Providence

I know I was going to tell of this story a little while ago and it never happened. I’m sorry about the service being lost and never getting to share this story! But I am sharing it now and it is such a wonderful testimony of how God works in the midst of our troubles and trials. It also showcases just how good He is at answering the prayers prayed over us before we left for Jamaica.

Here goes:

When we left for Jamaica and sent our bags through, one bag did not get labeled with a name and address. Lesson 1 learned: make sure everyone has their bag labeled to prevent someone else from taking it off the carousel.

When we arrived in Montego Bay, all our bags made it to Jamaica, but two were taken. We then got to spend about an hour trying to file a claim. Not the greatest way to enter into a new country. These bags had prayed over for safe travel, along with all of us, to make it to Jamaica. Well, they made it, but not to their intended destination.

That evening was sent in patient silence asking God to bring our bags back. Both included donations for the trip, and one had all of our plateware and utensils for the trip. We kind of needed to get those bags back.

In the morning, our devotionals asked us to read Proverbs 3:5-6, which goes: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.”

This was a morning where I had to trust God to have good purposes for those bags and just allow Him to handle the whole situation. In that moment of simple trust I found strength for the day and let the chips fall where they may.

It just so happens, that is all God was asking of me. Moments later, I received a phone call that one of the bags would be dropped off at the front desk that morning! God provides!

Bag #2 is a little bit more exciting! Waiting for our ride to show up, one of our youth, Ethan, made a comment to Rachel, who had lost her unlabeled bag (yup, I’m not giving it up!), that a bag over with another girl looked a lot like her bag. When she looked over, she was a little surprised and agreed. So, she went over to this other girl and asked her about her bag. And whose bag did it end up being? Rachel’s!

It turns out that the girl who grabbed Rachel’s bag was on her way back to the airport to turn in the bag and hopefully get her correct bag. However, her ride to the airport was running late. Coincidence?  I think not! Talk about God’s providing for us when we are forced to trust Him! God works in powerful ways!