Author Archives: Carroll

Where’s God’s Plan

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My eyes started scanning for my six pieces of luggage, as the carousel slowly hummed around. The murmur of Spanish surrounded me, along with the thump and bumps of the suitcases. Even with the lady beside me, I felt alone. I repeated in my mind, Jesus I have your hand and I need you to guide me. The woman with me said she needed to go. “No problem, gulp, I’ll follow the crowd.” I profusely thanked her for the help. The carousel stopped with a jerk, and I think the operator said there wasn’t any more. Now what do I do? Not one piece of my luggage arrived.

Arrangements had been made for a family missionary friend to meet me at the airport. I’d never seen her before, but since she was white and tall—and Guatemalans are dark and short—I had a good chance of recognizing her. Entering the lobby felt like walking into the twilight zone. Anybody from the street could come to the upper-level balcony and wait for their friend or family member who entered below. The custom called for families to come, and they crammed in like sardines, hurling greetings to those below. Outside, noises of revving bus motors, blasting horns, screeching tires, and people selling their wares made my ears throb. I looked for the white face amongst the dark, and found it a challenge. When people left, others crowded into the empty spots. She wasn’t there. After about thirty minutes, I became concerned. Then I went into near panic as I realized I had no contact information for her or the school where I would teach or for anybody in this city. Okay, Lord, I need a plan. I felt some calmness when I remembered the rainbow and Whose hand I held.

I stood there in the airport as travelers zoomed past me. There were no places to sit or bathrooms, and I didn’t dare go outside.This is a third-world country with a high crime rate. I had been warned to wait inside. I intently looked for somebody, anybody who looked like they could assist me. The Lord would show me who. I just had to be patient—not my best virtue.

Thirty more minutes passed, and a large missionary team came in. The primary colors on the white shirts reminded me of the rainbow of hope. I went up to two of the ladies and explained my situation. They suggested I come with them to the hotel, and their Guatemalan lawyer friend would help me find my friend. It all sounded good, but I felt like I needed to wait longer. One of the ladies gave me a note on a business card to give to one of their team, who would fly in soon. I calmed down but gripped that bitty card. God’s plan was in hand.

Suddenly, I heard my name from the balcony, and looked in that direction. I had to plant my feet to keep from jumping for joy when I spotted the tall lady with the huge smile. At that moment, the second half of the missionary team entered the lobby area. I took the card to one of them and explained that my friend had arrived and I was safe. The rainbow of hope became more brilliant in my mind’s eye.

I barely heard my friend apologize as she said, “I’m sorry we are thirty minutes late. We got tied up with an Alaskan team. You’ll meet them at the house.” To this day, my friend does not know that she was one and a half hours late. (She may know now if she reads this.) We dealt with the lost luggage and we were assured I could get it the next day. Ha! It was three days later.

I walked outside of the airport, and suddenly the noises didn’t irritate, but intrigued me. I entered a new and different world with excitement and anticipation, despite the emotional roller coaster I just went through. I had a new life, a new chapter, and an assurance that the Lord would guide and help me through times of uncertainty. I was ready to enter the mission field and wanted to see more of this new country and culture.

I still find myself reacting in difficulties and then having to apologize to the Lord for not focusing on His promises. Do you have a story to share about how the Lord gave you a plan during a crisis time? I think of the song, God Will Make a Way and sing it over and over when the way seems impossible. We can trust in God’s plans, whether the issue be small or humungous. In this case, the plan I thought He gave me wasn’t the plan, but He made a way for me.

Trust in the Lord

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The plane swooped around Guatemala City about three times giving me a great view of my new home. Mountains surrounded the city that set in a huge valley, among them were three volcanoes. I found out later that all three are active and have their times of spitting and sputtering.

We landed on the runway and the vibration of the plane only added to what my body felt like on the inside. My eyes darted from the buildings to the shacks to the mountains through the rain drops that streaked the window. That is when I saw it: a huge bright rainbow fanned the sky in the glow of the sunset. This was my first connection with this third world country. To me, rainbows represent hope and trust in the Lord, and this was a reminder that I was not alone. My faithful Lord was with me. I would come back to this scene several times in the future, especially in those trying times, when I wondered what in the world I was doing in this foreign country. I thanked God that I had a visual to hang onto.

My new friend went through immigration first, to show me the process. It looked easy, but with a sweaty shaky hand, I clutched my passport, a paper for customs, and my ticket. It was my turn at the window. The immigration officer’s “buenas tardes Señora,” made my heart sink. They aren’t going to use English and I won’t know what to do. The officer glanced down, stamped something in the passport, and handed it back to me with his stern officer’s face. Wow, that was easy! I officially entered Guatemala. Then, my friend and I headed for the luggage area and to another big surprise.

It’s those unexpected surprises that are the real tests. Right? In the dictionary, the meaning of trust is to have confidence, to rely upon or have implicit faith in someone. That’s what our Lord wants us to have for Him. He’s the only one capable of proving that He is one hundred percent trustworthy. I may pass around that mountain many times, but the desire of my heart is to get to that place of trust and stay there. The next blog will be a bigger test on this subject of trusting in the Lord. Do you find yourself allowing those sneak attacks to pull you away from the idea of trust in Jesus? We are a distrustful species but there is hope that we can learn to walk in trust.

