Today is the day I start my Vail photo journaling. I'll post a little each day like pages in my scrapbook. This is a long post but seeing how we got to Vail and how we almost missed an amazing gift from God makes the photos and stories that will follow even sweeter! Here we go....
One Tuesday in early October our speaking coordinator, Barb, called me into her office to see if I was available to speak in Edwards, CO at a Christmas brunch December 1st. I knew I was speaking in New Hampshire Tuesday and Wednesday night that same week. I'd be returning Thursday and would need to fly out Friday morning to get to CO in time. It was too much and I didn't want to leave my family again, so I told Barb I wasn't available.
Barb came back a few days later for suggestions since two other they were considering weren't available either. I suggested a couple of speakers that would be a good fit. Lots of calls were made, options were discussed but still no speaker was working out.
On Tuesday, October 15th, I said a simple prayer asking God to help us help them find the right speaker. Immediately the thought went through my mind, "You haven't even prayed about this event. You haven't talked to JJ about it. You just looked at your calendar, saw that timing would be tough and said no."
I knew it wasn't me thinking these thoughts. It was God's Spirit convicting me. I felt Him impressing on my heart that He wanted me to speak at the event and that He wanted to bless us.
I thought I remembered the church's budget being enough to cover my fee and possibly pay for my family's travel. So, I called JJ and told him about it. He immediately looked at that week's schedule and said, "No way, we have too much going on already." I explained that I thought so too, but I felt like God wanted us to pray about it. I asked him to research where Edwards, CO was and if ther was any skiing nearby, since I love to ski and we were saving for a NC ski trip this winter.
We got off the phone so I could go to a meeting. Fifteen minutes later he called me on my cell and said, "Renee, Edwards is 15 minutes from Vail, Colorado. Airline tickets are $300 each. If they can pay their full speaker budget there would be enough to cover our airfare and possibly some of our hotel."
I really felt like God had something special He wanted to do, and that He wanted me to trust Him but I also felt awkward because I'd never asked a church to pay their full budget if it exceeded my fee. Yet, I knew my heart would just ache if I had to leave my family again that week. Not only would I just be getting back from NH, I would have also been gone two other weekends that month. So, if God wanted me to speak at this event I needed Him to provide a way for us all to go.
I called the event leader and explained why I had declined initially and what I had been through that morning. I told her I'd love to come speak if they were willing to pay their budgeted amount so that my family could travel with me. She was thrilled that I could come and happy to have my family join me. She immediately got on the internet and found an incredible hotel deal for us right in Vail. Soon after, we locked into $300 flights and before we knew it we were headed to Vail the week after Thanksgiving.
I would be remiss if I didn't tell you the hard parts of this amazing blessing. Getting there took an act of God! I had been on a working cruise with P31 for 5 days before Thanksgiving (getting minimal sleep), traveled all day and got home late that Monday night, did laundry, cleaned house and worked from my laptop in bed all day Tuesday, played catch-up at work on Wednesday, cooked a holiday meal, entertained family on Thursday and then had to find a way to pack up my 3 guys and me to go skiing before I left for NH the following Tuesday since I'd have no time to pack when I got back.
We own NO ski wear and only one set of luggage. BUT GOD!! I cried out to Him (literally at one point in tears because I was so overwhelmed with all the travel) and to my friends for help and they came to my rescue with duffel bags on wheels, suitcases, every piece of ski wear needed for every member of my family. One friend even brought us dinner the Thursday I flew in from NH and needed to unpack and re-pack in less than 24 hours to get us ready to leave for CO. My mom and JJ ran the show at home and it all happened. We got there!
Yet the day we arrived there was NO snow on the ground. No snow. My kids were so disappointed when we landed in Denver and the ground was brown and flat.
We started praying and wondering what God was thinking...But then we heard a weather report on tv discovered that a snow storm was headed our way. We had arrived just in time for God's first snow of the season in Vail. God's timing was perfect and the presentation of His gift was beautiful!
Here's what we saw as we drove from Denver to Vail.
So, have you ever missed (or almost missed) one of God's blessings because it looked like it just wouldn't fit into your life, your budget, your schedule, your plans?
One Tuesday in early October our speaking coordinator, Barb, called me into her office to see if I was available to speak in Edwards, CO at a Christmas brunch December 1st. I knew I was speaking in New Hampshire Tuesday and Wednesday night that same week. I'd be returning Thursday and would need to fly out Friday morning to get to CO in time. It was too much and I didn't want to leave my family again, so I told Barb I wasn't available.
