Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! ~ John 14:14 (NLT)
I have had the blessing the last couple of years of leading short-term mission trips for the boarding academy where I serve as pastor. It’s a bit stressful making all of the travel arrangements, making sure all fees have been paid, getting all of the documentation in order, etc. But, it’s an amazing experience. So far, I’ve been able to serve with a team of teens and sponsors in Puerto Rico and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This year, I am honored to be leading a group to Cairo, Egypt. It’s been on my bucket list for a while, and now God is leading us there. I’m pumped! But, there has been a major headache in the planning.
When I set the budget for the mission trip several months ago, airline prices were relatively reasonable. So, I recently had everyone turn in a fairly hefty first payment which would cover the cost of getting there. Of course, a few days before the deposits were due, the airline prices spiked by 30 percent. This may not sound like a lot, but when traveling around the globe, this translates into an increase of several hundred dollars per person. I’ve been monitoring the prices for the past few weeks, and they just keep creeping up. The idea of asking our students and families for an additional $400 is not something I want to do.
So, there I lay in bed last night, unable to sleep, wondering where the money was going to come from. I wracked my brain for budget adjustments I could make to get the price down, but nothing was going to really help. Then I heard a still, small voice in my mind. It said, “Pray about this.” Yes, I’m a pastor and had forgotten to surrender this burden in prayer. (Shame on me!) So, I prayed and found peace. I rolled over and went back to sleep.
This morning, I awoke to find an email from an airline I had requested a group rate from over a week ago. The price they are giving our group is actually BELOW what I had originally budgeted! Way below all other fares I’ve been quoted. Yes, it’s true. God spoke, I asked, He delivered. He is AMAZING!
So, take our verse today to heart: “Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” Listen for that voice, and when the Holy Spirit tells you to pray, do it. He will answer.
ChadReisig.org 