Eat, Pray, Love

As I sit here reviewing brief, choppy videos and the hundreds of photos from Trinidad –I continue to process all that the Lord has done and all that He has shown me in recent weeks and months. My greatest fear at present is reverting back to the “me” who existed prior to this amazing God-Sized Adventure. Eight of us boarded a plane in Atlanta in the early hours of Thursday, June 28th. All but two of us, myself included – had been on prior overseas Mission trips. Two of the girls on our team had even been to Trinidad and knew the culture, and even several of the people we would soon intersect with.

I had often joked that my first mission trip experience would be to a spa in Maui – not to a third world country. However, God was leading me to “go” to Trinidad over a year ago. Rather than simply feeling “released” to an international mission field – there was a definitive "push" to that specific destination. This was indeed His plan.

As my close friends know – I admittedly have a few quirks.  Bugs; lizards; spiders;  ants and dead animals of any kind are not my thing.  Germs are also not my thing – one cannot have too much hand sanitizer!  I don’t eat meat with bones in it (no chicken wings – only boneless tenders, etc.) and fish is not part of my diet.  Lastly, I am a HOME BODY – the days that my car doesn’t leave the garage are some of my favorites! This experience has made me acutely aware of “MY’ self-oriented preferences, cravings for personal comfort and penchant for “safe routines”. (Shame on me.)    In no way am I professing a new diet of bone-in chicken and shark; unclean hands; and regular, wild, out-of-the box exploits. But, when God calls me again to something new and out of my comfort zone… I will say yes without trepidation! 

Trust me – there is so much to elaborate on. The lessons and the blessings were bountiful and great! In an attempt to hold on to the many ways my eyes have been opened, I jotted down more than fifty “little lessons/insights” ensuing from Trinidad. Some are monumental….some are humorous. Many are gentle reminders of truths known but imperceptibly forgotten. (And many overlap and will be combined!) As reflection progresses to words on a page - I’ll share the great things the Lord has done!

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This initial retrospect of our time in Trinidad is titled, “Eat Pray Love” not because of the novel by the same name,  or the Julia Roberts movie, but for a few obvious reasons:

One: Eat

Food/eating was such a big deal to me before we even left home. I was overly concerned about going hungry! That was me again elevating “my” preferences and comfort above God’s ability to meet every need (need, not luxury.) As one who often tells others not to worry about provision because “His Eye is on the Sparrow”, I failed to heed my own encouragement. It’s a profound and simple truth. It’s literally tattooed on my shoulder – and I lost sight of this promise. How trite that such focus was wasted on what to put in my mouth, when focus should have been the heart. (Trust me – I never came close to going hungry, and any meals skipped on the island, have been well compensated for!)

Two: (Pray)

Prayer was such a huge part of this journey, individually and corporately; before and during our time with the fabulous folks of Caroni Village and from all over the island. We had our church staff, elders, friends and families from home praying while we were “on the ground”. We also were being covered in prayer by the women who were attending the event, and we didn’t know it until we met them. In fact, it’s only in the last few days that the young woman who was praying for me sent a note indicating she was my Trini Prayer Warrior. That note was another encouragement because not only was she praying, but when she was worshipping on Saturday night, I was blown away by her angelic voice and her obvious passion for the Lord. To think, all along – before we met face to face, she knew my name and had been praying for ME? 

Not surprisingly, with all the praying taking place, Jesus was with our team in such real and tangible ways – He was showing off! The heightened awareness of His provision, His protection, and His sovereignty has been keeping me awake the last few nights. Beginning with months of planning - to the return home, the entire experience and the many faces cycle through my mind like a broken but beautiful record. (It’s time to write it down!)

Three: (Love)

Easy – the theme of our conference was “A Heart Like His”, anchored in John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Beyond this profound life changing truth – love was experienced between the members of our team (more on that later), our gracious hosts (more on that later too) – and we were loved on by the women and children at the conference in ways none of us could have anticipated (much, much more on that later as well!)

Sunday evening at Kelly Bible Church, following the conclusion of the women’s conference – we were given the opportunity to share a “retreat testimony” from the pulpit. When it was my turn, started with something like, “We have been planning a ladies conference for the women of Trinidad. We were prepared to come here and minister to you – to share God’s word, worship together and offer you hope, healing and encouragement through Jesus. What we didn’t expect, is that we would be the ones ministered to. There is so much beauty in these women, so much wisdom and so much love – we were the ones most blessed.”  I don't remember what came next....

That’s it. I experienced the love of God in a new and richer way than ever before. I also experienced love in an unanticipated way – to and from people I never imagined connecting with, in a land far from the comfort of home. 


Love has filled my heart to overflowing. 

"Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death." (Philippians 1:20)