Help

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My hands were tight fists, my body stiff as a board, and I know my heart had to be bouncing out of its cavity. Would I know what to do when I went through immigration? Will they speak English? Will I know where to get my luggage, and will they have a cart for all six pieces? Questions and concerns filled my head until I wanted to scream. It was time to pray. I needed help. I reminded the Lord that He said He would take care of me, and I asked for forgiveness for my lack of trust. I blocked out the noise of the plane engine and passenger activity around me. I focused on Him. I could feel peace enter into my heart, just as I heard the rattle of the beverage cart.

“Would you like something to drink?” asked the flight attendant.

I unclenched my hands and ordered a diet Coke. My pulse slowed down, and I turned to the lady next to me. “Is this your first time to visit Guatemala? “ I inquired.

“No, I come frequently to do business in the Capital,” she answered.

I saw my opportunity. I told her my story, how I’d never been out of the US before, and asked if she would help me go through immigration and show me how to find the luggage. “Of course I can do that,” she responded. The positive response helped ease my empty stomach when the diet Coke hit it. The Lord sent me help. Thank you Lord for your faithfulness and for this sweet lady. However, the peace only lasted for a few hours, while we were in the air.

These many certain experiences continually build trust in me. I am still learning that the Lord will always be there with guidance and help. Trust doesn’t come easy for many of us. These testimonies of seeing the hand of the Lord working in people’s lives bring light into the dark places.

The next post will tell of some more trust-learning experiences. I want to hear about those times with you. Please share some of your testimonies. It’s fun to compare notes.

Stepping Off

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Stepping offMy life progressed in a good direction. I felt in-sync being an elementary teacher in eastern Montana, and especially as I worked with kids who hated to read.  I felt comfortable with church involvement, at school, and in a family oriented community. However, there was a stirring in the atmosphere, and I knew it meant changes were coming. That is to be expected if one says to the Lord, “I’ll go where you want me to and do what you want me to do.” I don’t know how many other millions of people have said that prayer, but I’ll tell you what, the Lord hears it and He responds.

There are times when the Lord shows me a piece of the future in a dream. I remember two years before this that Dad and I went shopping and entered a greeting card store. “Oh my goodness! That’s the mountain in my dream,” I exclaimed. Dad patiently waited for me to explain myself.

“I dreamed I looked out a picture window at a looming mountain covered with rocks and dirt just a short distance from the house.  It was raining in hurricane torrents. Through sheets of downpour, I could see water squirting out of the cracks and crevices, which formed mini-cascades all over the slopes. Particles of rocks rolled to the bottom, building a pile of stones. I looked at the rubble below and said that I was going gold hunting, and I knew where to find the good stuff. In the dream, I knew the gold represented something precious. Then, I saw a huge hole in the mountain revealing a beautiful green valley. It looked like paradise.”

Dad bought me the card that day. I framed it, and it hangs in my home as a reminder of a God who leads me according to His plans for me.

One Sunday, a couple shared their perspective of the mission field. The husband told how he ate grubs so he could be accepted by this tribe. I smugly thought, Lord I’m sure glad you didn’t call me to be a missionary. Smack! Immediately, I remembered my words of being willing to go anywhere and do anything. Oh boy! I did it this time. After the service, just to make up for the contrary thoughts, I asked the couple if there was a need for teachers on the mission field. I can still hear their laughter as they announced that this was the number-one need. The seed was planted.

I couldn’t shake off the idea of teaching on a mission field, so I took the next step and talked to the pastor and his wife. Then, I contacted a missionary friend, who was in Africa. Armed with council and advice, I fasted and prayed to see what the Lord was saying to me. I thought of the mountain dream and my desire to minister to hurting children. I counseled with young teens in my community and saw into their scared hearts. I heard the need for someone to listen and encourage them. The seed germinated.

The whole process of events was like trying to find that proverbial light switch in a pitch-black room. Doubts would come and go, but I stood firm on the idea that I wanted to be involved in the lives of needy children. The door opened for me to teach missionary children at a school in San Cristobal, a suburb of Guatemala City, Guatemala.

I faced a test in trust. Would God meet my needs if I gave up the security that was already mine? At fifty-two, would I be able to learn a new language? Hundreds of questions filled my thoughts as I looked at pictures on my walls and saw faces of loved ones that I would be leaving behind. Granny’s trunk sat in the crowded living room. She used that trunk when she moved from Kentucky to Montana as a girl; a treasure to me that held memories. Could I give up my treasures if I committed my life to being a missionary? The process went on until I answered God’s call: Yes, Lord, I will go.

All four of my children had left the nest, and that made it easier to pull up stakes and leave a satisfied life behind. This single missionary found herself in Guatemala one year later. The seed turned into a flowering plant.

Have you faced a step-off-the-plank-into-the-broiling-water event? Or are you looking at one today wondering what to do? I’d love to hear about your experience and how you dealt with it. Sharing our thoughts can be an encouragement for whatever we are going through. Drop me a note in the comment box, and I will respond.