Customer Video Contest!

WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO INVITE YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR CUSTOMER VIDEO CONTEST!!!!!

If you have been one of our customers with Cheap Missions Trips and/or Adoption Airfare, this contest is for you!  We are looking for customer videos for the next 10 days.  If you have been one of our customers, please submit your video and make sure to include the following info in your video to be submitted for the contest to win some incredible prizes in our official drawing on March 21st.  We are NOT IN ANY WAY comparing videos, just simply putting your name into a drawing if your video is submitted on time and fits the below criteria.

There will be one drawing and two prizes!!!!!

PRIZE #1  OUR FIRST NAME TO BE DRAWN WILL WIN A $50 TRAVEL CERTIFICATE (TO BE USED FOR TRAVEL WITH CHEAP MISSIONS TRIPS OR ADOPTION AIRFARE TO BE REDEEMED AT THE TIME TICKETS ARE ISSUED FOR ANY INTERNATIONAL TRIP.) AND A BEAUTIFUL WORLD GLOBE!!

$50 TRAVEL GIFT CERTIFICATE

BEAUTIFUL OFFICE GLOBE

PRIZE #2  OUR SECOND NAME DRAWN WILL RECEIVE A CHRISTIAN BOOK DISTRIBUTORS $50 GIFT CARD AND STARBUCKS $25 GIFT CARD

$25 DOLLAR STARBUCKS GIFT CARD

$50 CBD GIFT CARD

YOUR VIDEO MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES:

• We are looking for a video of our customers sharing about how our services were a benefit to you and your family or missions team (Please include testimonies of the LORD and testimonies about how your trip went etc.)
• Video must be 3 minutes or less
• Video must be emailed to us at cheapmissionstrips@gmail.com and subject must state VIDEO CONTEST
• You must state in your email that you are agreeing to the terms and conditions stated in the contest rules below 

CONTEST RULES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

• One video per customer of Cheap Missions Trips and/or Adoption Airfare.  Each person entering the contest will be entered into a drawing for the prizes above.
• Video must be 3 minutes or less
• Drawing will be held on March 21st, 2012 and winners will be posted at www.facebook.com/AdoptionAirfare and www.facebook.com/CheapMissionsTrips.  Please look out on March 21st for the winners to be announced in the morning!!
• By submitting a video, you are granting Cheap Missions Trips and Adoption Airfare a royalty free license to copy, distribute, modify, display, and otherwise use this video for any promotional or educational purposes. 

Thank you so much for being our faithful customers, and we are excited to see your videos and get you entered into the drawing for these above prizes!!!!

Please keep up with us on FACEBOOK and thank you so much for allowing us to be a part of your journey.  We love all of you and consider it an honor to serve you with your travel needs.

God bless you and your families!!

~Kevin and Tabitha Lovell

Missions and Adoption Travel

www.cheapmissionstrips.com

www.adoptionairfare.com 

Working for Jesus

This morning, Kevin was telling me about a t-shirt he almost bought the other day at the little Kentucky variety store (of all places).  He said the t-shirt said,  

"Work for God....The retirement benefits are great!"  

We had a good laugh together, but this really got me thinking.  You know, before I was saved, I had a very "worldly" view about work.  I worked several years in the health care field from work as a CNA to becoming a tech in the Emergency room and then I went on to becoming a nurse.  I had many years in this profession before God called me to the mission field, and then to be a travel agent for Him.  I have done many "jobs" in the various seasons of my life, from de-tasseling corn as a young girl, to working in the field that I am so blessed to be in now, serving missionaries and adopting families as a travel agent for Jesus!

Today I saw a post on Facebook from a sweet friend and one of our travel customers who has used our services for her international adoption travel to Africa to pick up her sweet daughter.  We just recently helped her with flights to bring her daughter home to the USA.  It is always such a JOY to be able to see these families bring their little children home for the beginning of their new life together as a family.  I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing for the Lord each day than this beautiful work.  So, after having her little girl home for a few short days, she took this photo of her doing dishes.  

