All Things Made New

"And He said to me, 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.'" - Rev. 21:6-7

What a comfort and a joy to remember that God is our all in all! He satisfies all our needs. He makes all things new, and is about to give us a new year to experience new things. Praise the Lord!

Speaking of a new year, it is also almost the new semester of school. As I thought about that, I decided it was time for me to head to school today and start working again. I used the afternoon to unload school supplies, start delivering needed items to teachers, and start getting organized. I also looked at schedules again and had to start making some decisions. I am also redistributing furniture so all the teachers have enough tables and chairs for the students they will have. There is still lots to do, but at least now I have begun the process of getting ready for a new semester.

The other nice thing about today was the arrival of a family that used to live and work here. They are visiting until Saturday. It was wonderful to see them, and to see how much the kids have grown. The oldest son was one of my students during my first year here. I am looking forward to spending some time with them and catching up over the next couple of days.

I wish you all a Happy New Year!

My Christmas Week in Review

"Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." - Revelation 19:7

It's been a very busy but good week. I'll just give a day by day rundown.

Monday: Took my roommate to the airport so she could surprise her parents for Christmas.

Tuesday: Started housesitting for a couple in my ministry. On my way up to their house, I got a call from a friend who asked if I would help with Christmas preparations for his ministry. After getting settled in the house, I went and spent the rest of the afternoon stuffing stockings and wrapping gifts.

Christmas Eve: Back to my friend's ministry. I helped with final preparations and gift wrapping. I also just hung out with the guys. That evening, I got to experience a traditional Honduran Christmas in the city. The evening was filled with the sounds of firecrackers going off at regular intervals. That lasted until we headed down the hill at 10:30pm where we would be having an 11pm dinner. I helped serve a meal of chicken, rice, salad, bread, and tortillas. Presents were distributed after dinner for a midnight opening. Most Hondurans then stay up the rest of the night. I was dropped off at the apartment where I spent the night and was asleep by 1:30AM.

Christmas Day: After meeting back up with my friend for a cup of coffee, I went back to the house where I was staying to feed the animals. I had a little problem with the neighbor's dog (which I was also taking care of). He decided to bully the Mission House dog, which was also under my care (I was caring for four dogs and two cats). Not knowing how the dog would respond to me (a stranger), I decided to stay out of it. When the dogs had finally calmed and were in their own yards, I went back to my friend's ministry. Together, we spent the afternoon cooking a traditional North American Christmas turkey dinner, complete with all the trimmings, for 52 people. It was definitely an all-day project, but well worth it. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. I was exhausted by the end of the evening. I think I finally finished the last of the dishes just a little before 9pm. I said goodnight to everyone and went back to the house.

Friday: I awoke to find there was no electricity. I fed the dogs and had a repeat performance of the neighbor's dog attacking the Mission House dog. Not a good start to the day. I called the couple that runs my ministry's Bridge House, and decided to spend the day with them. After lunch, I drove down to the Bridge House and chatted with my friends there. We ran some errands in the afternoon, got a pizza for dinner, and watched a movie while eating. After dinner, I spent the evening playing King's Corner and Uno with the ministry boy that lives with them. He beat me most games.

Saturday: I returned to the ranch. It was a nice quiet day at home.

Today: I drove the parents of one of my teachers to the airport after playing piano at church. Since they had over an hour wait after checking in, I left them there and returned to the church. I got there just in time for the closing benediction. I had time to visit with some friends, and then went to lunch with my friend, his ministry boys, and their visiting group. I left lunch early to go back and pick up the teacher from the airport. We got groceries, and then drove back to the ranch. I had just enough time to put groceries away and get changed before starting to cook dinner for the House of Timothy. I made them two roasted chickens, potatoes with cheese, and corn. Actually, the house dad made the canned corn. :) The House of Timothy consists of six teenage boys, but only five were there tonight.

So that's been my week. I had a really nice Christmas, probably the best since being here in Honduras. I hope that everyone reading this had a wonderful, Christ-centered Christmas as well.

Remember the Poor this Christmas

"I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the poor. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; the upright shall dwell in Your presence." -Psalm 140:12-13

In this Christmas season, I have thought more on the needs of the poor. Please forgive me if I get on my soapbox, but there are some things that are heavy on my heart.

I'll just start with the good that I experienced today. This morning I went to the baptism of a young man in another ministry. It is always exciting to see how God brings young men and women out of difficult situations, draws them to Himself, and gives them everlasting life in Christ. I mentioned the two baptisms of our own ministry kids just a few weeks ago. There is much reason for rejoicing when youths publicly profess their faith in Jesus Christ. I believe it a wonderful testimony to others, and today's was no different. Another youth was asking a lot of really good questions about baptism as we celebrated it.

After the baptism, I went with the group to a Spanish speaking church in the city. They had a children's Christmas program, followed by a Gospel message. The children's program talked about the importance of giving. It ties into my overall thoughts this evening.

