Who is holding the bubbles in your life??

I had posted a link to this story last year and today was touched by it again! I don't want to be the one holding the bubbles:

Holding On, by Cathy Huffer, Back2Back Mexico Staff
By Back2Back

Marcos
This is Marcos. Recently we blew bubbles together. I purposely held the bubbles so they wouldn’t spill. After just a short bit it became quite apparent that he wanted to hold the bubbles. I started out with a simple “no”. However, our struggle grew and I realized this little guy was quite determined. So I began my explanation of what could happen if I gave him the bubble bottle. He seemed unimpressed and kept fighting me for the bubbles. As stubborn as I can be, I finally caved and let him have the bubbles. Just as I expected, he spilled the bubbles all down the front of his shirt as the bottle fell to the ground spilling out on the ground around it.

Later that night God brought this back to my memory. As I recalled the sequence of events, He spoke these truths to my heart. Often I am like Marcos, wanting so badly to hold onto a situation, a relationship, control over my loved ones, a career, whatever it may be. As long as it is in the Lord’s hands, I can dip my wand in the bubbles and enjoy. However the moment I grab things back and take control, things begin to get messy. I find if I try and manipulate the situation around me when I know God has something different in mind, things get messy. I’ve seen it in my teen years when I wanted a relationship to last longer even after God told me to let it go, or when I thought I knew making more money would make me happier and it didn’t, and now wishing things were different with my mom and not wanting to feel the hurt. God wants differently. God wants to be in control and asks me to trust. Who’s holding the bubbles in your life?

Original link: http://back2backministries.wordpress.com/2010/10/19/holding-on/

Our team in Africa

Bertke's Buddies

Back2Back Staff Kids

Jason and Will

Karen and Brian

Ibro, Brian, and Sunday

SSE Boar hole crew Ibro, Barnabas, Brian, and Casey

Inchy (I am sure I am spelling it wrong but an amazing man of God)

Crist and Eileen Hamilton

Maria,Daniel, JoJo, and Casey

The Guckenbergers

Jim, Diane (aka Momma Frye),JoJo, Jeremiah, Rashell and Maria

Follow up on Lydia....

Yesterday at work I recieved an email from back to back with a new blog post and as I read it tears came to my eyes. I continue to pray for Lydia and know God will continue to provide..





Lydia, by Crist and Eileen Hamilton, Back2Back Nigeria Staff
By Back2Back
Let us introduce you to a widow from Jos by the name of Lydia. She had an accident recently and is now under Dr. Zamani’s care at the Doctor’s compound in the Kisayhip Village. We met her for the first time a few weeks ago when we took a team from the U.S. there to pray with the patients and to give them a live chicken and some food. Diane from North Carolina and Rashell from California were the two that went in to pray with her and get to know her better. She told them that she had to take all that she had to come to the doctor’s for treatment and she wasn’t sure what she would do when she returned home since she had nothing left except her place to stay. She was thankful to the Lord, however, for His provision and her beautiful smile radiated to show proof of what she said. She was so grateful to have women spend time with her and to pray for her needs.


Some on the team pooled their money together and last week I was able to stop in and pray with her and give her the money that the Lord had provided for her. She was speechless, thankful and smiling from ear to ear.

Yesterday at the village church, who should we notice coming down the aisle (on her crutches) during the offering but Lydia with the biggest smile on her face. She had walked down the dusty, rocky road from the doctor’s compound to the church (about 1/4 mile) with a thankful heart. We are humbled by people like Lydia – they have so little by this world’s standards, yet like the widow in the Bible who gave her last coin to the Lord, Lydia, with a thankful heart, is His treasured child and is being blessed by God for her faithfulness.

Lydia

I think the reason I have had a hard time blogging about Africa is there is still so much to process. This trip changed me and all I can say is WOW! There were a lot of doubts about going on this trip for me, was I doing for myself, is this really what God has planned for me? I continue to learn everyday I shouldn't question God's purpose I should just go with it. If this story is the only reason I went to Africa it is more then enough. This is a widow from Nigeria named Lydia. She had been in a bad car accident in November and was still under Dr. Zumani's care in the Kisayhip village in January when we visited.
A little background on Dr. Zumani he is a healer he prays and God tells him how to treat each patient in his care. People travel from Jos to the Village to seek his care. It was a great reminder that God is still performing miracles in this day and age. As we talked to one of the Nigerian Back2Back staff he explain that a miracle is all these people have. I don't think twice about going to the doctor or hospital if I am sick or hurt and the doctor will fix the problem. I learned that I don't put enough trust in the healing power of God. I am not saying not to go to the doctor, but I should be also praying for healing and/or that God guides the doctors treating me the way he guides Dr. Zumani. I find myself so caught up my own worry I forget to give it to God.


The team that was there with us from North Carolina had donated money to take each patient under Dr. Zumani's care a chicken dinner.



As you can see this consisted of a live chicken, rice, and oil. I was in awe...I have no idea what it is to live with a refrigerator or even electricity. We are so blessed here in America. I would have a lot to learn if I had to live in these conditions. As you can see I made Momma Frye carry the chicken while I opted for the rice and oil. This gentleman in this picture is an Evangelist from Nigeria who drove us all around Jos taking amazing care of us.

