June 21st-
Let's rejoice together! We left tabacundo this morning. It is so difficult to even put into words the incredible works of the Lord which we are so unbelievable priviledge to be apart of! We worked in Tupigachi faithfully, boasting in our weaknesses all the while, for 4 weeks. Now we leave there today knowing that God's work was completed for this time in our lives! His Spirit is in that place! Last night we showed the Jesus film in the community center in El Centro (where we work in the schools 2 days a week). We invited all the children and their families through the school and through backpack/door-to-door evangelism. We were blown away by the results last night... 138 people came!!! It was like a gift that was specially picked out by God to give to us as a going away present. Cristina's (who we've been studying with for the month) two younger sisters came! Carmen (who we have also been studying in her home for a month) came and brought her whole family AND sought out us and Kelly to talk to about desiring to study more, specifically this Sunday when the priest in coming into her community to do classes with the people. It was so rewarding to see the people come which we have worked with for a month yet had not really seeing much fruit from, until last night. I also saw men and women walking up last night that I had never even seen before. Kelly said...Girls, those are the parents of all your kids from school! I wish I could thoroughly convey my excitement and awe which I experienced. After the movie, during which we prayed our hearts out for the people, I stood outside looking up that the thousands of stars and then around at the school, catholic church, and park, in this community which 28 days before I was so scared even walking into for the first time. I just reflected on the work which the Lord had done here. He told us to ask for the nations...and the nations HE WILL GIVE!!! Some days it seemed like working with the children was making no impact in the big spectrum of the community but last night God blew my mind with HIS GREATNESS!!! Yesterday we drove through the community of El Centro and could NOT find a house or a person we had not evangelized and invited to the film. What an incredible feeling to know that-FOR NOW, for this trip- we have done what we came here to do and that the work of the Lord is complete! Last night I stood there thinking...THIS IS WHAT OBEDIENCE FEELS LIKE!!!! And let me tell you IT IS WORTH IT ALL!!! It is worth those first days of feeling scared and inadequate! It's worth week 2 of feeling on a high with what the Lord has done yet being faced with spiritual warfare. It's worth week 3 of being faithful with the children who love on you from the minute you arrive at their school and sometimes wonder if anything is happening below the surface, spiritually in their lives. What I experienced last night was SOOO rewarding!!! It is worth is all! Again I repeat, This is what obedience feels like. Let me tell you, my brothers & sisters in Christ, YOU MUST EXPERIENCE THIS OBEDIENCE!!!! I will forever be changed!!!
Let me not fail to mention that we also showed the Jesus movie in Santa Monica the night before at the school and we had 110 people show up!!! There are only 90 families in this mountainous community where the houses are very far apart from one another. The people would have had to walk a long ways on that cold, dark night to come see the film. Several families wanted to study the Bible on a regular basis. One man in particular, named Nelson (not yet a believer), God is working in Greatly! After the film in Santa Monica, one lady said that she wanted to continue to study the Bible. Nelson spoke up and said Come over to my house and study with my family!!! FHC (first house church) of SANTA MONICA!!! Praise the Lord! There is a similar story in El Centro following the film with a man named Paul. He is a believer with a wife and 3 little boys (one of which has fluid on his brain and has to have surgery- Pray for this son). Pray for Nelson & Paul as they rise up as spiritual leaders for their families and for their communities!
Now we are in Quito for 2 days. We have been reunited with the other 3 Summer M Girls! It has been a wonderful day! We leave Monday morning for the jungle where we will do ministry all next week. Thank you so much for being a part of this mission with me. It is not over yet! We are just moving to the next chapter! Praise God that I am not the same person going into this chapter as I was the first one! Keep up the prayers!!!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
An Amazing Week!!!
June 16th-
Things are going great here. Things are very busy and the days are full but I LOVE IT! The team from SeaBreeze Church in Florida and Julie (who came by herself from Oklahoma just because she read about REAP online) have been such a huge blessing to me. Their joy, excitement, and dedication to the people and to the community of Tupigachi (which they adopted through REAP) has renewed my excitement and passion to be here. It is so hard to believe that we are in our last 4 days here in this community. We have tilled the soil for 3 weeks in these communities through prayerwalking, elementary schools, daycares, talking to people on the roads and the leaders in the communities, etc, and NOW with a team of 12 (including us) we are setting up Bible studies left and right!!! We are showing the Jesus film in two communities this week at night and have at least 2 Bible studies everyday!!! On Saturday, we head back to Quito for our big reunion with all 6 of us summer m's!
God is teaching me SO much every single day! Based on some of your replies, I believe that the last e-mail I sent implied alot of discouragement. Please let me clarify...the reason for that message was to show how incredible God's provision was in my life in teaching me that Jesus is working in the dark even when we feel like nothing in happening in the lives of the people which we are ministering to. Let me praise God once more for such a lesson!
