Laredo, Texas Missions Trip: 3-Day Ride Down

Hey y'all!! Sorry it has taken me awhile to update my blog. I got home last Saturday and my room looked like my luggage exploded. But now I've finally had time to start updating the blog with stories and lessons from my wonderful trip. I had a ton of fun with all the people down in Laredo and I learned a lot from the sessions. There just isn't anything like Southern Hospitality. So I will start the stories and lessons with the trip down.

We left Thursday, October 9th at 7 am. We spent the first night in St. Joseph, Missouri. Friday morning we got up bright and early and headed for Texas. Around 11:30/12:00, we had to stop and pay toll and our VSC, trac-off, and check engine lights came on, we were about 100 miles from Oklahoma City. Mrs. Zupan called the Toyota dealership in Ladysmith and the guy said that it might just be our gas cap (if it's loose, it will set the VSC light off because it is leaking air). We stopped at the Toyota dealership in Oklahoma City to see if they could just quick check it out...they wouldn't be able to look at it for at least another 2-3 hours. We couldn't wait that long so Toyota sent us over to Pep Boys and they ran the free diagnostic test. That came back as what they thought was one part but they wouldn't be sure until they did the other diagnostic test which cost $50 and if it was that part they would have to order it and that would be about $600. They said that the van was still drive-able and it wouldn't affect anything except for our gas mileage. So Mr. Zupan decided that we would keep going. This whole thing set us back about 45 minutes to an hour. Just as we got into Texas, those three lights went out! We were shocked! We couldn't figure out what was going on because normally the lights don't go off until the problem is fixed. Mrs. Zupan made the comment, "I wonder what God is protecting/keeping us from." That night we stayed in Jacksboro, Texas. When we got to the hotel, the parking lot was a mess and there was hail on the ground. When the Zupans went in to pay for our room, the receptionist said that they had just a horrible storm about 45 minutes before with hail, rain, and 100 mph winds...there were vehicles being blown across the road and everything, our room door had leaves plastered up on it from the storm. If the Lord hadn't turned the lights on in our vehicle, we would've been driving right through that storm and who knows what damage would've been done to our vehicle. God's protection over our lives is just awesome!!

This is the hotel in Jacksboro where we stayed. 

You can see all the leaves in the parking lot from the storm.  

 If I remember right, this was in Mineral Wells. 

 Some of the beautiful scenery in Texas. 

Isn't God's creation just absolutely gorgeous!?!

This morning Mr. Zupan had me read Psalm 91. Verses fourteen and fifteen stuck out to me, especially after we got to Jacksboro and heard about the storm. They read, "Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him." Just to think that because we, as Christians, love the Lord He honours us is just mind blowing and uncomprehendible. Why would God honour a poor wretched sinner as I just because I do something as simple as love Him?

We serve an AWESOME God!!!