"Washing dishes makes her so happy. seriously! She sang the whole time." ~Adopting Mom of this girl in the photo

  

I remember years of work before being saved, and then beautiful years of working for the Lord after.  My occupation did not change when I got saved, but my attitude and heart changed completely and I remember having "JOY" in the most menial jobs.  I remember an older woman of God who came along side of me when I was first saved.  She was a "charge nurse" and I was a Nursing assistant at that time.  In the chain of command on our unit, I was at the BOTTOM and she was at the TOP!  I will never forget how she displayed Jesus to me when I had a job of cleaning up a mess that I will not even describe to you.  She and I both knew that it was my job, and I was not expecting any help with it.  I rolled up my sleeves, put on my gloves, and started in.  Well, a few minutes into this horrendous mess all over the walls, I will never forget what she did.  This "charge nurse" came in the room with me, rolled up her sleeves too, and began singing praises to the Lord while helping me clean up this terrible mess.  The Lord brought light and sunshine into the darkest room that day.  I know that He had put His JOY in her heart and I have never felt the same since that day about any work that God has me to do.  You see, with Jesus, and His Joy in our hearts, work is not just "work," it is an opportunity to sow to the Spirit of God!!!  And oh, when we sow to His Holy Spirit, His Word promises that we will "REAP" everlasting Life!

"For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life." ~Galatians 6:8

I can tell you that working for Jesus is so much better than working for me.  Today I remembered the many times that I "punched the clock" to make money and earn income to make ends meet.  Now I have so much JOY in serving the Lord's people who He sends to me to help them with their travel.  I have never had a work that I have enjoyed more in all of my life.  My husband and I are so blessed to be a part of this work.  Do you know that each time the business phone rings, we give thanks to the Lord for every phone call?  This is something new we are doing and it is funny how it totally changes our perspective on answering the phone!  Something so little that we can do to give thanks in ALL things, and then it is beautiful to see how there is JOY in everything as we look to Jesus for strength and perspective each day in the work He has us to do for Him.  And oh, one day, to see HIS face, the One who we have served when we do it unto Him.  I feel that it will be worth my whole lifetime of service to Jesus to hear those sweet words...

Photo of Artaban from the "Fourth Wise Man" at the end when he finally meets Jesus and has nothing to give him because he had already given it all away and spent his whole life for the moment he would meet Jesus face to face.  When he finally meets His Lord (Jesus), who he has served all those years, he feels so ashamed that he had once had precious gifts, but gave them all away and now at the end of his life he has nothing left to give Him and then Jesus says to him in the movie.  "Artaban, you've already given your gifts to me." Artiban doesn't understand since he is just meeting Jesus for the first time.  Now with nothing in his hands to give His Lord at the end of his life, Jesus replies to him...

"For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me."

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying (And in the movie, Artaban says), ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it unto Me." ~Matthew 25:36-40

"A life spent and exhausted for Jesus is never a wasted life." 

~Tabitha Lovell

Electronic Flight Check In?

Some of you have asked me... "Should I check in online the night before my flight?"  Or, "What about the new electronic bar code check in?"  Well, I guess if you have a small domestic flight that you are taking within the US, the online check in is ok.  But might I suggest printing out your boarding passes vs the bar code scanning through your iphone to check in?  Yes, this technology is very intriguing and tempting to use, but there are still some "bugs" that I believe should be worked out before this would be a viable choice for checking in for a flight.  From my travels across the globe, I personally prefer checking in at the airport if at all possible.  I feel safer being able to have my boarding passes printed at the airport, rather than the night before.  I like being able to get the most updated flight schedule on my boarding passes that I carry in my hand, just in case there have been any schedule changes overnight. 

 

If my customers are taking an international flight, I usually will encourage them to print out their eticket confirmation and take that to check in at the airport at least 3 hours prior to departure. This allows them time to check bags, get boarding passes printed out, and make it through that long line through TSA Security.

 

 

 

One time, I was taking a flight and did the online check in where the boarding passes were just a bar code that was on a link through my smart phone.  We were traveling with 4 of our children, so I had a handy link for each one of them, and was thinking that everything was going to go smooth sailing since I had done all of this work ahead of time.  Boy was I wrong!!  I had the bar code on my iphone screen all ready to scan with the TSA agent after waiting through that whole long line of people. I got to the front of the line only to find out that one of my bar codes was not working and would not scan through to get one of our children checked in.  I thank the LORD that our older children were able to take the younger one for me while I ran to the United desk to get a paper boarding pass printed out.  We all could have very easily missed our flights due to the delay that this caused!! 

