God Shows Up blog series

My First Trip To Africa

by tiffanyGod Shows UpPosted on No Comments

In 2016 I had a grand adventure with God. I went on my first over seas mission trip. It was to South Africa. It was a big and scary trip for me, but I was excited. I had dreamed about taking a trip to Africa for awhile. Now I was able to take my first trip to Africa.

I learned and grew a lot even before I left the country.

The first thing came months before the actual trip. Did you know it takes a lot to plan for a mission trip? We had meetings and homework in order to plan the lessons and activities. This was on top of planning and organizing the basics of travel. Yes, we had a wonderful leader who did a lot, but we were responsible to get the needed shots, our own packing, work related stuff, and fundraising for the trip’s expenses.

Automobile Issues with God’s help

Once everything was planned I thought things would be easy sailing for me. However, a week before the trip my car broke down in rush hour traffic on a curvy mountain highway. I had just enough momentum to get over a lane and pull over on the tiny shoulder.

God showed up by sending the highway partol tow truck out pretty quickly. He was able to tow it to a turn off, so that I would be safe.

The next issue was finding a tow truck who would bring me all the way back to my home area and to the mechanic I regularly saw. After a few calls and what felt like a long wait a truck finally came to tow my car to my mechanic.

I had to leave it outside their building over night on the street. God showed up that night, because there was no damage to my car. On another visit to my mechanic I did hear about a stranger’s car getting looted.

The car was fixed within a day or two. I had it before I left for my big trip. Yes, in the end everything worked out. However, the whole situation was stressful. It caused stress and anxiety. It was not a fun experience, but God was present in it.

My first trip to South Africa also had many God moments. Each time God showed up could fill up another blog post, which I do plan on writing.

Want More?

For more blog posts in this series you can visit my God Shows Up page. I also have a YouTube series that goes hand in hand with this written series.

Inside the Listening Tree. (Short Story)

by tiffanyshort stories, Stand Alone Short StoriesPosted on No Comments

There once was a tree that was called the listening tree. It lived in a picturesque forest with blue and purple flowers growing at its base. People would climb this tree in the beautiful forest. They would sit on the many limbs of the tree and told the tree all their problems. For years and years the tree grew and people climbed the tree to talk with it. They left all their issues with the tree and some way or another the issues and problems left with the tree would get solved.

As more and more people talked to the tree and more and more problems were solved, more people heard and came. Soon people were traveling from far away to talk to this tree. By the time this time the tree was the largest tree most has ever seen. It appeared to the people who lived closest to the tree that the more people came to the tree the larger it became.

Every day for years and years every limb was covered with people chattering about their woes. Then one day only one came. It was a little girl with tears in her eyes. She could not even reach the first branch to climb up on the tree, so she sat down by the flowers and told the tree, “I know I’m not special and I know that everyone else’s issues are more important. I’m just a little girl, but I’m all alone and no one even notices me. I would like some one to at least greet me.”

As she finished her request a little door opened and out walked a tiny old woman with wings who flew up to be near the little girl’s face.

Astonished the little girl asked, “Who are you?”

“I am the mother of this tree, every limb has one of my children listening to your people. No one has even talked to me in many years, so I know how you feel.”

The little girl smiled. “Thank you for letting me see you and thank you for noticing me.”

“My dear girl, being noticed is not your issue. What breaks your heart is that you are alone. I can see it in your eyes. Come live with us and you will never be alone.”

“I can not live in a tree or in the forest.”

The mother laughed and told her, “We are magical. I will shrink you down and give you wings. That is when you can choose to either be a listener with me or a giver with my husband.”

“What is a giver?”

Smiling the mother told the child, “A giver is one who gives the people what they need to mend their hearts or fix their problems.” She saw the confusion in the girl’s eyes and told her, with a sweet voice, “We do not fix other’s problems for them, we only open their eyes and give them the tools.”

“Are the givers ever alone?”

“When they are out helping others they may be.”

“I think I would like to stay with you then and be a listener.”

“As you wish,” The mother said and with a kiss on the girl’s head the girl was turned into a tiny winged version of herself.

 

This was a quick short story that I wrote at my day job when the internet was down. 

And just as a reminder I will be on vacation starting Thursday.

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