Arabian Nights

J. Hudson Taylor once wondered, "How does a person really learn to trust God and hear His voice in 1852, as those in the Bible did?"

The same questions is relevant today as it was in 1852 and every year before and after that. How do I learn to trust God like those in the Bible and afterward?

God says that He supplies all of our needs. He will take care of us. He is our Father and we are His children. He tells us to call on Him and see just what He will do.

I know I need to learn this lesson so desperately. He is my only true need. He is all that I want and nothing more. However, life brings it's little surprises, so to speak. I decided to take God at His word.

I have needed an MRI for sometime now, going from doctor to doctor, with no success. Finally, I found a doctor who applied for a CT scan for me. Ok, well, that's a step closer. Fine. Turns out, the doctor never filed my paperwork with the insurance company. I waited 2 weeks and still no approval because no one could find the paperwork!! I was told to make another appointment (which I would have had to pay for) and see the doctor again. I was also told that because my insurance was expiring soon, that the CT scan would not be approved.

Well, I went to another doctor, who applied for a MRI. Same thing. Insurance was expiring and our school was switching companies...no way. I couldn't even get a full month of medicine under my insurance.

Well, I've been waiting and waiting for this new insurance card from the new company. I would have to make and pay for another appointment with the new doctor, then have the doctor write up the MRI and go back again to have the test. This can not be done without the insurance card.

The person in charge of insurance kept telling me to pay out of my pocket and apply for the money back. I had a MRI in the States of my shoulder and it cost $5,000 USD. I don't have that kind of "pocket change."

From that point on, I knew God was going to have to do something and I needed to trust Him. I prayed and prayed and asked Him to make a way. Saturday night I got a call from the hospital asking when I wanted to come in for the MRI.

I was shocked!!!

How did this happen?!? The old insurance company could not have approved it? Could they? My insurance expired nearly 10 days prior! The new company surely did not approve it because the hospital did not know I have a new company!

A bit of fear flushed over me. Would the hospital expect me to pay out of pocket?!?

On Sunday, I went to see if the insurance card had come in yet. If I have the card, I wouldn't have to pay.

Well, not that it surprised me, but there was no card! The person again told me to pay out of pocket and I told him I did not have that money. He was shocked (although, I told him before) at the price. He gave me a form to get money back if I paid. I clearly stated to him that I would not be paying for it.

Either somehow an insurance company would take care of it now or someone would give me the money to pay.

Well, I walked in and handed them my old insurance card for proof of who I am since I didn't have another card. I had the MRI and walked out. No one asked me for money. No one said the card was expired. Nothing.

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was God's doing. He is so faithful to His word. If I can trust Him in those small things, then I can trust Him with much larger, more impossible things. I pray that God continues to teach me to trust Him in ever aspect of my life. I pray the same for you.

*As for the MRI, I freaked out. The technician told me to close my eyes. He strapped me in, put a cage over my face and rolled me in the machine. He said, now, open!! I screamed to be let out. It was the most scariest thing in my life. After composing myself, I went back in. This time, I told him I was not going to open my eyes. He was afraid I would go to sleep, which you're not supposed to with a brain scan.

I was not allowed to move. Usually when I'm scared, I pray or sing. I had to do that all in my heart. Everything within me wanted to bust out in prayer aloud.

The scan took almost an hour. I moved once, so that part had to be redone. I was really scared the whole time, but I knew the Lord was right with me. I don't think my heart ever raced so fast in my life before!!

Hopefully, I'll have the results by Thursday.

A few pictures from school. I finally went "native." One of my boy's parents sent traditional food to school for Prophet's Day. I ate local style for the first time...with my hands!!! You gather the food in your hands and then squeeze it all together. Then, you use your thumb as a fork. One guess how I felt about this...

As for church, if you look hard, you can see Ray Comfort on the wall. My students (I teach the 12-14 year old class) are learning about Way of the Master. We've finished "Hell's Best Kept Secret," "True and False Conversion," "The Firefighter," and some lessons on how to approach sinners using the Ten Commandments. Next week, they will start to learn how to defend their faith and speak to those of different faiths. The kids are really excited for the upcoming weeks. So am I. I love apologetics.