 

 

This is very serious and something that needs to be considered.  These electronic bar code check in's are not the most reliable for international travel in my opinion.  Just imagine that you are traveling to another country and by the time you get there, your iphone has lost it's charge and now you don't have any piece of paper showing your itinerary, or your boarding passes for your next flight. This can cause extreme delays and confusion for you.  It is much better if you print out as much paper as possible, especially if you are traveling to a third world country where things are not as technologically advanced.  You will want to be able to have some sort of paper trail to show them proof that you did indeed purchase your flights etc. 

 

Also, you may want to consider that it may be difficult to charge your iphone unless you go to a specially designed kiosk in the airport where you happen to find your exact phone charger there since international plugs are not always compatible with the cord that you bring with you to charge your phone. 

 

 

A handy international power adapter is a great idea to have in your laptop case and with you in your carry on luggage as well, for any type of electronic devices that you have which may be in need of powering up before you reach your destination.  I hope these suggestions are helpful in planning for your next international trip.  Have a wonderful journey!

 

Safe Travels,

Tabitha L.

Missions and Adoption Travel Lady

www.cheapmissionstrips.com

www.adoptionairfare.com

(800) 732-4806 x705



My Own Shepherd

I used to be my own shepherd
I always had want
I forsook God's green pastures
To have my own fun.

Despised His still waters
And His righteousness
Hanging my soul...
Over shadows of death.

You made me a table
I had no time to dine
Offered goodness and mercy
I thought I was fine.

It wasn't until I repented and came
To the Lord as my Shepherd
That I was born again.
Surrendered myself to His rod and staff
Now I experience His comfort at last.

Not on the highway of hell anymore.
My cup runneth over
Praise the Lord!
Praise the LORD!!!

- Tabitha Lovell

Little is Much

I was just looking over some photos from my missions trip to Uganda and came across this photo which I like to call, "Little is Much".  I guess living in America we can so easily forget how much we take for granted.  I hate hearing words like "bored" when we have so much to pray for!  This picture really struck my heart again to remember these little ones and how the box on their bed is really all that they can call their own.  It is interesting to me to see how little is much and much is little sometimes.  It is a matter of perspective I guess.  We need HIS perspective on this situation, to help us not to become apathetic and to help us remember.  The children in this orphanage actually have it very good in comparison to most.  Let the Lord fill us once again with HIS perspective for these children.

I

I really like this photo of our time worshiping the LORD with some of the little children in another region in Uganda.  It was so sweet to see a young member of our missions team lead us in worship with these little children.  I know that the Lord was RIGHT THERE hearing us and pleased with this worship unto His throne.  HALLELUJAH!!  I miss Uganda so much sometimes, but seeing these photos helps me to remember and keep my heart looking for ways to minister and be reaching these children who are miles away...

Until they are safely in families,
~Tabitha

Missions and Adoption Travel Manager
www.adoptionairfare.com
www.cheapmissionstrips.com

Saving Money on Adoption Travel

Did you know that you can have access to special airfare for your International Adoption Travel? If you are not yet familiar with all of the ways that you can save on your humanitarian and adoption travel, you really need to read on! Specialized agents have access to discounted fares for adopting families who adopt internationally. Many families don't realize that they don't have to pay the high fares that are published online for their Adoption Travel. There are special contracted fares that you can use to help you save significantly, especially on the one way trip to bring your child home. Some airlines charge astronomical fares for the one way return flights coming back home for adopted children. However, if you use the special humanitarian fares, there are discounts to help you pay a fraction of the cost of what you will see listed online, if you know an agent who can help you!

Every day families try to book their own flights online for their Adoption Travel, and they come across many problems along the way. One major roadblock is booking the one way return flight home for the adopted child. Families sometimes try to book a round trip since round trip fares are sometimes lower than one way tickets that they are seeing online. These families are not aware that when the child doesn't depart with the rest of their family, their flights are cancelled by the airline. Yikes!! I can't think of a bigger nightmare than to arrive at the airport with your child and your return tickets in hand, only to be told that your child can not travel and will need a whole new one way ticket! Families have literally paid twice for their child tickets home when they have tried taking their travel into their own hands.

