A Phone Call

One summer afternoon in 2018 I received a phone call. I had no idea how that one phone call would change everything…

My pastor’s wife Kaye was calling me, wondering if I would be interested in going on a mission trip to teach some young women to decorate cakes. Years ago, Kaye and Terry Harris began ministering in other countries. This led to a ministry called “Dream Central” where the goal is sharing the love of God by empowering people to dream big dreams. From prison ministry to orphans, the heart of it all is helping people break negative cycles through the love of God. The work being done through Dream Central is international. If you want to read more about the Dream Central ministry click https://dreamcentral.org/about/.

I was asked to go on the mission trip with the prayer team, but my mission was to teach the daughters of a local pastor to decorate cakes because they had a dream of opening a bakery. When Kaye told me more about the trip, we realized that my husband Jamey could come on the second week of the three weeks mission to work on the building project that was underway. I wrote some of the information down as we talked over the phone and promised to let her know if we could go as soon as possible. I needed to pray about it and talk to my husband about the possibility of going.

Count Us In!

After praying about it and talking with Jamey, we decided that the answer was a resounding “YES”! We had 3 months to pray, plan and prepare. I began gathering cake decorating tools, books and supplies to take with me. Jamey began working with Pastor Harris to determine what he would be working on for the second week. We were excited and nervous too because we had never done anything like this before.

History

There is so much history to the ministry in Belize! I’m hoping that one day my friend Gary will write a book about how he answered the “call” to begin God’s work there. It is such an amazing testimony! I can’t begin to tell you all the trips that have been made over the past 30 years. All the people who answered the “call” and said yes. All the time sacrificed, tallent and money invested in the work that has been done there. I want to tell you all about it but that isn’t my story to tell. What I CAN tell you is this:

God’s plans never fail. I am continually in awe of this. We are witnessing this firsthand as we continue to submit to His will. Romans 12:2 (NLT)Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
You don’t have to be special to answer the “call”, you just have to be willing. I felt so unqualified, so unworthy, it would have been easy to say no. God will qualify you for what He is calling you to do. He will take what you have to give and make it more than enough. 2 Corinthians 3:5 (NLT)It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.
Fear will rob you of your future if you let it. Don’t let fear of failure or fear of the unknown rob you of the future God is setting before you! I used to be terrified to travel to new places. It’s true! But God set me free from that fear when I stepped out in faith. Now I love to travel because I get to see the resounding beauty God has created in the world around us.
2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. Philippians 4:6 (NLT)Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.Psalms 34:4 (NLT)I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.

Here and Now

I’m not sure why (yet) God has asked me to share this with you. I’ve tried many, many times to write about the work God is doing in Belize. It is so difficult to put onto paper the work that God is doing because it is a spiritual move. There is so much being accomplished in the physical too- so much “work” being accomplished. But the spiritual move of God is something that is so hard to put into words. All I know is that God wants me to begin sharing this now. Here I am at 3 A.M. writing this!

So for whoever this is for, even if it is just one person, God is not finished with you yet. HE is still calling you. HE still sees potential in you. You haven’t missed your opportunity to do what He called you to do so many years ago. Your hesitation has not hindered His plan. You have been on standby but it’s time for you to step out in faith. All you need to do is answer the “Call” and say YES. I will go. I will give. I will do whatever it is YOU want me to do Lord.

A New Song

There are two older songs that continue to come to mind as I write this: “Lead me Lord, I will Follow” and “If You Can Use Anything Lord, You can Use Me”. As I searched YouTube for one of those to share, I found this song to share instead. I’m so thankful “I am my Father’s dream”!