The Boston Trip
The week before going on a trip is always chaos. So much so that I often refer to it has H. E. double hockey sticks week. Now don't get all holier than thou on me...the week leading up is just rough. Going to do something intentional and specific for the Kingdom of God is going to cause discord and some spiritual warfare. I can't remember a trip overseas that I didn't have some kind of health issue pop up, a logistics issue go sideways, relationships increase in tension and so on. So I'm usually the first to say, shouting it out to others in my best Lord of the Rings scene... "expect spiritual warfare, know what it looks like and how to combat it. Trust the Father." But this year and for whatever reason I thought our church's upcoming trip with our students to Boston would be different. I. Was. Wrong.
The weeks leading up to this trip were kind of difficult. Bryan was gone a lot or busy with ministry stuff and whether any minister/pastor's wife wants to admit it, that can make life and your marriage a bit challenging. It doesn't matter if you have kids or an elderly parent or it is just the two of you living hundreds of miles from home, life in those weeks where ministry is busy can be tense. But he is a darling husband and God is still in control so we pushed through!
This year was the first year I got to participate in our church's Vacation Bible School. It is typically during the daytime and having worked full-time the past several years I never got to be involved. So I was thrilled to be able to jump feet first into this special week and love on these kids in our community through missions. In case you are new here and don't really know me...missions is my thing. When the week wore on and the drama came up (there is always drama) and my mouth and my flesh got the best of me, I was already ready to head to the house and Boston wasn't even here yet. And let's be real, whether you are a teacher's spouse, the wife of a doctor, a mechanic or wherever your life season finds you when someone attacks your spouse it hurts, deeply. And our VBS week ended with just that...more attacks. I should have known this though! I'm the girl shouting from the mountain top..."spiritual warfare...beware or spiritual warfare." But I forget so often that when we are working for His Kingdom, we are sharing the Gospel...the evil one is going to attack. So by the end of that week of Vacation Bible School I just wanted to lay down and cry.
A sweet friend suggested a detox. I guess from all the yummy VBS food I had been eating and the koolaide...I needed a detox from the food but she suggested a detox or rather a leaning into the Father during the week between Vacation Bible School and our Boston trip. So I did just that. It is always amazing, though it shouldn't be, how God can strengthen, encourage and restart your entire mind, body and soul through His word and prayer. I pressed in and leaned in and fought against my flesh, my mind, my mouth. I have no doubt the Holy Spirit was working some major overtime on keeping my flesh in control.
By the time we were ready to leave for Boston, the work projects were done, all the laundry put away and clean, devotional books for the team had been put together, t-shirts picked up, travel plans finalized, background checks done (thank you Bro. Nick) and from the outside everything looked ready, set, go.
Here is what you didn't see...
- The printer we used messed up our first batch of t-shirts and we had to ask for a reprint...awkward and they were shutting down their shop at the end of the week..we had four days for turnaround
- My sweet husband and I tend to get into the biggest arguments/meltdowns (x 2 that week) right before a trip or event centered around the Gospel...I won't go into details, lol
- My blood pressure slowly began to creep up
- 24 hours before we left my husband lost his keys and they could not be found. We later found them after they were located at the radio station by one of the DJs
- Another argument/semi-meltdown on my part happened in the parking lot of the radio station as I dropped him off to pick-up his keys
- My #1 contract and income for my business had a mishap with the invoice and I didn't get paid on time/before we left for Boston
- Our bus broke down twice while traveling to Boston and we spent a total of 32 hours on the road for a trip that should have taken no more than 21
- I was greeted when we arrived in Boston by some rather energized, hyper people that sent this introvert into shell shock
- We had student drama, we had adult frustrations
- My husband spent almost 45 minutes looking for bus parking in downtown Boston due to my oversight and lack of planning
- We had more uses of public toilets than I care to count
- There are northerners and then there are Yankees...I'll just leave that there
- There were roaches in our bathrooms and next to my bed (Hey I have expectations while in America)
- There was 1 outdoor shower that had issues...or maybe I had issues with the shower
- Not while I was in the shower but while waiting on another lady to finish her shower, I saw several large mice around the shower area (Sorry I didn't tell you Ms. Wanda)
- My husband was up all night with a migraine, which he never gets and a weird rash which caused me to worry and not sleep
You are probably thinking wow lady, what a complainer! Well, I prefer to be honest and some of those issues were tough to handle. But here is the rest of the story...
