The journey begins
Welcome to our blog!! Today is a big day! Not only is it our first blog post, but our first official international trip as Para Ministries! We woke up early this morning and Kaila drove our Pastor, Justus, and me to the airport. We made it safely into Houston, then on to Belize! And the van is working amazingly! Praise God!!!
I am wearing one of our brand new Para Ministries shirts, and wow…it opened great conversations! One guy in Houston came up and asked us what we do and he said he works with a pastor in Kenya who has an orphanage there. He wanted to know more about our ministry and asked if I had a business card. I do not. I didn’t think people still used them. So it was awesome to be able to point him to this website! Then boarding the plane, a lady in front of us asked about it, and said she was heading to Belize on behalf of her church to investigate what ministry opportunities are here in Belize. She wanted to learn more about Para. The lady in front of her heard us mention one of the city names we will be doing a training here in Belize, and said that’s where she was from. I told her she should check out the church that’s hosting the training and mentioned the location and pastor’s name and she said….”I was his teacher!” Both ladies asked if I had a business card. So I had to write it down on a piece of paper to get them the info. Needless to say, I guess people still use business cards and we need to get some!
So who knows what will come from any of those conversations, but it was evident that God has gone before us, that He opens doors, and He is over all things! Perhaps because we have just come out of the Easter season, but it reminded me of Luke 19:31, when Jesus said if anyone asked why they were taking the donkey, tell them the Lord needs it. Jesus prepares all things. He makes the way, always. He is the way maker. It is sometimes tempting to think we have to make things happen. We have to create opportunities. I think the reality is, we have to be faithful. With the small things. The daily things. The things Jesus clearly wants his followers to do. As we do that, we are where he wants us to be, when he wants us to be there, to do what he wants us to do. Whether that’s Belize, Mississippi, Virginia, California…wherever you might be, God has gone before you. Be faithful today. Be faithful in the small things. Maybe don’t “try” so hard. Simply “be still” - some translations say “cease striving” - and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). I share these lessons not as an expert that has fully learned them, but as a student that is continuing to learn these things, relying on the Lord’s grace and strength to produce steadfastness within me.
Tomorrow we pick up Carlos and Polin, before driving 5 hours into Mexico. Please pray for travel safety, favor getting through the border, and no van issues.