with me and drown my hands in hand sanitizer??? (Just trying to be real folks! Don’t worry, many times I’m also shocked by how modern some of the cities are!)
Clearly, missions trips should not be confused with your typical vacations!
I go for so many reasons including:
I see God move in miraculous ways! I have seen Him heal team members and keep us out of harm’s way! Yes, that means that team members have gotten sick and been healed while being out on the field. Some have come on trips defying their doctor’s orders, and God has kept them healthy! Other times He has held back the rain for us during the monsoon season, and He has kept us safe in the jungle in Brazil, on the mountaintops in Ecuador and in the slums of Ethiopia. Of course, I see God move in miraculous ways here at home, but there is something so special about how I see Him work when I’m abroad.
Families at the inauguration of the church in Brazil
Kids at a service in Ecuador
School kids in Ethiopia
I meet amazing people! From the sweet kids we get to play with and minister to, to the humble pastors we meet who receive meager salaries and little recognition, to the full-time missionaries we get to come alongside and encourage, there is no shortage of wonderful people to befriend like I wrote about here. Some of the heroes are the missionary kids who adapt to life “out there” and embrace the local kids as if they were their family. Speaking of local kids, in Ecuador there was a little 4-year-old who was the daughter of a local pastor. She came with us during all our home visits and she was such a delight. What a trooper! She climbed up and down the mountainside without any complaints.
My teammates also inspire me. They leave behind family and the comforts of home and sacrifice the little money and vacation time they have. They set aside fears of insects or of long flights, lay down worries about health issues, and just go and love on the people!
My faith g-r-o-w-s! God speaks to me extra clearly when I’m “out there” and I love it! I know that I am in the palm of God’s hand and in the center of His will for my life when I’m out there. And I know that we are covered in prayer. That’s why I can be at peace in the middle of the jungle while we’re painting the church in Brazil or while we’re swerving along the mountainside on winding roads without guardrails in Ecuador. That’s why I can feel God’s presence during an impromptu service in a junkyard in Ethiopia! That’s why I can talk to complete strangers about Jesus and pray for them on the spot!
I am so encouraged to see how the locals love the same God that I do. It reminds me that as Christians we really are one family with the same Heavenly Father! I am so blessed to be able to travel around this beautiful world that God has created! And I am humbled and honored that I can be the hands and feet of Jesus in any small way while I’m there.
Because God says GO! It’s all over the Bible. It’s some of the last words Jesus said to His disciples after He resurrected and before He ascended into heaven. That should be reason enough for all of us to Go! When God opens a door, it’s best to go through it! The peace comes from knowing He goes before us and is with us! That’s His Promise to us!
Some of you may be thinking about and praying about going on a short-term missions trip. I pray that God will confirm things to you and swing the doors wide open for you.
Below are a few verses that are near and dear to my heart especially as I prepare for mission trips. I pray they will bless you as well!
“I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.” (Joshua 1:3)
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!'” (Isaiah 6:8)
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'” (Matthew 28: 18-20)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
“…Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'” (Romans 10:13-15)
If this encouraged you, please feel free to leave a comment below. If you’ve already been on missions trips, I’d love to hear a bit about your experiences!
I’m an author, speaker, life coach, Bible school instructor and evangelist who wants to encourage and inspire you as you walk by abounding faith, hope and love and dare to live your God-given dreams! I’m also an author for Our Daily Bread. My NEW book God-Given Dreams: 6 Ways to Live Your Divine Purpose (NavPress) is available wherever books are sold.
My books Feisty Faith, By Faith, Crossing Your Jordan River, Waiting on God Well and Abounding Faith are available on Amazon. To learn more about Abounding Faith’s books, coaching, online training, the Abounding Faith for Today podcast, online store, YouTube channel and more, visit AboundingFaith.com. Join my email community today right here. Blessings!
In Honor of Father’s Day, I’m sharing a story about the wonderful time I had with my Dad during my second visit to his native country of Ecuador! I pray you’ll enjoy reading about some of our adventures.
In July 2010, God made a way for me to go on a short-term missions trip to my Dad’s hometown in Ecuador. Never in a million years would I have thought that I would travel to Ecuador as a missionary! It was such a treat as the first week was focused on visiting humble communities in the Andes mountains at the altitudes of 11,000 feet above sea level.
The second week was devoted to visiting my large extended family and sight-seeing with my Dad.
It was during my second week that we traveled to the jungles of Ecuador and got to take a speed boat ride on the Ecuadorian part of the Amazon. It was quite an adventure for my Dad and I. My cousin Byron and his sister and her husband and their daughter joined us on the trip.
That evening when we returned to the town named Misawaji where we were staying, we were celebrating my cousin’s husband’s birthday at a restaurant and we had one rather chunky, white candle for him to blow out. After the celebration, I distinctly remember my cousin Byron asking what he should do with the candle and my Dad telling him that he should hang onto it “just in case” so he put it in his pocket and we all soon called it a night. The next day we drove some four hours to the tourist town of Baños which is known for its thermal springs and beautiful waterfalls.
I had been there briefly in 2003, but this time my family was determined to take me to the waterfall called El Pailón del Diablo or the Devil’s Cauldron. I didn’t like the name, but I like waterfalls so the six of us set off on our journey even though it was already close to dusk. So we’re walking and talking and taking photos and enjoying the smaller waterfalls along the way. I think it had been raining the day before, so we’re slowly descending down slippery, stone steps and also walking under a canopy of trees in the middle of basically a forest. I don’t think any of us knew how far we would have to walk, but despite the fact that it was getting darker and darker we were determined to get a glimpse of this famous waterfall.
By the time we reached our destination, the official walkway to view the waterfall was closed so we had to take an alternate route which to my horror meant that to view the waterfall we would have to step onto a narrow, wooden bridge that I can only describe as the bridge from the “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” movie. Just imagine crossing the bridge pictured below except the bridge I’m referring to was much higher and it was night! (To view other people’s pictures of the actual site, click here).
My cousin and my Dad just about ran over the bridge. I, on the other hand, froze for a moment as it was pitch dark by now and all I could hear was the sound of the rushing water beneath us and all around us. But I had come too far to turn back, so I said a prayer and basically said,”Ok Lord, I trust you. I’m in your hands.” With that I breathed, stepped onto the rickety bridge and was escorted to the middle so I could see the waterfall. I really couldn’t see much because it was so dark but that was just fine as for me the victory was having the courage to just stand on that bridge! Of course, the adventure didn’t stop there.
Now we had to climb back up the path in the dark!
This is where the spiritual applications started coming to me. There we were, the 6 of us stranded in a forest at night with no real plan. And then by the grace of God, my cousin Byron remembered the birthday candle and the matches in his pants pocket! God knew we would need them for this trip! So with Byron in the lead with the candle in hand, we all stayed close so we could see where we were going. Suddenly all these Bible verses started coming to life for me like, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105) Yes, for when I trailed too far behind my cousin Byron, I couldn’t see where I was going. I had to stay near the light! No matter if I couldn’t see anything else around me. I had to focus on the light!
I was also reminded that we are called to be the light of the world! During that journey, I saw the great impact that just one shining light has in a dark place! We didn’t have a big torch or a spotlight with us. For most of that trip, all we had was that one candle and that’s all we needed! God wants us to shine that brightly so that the lost will find their way to the One True Light which is Jesus! (John 8:12)
So while I probably wouldn’t make that trip near dusk ever again, I am so grateful for the truths that God showed me that day. Let’s all remember to let the light of Christ shine through us!
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