MISSION is POSSIBLE





Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
Luke 18:27

This morning in church, our pastor prayed for the youth who are going on mission trips this summer, including my son and daughter who are going as youth leaders.


As part of his message, our pastor shared that with the Lord, all things are possible. Of course, we need to do what we can, yet trust the Lord to deliver what we cannot do on our own. He then had us write our impossible situation on an index card. Individually, we wrote our cards and laid them at the altar, giving our situations to the Lord.

I didn’t know it at the time, but on her card, my daughter’s impossible situation was that she had to raise $1300 in the 10 days remaining before her trip to Uganda (she needed to raise $3800 in total.)

After our family Father’s Day celebration following church, Lauren spent 2 hours on facebook, contacting 60 college friends to whom she had not sent support letters, informing them about her upcoming trip. She asked for a donation amount equal to cost of a cup of coffee. 18 seconds after she logged out, she received the following email:

  • Prayers are answered, the Mission Team has voted to give you the entire amount. $1,300. If you still need that much, if not let us know what you need. I'll need your address so we can send the check, or if you prefer you could pick it up at the church office or at my home. Please let me know. Sorry it took a little while but we needed to contact the as many team members as possible.

The sender: First Reformed Church where Lauren was invited to share a liturgical dance as part of their worship service last fall. Then twice in the spring, she shared her gift of dance with them again. Knowing that they are mission-minded and that she was short of her goal, a few weeks ago, she asked if she could share about her upcoming trip with the congregation and possibly raise support. The initial reply said that many teens from the church were going on trips and have been doing fundraisers, but they’d see what they could do, if anything. And then she didn’t hear back from them... Until 18 seconds after she logged out of facebook tonight!

Despite giving her impossible situation to the Lord, despite singing “All Things Are Possible” this morning, despite her conviction that the Lord was calling her to Uganda, Lauren doubted. And she wasn’t alone. With so much money to raise in so little time, and with the people who contracted malaria on the recent Uganda trip, Tony questioned whether God was closing a door. This most unexpected email with this abundantly generous gift erased our doubts and confirmed much more than just a mission trip experience.

While at first, Lauren thought that she shouldn’t have sent out those facebook messages, perhaps bothering her non-Christian friends, she further realized what Pastor Steve had said. That we must do what we can. We ought not to slack in our efforts and claim that we are waiting for God like a deliveryman. The added benefit to her actions is that she now has opportunity to share what the Lord has done and will do in her life and on her trip. Any extra money raised will be donated to Touch the World Uganda and will benefit the ministry there.

Lauren’s conclusion:
“It’s Father’s Day, and my Father gave a gift to me.”




Do you have an impossible situation? Can you trust the God of the impossible?






13 comments:

Janet said...

Fantastic!

I thought the message yesterday morning was brilliant and have to say that Lauren has been racing through my mind lately. Praise God for his Wisdom and Grace!

Be well,

janet

Nancy said...

great story, so inspiring, what a way to strengthen the faith of the young people, that is awesome!!

Denise said...

Hallelujah! He is so good...

Maria said...

That's wonderful. very heartwarming.

Donna Bolster said...

AWESOME! And I also have a praise report from yesterday morning. My husband's impossible situation was his concern for his youngest daughter's marriage. She and her husband have been separated and have gone through mediation, and Steve asked God to do the impossible: Save her marriage and bring her husband to know the Lord. Last night, she called for Father's Day, and she shared that she and her husband have reconciled and are now living in the same home together again. AND her husband wants to get his life together with Jesus. We, too, are praising our God of the impossible!

Terri Tiffany said...

I loved this story! What an encouragement. And you asked if I have an impossible situation? On the outside to someone else, I would say yes, it looks that way. MY husband has only found work for 6 months in almost 3 years and now is back in college to learn a new business. And I found something for only two months. Our day to day life seems impossible to me to get through sometimes but I know God is right here with us helping all the way:)

Jean said...

What a wonderful blessing and lesson. Thanks for sharing it with us, Suzanne.

God specializes in the impossible.

Jean
http:/www.jeanmatthewhall.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Love this praise report, Susan! Praying for your son and daughter as they lead the team there in Uganda. Looking forward to hear how God worked in mighty ways. Blessings to you, my sister! :)

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Susan -

Thank you for this story. It's a much-needed boost to my faith. I've been out of work almost a year, and my unemployment recently expired. The Lord has always taken care of me, and I know He'll continue to do so.

Blessings,
Susan :)

P.S. Are you attending the Philly Conference?

Trucking Fiddler said...

It is wonderful to hear of God's miraculous and timely provision. God is faithful - all the time. We do hope God will order our paths some day to be able to visit your church again - or just to visit you if we get through there with time to spare during the week rather than on Sunday... Praise the Lord.

Jeanette Levellie said...

Wow, what an encouraging story! I'm so happy for Lauren, and all those she'll be ministering to.

Thank you for sharing this, Susan. It encourages me for the impossible situations in my life.

BTW, I'm loving "Who Calls Me Beatuiful" and am sharing its principles with my admin assistant. Thanks again!

Love
Jen

April Gardner said...

I recently heard faith describes as knowing Jesus can walk a wheelbarrow on a rope across a ravine. Trust is getting in the wheelbarrow.
Yes, he's the God of the impossible, but will I choose TRUST him? yikes.
Good post.

Karen Lange said...

This is a testimony to our God, the God of the impossible. Thanks for sharing it!
Blessings,
Karen :)