Divine Appointments

Life Transformation Stories
Lorri Goode
Tuesday, July 12

     The Mexico Outreach trip has impacted my life in many ways.  The theme was “surrender” for the week, I felt in my heart before the trip that God was preparing me for a deeper surrender.  Weeks before we left, God allowed me to experience several small points of surrendering with my time and efforts that would be preparing me for a deeper change.

     I had many specific situations on the trip where yielding of my will was required.  God called me to be flexible and humble in my responses when things didn’t go as planned, as when the craft supplies didn’t get where they were supposed to be or when something just didn’t work out the way I thought that is should.  God over and over proved himself to be faithful, and He showed me that his plan is always better than anything I can organize, plan or dream up.

    God allowed me numerous divine appointments with our team members and with a particular Mexican single mom that blessed my heart more than words.  This mom, Ana, gave me a framed picture of her and her precious boys that I will cherish with all my heart.  The joy and giving spirit of these people blew me away, yet they have so little and seem to suffer and be oppressed much more than we could ever imagine.  I went to Mexico to serve, but was served myself.  It rocked my world.  I want to sacrificially give as they do, and more importantly, give as Christ has given to me.  Through that revelation, I am seeking to make my life less complicated, simplified and purposeful, especially with busyness and possessions, so that I have more time and energy to focus on the things that are important and eternal.   Things like my personal spiritual growth, my family, my giving and my relationships with others.

      One of the biggest points for me in the week was in surrendering or relinquishing my fear in speaking in front of people.   That fear is something that I have struggled with in the past, and I knew that God would not allow me to stay stagnant in that fear.  I was called to share my testimony through a translator to a group of Mexican women, I was asked to speak for a devotional time, and was asked to pray out loud in several situations.  (thank you guys! ()  God continues to break me of my trepidation of speaking in front of a group and He persistently gives me opportunity to prove my dependence on Him.  He showed me in a deeper way this week that He alone is sufficient and wants a surrendered life to use as he chooses, whatever that means, even if it is out of my comfort or abilities.

    On our way home I was tired and wanting to finish my journal and relax a bit, I was sitting by the window in the airplane and chose to ignore the stranger beside me.  As the plane touched down in Denver, God spoke to my heart that I had just missed a huge opportunity to share my hope with the gal beside me.  My thought was that this could be the only chance for her to hear the gospel in her lifetime, and I blew it.  My heart started racing and I got sweaty.  We were taxiing to the gate, there wasn’t time, yet I had to do something.  The pilot suddenly came on and announced that we would be delayed getting into the gate.  OK, God worked that one out, now came the obedience.  I started talking with her, she was just diagnosed the day before with a serious disease and faced seeing her 2 young children and husband at home in Denver.  It was a joy and privilege to share the hope of Jesus Christ with her and to pray for her.  Through her tears, God obviously spoke to her heart.  She was struck by the fact that a stranger would care enough to be concerned and pray for her.  That was God, my only part was surrender to His purpose, even despite my earlier indifference toward her.  I’m not sure where she is spiritually, but I got her address and am planning to send her a Bible and correspond with her.  Surrender and obedience is the issue.  We have to be willing to surrender even what seems our right to comfort, rest or relaxation.  I was struck with how many opportunities we miss right where we live.   I don’t want to miss a single opportunity that God brings my way.  There are countless opportunities right here in Lincoln Nebraska.   

     I was amazed and in awe of seeing God’s people coming together to use their particular gifts and talents to create something wonderful.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Body work so well together to accomplish God’s purposes.  Each person had their own unique and special gift to complete the design that God had intended.  Some were teachers or servers, some were encouragers or evangelists, some were translators or organizers, some were craft helpers or prayers,  some were construction workers or leaders.  It takes every part, surrendering in unison, just what God intended for us as Believers and what he intends for us at First Free.  Thank you to all who supported our team in prayer and finances.  We will never be the same and hope to bring those changes back and make a difference here at First Free. 

    God is at work everywhere and at any given time.   I pray that our eyes may be enlightened (that we many see Him work) that we may KNOW the hope that we have been called to, the riches of his glorious inheritance (our hope), and his incomparable great power for us who believe (surrendering to His purposes and power). (Eph. 2:18-19, emphasis mine)

AUTHOR BIO

Wife of a stud & mother of 3 super hip kids!