about a week ago all of the world race teams were together camping in kusadasi in turkey. we all had a common problem. how were we going to get to egypt? going overland wasnt really an option especially for the americans…all the ferrys were closed because of the war and flying was to expensive. so we needed something. everyone was working on something different…trying to get us to egypt…the cheapest way possible. our team had something a little different though. kim, laura, paul and i had purchased round trip tickets from tel aviv to istanbul and back. but because of the war we could not use our tickets to go back to tel aviv…well..we could but we all felt unsafe about it. so did our parents. so we contacted the airlines to get a refund or have our tickets re-routed. on line they told us to go to a turkish airline office and get our refund…a little over $100 per ticket. that was nice…but we still had a lot to pay for a new ticket to egypt and our teams finances are getting low. so kim and i went to the office…actually we were sent to three different offices and finally came to one that seemed like they would help us. they looked up our tickets and the airline had only cancelled kims and no one elses. that meant the rest of us had no shows…that means…no refunds and no chance of re-routing. we lost the tickets. i couldnt believe it. and kims ticket could only be refunded not re-routed and we had to a city about 10hrs away to get the $100. they wouldnt do it for us there. we were so discouraged. so we just started looking for cheap travel again like everyone else. then anna-marie met with us and said that she would go with us back to the travel agency and ask for more help. she found a phone number and called the office in istanbul. and after talking for about 20 min. she had all four of us on a flight to cairo from istanbul that coming saturday. amazing!!! and the only thing that we would have to pay for is the tax on the flight. that was completly the Lord!!! our tickets were cancelled and He just gave us favor. but that’s not all. the four of us got on an overnight bus to istanbul and spent the entire day at the airport waiting for our flight at 11pm that night. i had a meeting at the turkish airline office at 8pm to have out tickets changed and to pay the taxes for the flight. when i went the lady told us the tax would be $30 per ticket. i gave her the credit card and she started running it. then she said she was having a hard time finding our original fare…because we had to pay the difference. i told her that they said we didn’t have to do that and she worked some more on the computer…all of this going on and kim is next to me just praying and praying…then the lady says…you know what??? you dont have to pay anything. she takes my card cancels everything on it and hands it back to me with all four tickets. praise the Lord!!!! i couldn’t believe it. He is so faithful!!!
around the time that this all began…i had been talking to a friend over the phone about my team. they just finished a short term trip and they were telling me the best part was that they started the day off together in prayer. then they asked how often my team got together and prayed….no much i said. then the Lord really convicted me. if our team is going to stay together and really be effective in the kingdom then we need to be spending time together in prayer. everyday. that we need to make this a priority. so i talked to the team and they all agreed. we would begin everyday together in prayer…lifting each other up….then it started for me….this last week has really been a hard one for me. i believe that the Lord has big plans and the enemy is not happy. he did not like our new idea. he began attacking me in any way possible the last week. for about two days i was really down and discouraged. we had our travel plans that were just not working out…but the Lord blessed us in that…then our teams finances are getting low…and the enemy just keeps telling me that this is our fault, that we have been foolish and it all comes back to me because i work with the finances…then there is the bosnia thing. i am not getting the support that i had expected from home and then the enemy puts doubt in my head and i start to question whether i really heard the Lord calling me there….all of this was happening at the same time and it was just to much for me. i was so upset and unhappy all of the time…i really cried out to the Lord for Him to help me. i know that this is not of Him. that He is a God of joy and not dicouragment. then He showed me this passage…
“consider it pure joy my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. but when he asks he must believe and no doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tosed by the winds. that man should not think he will recieve anything from the Lord. he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” james 1:2-8
pure joy. that is what He tells me to have when trials come. He is doing something in me. He is developing perseverance. He is making me complete…so that i will not lack in anything. He will give me wisdom to handle the trials if i just ask. and He tells me not to doubt. not to be double-minded. my whole attitude changed. anytime anything came against me…i just had this wave of joy come over me. just to know that my God cares enough about me to allow these things so that He i can be closer to Him. the days have not gotten easier…the trials have not stopped…but i am joyful in that. i am thankful for them. i ask for wisdom in those times and He freely gives it. He reminds me of the promises that He gave me and i stand firm in those promises.
our travel to egypt was taken care of by a miracle…our finances???…well…i believe He will do another miracle…and bosnia???…i will stand firm in what He told me and the promises that He made.
things to pray for….
* our ministry in egypt
* travel from kenya to south africa
* finances
* bosnia/coffee shop
thank you for all of your prayers and support…
Shalom
friske
