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BRISBANE’S BLESSING part 2
“…if anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things god may be praised through Jesus Christ..” 1 Peter 4:11 (my team is memorizing this verse right now, and it applies perfectly to this blog.  I encourage you to memorize it too)

 

The amazing part about the 2-day layover in Brisbane is how I got to see God’s hand of love in action. The disappointing part about the layover was how I realized I myself have not been God’s hand of love in action in my past, when approached with this same type of opportunity. Teodora did what I strive to do one day. 

So this is how it all came about:

-A few days before my team fly’s to Brisbane for our 2-day layover, I still don’t have a place or us to stay.

-I send out a facebook plea…Drena, my friend in L.A., connects me with her friend, Fran (whom I’ve never met), who has a friend in Australia, named Simon (whom I’ve never met), who says that his mom, Teodora (whom I’ve never met), could transport and house us for the stay in Brisbane. I email Teodora, she replies on the same day, and really seems like a good woman of God.  All she says is “I’ll have a sign that says your name at the airport “NOE AND TEAM.”

-My team arrives in Brisbane, and yep, there’s a lady standing at the international terminal with the sign in her hand. 

-She pays for a taxi for us to get to her house (I remind you that I only have a few dollars a day for transport, oh, and this lady does not know us and we don’t know her)

-We arrive at her home and she has beds with mattresses, MATTRESSES PEOPLE, for ALL of us to sleep on. My room overlooked downtown Brisbane, amazing view.  Oh, yeah, she gave up her master bedroom to us.

-She cooks all 7 of us lunch, and Teodora would end up cooking us meals for both days, free of charge. 

-She busy us all subway tickets and that day we go into downtown for a ride on the fairy, shopping, and sight seeing. 
-The next day she drives us to HILLSONG BRISBANE (a personal dream come true) where we received a powerful message on Promises (read Lauren’s blog www.laurenoutcalt.theworldrace.org).

-Then, she takes us to her church, where her son in law is the pastor, and the church welcomes us and invites us to speak and sing worship songs. Glenalyn brought a word, and my whole team led the congregation in worship. It was an amazing time of fellowship, which 2 days earlier was not even on my radar as something we would get to do.

-She then drives us (well I was driving one car, her another, oh which meant she insisted on paying for all of my gas) to the GOLD COAST, yes folks, beautiful! We arrive at Surfers Paradise, and walk the downtown. I’m a total beach guy, and I was in heaven looking into the massive and beautiful ocean. We walked the downtown (looks like 3rd st promenade in LA) but better, then drove back home. 

-We met her warm and beautiful family, and got to connect with them in such a valuable way.

-She then works out a free way for us to get driven back to the Brisbane airport at 7am, so that we could catch our flight to Darwin. 

-Oh, and not only did she bless us financially, she left with us money as her ‘offering.’ And then, her son in law, the Pastor, has such a loving and warm heart, took up a church offering and gave it to us as we parted ways. He did not even know us a few hours before. 

I was absolutely in awe of how God’s kindness and love was so visibly shown through Teodora. She fed the hungry, housed the homeless, and blessed the poor. 

I WAS NERVOUS AND ANXIOUS with how my team would be taken care of for our upcoming layover…but GOD WAS IN CONTROL AND WAITING TO BLESS US.

Lord, help my unbelief, and bless Teodora’s generosity. I pray this is an inspiration to you. It has been to me.