- I got to watch 6 students and 17 adults step out of their comfort zones and live for the glory of God
- I got to witness others sharing their story/testimony
- Due to the bus breakdown we stopped in a town (I still have no idea where) and ate at a Chinese restaurant. I was able to share a bit of God's love and story to this family
- I stood in awe and cried as I saw a student pray between two homeless men with her hands lifted high
- I saw Christians pray for other Believers on the T (the subway in Boston)
- I watched students and adults grow in their faith as they prepared and shared devotionals and testimonies
- I witnessed bonding and community among our team
- I had the pleasure of meeting one of my husband's dear friends and to hear his testimony
- I learned that all my brothers and sisters need prayer and encouragement no matter if they are Yankees or not :)
- My eyes were opened to what great community and resources I have here in the Bible Belt...Christian radio, access to Christian literature and books via Lifeway and other stores, true fellowship and the ability to be very open with my faith something that many New Englanders do not have
- I saw a young man share Christ with a man who had not gone to church in years
- I witnessed the faith of a child and the boldness of teens
- Opportunities to share about missions and Jesus and His love through Vacation Bible Adventure
- I got to meet Elijah and Wayne, Juliette and Angelina, Nicole, Emily, Cesar (who asked me if I could show him a McLaren Car) and Kenny, Jaden, Yasmari and Josie..children who will forever be etched in my mind
- I stood by a teenage girl as she held back tears after being told "F you" on the street but then carried on to get that one last granola bar handed out in downtown Boston
- I watched a mighty impact being made for the kingdom from followers in Christ ages 14-74
- I witnessed a grown man tremble and cry with a quivered lip for the brokenness of a child being discouraged from trusting Christ
- I saw the looks in eyes of the lost as they were impacted by the light...maybe for the first time
- I was able to know that at least 6 children put their belief in Christ and possibly a 7th
At the end of the week I came to the conclusion of something I'd always known but just needed to be reminded of again by my Father: All the chaos, all my complaining, all the spiritual warfare that happens, the drama, our imperfections, the meltdowns and on and on ... through all of it, God still does His work and He accomplishes His plans. He took that big ole hot southern mess and made something beautiful out of it all. Oh, the blessings He gives and He simply wants our hands and feet to make it happen.
Ask anyone who has ever gone on a mission trip, gone out of the comfort zone to share the Gospel, or spent extra time and effort to serve in Jesus name if it was worth it. I have no doubt you will hear a resounding YES! And I am so thankful to be just a small part of that resounding yes...
I'll leave you with the quote below.
"I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it." Art Williams
Beautiful Feet
The weeks leading up to this trip were kind of difficult. Bryan was gone a lot or busy with ministry stuff and whether any minister/pastor's wife wants to admit it, that can make life and your marriage a bit challenging. It doesn't matter if you have kids or an elderly parent or it is just the two of you living hundreds of miles from home, life in those weeks where ministry is busy can be tense. But he is a darling husband and God is still in control so we pushed through!
This year was the first year I got to participate in our church's Vacation Bible School. It is typically during the daytime and having worked full-time the past several years I never got to be involved. So I was thrilled to be able to jump feet first into this special week and love on these kids in our community through missions. In case you are new here and don't really know me...missions is my thing. When the week wore on and the drama came up (there is always drama) and my mouth and my flesh got the best of me, I was already ready to head to the house and Boston wasn't even here yet. And let's be real, whether you are a teacher's spouse, the wife of a doctor, a mechanic or wherever your life season finds you when someone attacks your spouse it hurts, deeply. And our VBS week ended with just that...more attacks. I should have known this though! I'm the girl shouting from the mountain top..."spiritual warfare...beware or spiritual warfare." But I forget so often that when we are working for His Kingdom, we are sharing the Gospel...the evil one is going to attack. So by the end of that week of Vacation Bible School I just wanted to lay down and cry.
A sweet friend suggested a detox. I guess from all the yummy VBS food I had been eating and the koolaide...I needed a detox from the food but she suggested a detox or rather a leaning into the Father during the week between Vacation Bible School and our Boston trip. So I did just that. It is always amazing, though it shouldn't be, how God can strengthen, encourage and restart your entire mind, body and soul through His word and prayer. I pressed in and leaned in and fought against my flesh, my mind, my mouth. I have no doubt the Holy Spirit was working some major overtime on keeping my flesh in control.