Lydia touched my life in so many ways as we prayed for her that day all she wanted prayer for was her ankle to heal, but as we talked with her and got to know her she was a widow. Her children were in Jos and she had spent all her money to come out to the village for treatment. I went home that evening with a different perspective of what we think God should provide for use and what we actually need him to provide. I fell asleep feeling very selfish.
That was not the only thing I went to sleep with that night. I was starting to get sick so I pulled up my Cipro and started taking it thinking that would help. The next morning was Sunday and I wasn't feeling better, but I was not missing church in Africa. I have heard how amazing it was, so I popped another Cipro and off to church we went. Cipro on an empty stomach proved to be a bad idea and I spent most of the service throwing up. The first time I did it into the wind, but quickly learned that lesson when it ended up on me. I found myself sitting on the school steps praying that God would take my sick stomach away. Then I realized about 1/4 mile away Lydia was there with her injury and she continued to smile through it all. I decided to walk down that way to see if it made me feel better if nothing else I could use the latrine instead of the bush. I wasn't sure about if it was rude to stop by and say hello to Lydia or not, but as I got closer I didn't have to worry about that. She was sitting outside listening to the music from Church. We sat and talked, prayed, cried, she was just thankful for the company. It touch me in so many ways because I offered to help her out and she wouldn't hear of it, but she couldn't believe that I would even ask. I left that day hoping I would see her again before I left. I was blessed on the last day to be able to stop by and say good-bye!

Daytona 500 Winner's Trevor Bayne

Yesterday afternoon while doing the laundry my boyfriend decided that he wanted to watch the Daytona 500. I was like REALLY? NASCAR is kind of dumb and I have never watched it in all my life not really interested in starting now. One the last lap a found myself cheering for #21 only because it was some young kid driving the car. Before they came around the final corner I said #21 is going to win and my boyfriend disagreed with me, but as he come across the finish line I jumped up and yelled "I told you so." That was the end of our NASCAR watching, but as we sat there and watch the race I told him I have a friend that just started working for Back2Back this fall and he was a Chaplin for NASCAR. So this afternoon I get an email from Back2Back with the announcement that Trevor Bayne was donating part of his winnings to Back2Back. I continue to read and it gets better he gave Back2Back a shout out on National TV..then it gets better he had been in Monterrey in November...so then I see a picture on Beth's Facebook page and there is Trevor Bayne holding the little girl I sponsor in Mexico! It made my day God always comes through in Big ways. We may never know the reasons why he has us going through things, but I do trust that it is for a bigger purpose!

AFRICA.....

I never in my life dreamed that I would be going to Africa on my sabbatical from work let alone doing a mission trip to Jos Nigeria. It has been difficult to blog about this experience because putting it in words just doesn't seem to justify it.

As I flew over the Massive Sahara desert I could never have imagined any like it, it made me realize how big the world really was. The on the descent into Abuja I had my world rocked like it has never been rocked before...WHAT AM I DOING? Forget about the emails from the embassy the CAPITAL of Nigeria is covered with dirt roads and tons of campfires burning all around...seriously??? That is when the airport came into sight and I was thinking to myself there is no why this huge plane is going to land at that tiny airport. Ok not only is this all going through my brain but I was suppose to meet up with the group leader in Germany and fly in together. Problem was his plane had trouble in Ohio so it was delay, so yes I am by myself! There is another couple from Wyoming that are also on the flight but I have know clue who they are. All I can think it just get through customs and look for someone that looks like Todd Guckenberger (Todd's twin brother John was meeting us at the airport). Luckily Jeremiah and JoJo found me so at least we were all lost together.

I am still thinking this is a small airport and it should be any problem finding John, but as we passed through customs, got our luggage and were headed to the door outside I felt a bit panicked. Did John not show up because Brian's plane was delayed? All I could think is I do have the phone number for the Nigerian staff in Back2Back don't I...as we left the little airport outside I glanced around and at first didn't see John. Thank goodness he spotted the 3 lost Americans that didn't know what to do. Well Welcome to Nigeria!

Auntie gets to meet Lily Grace

Well there isn't a lot to say about this trip back East except it made me sad that I can't get out to see her more. Maybe Auntie should start looking for a ticket in March. As you can see here she is quite the Character...I can't wait for her to start talking! I hope her daddy's potty mouth doesn't rub off on the princess!!!

She loves bath time and pretty much being Naked...I told my brother he might want to worry about that a little (hahaha). She is always happy and I just can't believe how much personality she has. Kyle remember how they say that your kids act like you? You were and still are AMAZING, but you are going to have your hands full with this one...all of us will I think!

So the new thing when I was there was she was starting to arch her back, but that is nothing compared to now...she rolled over for me the other day on Skype. I am so thankful for that because I just wish I could be closer. This way at least we can see each other over the computer....Now if I could just find a way to read to via Skype???

Sabbatical...in a nutshell!

Well I am back at work and having a hard time getting off vacation mode!!! This has lead to my lack of blogging and the longer I put it off the further behind I get so I just decided to go for it! It might not make a lot of sense or be in order. So much happened and I had the time of my life! I spent the first week off in Monterrey Mexico it was the warmest week they had in November with the temperature in the 80's most of the week! Then off for a week with Lily Bug...time in Arizona, and then to Nigeria. I finally have my pictures back from Nigeria, so there is no reason not to start telling the stories!