Potato Soup Promise

We've announced our summer dates for trips to Guatemala. Perhaps you're considering one of them, but worry or doubt makes you wonder how it would work out. Well, one of our board members, Stephanie, shares a story about just that very thing: trusting God with every detail, even the small ones....

"A few years ago, I was preparing for a mission trip and it had seemed so harried the days leading up to going. All the last minute details of leaving my family for those 8 days were overwhelming. Even my husband and children were lamenting about what they would eat while I was gone. They asked if I could make their favorite baked potato soup before I left. I planned to make it the day before I left. That day seemed to be so full and I started to stress about finding the time to make the soup. I don’t know about your family, but it is hard on mine when I go. In addition to generally missing me, I homeschool my two children and my husband was working long hours at times. As the day went on I was getting worried about making that soup...funny how even something so seemingly small can weigh on us! Honestly, I really started feeling very stressed and could not figure how I would find the time to run and get the last couple ingredients I needed and make it. I called my husband and told him I just didn't see how I could do it. Satan was using the days leading up to this and this silly soup to make me feel like I could not do it... I was failing at taking care of things and my family.

That day I had dropped by a friends house. She had another friend over and they both wanted to know what I would be doing on my mission trip. All I was thinking about was how much I had to do and that SOUP! God quieted my heart and told me that if I didn’t have time to tell them what God called me to do, I was focused on the wrong things. I told them about the work we were going to be doing, and how excited I was about what God was planning. They committed to pray and were so supportive. Before I left, my friend said, “For some reason, when I made dinner, I made way too much. Do you want to take some home for dinner tonight so you don’t have to cook?” Yes, you may have guessed.... She had made too much baked potato soup.

God cares. He cared enough to give me a huge container of baked potato soup to take home to my family. He knew I need not just the soup, but the lesson of quieting my heart, by sitting down with those ladies, in preparation for His work. He showed my family that He was going to look after them.

If you are wondering about going on a mission trip, I can tell you that He will provide what you need if He calls you. Even if what you need is a bowl of baked potato soup."