God working at 7,000 feet

 My family had the privilege of being part of a mission trip through our home church here in New York. We went to help Joe and Dawn Lee (BMM missionaries to the Native Americans) at Whispering Cedars Camp in New Mexico. After weeks of preparation, we arrived at the camp on June 10. We were so excited to experience a new mission field with our kids and see God work through them during the week of what promised to be a "out of my comfort zone" week. Little did we know that God was working in ways we still don't understand. 

This is where the lessons arrive! 

Trusting God even when it makes no sense

A few hours after we arrived at the camp which was at 7,000 feet in elevation, Beth started experiencing a high heart rate and generally not feeling well as a result. As we were warned about having to adjust to being in higher elevation, she drank lots of water and rested a bit... nothing helped. In fact, she continued to get worse. About 10pm that night, I took Beth to the ER which was down the mountain about 35 minutes away. When we arrived, her heart rate was averaging 130+ sitting still. After testing her heart thoroughly, the doctors determined that she was experiencing high altitude sickness, something that the medical world knows to be real and serious for some but still can't figure out who and why some get it and some don't. Beth was evidently one who did.

After consulting with the doctors who where both very kind and knowledgeable, we knew she had to get her out of the higher elevation and home to New York. Her condition was bad enough that she could have had cardiac arrest, etc., had she stayed. God used a woman named Jackie at our church in NY to help adjust Beth's plane ticket and Beth and I made the 2.5 hour journey back to Albuquerque and the Sunport (airport). God got her home safely (a part of the second lesson).

We may never know why God allowed Beth to miss the trip and have a long recovery from a "random" illness. God uses things in our lives to drawl us closer to Him and make us more like Christ. We have seem a few blessings come from this experience even though the disappointment, fear and discouragement was real:

1. God forced me to work with elementary age kids without my wife to lean on for the first time in our married life! He taught me a new level of 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, "And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

2. Both Timmy and Olivia were forced into responsibilities during the week that required them, in mom's absence, to trust God and not lean on parents. I was one of the boy counselors so I was pretty busy! We saw both kids grow in their maturity as well as in their relationship with their Heavenly Father!

We had the privilege


during the week to see 5 kids make professions of faith! God was working even though we did not understand His whole plan! HE IS GOOD!

Lesson two coming soon!