All the girls from the team and us three summer Ms studied with Cristina today after school. Elizabeth, the pastor's daughter, which has become a great friend of ours, has worked with us and been with us for the last two days. Her heart and her friendship has been such a great blessing to me. From the first day that I met her, God has put it on my heart for her to get together with Cristina in hopes of continuing the studying of the Bible! Today she was there for the study, so that was exciting. Then all the girls went out to eat together. It was a great day together!
Please continue to pray for Cristina and for her salvation. Today we told her good-bye. After 3 1/2 weeks of knowing her it has brought me to tears several times in the last 2 days because I SO LONG FOR HER TO GET IT!!! For her to understand and to KNOW the Lord and to serve him! She & her family are moving to Quito in August. She will begin University there. Please pray that God will send someone else into her life to continue teaching her the truth and that she will remember and dwell on the things that we have taught her. We also gave her a Bible today. God's word will NOT return void!!!
Okay let me share one more praise with you. The HIGHLIGHT of yesterday...we were sitting on the cancha (concrete slab) at the escuela (elementary school) in Santa Monica with Elizabeth. Several kids came up and the group grew and grew as we sang Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord, in spanish and in english as well as Testify to Love and a song that Elizabeth wrote and we translated into English. But specifically singing Open the Eyes of my Heart Lord was SUCH a worshipful experience as I looked into the dark eyes of these children. As I sang, I cried out the words of this song to the LORD that He would open their hearts to see and know the truth. After we ate our bag lunches just an hour later I was reading, once again in Life As a Vapor by John Piper and it quoted Acts 26:18 which says, "to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'' How much more perfect could God's timing to be!?!?! This is my prayer for these children and for Cristina and for the people of Ecuador and for the people which you will come in contact with today!! That the eyes of their hearts will be opened and turn from darkness and the power of Satan to LIGHT and the power of GOD! THE HARVEST IS HERE!!! THE KINGDOM IS NEAR!!!
June 12th
Today began as a struggle for me from the moment I woke up. But I write to you because of the incredible things that God taught me through that before the day was over! I woke up exhausted and missing my family. I sought something to help me push through and bring renewal. I had all the things around me that SHOULD do that for me, part of the team had already arrived, I'm only 8 days from heading back to reunite with the rest of the group, going hiking up a volcano tomorrow to play in the snow...plenty of things that should make me wake up excited and ready to go. But throughout the day as I continued to faced discouragement in my heart and as it increased through our plans falling through. After we left the empty home of the lady who had told us she wanted to study the Bible with us, we just walked around a bit and talked to a few people. One lady was stand-offish of studying the Bible with us, some kids from the school we teach at barely acted like they knew us, and another couple of boys from the school just laughed at us. My attempted ministry today even seemed pointless and wasted, at least from my discouraged, weary, human eyes. BUT God had a HUGE lesson in store for me when I got back to the hosteria and began to spend some more time with Him. I read that "It often appears that Jesus is defeated." That's how I felt today even in my own life and my desire to finish strong seeming to only be driven by the physical things around me. I didn't want that to be what drove me. So even my desire for Christ seemed defeated. BUT as I continued to read, Piper said that's the way it looked on Good Friday yet Jesus was in contol the WHOLE time. John 10:18 says, "No one takes His life from Him." God worked for 30 years in China, from "inside the grave" just like on Good Friday, before He even revealed His work to us and let believers be in on it. "When it looks as through He is buried for goodk Jusus is doing something awesome in the dark." I felt like today His Wrod was buried & His (and our) plans failed. But He does work in the dark! It's like the grain of wheat in John 12:24...He lets His word and Himself fall and die & then come out in power when and where He desires with hands full of FRUIT from the harvest! The world can NOT hold him, bury him, silence him, or limit him!!! They've tried for 2000 years but it's impossible!!! He is supreme and powerful over ALL things! Through Him and his authority all things were created! Remember Hebrews, He is superior to All Things!!! "He upholds the universe by word of his power!" Hebrew 1:3 How can I not worship when I even begin to grasp such an incredible truth?!?! How can tha tnot just utterly fill me with a smile and excitement to carry me through every moment of every day!!! So though "he has made all his plans hang on the success of His Word proclaimed by frail and sinful men and women (and ME!!!); nevertheless, his purposes CANNOT fail!" He said ask and I'll vie you the nations...The HARVEST is HERE the KINGDOM is NEAR! Greater things are sill to be done in the city. (Much of this came from Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper pages 65-66. I did not come up with all this...God used this book greatly in my life today...just what I needed to hear!)