It is always best to use an Adoption Travel Agent to help you with this booking, so that you don't have to hassle with the ins and outs of adoption travel. Many people are scared to use a travel agent because they don't want to pay that person money out of pocket. However, when using a good travel agent, not only will you be saving money on your trip, you will also never be stuck with a bill. All of your costs are included in your ticket prices. A good travel agent will never stick you with a bill to pay for their services. Another big benefit of using a travel agent for your international adoption, is that you will not only save money, but you will also have someone who will hassle with the airlines so that you don't have to.

When you take your next trip for any orphan or humanitarian work, please consider using a travel agent who is trained to help you access the lowest fares available for your work. After all, the people you are serving and the children you are adopting could use the extra funds you will be saving.

Until Next time...

Safe Travels,

Tabitha Lovell, International Travel Manager / Owner

http://www.AdoptionAirfare.com

Precious Gems for His Crown

If faith comes by HEARING the Word of God, please do not ever underestimate the POWER of VERBALLY sharing the gospel with those that you encounter.  Yes, gospel tracts are AWESOME, but where are those who are verbally sharing and preaching the gospel out on the streets to the crowds of people dying in their sins?  Where are those who come alongside of a sinner and speak gently the words of LIFE with them?  


We as Christians have this glorious opportunity to store up treasures for our KING when we get to heaven!!  What investment are you making into the Kingdom of God?  What jewels will you have to give Jesus when you get there?  Are you treasuring up for yourself treasures here on earth in the form of antiques, boats... Oh, please remember that these things are not evil in themselves, but they are corruptible.  Moth and rust will corrupt these things and thieves can break in and steal them. OH, if you lay up heavenly treasure, no thief can ever steal it, no rust can never corrupt and no moth can ever destroy it!  I am not talking about throwing your money in an offering basket at church on Sunday.  I am talking about SOULS!! 


Zachariah 9:16


The Lord their God will save them in that day,
As the flock of His people.
For they shall be like the jewels of a crown...


Malachi 3:16-18

¹⁶ Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another,
And the Lord listened and heard them;
So a book of remembrance was written before Him
For those who fear the Lord
And who meditate on His name.

¹⁷ “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts,
“On the day that I make them My jewels.^[a]
And I will spare them
As a man spares his own son who serves him.”
¹⁸ Then you shall again discern
Between the righteous and the wicked,
Between one who serves God
And one who does not serve Him.

Can you imagine it?!!!  Making it to heaven one day and looking across the sea of faces of souls who have been redeemed from Satan's grip and are now so thankful to be in Heaven and SO grateful that someone stopped to share the love of Jesus with them.  Someone cared about them and was not ashamed of Jesus, and opened up their MOUTH to share words of LIFE with them!!  Can you imagine this?!!  And then, to look and see some who YOU invited there!  Oh, what a GLORIOUS day that will be!!  What treasure could be more precious than this?  He who wins souls is wise (Prov. 11:30).  What are you spending your life on?!  What treasure will you have for JESUS when you reach eternity?  Oh, HE is so worthy.  HIS blood spilled for us was not in vain, and did not come without a price.  Oh, let us spend and be spent for the gospel.  Let this life be used up and wasted for HIM just like the oil that Mary poured out on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair (John 12:3).  Let this be a picture of spending out all that is precious to us, and POURING it out on JESUS.  Oh, to have treasure laid up for him, to bless Him with when we get there....


When He Cometh
Hymn- Author Unknown


When He cometh, when He cometh
To make up His jewels,
All His jewels, precious jewels,
His loved and His own.

Like the stars of the morning,
His brightness adorning,
They shall shine in their beauty,
Bright gems for His crown.

He will gather, He will gather
The gems for His kingdom;
All the pure ones, all the bright ones,
His loved and His own.

Like the stars of the morning,
His brightness adorning,
They shall shine in their beauty,
Bright gems for His crown.

Let's make sure we have jewels to offer our Precious LORD when we get there!

Oh, don't be ashamed of Jesus.  SPEAK UP boldly with LOVE for the lost.  You never know who will respond with FAITH as they HEAR the gospel spoken, and sometimes you may never see what happens with a seed that you planted until you reach eternity.  If you tremble and shake when you are talking with someone, don't worry.  This is like working out your salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), and the LORD will be praying for you as you do this (Hebrews 7:25)!  

Onward Christian Soldiers!!

God bless you today as you SPEAK up for Him in Faith!

~Tabitha