For the Display of HIS Splendor: Doing Everything For God's Glory

Today has been another full day. I am very tired tonight and may not be able to stay up late to upload a lot of pictures. If I don't post them tonight, I will post them sometime tomorrow.

But before I share our day, I would like to share what God is teaching me.

This is my 3rd international mission trip, and I've been on all 3 of them in the past year. Each trip is different. The country is different. The culture is different. The people are different. The ministry opportunities are different.

Since arriving in Costa Rica, I found myself comparing this trip to the others I've been on before, especially to Ecuador because of the similarities between the 2 countries. I knew it was just a distraction tool being used by satan to interfere with God's plans for this week. Unfortunately, I caught myself allowing it to work at times!

And since I'm already being honest, I may as well tell you about another struggle.  A few of the things we have done like feeding the homeless in 5 minutes has not exactly lent itself to talking 1 on 1 with people about Jesus.  This is hard for me. I want to talk to people. I want to tell them about Jesus from sun up to sun down - this is my idea of a mission trip.
I can hear God laughing at me now, can't you?

So, I began to pray & ask God to help me stop comparing and to start being 100% in Costa Rica, ready to serve Him in any way He needs me to serve.

This morning during my quiet time, I opened my Bible and read this....John 21:15-18

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
Instantly, I knew God was speaking to me! He was answering my prayer! He was reminding me to do things here in Costa Rica simply because I love Him and not because I understand it all.

You see, I like to know why I'm doing something. I like to see the big picture. It helps me to understand my role and where it fits in. But God doesn't always let me in on those details. Instead, He calls me to obedience - no matter what.

God knows what He is doing in the hearts & lives of the people here. I don't. He knows their needs. I don't. He's not asking me to understand. He's asking me to trust Him and obey Him.

So, then I open my devotional book and guess what it was about....Abraham trusting God and obeying Him by leaving his home without knowing where God was taking him. Genesis 12:9 says, "Then Abram journeyed by stages to the Negev."

Did you see that??!!! Abram journeyed BY STAGES to get to where he was going!

God clearly spoke to my spirit and said this is EXACTLY what He is doing in Costa Rica. He is moving in the hearts & lives of the people here BY STAGES and a lot of what we are doing this week is another stage (or step) in the journey!

WOW!!!

God is so amazing, isn't He??!!!

Then, my devotional said, "God is working in ways you don't understand right now on your mission trip and in your life. God is so much bigger than your little world. He is calling you to step outside yourself and trust in His power and goodness."

AMEN!

After my quiet time, I went into the kitchen for breakfast. Guess what I saw?  This beautiful missionary feeding His sheep - literally. She was making sandwiches for another mission team to take for lunch.

In that moment, it was as if God removed the scales from my eyes and let me see exactly what John 21 was talking about! Everything we are doing here is significant. Everything. Big (like going to the orphanages) and small (picking up trash/debris on the Score International grounds.) Everything.

It is ALL for God's glory!

Now, it is past my bedtime so I will post today's pictures tomorrow. Sorry about that but I am tired. We did some manual labor this morning and then went to a Christian orphanage this afternoon. We had a wonderful time with the children. Jesus has definitely made a difference in their lives.

Okay, okay. I will give you a quick peak....