LIVE SIMPLY - CARE DEEPLY - HEROIC CONFIDENCE

Monday, August 23, 2010

God's Humor and Provision, Sometimes They Go Hand in Hand...

On our last stretch of this amazing trek called "missionary preparation," we have duly experienced many amazing and God inspired moments... No, I am not in the planning stages of writing a book, blogging alone seems to be a challenge! I was a bit dismayed to see it had been May when I last shared even the tiniest bit of our life here in blog land... But my plans are to get better... Okay, onward....
This last stretch being the on my gosh, do I dare even write this "support raising stretch." I have to laugh because of what the Lord has done for us in introducing Steve & I to Henri. Henri is an amazing answer to our prayers in this regard... He opened our eyes and heart to the truth of this stretch of our ministry being just as important as when we reach the sounds, sands and people of Playa del Carmen, Mexico! Truth is we are building our "Verizon Team." As the Lord showed me the team we are leaving here are not actually being left here, they are going with us in Spirit, heart, finances and strength. We would not be going if not for them!!

Experiences and testimonies are the heart beat of my being, and this one takes the cake for the humor the Lord hold opens wide for us. If you don't already know we serve a very hysterically funny and exhilarating God!

Steve and I set out to do our very first presentation with a very dear friend, that we knew would be extremely kind to us... Sue, met us at her front door with courtesy and interest, we then we preceded sharing with her the many stories and confirmations of our pending adventure to the mission field of Mexico... At the front door, we were departing from an enjoyable time of sharing, I noticed in a box two mink stoles and preceded to give Sue my expertise advice of how to sell them on eBay! She stopped me and remarked "I do not know about eBay and really don't have time to." Then as she contemplated and looked from the stoles to myself and then Steve, she bent down and picked them up from the box with a smile upon her familiar, sweet face she exclaims to me, as she is handing them over. "Here, you take them and sell them and whatever you make put into your ministry!" Oh for goodness sake I cannot even describle the rolling laughter that welled up in each of us as we looked upon these once upon a time precious pieces of Sue's mothers history... I could only exclaim to Steve "These are our first furry seeds into our ministry!" On walking back to the car and still laughing at the humor of our God, I realized I was missing the Kodak moment, I ran back up to Sue's front door and politely asked if I could get her picture to help finish off the neccessary visual for our story of the "furry seeds."
Nothing is impossible with our God and He never fails us to give us a piece of His sense of humor. Be aware and you too will experience it first hand!!

Monday, May 3, 2010

*AND ALONG COMES GOD*


Before beginning my adventure for a month in Playa del Carmen with my extraordinarily talented girlfriend, Debi, to who never ceases to impress me with her ability to share the Lord at a drop of a hat actually there it would probably be at the drop of a sombrero. She would stretch my capability to catch all that was spoken in Spanish but always cause my curiosity to peak at what was being said. Which of course drove me to my knees and stretched every brain cell to learn the language.
Okay, okay getting back to before I left, I spent some of my waking hours being drawn to look at homes for sale in Playa, one in particular repeatedly kept coming to my mind. It being a wonderful mission style Spanish home in some part of the downtown area, which actually in my knowledge of Playa at that time could have just about been anywhere.
I left the states with several printouts of homes in hand, well not exactly in hand rather in suitcase…. Shortly after arriving I happened upon this particular home, surprised at it being right around the corner from where I was residing with my Spanish speaking, drop at a sombrero prayer warrior friend, Debi….. We immediately set up an appointment with the owner, but ended up having an engaging encounter with her maid, to whom lovingly gave us a detailed guided tour of this wonderful abode…
A couple of days later we were able and ready to meet with the owner, Marticruz in all of her amazing and respectful Spanish countenance. She graciously invited us in and proceeded to welcome us to meet with her in the living area. As we began our conversation you could tangibly feel that the Lord had great things about to occur in this encounter. Of course in our humanness our desire was for favorable outcome with the price. Oh boy, were we wrong, wrong, wrong…. As discussion proceeded the price went up, yes, I said up…. Turns out pirating on the internet for homes for sales by realtors can be common! Marticruz had no idea how or why the ad was on the internet! Then as if things could not get any more confusing or disturbing she gave us the real price! Oh boy, the tears welled up and I seriously felt overcome with grief, I really like this home…. BUT, as I walked discouraged back to Debi’s palapa, to retrieve the internet ad, I asked “What is this about Lord?” I so distinctly and clearly heard Him sweetly say back to me “Do you trust me daughter?” Oh boy, I knew then we were in for something beyond what we expected in this house hunting encounter….. Especially, after He said it again on my walk back to this defiantly unusual situation.
When I returned, Marticruz was physically upset over the pirated advertisement of her home. Debi caught in the middle of this play was the lightning fast interpreter. But somewhere along the way the Lord had her share with Marticruz the reason for Steve and my relocating to this colorful, culturally different environment. This began to soften our new friend and opened the door for Debi to engage her into her own encounter with our Savior and how it changed her life. Debi knew without a doubt we were there to ask the question, “Would you like to ask the Lord into your heart today?” The Lord goes before all things to set up His timing and soften the hearts of those He chooses and Marticruz’s time was right then. NOW we knew the real and structured reason why many miles back in Oregon I was drawn to this particular false but appealing ad.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