June 11th
The past couple days have been very encouraging! Donnie, Kenny, & Fletcher are here with us! And as Aunt Ruby promised they brought with them a load of encouragement and renewed vision. First let me follow up on the last e-mail about Cristina. When we left the Internet cabinas on Monday after I wrote that e-mail, we stopped by a couple of stores briefly on the way to the bus. While standing outside one of the stores guess who walked up to me?!?!? CRISTINA!!! Praise the Lord for the non-coincidence...but for his sovereignty. We were able to set up a time to study which was today! It went so well!!! We studied the Parable of the Prodigal son. Brittany and I both shared parts of our testimony and how God has rescued us from times of rebellion and sin in our own lives. It was very exciting! We have an exciting day planned for next Tuesday with Cristina and another christian, Elizabeth (the pastor's daughter in San Pablito). I pray that Elizabeth will continue the studies with Cristina after we leave.
Things are going great here. Things are very busy and the days are full but I LOVE IT! The team from SeaBreeze Church in Florida and Julie (who came by herself from Oklahoma just because she read about REAP online) have been such a huge blessing to me. Their joy, excitement, and dedication to the people and to the community of Tupigachi (which they adopted through REAP) has renewed my excitement and passion to be here. It is so hard to believe that we are in our last 4 days here in this community. We have tilled the soil for 3 weeks in these communities through prayerwalking, elementary schools, daycares, talking to people on the roads and the leaders in the communities, etc, and NOW with a team of 12 (including us) we are setting up Bible studies left and right!!! We are showing the Jesus film in two communities this week at night and have at least 2 Bible studies everyday!!! On Saturday, we head back to Quito for our big reunion with all 6 of us summer m's!
God is teaching me SO much every single day! Based on some of your replies, I believe that the last e-mail I sent implied alot of discouragement. Please let me clarify...the reason for that message was to show how incredible God's provision was in my life in teaching me that Jesus is working in the dark even when we feel like nothing in happening in the lives of the people which we are ministering to. Let me praise God once more for such a lesson!
All the girls from the team and us three summer Ms studied with Cristina today after school. Elizabeth, the pastor's daughter, which has become a great friend of ours, has worked with us and been with us for the last two days. Her heart and her friendship has been such a great blessing to me. From the first day that I met her, God has put it on my heart for her to get together with Cristina in hopes of continuing the studying of the Bible! Today she was there for the study, so that was exciting. Then all the girls went out to eat together. It was a great day together!
Please continue to pray for Cristina and for her salvation. Today we told her good-bye. After 3 1/2 weeks of knowing her it has brought me to tears several times in the last 2 days because I SO LONG FOR HER TO GET IT!!! For her to understand and to KNOW the Lord and to serve him! She & her family are moving to Quito in August. She will begin University there. Please pray that God will send someone else into her life to continue teaching her the truth and that she will remember and dwell on the things that we have taught her. We also gave her a Bible today. God's word will NOT return void!!!
Okay let me share one more praise with you. The HIGHLIGHT of yesterday...we were sitting on the cancha (concrete slab) at the escuela (elementary school) in Santa Monica with Elizabeth. Several kids came up and the group grew and grew as we sang Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord, in spanish and in english as well as Testify to Love and a song that Elizabeth wrote and we translated into English. But specifically singing Open the Eyes of my Heart Lord was SUCH a worshipful experience as I looked into the dark eyes of these children. As I sang, I cried out the words of this song to the LORD that He would open their hearts to see and know the truth. After we ate our bag lunches just an hour later I was reading, once again in Life As a Vapor by John Piper and it quoted Acts 26:18 which says, "to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'' How much more perfect could God's timing to be!?!?! This is my prayer for these children and for Cristina and for the people of Ecuador and for the people which you will come in contact with today!! That the eyes of their hearts will be opened and turn from darkness and the power of Satan to LIGHT and the power of GOD! THE HARVEST IS HERE!!! THE KINGDOM IS NEAR!!!
