This week GOD has allowed me to know HIS favor in a way that so humbled and blessed me. At the beginning of the week I read, “Pay close attention to how you listen, and then you will be given more understanding” (Mark 4:24). Truly, I long to just listen to God. But sometimes there are so many voices telling you what to do it is hard to know. In this season, it was all centered on going to Seoul Korea. I committed to serve as the Team Care Champion for the 240+ volunteers serving the 5,000+ attendees. For over two years I felt strongly that I needed to participate in this event. Billy Graham started it 75 years ago to help connect global leaders to discuss how to reach the nations and how to handle cultural issues from a biblical worldview. My back surgery was not a part of my plan. But it was necessary. Knowing that Korea was looming, and I needed to heal caused me a lot of turmoil inside. I do not make commitments lightly and the fear that I might have to back out really frustrated me. But then God!
About three weeks ago, Greg said, “What if I go with you?” Oh boy! I can do anything with Greg helping me! I really got excited, but then it just didn’t seem possible. We would need help for the family, we would need his new boss’s approval, his colleague would have to agree to cover for him, we would have to see if the L4 team could get him approved at such a late date, and could he even get on the plane. Well, it took over two weeks for the Lausanne team to say it is possible. But at that point, I had given up. It would just not happen.
Then this week Pat Duff (family friend who runs Reason to Hope in Guatemala) was walking with me around the house on one of my walks and asked about the trip and asked me, “What is God telling you?” She could tell how grieved I was because it seemed like I would not get to go. I told her that God hadn’t told me anything yet. I am praying that I just listen to God’s voice and not man's. As we walked into the house she said, “You know I would stay here so Greg could go.”
In that instant, I felt hope. She left to go back down to the parents because I was about to call Delta about what would happen if I couldn’t go. I called and of course, I was put on hold. While on hold I called out to Greg in his office, “Hey babe, Pat says she will stay with the parents if you want to go to Korea!” I was testing the waters to see if he was serious. He asked, “What dates?” I shouted back the dates. I kept working while on hold with Delta. Then Greg said, “Hey, my boss approved the trip, and my colleague said he would cover me!” WAIT! WHAT? All of a sudden, hope was stirring bigger.
After waiting 30 minutes for a Delta representative as all of this was unfolding, I found myself able to ask a second question. "Would it be possible for my husband to be on the same plane?" I explained my situation with the back surgery and not being able to bend, lift, or twist until November. The Delta agent, Alicia said, “Well let’s just pray HE takes care of this for us!” I knew immediately I had a sister helping me! I asked, “First, can I get a refund?” She said, “Maybe with a doctor’s note, but it’s not a problem the ticket funding is good until May 2025 at no extra fee.” Okay, that is at least a relief. But then I asked, “Would it be possible for my husband to get on the flights with me?” She went silent and you could hear the computer clicking and then it went silent. It was quite long enough that I feared I lost the call. “Are you still there?” “Yes, I am here! Okay, it looks like I can get your husband on the first flight in the seat beside you.” Click! Click! Click! “It looks like I can get your husband beside you on the second flight to Seoul! Now let’s see about the return flights!” Click! Click! Click! “It looks like I can get your husband beside you from Korea!” Click! Click! Click! “You know it is HIM! This just does not happen this late in the schedule! I can put your husband beside you on the last flight! You tell your husband this is HIM! He is doing what a spouse should do!” I have goosebumps again just typing it. Let’s just say both of us were praising the LORD loudly!
Greg came out of his office to see what was going on. Now, the part I feared the most. “How much will this cost us?” I knew this late in the schedule it could be out of the park! But when she came back it was about $600 more than my original ticket. I looked at Greg expecting him to say, “NO!” The Delta agent repeated herself on the speaker phone, “You tell Him this is GOD, and he is doing what a husband should do!” As Greg nodded his head yes, I told Alicia to book it! She said, “Hurry up and give me your card so we don’t lose our seats!” And in less than 30 minutes after weeks of worrying and praying and waiting, GOD took care of the details in such a way that even the travel agent was amazed. I was able to tell her why I was going and what I would be doing. I explained about how the conference was started by Billy Graham and that I was going to go bless and care for the equippers of the nations. She looked up the website and was so excited. I then shared with her what I do with Bible Engagement for Audio Scripture Ministries. She looked me up on YouTube! Both of us left the call feeling blessed.
Now, some may ask, “Are you able?” Good question! I believe that I have healed enough to love others and encourage them. I could not have made the trip by myself. I just can’t lift, bend, or twist until November. I am also on a 10-pound limit of lifting until then and I can only pull 20-pounds. So, on my own, I was not able to go. But then Greg said, “What if I go with you?” I didn’t ask him. God put it on his heart that he needed to take care of me so I could take care of others. He said, “I am going to care for the one who cares for others!” He had no idea that in my training that very morning this verse was read to us.
Ephesians 4:11–12: "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ".
Jason Watson, the Lausanne Podcast guy, reminded us that we are the equippers of the equippers of the nations. We are there to build them up so they can go build up in their regions the kingdom of God. How little did I know that as I committed to be the Team Care Champion for the Lausanne 4 Congress I would be the one needing team care! I am so humbled and blessed by the favor of God in all He orchestrated this week and how He moved in my Greg to come alongside me and serve as my Team Care Champion. Let’s just say, I really feel loved by my God and my Greg for I can do anything with them by my side!
AMEN and Hallelujah!