* His Grace is Sufficient *

If the Lord's grace is sufficient for me each and every day, than I must challenge myself to always show that kind of grace to others. I have a "grace grower" in my life, she has been there for quite a few years. Each time that I am challenged by an unexpected attack from her, I learn something new about my relationship with my Lord and how much He continually pours out His grace to me. I am taken to a new level of intercession in prayer and have another awakening of the importance of forgiveness and how short that leash must be for me to constantly determine my will to be in alignment with His.
As our ministry, character and our life's purpose of doing His work was again attacked by this person I purposed myself to respond in my heart to love and intercede.
John 13:34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
This is not a suggestion for me for when I like the person and they are easy to love, it is a command for me to respond with every fiber I have in my body. I want the fullness of what the Lord has for me every day, I want to walk all the days of my life with an eraser on my heart, erasing all the dark that whats to swell up and choke out truth, love and kindness. Don't get me wrong, this does not come easy for me, in the natural we do not respond in this manner, but if we want to align ourselves with the goodness and favor of our Savior we must purpose ourselves to walk this out. I can do this because I live in brokenness for this person, I am seriously broken hearted that she is not willing to let go and understand that without forgiveness we are not forgiven, that the root of bitterness is witchcraft and the Lord wants to remove that heart of stone and replace it with the heart of flesh. I want the fullness and richness of forgiveness to overwhelm her in her heart and her spirit. To walk out all the days of her life in the freedom that comes from purposing ourselves to ask of the Lord if there is anything I need to repent of, and have a heart that runs hard after His.
I say to the Lord "thank you for grace growers." Because without them we tend to let that leash grow longer and we do not see the chipping and craving He is doing in us as well.
My relationship with my Lord is my driving force to love unconditionally and such, may it be yours as well.....

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Gabby - future hairstylist in Ek Balam

I will be visiting Ek Balam during my time in Playa del Carmen. While in Ek I am going to have the opportunity to teach and work with Gabby. She has a desire the Lord has put within her to do hair in her village. Here I get to join with the Lord's work, I am able to bring her the tools to start a career in this field and help her to work out the detail to not only provide for herself but have part of her income go into a kitty for her community. To help meet needs that arise, such as repairing their only corn masher in the village, or perhaps help to prepare the pump for their corn crops. We are not guessing to imagine how the Lord will use this to better and help provide for the Ek Balam community, but I am very excited to do my small part while I am there.
Gabby, future hairstylist in Ek Balam
Steve and I are very excited and feeling pretty pumped right now! We just received word that our Area Director, Ted Vail just received our letter of invitation from the National Church in Mexico. Meaning we now will have in hand our last requirement we need before our ministry proposal goes before the Foursquare Missions board! We are moving ahead!