June 12th
Today began as a struggle for me from the moment I woke up. But I write to you because of the incredible things that God taught me through that before the day was over! I woke up exhausted and missing my family. I sought something to help me push through and bring renewal. I had all the things around me that SHOULD do that for me, part of the team had already arrived, I'm only 8 days from heading back to reunite with the rest of the group, going hiking up a volcano tomorrow to play in the snow...plenty of things that should make me wake up excited and ready to go. But throughout the day as I continued to faced discouragement in my heart and as it increased through our plans falling through. After we left the empty home of the lady who had told us she wanted to study the Bible with us, we just walked around a bit and talked to a few people. One lady was stand-offish of studying the Bible with us, some kids from the school we teach at barely acted like they knew us, and another couple of boys from the school just laughed at us. My attempted ministry today even seemed pointless and wasted, at least from my discouraged, weary, human eyes. BUT God had a HUGE lesson in store for me when I got back to the hosteria and began to spend some more time with Him. I read that "It often appears that Jesus is defeated." That's how I felt today even in my own life and my desire to finish strong seeming to only be driven by the physical things around me. I didn't want that to be what drove me. So even my desire for Christ seemed defeated. BUT as I continued to read, Piper said that's the way it looked on Good Friday yet Jesus was in contol the WHOLE time. John 10:18 says, "No one takes His life from Him." God worked for 30 years in China, from "inside the grave" just like on Good Friday, before He even revealed His work to us and let believers be in on it. "When it looks as through He is buried for goodk Jusus is doing something awesome in the dark." I felt like today His Wrod was buried & His (and our) plans failed. But He does work in the dark! It's like the grain of wheat in John 12:24...He lets His word and Himself fall and die & then come out in power when and where He desires with hands full of FRUIT from the harvest! The world can NOT hold him, bury him, silence him, or limit him!!! They've tried for 2000 years but it's impossible!!! He is supreme and powerful over ALL things! Through Him and his authority all things were created! Remember Hebrews, He is superior to All Things!!! "He upholds the universe by word of his power!" Hebrew 1:3 How can I not worship when I even begin to grasp such an incredible truth?!?! How can tha tnot just utterly fill me with a smile and excitement to carry me through every moment of every day!!! So though "he has made all his plans hang on the success of His Word proclaimed by frail and sinful men and women (and ME!!!); nevertheless, his purposes CANNOT fail!" He said ask and I'll vie you the nations...The HARVEST is HERE the KINGDOM is NEAR! Greater things are sill to be done in the city. (Much of this came from Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper pages 65-66. I did not come up with all this...God used this book greatly in my life today...just what I needed to hear!)
June 11th
The past couple days have been very encouraging! Donnie, Kenny, & Fletcher are here with us! And as Aunt Ruby promised they brought with them a load of encouragement and renewed vision. First let me follow up on the last e-mail about Cristina. When we left the Internet cabinas on Monday after I wrote that e-mail, we stopped by a couple of stores briefly on the way to the bus. While standing outside one of the stores guess who walked up to me?!?!? CRISTINA!!! Praise the Lord for the non-coincidence...but for his sovereignty. We were able to set up a time to study which was today! It went so well!!! We studied the Parable of the Prodigal son. Brittany and I both shared parts of our testimony and how God has rescued us from times of rebellion and sin in our own lives. It was very exciting! We have an exciting day planned for next Tuesday with Cristina and another christian, Elizabeth (the pastor's daughter in San Pablito). I pray that Elizabeth will continue the studies with Cristina after we leave.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
PRAY FOR CRISTINA
You may remember that Cristina is a substitute teacher at one of the schools which we teach at. She is only there some days but we had made plans to study the Bible and english with her at least one if not 2 days a week while we are here. Things have not gone very well...at least from the human perspective. We studied with her once the first day she asked. Then she either wasn´t there or couldn´t until this past sunday. Sunday morning when we went there she was exhausted and had a headache (to say the least) because her family had a big party the night before that went until 6am that morning. So we DID study with her...thankfully God lead us to teach the Bible before English this week because she abruptly had to leave just as we finished the Bible Study. Then today we went and she never came to the gate so we walked back to her house and her little sister said she was not there but had gone to meet up with some friends in another town (Ibarra). So we left, without a plan of when to study next. During our picnic lunch, just before we went to her house and found out we weren´t going to study, I was reading in Life as a Vapor how everything in life whether pleasure or pain is an act of God´s mercy. Everything in my life and in this mission "depends not on human will or exertion but on God, who has mercy." Romans 9:16
Please keep Cristina in your prayers. I do not know the plans which God has or what will come out of this but we will continue in obedience and keep praying for her.
Also, we had a really good study today at Carmen´s house. It was not just the little girl, Denise. Carmen and her son-in-law, Denise, and 2 other children from the school studied Luke 15- the prodical son with us today! We´ll be going back there next week. Pray that Carmen and the other adults in the family will come to and participate in the Bible Studies at their house.
Please keep Cristina in your prayers. I do not know the plans which God has or what will come out of this but we will continue in obedience and keep praying for her.
Also, we had a really good study today at Carmen´s house. It was not just the little girl, Denise. Carmen and her son-in-law, Denise, and 2 other children from the school studied Luke 15- the prodical son with us today! We´ll be going back there next week. Pray that Carmen and the other adults in the family will come to and participate in the Bible Studies at their house.
Monday, June 8, 2009
God´s Prevailing Power
This morning I opened a letter from Britney. Her letter started with this quote....
"God´s prevailing power is released through prayer. That power may come in the form of wisdom- an idea you desperately need and can´t come up with yourself. It may come in the form of courage greater than you could ever muster. It may come in the form of confidence or perseverance, uncommon staying power, a changed attitude,... changed circumstances, maybe even outright miracles. However it comes, God´s prevailing power is released in the lives of people who pray." (Too Busy Not to Pray by Bill Hybels)
This past weekend we have experienced God´s prevailing power through changed circumstances. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, things have not worked out like we hoped in the home of our host family. Yesterday we moved to a hosteria (like a hotel) here in Tabacundo. We are happy and safe there. We rejoice that God is all-knowing from the beginning of time because a team was scheduled to join us this Wednesday and will be staying in the same hosteria. We also thank the Lord for such a wonderful team of missionaries who are so full of love for us as well as love for our Lord and seeing His will done.
