Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15
November 10th – 17th, 2018, my husband went on his second mission trip to Cuba. His first trip was in April of 2018, and after that trip, he knew he would go back the next time he had the chance. To be honest, before the trip, we had no idea how we would be able to afford for him to be able to go back. Even with the church paying a portion of the trip, we would not be able to afford it.
About a month before the trip, our Pastor announced that there were still openings for the Cuba trip. Looking at my husband, I knew he wanted to go, but I also knew that we had medical bills a mile high that limited our financial ability. For about 6 months prior to the mission trip, I experienced major health problems with my blood pressure. The doctors tried multiple medications and sent me to a cardiologist for a full work. In the next few months, I had an EKG, ultrasound of my kidneys, CT scan, echo-cardiogram, and multiple rounds of bloodwork. Each test came back with no results but hefty bills. In the meantime, I was left being a test dummy for medication after medication with multiple side effects. It was the longest 6 months of my life. Age 30 was not going too well for me. Eventually, the doctors seemed to get my blood pressure under control but told me to expect to be a frequent flyer to the cardiologist for the rest of my life. High blood pressure and heart trouble runs in my family, so I try my best to stay as healthy as I can.
Needless to say, bills were flowing in and money was flowing out. We were pushing it to make it from paycheck to paycheck. A few weeks before the trip, I reached out the group leader and asked her what the cost would be for the trip. I knew that if it was God’s will for Dustin to go on the trip, we would find a way. Within a few minutes of messaging the leader, she messaged me back and said that his way was paid in full. We may never know how or why this happened, but we do know that God had a plan. Just thinking about that day gives me chills. When I walked in the living room and told my husband he needed to start packing for Cuba, he was overjoyed with excitement. God provided a way for my husband to serve him in Cuba when there was no way we could do it on our own.
“For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37
When Dustin returned from the trip, he was full of stories about how God worked while they were there. From the 80 lights they were able to provide to the new church in Cuba to the families that received Christ, he was overjoyed and filled with the Spirit. One of the stories that stuck out to me the most was of a woman that they met on their previous trip. When they went to Cuba in April, they met a woman on visitation and were able to lead her to the Lord and give her a new testament Bible. She was so proud of her new Bible she received in the Spring that they decided to take her a full Bible when they went back in the Fall. Tears came to her eyes as they handed her the full Bible. She hugged the Bible the entire time the team was there talking to her.
How often do we forget the simple things in life? How often do you forget how blessed you truly are? My husband and I probably have 5 extra Bibles sitting on our bookshelf at home. On top of that, we have another bookshelf filled with Christian devotionals and commentaries that we’ve probably only read a time or two. We have so much to be thankful for yet we hardly even think about the little things right in front of our eyes.
When was the last time you hugged your Bible and thanked God for His Word? There are people all over the world that may never hold the Word of God in their hands, yet you are privileged to own multiple Bibles. When you feel like you have nothing in this world, hold onto His Word and remember how blessed you truly are.