I've always had a heart for missions. In high school I attended a summer mission trip and it was an amazing experience. I still remember it so vividly all these years later. Then I remember in my early twenties, a missionary came to First Assembly in Findlay on a Sunday night and spoke to us about his mission work in Russia. He spoke about the orphanages he worked with, and I knew right then and there, that I would go to Russia. In the spring of 2001, I went to Russia with about twenty others from my church in Westerville. That trip, was all God. He provided every penny I needed to go. It was a hard trip, but one I will never forget.
After I had kids, there was no way I could go on a missions trip and leave them. Both kids attend preschool and kindergarten at the church we attended. Sarah's first year of preschool, Sandy Shuman the Spanish teacher brought in and showed the kids her pictures from the mission trip she went on to Guatemala. I remember the day like it was yesterday. I picked Sarah up from school that day and on the way home, she told me we were going to Guatemala and like a good mom, I said "okay honey".
Our church at that time, Northside does an annual trip to Guatemala. Every year Sarah would ask if we could go yet. In Kindergarten (I think) I asked about me going and taking her and was advised that I should wait until she was older. She was more than disappointed.
In 2013, we started attending One Church. I started listening to the messages online months before we started attending. I loved the teachings!!! They spoke to my heart! God began a great work in me that is still in progress. The kids and I began a journey of healing and discovering what boundaries are. I could see God working so much through our lives! Every time I hear of a mission trip, or listened to a missionary speak, my heart stirred!
One particular Sunday Gavin Dozier came and spoke to the church. He is a missionary in Guatemala. I loved listening to what he was doing there. I think it might have been his second time that he came to the church to speak, and he told us about the families that he ministers to. Many of them use candles for light. I was so overwhelmed by his story that I took all of the cash I had, which was amazing in itself, I never carry cash, but I had close to fifty dollars that day. I donated all of it to buy more candles. I have thought of that story many times.
So here we are 2015 and the church announces that this year the mission trip will be in the summer instead of November. That they will be going to Guatemala. My heart felt like it was leaping! A stirring began in me. The day of the first meeting, I looked over the papers that were our for the trip and through, there is just no way I can make this happen. I don't have that kind of money. I heard that a family that we are very close with was going, and I started to think about how much safer I would feel with them, that our children being the same ages would be able to experience their first mission trip together. I started thinking about our sons...I believe that God has big plans for them as friends. I can see them encouraging each other with the word of God (thanks to JBQ, thanks Judith for not letting us quit). But there is no way I can financially do a mission trip for three of us to Guatemala, it's not possible!!!
Pastor Greg was doing a series called Make it count. One week he talked about GO! (you can catch the pod cast at one.church) The entire service, as I listened all I could think about was that the kids and I are supposed to GO to Guatemala!!! But Lord, we can't!
Later that day a brother said to me, (my paraphrase) don't you know how BIG God is? Don't you realize, He can make it happen!! He can provide. I sort of laughed it off, but those world clung to me all week! I couldn't stop thinking about God...about if it was really possible. The following Sunday was the next meeting for the trip. The deposit of $200 per person was due that day. God was still stirring me, but my doubt had the best of me.
All through the service that morning, I still was being stirred. The message that morning was that compared to the greatness of God, our problems are small. Stop telling God how big your problems are and start telling your problems how Big your God is. Well, this struck a nerve. The money we need for this trip is nothing in comparison to the greatness of God! After the service our friend encouraged me to attend the meeting or to at least ask if the kids and I still would be able to go or not. I couldn't. He gave me wonderful words of wisdom and experience of how God will provide.
Driving after church, the kids and I were listening to the radio, Christian music, we were all worshipping. I looked in the rear view mirror and Sarah's eyes were closed and her hands were lifted in worship. Samuel was just singing. I thought, "this is what life is about!!" I started thinking about how blessed we are, how God has always, I mean ALWAYS taken care of us. I felt as though we should start with our passports.
We arrived at my friends house to drop lunch off to them. I was standing in her kitchen telling her about the trip and how I felt this stirring. I told her about the messages the Pastor preached and the messages from the brothers. She looked at me and said, "why not just start with your passports?" At that moment, my eyes filled with tears and I said, "Okay God....I hear you!!!" By the end of that night, we were going to Guatemala and already had our first sponsor for $50.oo!!! The last six days have been filled with prayer and listening, waiting and doing what I feel HE is leading me to do. Writing a support letter, creating an event on Facebook, creating a Go Fund Me campaign. The money is coming in, the sponsors are rising up.
I received the most life giving confirming email just yesterday...
Hi Denise,
It's______. I am soooo excited that you and your family are going to Guatemala! Your family is often on my heart mind and while in Guatemala I kept thinking how amazing this would be for you and your family! God will definitely provide for you, I just know it. For it to been on your heart, Sarah's heart, my heart and who knows who else's heart for you to go this is definitely God's will!!! Please keep me posted on your prep for the trip!!