We are over half way through our time here in Tabacundo/Tupigachi. We have 11 days of ministry left. Like I said on Wednesday, the first two people of the team arrive (Pastor Donnie & Kenny), as well as Uncle Fletcher and a translator. Fletcher will be out here with us and the team until Friday, then Rick Martinez will return on Saturday. We will hike Volcano Cayambe!!! (Don´t worry it´s not active...it´s snow-capped) Then the rest of the team will join us on Sunday. Rick will spend that week here with us and the team. The NEXT Saturday morning (June 20th) we return to Quito and have our big reunion with the missionaries and the other three summer m´s that have been in the other community! We are excited about that reunion because after just one week spent with those girls, we all feel as if we´ve known each other for years!!! It will be exciting to hear and share stories of what the Lord has done in and through us, as we prepare for the week in the Jungle.
God is answering our prayers about interacting with adults more. Though children are very important and often our door in, if a simple church or bible study is going to be started it is going to be with adults. Today as we walked through Santa Monica, after a great day of Bible storying with the children in the school (which by the way are carrying these stories back across the mountain throughout the families in Santa Monica!!!!), we talked to 4 different women and 3 of the time were able to share some of the gospel with them. We told them all why we are here and left tracks with them all. God even allowed us to make plans with one lady, Maria, to have a Bible study in her house this Friday!!!!
I am so thankful for what God is doing here. I read today in Life as a Vapor by John Piper that "looking back is looking on the past providence of God: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20.) And looking forward is looking on the future providence of God: "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps" (Proverbs 16:9.)...Every moment will be a point of gratitude toward the past and faith toward the future....Just think what kind of people we would be in the next year for the cause of Christ if we were continually humbled by our backward look of gratitude and continually emboldened by our forward look of faith!" This brings me back to the prevailing power and now providence of God in our lives, especially of those who maintain a spirit of prayer. I see God´s prevailing power as we walk up and down rocky, mountain roads, as He puts women into our paths who already know we are there by their children and are ready to study God´s word. I see God´s prevailing power through difficult and challenging circumstances which changes suddenly before us. And I see God´s prevailing power as I reflect that HE HAS ALREADY WON THE VICTORY, despite the sin infected world which we are working and in which we all live, both at home and here in Ecuador.
The realization of this stronghold which sin so easily entangles these people (and could easily entangle each of us as believers as well) is not a new reality! In fact Philippians 3 says, "For many, as I have often told you even now with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown Stand FIRM thus in the Lord, my beloved." I have always known of sin in the world but now I realize even with tears, as Paul said here, how ruthlessly unsatisfying this destruction is. SO many walk as enemies of the cross. BUT we have hope! We can not get discouraged or back off from telling everyone! This realization only makes the need all the more urgent!!! "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful...we are not those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls" (Hebrews 10:23, 39.)
"God´s prevailing power is released through prayer. That power may come in the form of wisdom- an idea you desperately need and can´t come up with yourself. It may come in the form of courage greater than you could ever muster. It may come in the form of confidence or perseverance, uncommon staying power, a changed attitude,... changed circumstances, maybe even outright miracles. However it comes, God´s prevailing power is released in the lives of people who pray." (Too Busy Not to Pray by Bill Hybels)
This past weekend we have experienced God´s prevailing power through changed circumstances. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, things have not worked out like we hoped in the home of our host family. Yesterday we moved to a hosteria (like a hotel) here in Tabacundo. We are happy and safe there. We rejoice that God is all-knowing from the beginning of time because a team was scheduled to join us this Wednesday and will be staying in the same hosteria. We also thank the Lord for such a wonderful team of missionaries who are so full of love for us as well as love for our Lord and seeing His will done.
We are over half way through our time here in Tabacundo/Tupigachi. We have 11 days of ministry left. Like I said on Wednesday, the first two people of the team arrive (Pastor Donnie & Kenny), as well as Uncle Fletcher and a translator. Fletcher will be out here with us and the team until Friday, then Rick Martinez will return on Saturday. We will hike Volcano Cayambe!!! (Don´t worry it´s not active...it´s snow-capped) Then the rest of the team will join us on Sunday. Rick will spend that week here with us and the team. The NEXT Saturday morning (June 20th) we return to Quito and have our big reunion with the missionaries and the other three summer m´s that have been in the other community! We are excited about that reunion because after just one week spent with those girls, we all feel as if we´ve known each other for years!!! It will be exciting to hear and share stories of what the Lord has done in and through us, as we prepare for the week in the Jungle.
