The Whirlwind

It all started really this past Monday, we received word that we were officially waiting for our travel approval.  They tell you that Travel approval typically takes 3-4 weeks to process.  We have heard, however, that, it's more like 2 weeks average.  After we received the news on Monday, we began to really look at the calendar and try to figure out when we would really travel.  We were thinking late April.  There is a trade show in Guangzhou, China, where we will be staying, during the last part of April.  We received an email about this telling us that it would cause our costs to go up on all of our travel expenses.  But we figured if that is when God wants us to travel, He will provide for the increase in cost.  

So this week we have been getting ready for (or trying to get ready for) our yard sale.  But Monday through Wednesday were so cold, we couldn't get much done.  So Thursday we were setting up and people already started coming.  We sold a few things on Thursday even though we really didn't officially start until Friday.  Some dear friends from church came Friday morning to help and we got off to a bang.  It was busy!  We had lots of stuff to sell, because we have lots of awesome friends and family who graciously donated.  We had our first adoption fundraiser yard sale back in May of 2013.  We had been in process for only 3 months at that time.  But I remember lots about that yard sale and lessons we learned.  One thing I remember was that because we chose not to price things, but to trust The Lord with the turnout, each time we told someone what we were doing, it have us an opportunity to share about The Lord.  There were a couple of people who did not understand, and were even hostile to what we were doing.  There were those that really needed us to listen to them, and hear their story.  And there were people who were supportive and even excited.  It's almost ministry, having a benefit yard sale.  And I must say that it is a huge exercise in trusting The Lord.  When you see someone load their truck and give us $20...we start to doubt.  But just as He did back in May, he takes the little and makes it a lot, like the fish and loaves.

So back to Friday morning, we were talking and helping customers, and Greg had gone to fix our signs that had been taken down for some reason.  He drove back in the driveway and got out of the car and held up his hands like "what are you doing?"  I looked around thinking I had let one of the kids wander towards the road or something like that.  He said, "look at your phone!"  I had missed several texts from him telling me that the agency had called, and we had travel approval!  He finally said, "I guess I will go by myself!"  What a joy to be able to celebrate this with our friends, and with the people who were at the yard sale.  I hope we were able to give God the glory adequately as we shared the news with with our customers.  This travel approval came in 4 days!  Remember what I said the average was?  

I'll tell you later why this was significant.  But to finish up on the yard sale, Friday was an outstanding day. We made $1200!  Saturday was just as busy and we made $600.  With some donations that were made, and the yard sale, we surpassed the $2500 amount we needed for the matching grant from our church, New Covenant Baptist Church.  I cannot say enough good things about our church, and not just because they are giving us this grant.  The support and encouragement we have received over the past 2 years that we have been there has been amazing.  We truly feel like we are part of a family.  I could write a whole post about our church, the teaching, the accountability, the love and the fellowship.  You can find it on Facebook or the website is http://www.ncbconeonta.org/.

The fact that the matching grant amount was surpasses was par for the course with the "stop working" lesson The Lord has been teaching us.  I am going to post a follow up to that soon to show you the amazing way The Lord showed that we can't outgive Him!

So why did I title this the whirlwind?  Because the travel approval starts the process of packing and finalizing flight arrangements etc.  Except our trip might be pushed up a little to account for a holiday in China, tomb sweeping day.  That is why the fast travel approval was important.  Because of that, we may be able to travel earlier and miss some of the Trade Fair that would cause us the large increase in expenses.  If we don't miss it, at least the number of days that would be more expensive would not be as many.  So...there is a possibility we will be leaving Friday!  That is 5 days away!  To make things even a little more challenging, Greg has to work the Coast some this week, and he cannot change those plans.  So with all that being said, we are trusting The Lord and His timing.  Although this week will be quite a whilrlwind, and already has been, we know His grace is sufficient!