Barb came back a few days later for suggestions since two other they were considering weren't available either. I suggested a couple of speakers that would be a good fit. Lots of calls were made, options were discussed but still no speaker was working out.
On Tuesday, October 15th, I said a simple prayer asking God to help us help them find the right speaker. Immediately the thought went through my mind, "You haven't even prayed about this event. You haven't talked to JJ about it. You just looked at your calendar, saw that timing would be tough and said no."
I knew it wasn't me thinking these thoughts. It was God's Spirit convicting me. I felt Him impressing on my heart that He wanted me to speak at the event and that He wanted to bless us.
I thought I remembered the church's budget being enough to cover my fee and possibly pay for my family's travel. So, I called JJ and told him about it. He immediately looked at that week's schedule and said, "No way, we have too much going on already." I explained that I thought so too, but I felt like God wanted us to pray about it. I asked him to research where Edwards, CO was and if ther was any skiing nearby, since I love to ski and we were saving for a NC ski trip this winter.
We got off the phone so I could go to a meeting. Fifteen minutes later he called me on my cell and said, "Renee, Edwards is 15 minutes from Vail, Colorado. Airline tickets are $300 each. If they can pay their full speaker budget there would be enough to cover our airfare and possibly some of our hotel."
I really felt like God had something special He wanted to do, and that He wanted me to trust Him but I also felt awkward because I'd never asked a church to pay their full budget if it exceeded my fee. Yet, I knew my heart would just ache if I had to leave my family again that week. Not only would I just be getting back from NH, I would have also been gone two other weekends that month. So, if God wanted me to speak at this event I needed Him to provide a way for us all to go.
I called the event leader and explained why I had declined initially and what I had been through that morning. I told her I'd love to come speak if they were willing to pay their budgeted amount so that my family could travel with me. She was thrilled that I could come and happy to have my family join me. She immediately got on the internet and found an incredible hotel deal for us right in Vail. Soon after, we locked into $300 flights and before we knew it we were headed to Vail the week after Thanksgiving.
I would be remiss if I didn't tell you the hard parts of this amazing blessing. Getting there took an act of God! I had been on a working cruise with P31 for 5 days before Thanksgiving (getting minimal sleep), traveled all day and got home late that Monday night, did laundry, cleaned house and worked from my laptop in bed all day Tuesday, played catch-up at work on Wednesday, cooked a holiday meal, entertained family on Thursday and then had to find a way to pack up my 3 guys and me to go skiing before I left for NH the following Tuesday since I'd have no time to pack when I got back.
We own NO ski wear and only one set of luggage. BUT GOD!! I cried out to Him (literally at one point in tears because I was so overwhelmed with all the travel) and to my friends for help and they came to my rescue with duffel bags on wheels, suitcases, every piece of ski wear needed for every member of my family. One friend even brought us dinner the Thursday I flew in from NH and needed to unpack and re-pack in less than 24 hours to get us ready to leave for CO. My mom and JJ ran the show at home and it all happened. We got there!
Yet the day we arrived there was NO snow on the ground. No snow. My kids were so disappointed when we landed in Denver and the ground was brown and flat.
We started praying and wondering what God was thinking...But then we heard a weather report on tv discovered that a snow storm was headed our way. We had arrived just in time for God's first snow of the season in Vail. God's timing was perfect and the presentation of His gift was beautiful!
Here's what we saw as we drove from Denver to Vail.
So, have you ever missed (or almost missed) one of God's blessings because it looked like it just wouldn't fit into your life, your budget, your schedule, your plans?
3 Comments:
What a precious story! Thank you for sharing it as well as the reminder to be constantly tapped into God.
Thanks for serving God as a teriffic speaker, an effective leader, a tireless promoter of others, and a dear friend.
Love ya, girlfriend!
Renee, I have recently stumbled upon your blogs and I have spent allot of time today just soaking up the fellowship. This is a wonderful story as are several others. I am sincerely touched by your candor. You make it seem so easy to you. You are very comfortable in your own skin and that is a true blessing.
God bless you and your family for all the sacrifices you have made and will continue to make in an effort to spread your message and to positively touch soneone's life.
Kindest Regards & God's Speed,
Clearissa
clearissa@nc.rr.com
Post a Comment
Home