God is answering our prayers about interacting with adults more. Though children are very important and often our door in, if a simple church or bible study is going to be started it is going to be with adults. Today as we walked through Santa Monica, after a great day of Bible storying with the children in the school (which by the way are carrying these stories back across the mountain throughout the families in Santa Monica!!!!), we talked to 4 different women and 3 of the time were able to share some of the gospel with them. We told them all why we are here and left tracks with them all. God even allowed us to make plans with one lady, Maria, to have a Bible study in her house this Friday!!!!
I am so thankful for what God is doing here. I read today in Life as a Vapor by John Piper that "looking back is looking on the past providence of God: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20.) And looking forward is looking on the future providence of God: "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps" (Proverbs 16:9.)...Every moment will be a point of gratitude toward the past and faith toward the future....Just think what kind of people we would be in the next year for the cause of Christ if we were continually humbled by our backward look of gratitude and continually emboldened by our forward look of faith!" This brings me back to the prevailing power and now providence of God in our lives, especially of those who maintain a spirit of prayer. I see God´s prevailing power as we walk up and down rocky, mountain roads, as He puts women into our paths who already know we are there by their children and are ready to study God´s word. I see God´s prevailing power through difficult and challenging circumstances which changes suddenly before us. And I see God´s prevailing power as I reflect that HE HAS ALREADY WON THE VICTORY, despite the sin infected world which we are working and in which we all live, both at home and here in Ecuador.
The realization of this stronghold which sin so easily entangles these people (and could easily entangle each of us as believers as well) is not a new reality! In fact Philippians 3 says, "For many, as I have often told you even now with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown Stand FIRM thus in the Lord, my beloved." I have always known of sin in the world but now I realize even with tears, as Paul said here, how ruthlessly unsatisfying this destruction is. SO many walk as enemies of the cross. BUT we have hope! We can not get discouraged or back off from telling everyone! This realization only makes the need all the more urgent!!! "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful...we are not those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls" (Hebrews 10:23, 39.)
Friday, June 5, 2009
Friday Praises & Request
Today on our way out to a daycare to work with the children (which went great...from telling the Bible story to washing dishes after their lunch!), I talked to a lady at the bus stop for about 20 or 30 minutes. I shared the gospel with her (the best I could with God´s provision) and she shared somethings about her life. Though I did not understand alot of what she was pouring out, I sensed her desperation and that she is going through a hard time with a relationship as well as with work. Her name is Laurdes. She is moving in a few weeks from Cayambe to another part of Ecuador because she is not getting paid properly for her work. I prayed with her. We walked through town together a bit to (while finding our transportation). Before we left, I gave her a couple of tracks to further explain what we had talked about. As we said goodbye, she hugged me and cried. She asked if there was anything else I could give her to remember me. I told her just keep reading the tracks and we would be praying for her. A lady who is lost spiritually, and seemingly lost in the world. She was hungry for truth! I will most likely never lay eyes on her again, yet I don´t think I will ever forget her face. Pray for Laurdes to find the loving relationship with our Savior who, as I told her, loves her more than any other type of love in this world. Pray that someone else will enter her life and take her one more step closer to knowing the Lord.
The children´s program with the Baptist church in Tabacundo went very well this afternoon. We had 45 kids attend. We did the evangelcube, taught them some songs, told a Bible story, played games with them in the park. Then we went to the church for a video. They showed a very old fashion, spanish-dubbed version of the story of Joseph. They were given a snack and they left. Then we prayed with the 5 church members there for the children and their families as the truth enters their homes tonight through the children. Continue to pray for the baptist church here to continue the work here.
The children´s program with the Baptist church in Tabacundo went very well this afternoon. We had 45 kids attend. We did the evangelcube, taught them some songs, told a Bible story, played games with them in the park. Then we went to the church for a video. They showed a very old fashion, spanish-dubbed version of the story of Joseph. They were given a snack and they left. Then we prayed with the 5 church members there for the children and their families as the truth enters their homes tonight through the children. Continue to pray for the baptist church here to continue the work here.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
A Changed Heart Ready to Obey
I just realized that I have not updated you all since Sunday! So let me try to select the highlights and give you the readers digest version...
God has done a great work in my life in the last week. He has transitioned me FROM merely surviving and feeling as if I am floating through this trip in a cloud watching what God is doing rather than actually experiencing it and soaking it all in TO experiencing the work that God is doing here and growing in my walk with Him each day. Sunday night, I told the Lord that I was done praying survival prayers and would not on being praying for growth! The past 4 days have been drastically different. Praise the Lord!
