Dealing with Disappointment

Well, here is the story. I have enough teaching money so that Neil and I could have a room in Florida and pay for plane tickets, but Neil said it is way too much money and I agree. I have done LOTS of traveling all over the world that has been very expensive, but the difference is that when I went to those places I was going to bless the nations, speak to the people, and leave a sweet fragrance of the Lord because I was giving out the Word.

This trip to Florida would be just to attend a conference by the organization that licensed us in ministry. That would basically  be $1000 to be pumped up.

If  I truly felt STRONGLY about the need to go I would take a  stand and say, "I'm going." But it's not worth it. Not for strife or pulling away from my husband.

You see, I'm supposed to go to Guatemala this summer and minister to very poor women who live in the jungle. Now THAT is my idea of $$ well spent. Then in the fall I WANT to go to India to Garden of Life orphanage to bring a word of encouragement to the widows and to bring some cheer to the orphans.


II'm a woman's minister.  That's $1000 I'd rather spend it on an INVESTMENT in lives than in a  'feel-good' conference that would only benefit me.

Now--on the flip side of that I can say this: if it benefits me it benefits others because what is poured into me pours out into others. If I am dry as a bone I can give out nothing. But I'm not dry. I'm a well-watered garden because I am in the Word every day. There are plenty of events close by that can serve to refresh me so that I can be ready for what comes.

I'm hosting a woman from Africa for two weeks. She and her husband have an orphanage in Kenya and oversee several churches there.  It will be an honor and blessing to host her in my home. I was so delighted to go to Kenya and minister to women who had walked for hours...or even days to come..with their babies and bedrolls on their backs, then slept on the FLOOR!  Talk about pressure! When you know that ladies have walked for days and slept on the floor to hear you, you really know you have to step up to the plate.

. Therefore $1000 to go to Florida for just a time of refreshing and iron sharpens iron and being equipped for the next season....

I can't say I'm not disappointed, but I trust God that whatever I was going to get in Florida He can give me another way. "No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly."