Have you ever thought of a worse case scenario to the point where it would convince yourself to never let yourself get there?
Well, that’s what I did and failed to hold onto the hopeful intentions of never letting my worse case scenario come to reality.
This is a story of an Ephesians 3:20 prayer.
I have heard stories of other racers losing their passports and the consequences or events that follow it. I kept thinking to myself, I’m responsible and paranoid as it is. I won’t lose it and I’ll make sure if it!
So what happened!?
I lost my passport. Don’t know how!
One day in February I went to grab my passport to use it for something and soon realized it was missing. I stripped my bed apart over and over again, looked through every pocket and zippered bag I have with me. My team jumped in to help me search around the apartment for it and it was no where to be found. God bless their hearts!
And so, the very next day I drug myself to the embassy along with my twisted stomach pains from thoughts of getting left behind and the expenses that would come along with it. I was fearful that I would possibly be stuck, to stay behind in Ecuador while my entire squad was leaving the next week for Peru.
The process of getting passports normally take 10 to 15 business days to arrive back to the US embassy in the country of which the passport had been lost.
God is so good, I was able to walk away within 2 hours of being at the US embassy in Quito with an emergency passport. The emergency passport may have cost me $145 but it was good for a year. Even though it expired in a year, I was told to make sure I go to the embassy in the next country if I were to be traveling all year to start the process of renewing my emergency passport for a regular passport.
Was I being responsible in following through with their suggestions? No.
Instead, my thought of having a emergency passport that would expire in a year would be good enough to let me get into India and start the renewal process there. This was a poor mistake. I will explain.
2 weeks ago I began my visa application for India. A picture of my recent passport was necessary for the application. 2 days later I got an email that my visa application was declined because I didn’t apply with an original passport!
This was the most frustrating part of the process. Here’s why…
- It was nearly impossibly for me to reach the Indian government or the place that declined my visa.
- It was also difficult to reach someone from the US embassy in Lima. I wasn’t getting connected to anyone who would listen to my situation.
- The earliest appointment for consult was April 3rd (almost 3 weeks away) and my entire squad was scheduled to leave for India on the 5th.
- I was in Cusco, 24 hour bus ride away from the embassy or an hour flight which cost $$
- I did not have a reliable phone to reach anyone who could help me the day I was trying to figure it all out. I was contacting the embassy through skype.
But by the grace of God again, after my mentor got off the phone with my squad leader and prayed over the phone, she suggested I call back one more time and tell someone my situation again and ask to set up an appointment on the phone.
Madison and I were sitting in Starbucks for hours trying to get answers. We were beginning to pack up, and after the phone call with our mentor, I finally got through with someone and told them my situation. This was prayer, it was God for sure! The lady was patient with me and even got me in for an appointment the 2nd business day they were open from the day I called. So good!
Unfortunately, my team mate and I had to leave our team and fly to Lima for the rest of the month. We had to say our goodbyes to our amazing host family in Cusco. We then spent the rest of the month doing ministry with one of our guy teams which was an incredible blessing to be apart of.
When I left the embassy on the morning of the 25th, the officer told me that it would not come in until the 12th. If I was lucky enough, that would be the earliest.
So this entire time I’ve prepared my mind, my thoughts, mentally and emotionally, ready to stay behind while my entire squad was leaving on the 5th. I’ve kept my peace about it and walked in it. The Peace of Holy Spirit flowed through me and the entire situation. My intentions were to be present in ministry and in community, not missing out on opportunities of seeing God’s goodness by not worrying about my passport’s situation. Worrying steals our joy, steals our capabilities of being present, and steals our trust. Prayer and God’s Word kept that from slipping in.
So in all, I can say the Lord’s goodness has been quite noticeable.
BUT this entire time, everyday my watch goes off at 3:20PM. I have been praying an Ephesians 3:20 prayer over my passport. I would pray that God’s hand would be all over it, that my passion would be viewed as important or “mistakenly” placed on top of a pile or purposely by God (wink face). My entire squad, my family, and beyond them, have been praying and or fasting for a breakthrough. Everyone and myself have been praying that my passport would come in before the 5th so that I can leave with my squad on the 5th as we begin to make our way to India.
April 2nd.
6 business days later, I got a call at 11am from the embassy stating that my passport has arrived! But I cannot pick it up until 8am on the 5th!
Come on peeps, that is Jesus!!
Getting a passport that quickly is nearly impossible. And God’s Word repeats itself again and again to not stop praying.. to not give up in prayer. To have faith! The Lord does listens to those bold and faithful prayers!
In Luke 18 there’s a story Jesus shares about a widow continuously begging the judge for justice. He gave her justice just so that she would stop driving him crazy with the requests.
In the same way our Heavenly Father hears our requests but he doesn’t put them off like the judge would. The Lord is graciously able to give what we need when we pray and pray and cry out to him.
God is a God of order and not chaos. Earlier in the month, to think about how my team mate and I have been relocated for almost 2 weeks could be a detour in God’s eyes for His good, was hard for me to understand. It was difficult to see God’s plan in it while I was facing reality hard and having to worry about the expenses I would have to be responsible for.
James 5 speaks a lot about the power in prayer as well. “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16
“I love the LORD, because He has heard My voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.” Psalms 116:1-2
To see God’s mercy in this is a beautiful thing! It has increased faith and has brought glory to his name. He is merciful and good!
So if you’ve read my entire story, God bless you! I know it was long… but one last thing,
BE RESPONSIBLE AND DO NOT LOSE YOUR PASSPORT!!
Prayer Request: that I will be in the clear to make the flight with my squad on Friday evening! Okay, love you all! God bless You!