Praise- Monday we had a great day at the school in Santa Monica. The children really seemed to GET IT! Today, while Rick and the Jessicas (two journeyman) were out visiting us and going with us to do our work and take pictures for the website of some of us working in some of our regular places, we saw some the the children from that school and today- 4 days later- they were repeating the story! We got them into a group and they could completely retell the Bible story!!!! So encouraging! They also said they had told their families like we had told them!
Keep praying- We were unable to meet with Cristina yet this week to study the Bible. However we do have plans to meet with her on Sunday morning at 11am (12pm NC time).
New opportunity- Tomorrow (Friday @ 2pm - 3pm NC time) we will be evangelizing/talking to kids in the park here in Tabacundo with the local baptist church. After an hour & half or so we will invite all the kids to come down the street to the church for a Bible Story Movie that the church is going to show! This is the product of us talking to the pastor after church sunday night. He is very thankful that the missionaries want to join in the with local church to do the Lords work rather than just come in and do our own thing. Pray that the church will catch the fire of the desire to see their town come to know Christ and continue the work on their own. Also opportunities have opened up in our home with our host family. The father, Papi Luis, has been a believer for 1 year and has a huge heart that is broken with the desire to see his sons, brothers, sisters, and parents come to know the Lord as well. His consuming desire, more than any I´ve ever seen is to KNOW the scriptures well enough to teach it and explain it to his Catholic, lost family. God supplied ABUNDANTLY the spanish words on Monday after dinner for us to help him with some questions. PRAISE GOD! I experienced just want many of your promised before I left, that even in spanish God would give me the words to say. HE DID! I could not even believe what was coming out of my mouth! An Acts 2 experience for sure! Something I will NEVER forget! Please pray for Papi Luis as he studies and for courage to share the truth with his family even if he does not have all the answers! And also for us to be used in his life to help him grow and be examples to him. Also pray for Carlito, their 19yr old son who is not a believer and for our influence on his life.
Today after visiting with Rick and the Jessicas, I feel as though God is about to require more of me! With them today we walked around and talked to and witnessed to everyone we saw, or Rick did. I WANT TO...NEED to do that! Both now and when I return home. I want that to be the uncontrollable desire of my heart. I want to pray to fight off the evil ones holds in their lives and hold nothing back! So please pray for me as I try to finish the race (at least this last 16days in this area) here running much stronger than I have been up to this point. Pray for me as I try to read my Bible in Spanish daily, study the message of the gospel in Spanish, and study the difficult subjects such as praying to the virgin Mary and idolatry! This task once again seems overwhelming...HUGE! But as we have seen thus far, God is able to do far more than we could ever ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20,21)!
The days are busy here now pray for endurance and an extra dose of provision for opportunities! I know that we will leave here with much more work to be done but I want to be confident that I have done ALL that God has set before me, not letting a single opportunity slip by!
Hear the words of this song that has so spoken to my heart on Sunday night as God built a monument in my spiritual walk with Him...
I need you like a hurricane,
thunder-crashing, wind & rain
to tear my walls down
I am only yours now.
I need you like burning flame.
wild-fire untamed
to burn these walls down
I´m only YOURS now!
If destruction is what I need. I´ll receive it from Thee!
Though the first week was so hard here, I would not trade it! Praise God for what He taught me and for what he is currently teaching me...
I know I said this would be the readers digest version but really...It´s Katie! Is that actually possible?!?! So before I close let me share with you what God is currently teaching me...If you want to sign off now...that's all the updates for now! Keep praying....
Obedience is difficult. Sometimes obedience means suffering. I look for a life of comfort and ease but that is not the obedience that God has called us to as believers. Hebrews 5:8 says that Jesus learned obedience through his sufferings. Jesus cried out in a loud voice and tears to be saved from death. He WAS heard but still he was obedient and thus he suffered. So does that mean that it is God´s will for us to suffer? If that's what it takes for us to obediently fulfill His will. To me, to be lonely and away from my family is suffering. I struggle with what God is going to call me to do after graduation. Then I go back to the responce of a friend when asked what would he do with a christian studies degree. He confidently responded, "I´m going to be obedient." And in that I will also find my hope and peace! Pray for me to delight myself solely in the Lord so that as promised in Psalm 37:4 my desires will become whatever His desires are for my life. Whatever he calls me to, I want to be obedient, even if that means suffering. For we can find our hope in knowing that even my whole life is small in comparison to eternity which God has prepared for us and invited us to share it! Please pray that this will become the solid foundational beliefs of my heart so that I can come through with obedience WHATEVER He calls me to do!
Okay, if someone could talk the ears off of a group from 5000 miles away it would be me! Thank you all for your love and support. I am indescribably gratefully for you all going through this journey with me!
God has done a great work in my life in the last week. He has transitioned me FROM merely surviving and feeling as if I am floating through this trip in a cloud watching what God is doing rather than actually experiencing it and soaking it all in TO experiencing the work that God is doing here and growing in my walk with Him each day. Sunday night, I told the Lord that I was done praying survival prayers and would not on being praying for growth! The past 4 days have been drastically different. Praise the Lord!