By the time we were ready to leave for Boston, the work projects were done, all the laundry put away and clean, devotional books for the team had been put together, t-shirts picked up, travel plans finalized, background checks done (thank you Bro. Nick) and from the outside everything looked ready, set, go.
Here is what you didn't see...
- The printer we used messed up our first batch of t-shirts and we had to ask for a reprint...awkward and they were shutting down their shop at the end of the week..we had four days for turnaround
- My sweet husband and I tend to get into the biggest arguments/meltdowns (x 2 that week) right before a trip or event centered around the Gospel...I won't go into details, lol
- My blood pressure slowly began to creep up
- 24 hours before we left my husband lost his keys and they could not be found. We later found them after they were located at the radio station by one of the DJs
- Another argument/semi-meltdown on my part happened in the parking lot of the radio station as I dropped him off to pick-up his keys
- My #1 contract and income for my business had a mishap with the invoice and I didn't get paid on time/before we left for Boston
- Our bus broke down twice while traveling to Boston and we spent a total of 32 hours on the road for a trip that should have taken no more than 21
- I was greeted when we arrived in Boston by some rather energized, hyper people that sent this introvert into shell shock
- We had student drama, we had adult frustrations
- My husband spent almost 45 minutes looking for bus parking in downtown Boston due to my oversight and lack of planning
- We had more uses of public toilets than I care to count
- There are northerners and then there are Yankees...I'll just leave that there
- There were roaches in our bathrooms and next to my bed (Hey I have expectations while in America)
- There was 1 outdoor shower that had issues...or maybe I had issues with the shower
- Not while I was in the shower but while waiting on another lady to finish her shower, I saw several large mice around the shower area (Sorry I didn't tell you Ms. Wanda)
- My husband was up all night with a migraine, which he never gets and a weird rash which caused me to worry and not sleepYou are probably thinking wow lady, what a complainer! Well, I prefer to be honest and some of those issues were tough to handle. But here is the rest of the story...
- I got to watch 6 students and 17 adults step out of their comfort zones and live for the glory of God
- I got to witness others sharing their story/testimony
- Due to the bus breakdown we stopped in a town (I still have no idea where) and ate at a Chinese restaurant. I was able to share a bit of God's love and story to this family
- I stood in awe and cried as I saw a student pray between two homeless men with her hands lifted high
- I saw Christians pray for other Believers on the T (the subway in Boston)
- I witnessed bonding and community among our team
- I had the pleasure of meeting one of my husband's dear friends and to hear his testimony
- I learned that all my brothers and sisters need prayer and encouragement no matter if they are Yankees or not :)
- My eyes were opened to what great community and resources I have here in the Bible Belt...Christian radio, access to Christian literature and books via Lifeway and other stores, true fellowship and the ability to be very open with my faith something that many New Englanders do not have
- I saw a young man share Christ with a man who had not gone to church in years
- I witnessed the faith of a child and the boldness of teens
- Opportunities to share about missions and Jesus and His love through Vacation Bible Adventure
- I got to meet Elijah and Wayne, Juliette and Angelina, Nicole, Emily, Cesar (who asked me if I could show him a McLaren Car) and Kenny, Jaden, Yasmari and Josie..children who will forever be etched in my mind
- I stood by a teenage girl as she held back tears after being told "F you" on the street but then carried on to get that one last granola bar handed out in downtown Boston
- I watched a mighty impact being made for the kingdom from followers in Christ ages 14-74
- I witnessed a grown man tremble and cry with a quivered lip for the brokenness of a child being discouraged from trusting Christ
- I saw the looks in eyes of the lost as they were impacted by the light...maybe for the first time
- I was able to know that at least 6 children put their belief in Christ and possibly a 7th
At the end of the week I came to the conclusion of something I'd always known but just needed to be reminded of again by my Father: All the chaos, all my complaining, all the spiritual warfare that happens, the drama, our imperfections, the meltdowns and on and on ... through all of it, God still does His work and He accomplishes His plans. He took that big ole hot southern mess and made something beautiful out of it all. Oh, the blessings He gives and He simply wants our hands and feet to make it happen.
Ask anyone who has ever gone on a mission trip, gone out of the comfort zone to share the Gospel, or spent extra time and effort to serve in Jesus name if it was worth it. I have no doubt you will hear a resounding YES! And I am so thankful to be just a small part of that resounding yes...
I'll leave you with the quote below.
"I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it." Art Williams
Beautiful Feet
Comments