I'm not exactly sure why I signed up for this trip. I did pray about it, but I'm not totally positive I received confirmation. I just kind of took the approach of , "if God provides, then I guess He wants me to go," and so far, He has provided. In truth, I have found throughout my walk with the Lord, that when I just open the door to let God work, He does. It's scary. It's full of uncertainty, but He comes through, over and over again. I am encouraged by how He worked in the last mission trip I went on. You probably all heard this, but it's so cool I'll say it again :).
I signed up for the Ukraine trip in 2005. All of the money came in smoothly, I had my passport, but I didn't have my visa in time, and that basically meant I couldn't go. I prayed to God, bringing Him my situation, but it all seemed hopeless. Honestly, I felt like I blew it. If I weren't such a procrastinator, I could have gotten my visa in time and avoided the whole issue. But God in His grace, took care of everything. I think it was the day before we were supposed to leave that we found out that Ukraine changed its foreign policy to where short term visitors from the U.S. no longer required visas. He totally came through. In my immeasurable weakness, in this case procrastination, God showed His power, and gave me undeniable confirmation that I was meant to go, and that He wanted me to go.
So yeah, I didn't receive some incredible vision or a voice whispered in my ear telling me to sign up this year, but I am simply leaving the door open, and giving God an opportunity to work in me and through me, and whatever happens, happens. - Michael Steinle (i'm the guy to the left in the photo)
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