Praise- Monday we had a great day at the school in Santa Monica. The children really seemed to GET IT! Today, while Rick and the Jessicas (two journeyman) were out visiting us and going with us to do our work and take pictures for the website of some of us working in some of our regular places, we saw some the the children from that school and today- 4 days later- they were repeating the story! We got them into a group and they could completely retell the Bible story!!!! So encouraging! They also said they had told their families like we had told them!
Keep praying- We were unable to meet with Cristina yet this week to study the Bible. However we do have plans to meet with her on Sunday morning at 11am (12pm NC time).
New opportunity- Tomorrow (Friday @ 2pm - 3pm NC time) we will be evangelizing/talking to kids in the park here in Tabacundo with the local baptist church. After an hour & half or so we will invite all the kids to come down the street to the church for a Bible Story Movie that the church is going to show! This is the product of us talking to the pastor after church sunday night. He is very thankful that the missionaries want to join in the with local church to do the Lords work rather than just come in and do our own thing. Pray that the church will catch the fire of the desire to see their town come to know Christ and continue the work on their own. Also opportunities have opened up in our home with our host family. The father, Papi Luis, has been a believer for 1 year and has a huge heart that is broken with the desire to see his sons, brothers, sisters, and parents come to know the Lord as well. His consuming desire, more than any I´ve ever seen is to KNOW the scriptures well enough to teach it and explain it to his Catholic, lost family. God supplied ABUNDANTLY the spanish words on Monday after dinner for us to help him with some questions. PRAISE GOD! I experienced just want many of your promised before I left, that even in spanish God would give me the words to say. HE DID! I could not even believe what was coming out of my mouth! An Acts 2 experience for sure! Something I will NEVER forget! Please pray for Papi Luis as he studies and for courage to share the truth with his family even if he does not have all the answers! And also for us to be used in his life to help him grow and be examples to him. Also pray for Carlito, their 19yr old son who is not a believer and for our influence on his life.
Today after visiting with Rick and the Jessicas, I feel as though God is about to require more of me! With them today we walked around and talked to and witnessed to everyone we saw, or Rick did. I WANT TO...NEED to do that! Both now and when I return home. I want that to be the uncontrollable desire of my heart. I want to pray to fight off the evil ones holds in their lives and hold nothing back! So please pray for me as I try to finish the race (at least this last 16days in this area) here running much stronger than I have been up to this point. Pray for me as I try to read my Bible in Spanish daily, study the message of the gospel in Spanish, and study the difficult subjects such as praying to the virgin Mary and idolatry! This task once again seems overwhelming...HUGE! But as we have seen thus far, God is able to do far more than we could ever ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20,21)!
The days are busy here now pray for endurance and an extra dose of provision for opportunities! I know that we will leave here with much more work to be done but I want to be confident that I have done ALL that God has set before me, not letting a single opportunity slip by!
Hear the words of this song that has so spoken to my heart on Sunday night as God built a monument in my spiritual walk with Him...
I need you like a hurricane,
thunder-crashing, wind & rain
to tear my walls down
I am only yours now.
I need you like burning flame.
wild-fire untamed
to burn these walls down
I´m only YOURS now!
If destruction is what I need. I´ll receive it from Thee!
Though the first week was so hard here, I would not trade it! Praise God for what He taught me and for what he is currently teaching me...
I know I said this would be the readers digest version but really...It´s Katie! Is that actually possible?!?! So before I close let me share with you what God is currently teaching me...If you want to sign off now...that's all the updates for now! Keep praying....
Obedience is difficult. Sometimes obedience means suffering. I look for a life of comfort and ease but that is not the obedience that God has called us to as believers. Hebrews 5:8 says that Jesus learned obedience through his sufferings. Jesus cried out in a loud voice and tears to be saved from death. He WAS heard but still he was obedient and thus he suffered. So does that mean that it is God´s will for us to suffer? If that's what it takes for us to obediently fulfill His will. To me, to be lonely and away from my family is suffering. I struggle with what God is going to call me to do after graduation. Then I go back to the responce of a friend when asked what would he do with a christian studies degree. He confidently responded, "I´m going to be obedient." And in that I will also find my hope and peace! Pray for me to delight myself solely in the Lord so that as promised in Psalm 37:4 my desires will become whatever His desires are for my life. Whatever he calls me to, I want to be obedient, even if that means suffering. For we can find our hope in knowing that even my whole life is small in comparison to eternity which God has prepared for us and invited us to share it! Please pray that this will become the solid foundational beliefs of my heart so that I can come through with obedience WHATEVER He calls me to do!
Okay, if someone could talk the ears off of a group from 5000 miles away it would be me! Thank you all for your love and support. I am indescribably gratefully for you all going through this journey with me!
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