I added a link...

to the blog of last year's Mexico GO trip notes. http://06gomexico.blogspot.com/

I can really tell how much my walk with God has changed and gotten stronger since last year. I had never really seen poverty until we went to Mexico. I had never been that far out of my comfort zone. I had never served God so far from my home and my children.

Last night Lee and I were talking about the turbulence we experienced on the plane ride home from China. He said he was shocked that I wasn't crying (I'll admit there was a few moments I was a little afraid). I told him there were two reasons I didn't freak out.

1. I wanted to comfort Rhonda and I was focused on praying for her. Although I had to admit to her that I had prayed earlier that God would show me a way to be closer to her. She said, "Thanks alot!" :^)

2. This verse (the very first scripture I ever memorized) has been turning up over and over again this year. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”
~ Philippians 4:6-7
I believe it was a peace of God, that I can't understand, that guarded my heart and my mind.

However, it this verse does not say, "YOU must guard your heart. YOU must stay in your comfort zone." It says, "peace of God"....
He will ask you to go places that are hard to go to.. He will ask you to get out in His world... see His people, who are sometimes hurting and sometimes lost... to get out of your safe comfortable places... and let HIS peace guard your heart and your mind in Jesus Christ.

Thank you, Father, for your promises. Thank you for showing up in BIG ways when we are obedient to what you call us to do. Thank you for guarding our hearts and minds with your peace when we are afraid or anxious. Thank you for reminding us to present our requests to you with prayer and petition and thanksgiving. Thank you most of all for your son, Jesus Christ, who gave us the relationship we can now have with you, Father. That we are now your children because of His great love for us and His sacrifice. We love you and we praise you and we honor you forever. Amen.