HOLA, Nigaragua

As I am blogging tonight, I am sitting in my den all by my lonesome.  The last couple of days have been crazy.  God has been at work in our lives and so has the devil.  Matt was supposed to leave to go to Nicaragua early Saturday morning (1:00 am) for a mission trip.  Last week, we were so busy preparing for him to leave.   He and two friends from church were going with a group from Georgia.  We went to several prayer times and had lots of people pray over us.  Thank goodness they did.  Well..... Friday morning, Matt woke up with an awful virus.  Matt never gets sick!!! So he pondered all day, Do I go or not???  He was left with the thoughts of flying, being in a foreign country, not having the comforts of our home, not knowing what he would have to eat, the list went on and on.  So as the day went on and he wasn't feeling any better, Matt decided that he wouldn't go.  He was upset and I was sad.  As Matt made the phone calls~ I began to pray that God would tell us HIS will.  I didn't want him to miss out on what God had in store for him, but if it wasn't God's will for him to go, then I certainly didn't want him there.  Anyway, as Matt slept and was in and out.  I opened my bible to the place where we had left off.  I begin to read Romans 10.  This is what I read right after I had just spent time praying for God's will to be revealed.  "But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him?  And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?  And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent?  That is what the scriptures mean when they say "How Beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10: 14-15   Coincidence?  I don't think so! 

As I continued to read this passage over and over, I knew what God's will was.  I read it to Matt.  He drifted back to sleep, not really wanting to hear that he was going to Nicaragua.  It was 12:00 now and Matt's friends continued to text him to make sure he wasn't feeling up to going.  Anyway, he continued to say I just don't think I can go.  Finally, I asked him if he heard what I had read, I reread it, and then he decided he probably should go.  So he started to get the remainder of his things packed.  He looked awful!  I packed him some chicken noodle soup, some Sprite, and he was ready.  We said a prayer and I cried the entire time.  Then he left.

Then fear struck..... he can't go.... he is sick.... what if this happens.... what if that happens.  I cried and cried.  I just didn't want him to be miserable.  I wanted to go get him and bring him back home.  So I told you that God was at work, but I also believe the devil was working overtime to get Matt to stay behind.  I am so glad he went.  I have gotten to talk to him each night.  He is feeling better and is glad that he went.  This experience just reminded me that even though trusting God is sometimes hard (especially when you think of the what ifs) he has our best interest in mind.  I am glad we let go our plans and embraced God's plan.  I am thankful again, that God spoke to us clearly.  It is good to know that God hears our prayers and works on our behalf.  I can't wait to hear the stories that Matt will have. Please pray for the remainder of Matt's trip and that he will have safe travels coming him.   Stay tuned...for the rest of the story!