This email was just another conifrmation that we are headed in the right direction! $4845 is a ton of money to come up with. $600 was due last Sunday. Our next deadline is 3/22 and that amount is $1800. I am confident that God will make it happen, I don't know how, but I get a front row seat of watching it all unfold, thanking Him daily, and standing in awe of who He is!!!
Thanks for coming on this journey with us!!! Hang on, it's going to be an amazing ride!!!!
Our church at that time, Northside does an annual trip to Guatemala. Every year Sarah would ask if we could go yet. In Kindergarten (I think) I asked about me going and taking her and was advised that I should wait until she was older. She was more than disappointed.
In 2013, we started attending One Church. I started listening to the messages online months before we started attending. I loved the teachings!!! They spoke to my heart! God began a great work in me that is still in progress. The kids and I began a journey of healing and discovering what boundaries are. I could see God working so much through our lives! Every time I hear of a mission trip, or listened to a missionary speak, my heart stirred!
One particular Sunday Gavin Dozier came and spoke to the church. He is a missionary in Guatemala. I loved listening to what he was doing there. I think it might have been his second time that he came to the church to speak, and he told us about the families that he ministers to. Many of them use candles for light. I was so overwhelmed by his story that I took all of the cash I had, which was amazing in itself, I never carry cash, but I had close to fifty dollars that day. I donated all of it to buy more candles. I have thought of that story many times.
So here we are 2015 and the church announces that this year the mission trip will be in the summer instead of November. That they will be going to Guatemala. My heart felt like it was leaping! A stirring began in me. The day of the first meeting, I looked over the papers that were our for the trip and through, there is just no way I can make this happen. I don't have that kind of money. I heard that a family that we are very close with was going, and I started to think about how much safer I would feel with them, that our children being the same ages would be able to experience their first mission trip together. I started thinking about our sons...I believe that God has big plans for them as friends. I can see them encouraging each other with the word of God (thanks to JBQ, thanks Judith for not letting us quit). But there is no way I can financially do a mission trip for three of us to Guatemala, it's not possible!!!
Pastor Greg was doing a series called Make it count. One week he talked about GO! (you can catch the pod cast at one.church) The entire service, as I listened all I could think about was that the kids and I are supposed to GO to Guatemala!!! But Lord, we can't!
Later that day a brother said to me, (my paraphrase) don't you know how BIG God is? Don't you realize, He can make it happen!! He can provide. I sort of laughed it off, but those world clung to me all week! I couldn't stop thinking about God...about if it was really possible. The following Sunday was the next meeting for the trip. The deposit of $200 per person was due that day. God was still stirring me, but my doubt had the best of me.
All through the service that morning, I still was being stirred. The message that morning was that compared to the greatness of God, our problems are small. Stop telling God how big your problems are and start telling your problems how Big your God is. Well, this struck a nerve. The money we need for this trip is nothing in comparison to the greatness of God! After the service our friend encouraged me to attend the meeting or to at least ask if the kids and I still would be able to go or not. I couldn't. He gave me wonderful words of wisdom and experience of how God will provide.
Driving after church, the kids and I were listening to the radio, Christian music, we were all worshipping. I looked in the rear view mirror and Sarah's eyes were closed and her hands were lifted in worship. Samuel was just singing. I thought, "this is what life is about!!" I started thinking about how blessed we are, how God has always, I mean ALWAYS taken care of us. I felt as though we should start with our passports.
We arrived at my friends house to drop lunch off to them. I was standing in her kitchen telling her about the trip and how I felt this stirring. I told her about the messages the Pastor preached and the messages from the brothers. She looked at me and said, "why not just start with your passports?" At that moment, my eyes filled with tears and I said, "Okay God....I hear you!!!" By the end of that night, we were going to Guatemala and already had our first sponsor for $50.oo!!! The last six days have been filled with prayer and listening, waiting and doing what I feel HE is leading me to do. Writing a support letter, creating an event on Facebook, creating a Go Fund Me campaign. The money is coming in, the sponsors are rising up.
I received the most life giving confirming email just yesterday...
Hi Denise,
It's______. I am soooo excited that you and your family are going to Guatemala! Your family is often on my heart mind and while in Guatemala I kept thinking how amazing this would be for you and your family! God will definitely provide for you, I just know it. For it to been on your heart, Sarah's heart, my heart and who knows who else's heart for you to go this is definitely God's will!!! Please keep me posted on your prep for the trip!!
This email was just another conifrmation that we are headed in the right direction! $4845 is a ton of money to come up with. $600 was due last Sunday. Our next deadline is 3/22 and that amount is $1800. I am confident that God will make it happen, I don't know how, but I get a front row seat of watching it all unfold, thanking Him daily, and standing in awe of who He is!!!
Thanks for coming on this journey with us!!! Hang on, it's going to be an amazing ride!!!!