I then had lunch with a good friend. We got talking about the difficulties that ministries are facing as a result of the financial situation in the States. One of the things that I really struggle with are Christian organizations in the U.S. that focus their time, efforts, and finances to keeping the word "Christmas" in major stores and corporations. Now please understand, I too know that Jesus is the reason for Christmas, and major corporations use it as a marketing tool without giving glory to God by calling it the "holidays." But in the grand scheme of things, is it really worth the fight? I look at the boy who was baptized this morning, rescued from the streets of Tegucigalpa. He is now a believer and publicly professed his faith in Christ. God used a ministry that reaches out to street kids to rescue him. I listen to the Christmas messages of giving. I hear that Christmas is not about the gifts we give and receive, but about Christ. What was Christ's main focus? People! He loved people so much that He was willing to give up being in Heaven with His Father for a time, put on human flesh, and become the perfect sacrifice for our salvation. When He was on the earth, he loved people. And that is what He commands us to do! Love one another! Deuteronomy 15:11 says, "For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, 'You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.'" So why am I on my soapbox? Because I see Christian organizations spending money on keeping Christ in Christmas instead of being Christ to the poor. Because I see megachurches building multi-million dollar churches rather than using that money for missions and ministries. Because there are ministries all over the world taking care of the poor, the widows, and the orphans, that are suffering and unable to provide enough because the economy in the U.S. is such that people can no longer give out of their excess. It would actually become sacrificial giving, and that is not comfortable.

Now please know that I realize there are MANY people who give sacrificially. I am the recipient of some of that, and I appreciate every person that supports me and my ministry. Where I struggle is knowing that the church as a whole has only a small percentage of people who tithe to their churches, much less giving to charity. Some people give to charities a few times throughout the year, others give their year-end tax dollars. But what about the young, dirty faces I see on the street? The kids who sleep on the park benches? The elderly who are just waiting to die with no one to care for them? The crippled men and women begging on the streets because they cannot work? I could be describing any city in the world, including the U.S. Seeing it on a regular basis (and I mean SEEING it, not just letting it pass you by) begins to change your perspective on life. Living comfortably does not seem so important when you realize that there are many who have nowhere to go, and do not know where the next meal is coming from. If you have a place to sleep, food on the table, and clothes on your back, you are truly blessed.

This Christmas season, I encourage all of us to look at our finances, and realize it all belongs to God. If Jesus were to decide how to spend it, what would He decide? Who would get it? How much? Would He build a new church building and fight to have His name mentioned in the store ads, or would He feed the poor and rescue children from the streets? I think we all know the answer. May we consider these things as we remember the true meaning of Christmas.

A Christmas Surprise for a Ranch Teacher

"Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!'" - Rev. 11:15

Today was a really fun day for me. I had to lie to one of my teachers, but it was for a good cause. I told her I had to go to the airport to pick up a prospective missionary couple that was coming for a visit, but I didn't want to go alone. So she came along. I used the names and descriptions of my former Shepherd Group leaders in the States. As we stood at the exit to immigration, looking for this couple I had never met, I was filled with excitement and anticipation. As the couple came around the glass barrier, I pulled out my camera. When she saw them, she gasped in amazement and broke into tears. The couple was not the promised missionary couple, but rather her parents. They decided to surprise her for Christmas. I had known of their visit since sometime in October. Seeing her response made the trip well worth it. I was blessed to be a part of her surprise.

We spent the rest of the afternoon getting lunch and getting groceries. Obviously, she hadn't planned on guests for the week. With holiday traffic, it took longer than expected, so we did not return to the ranch until evening. We were pleasantly surprised, however, that the electric company had come and restored power that afternoon. We have been without since Thursday.

Overall, it was a wonderful, but tiring day.

A Joyful Return to Zion

"Bring back our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the South. Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." - Psalm 126:4-6

I had to get a ride to church this morning, because my car had a flat tire. Thankfully, my next door neighbor decided to go to the city today and offered to take me to get the tire fixed. I was blessed to hear the sermon my pastor preached. He preached on "Furthering the Gospel with our Lives." I have a couple of close friends who have been going through some difficult things. Honestly, so have I, so we have been able to encourage one another and pray with each other through them. The pastor's main point was that "The purpose of your life, no matter what your situation or circumstances, is to further the Gospel." When I remind myself that this life is not about me, it is so much easier to face difficult circumstances. I pray that everything in my life will point others to Jesus Christ. Then I read Scriptures like the one above from Psalm 126, and I am reminded that even when the Jews were taken into captivity as a result of their sin, God had mercy on them and allowed a remnant to return to Jerusalem. When we walk in obedience to the Lord, he turns our sorrows into joy. If I am able to stay focused on Jesus Christ and use my circumstances to glorify God, then I am serving Him as I am called to do. Only then will I experience a joyful return from the desert into the Promised Land.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Tonight my roommate Sara and I decided it was time to decorate our house for Christmas. We went to the city during the day, and got egg nog for the big event. After dinner, we rearranged our living room a hundred times (ok, that's an exaggeration) and decided where to put the Christmas tree. We are now sitting in our living room with the lights off except for the Christmas tree lights, and listening to Christmas music. I love this time of year.

Love in Action

"By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." - 1 John 3:16

Today started out in a very frustrating way, but thankfully got much better. It started with me attempting to contact my credit card company to activate my new card. Now my original card had been compromised by a merchant, so the company automatically changed my account number. They sent me an e-mail telling me to call and activate the new card. Well, when I originally got the e-mail, the new card had not arrived yet, and probably wouldn't for several weeks. So I contacted them as requested, and they said they could rush another card to someone who was coming and could bring it to me. They did. When the card arrived, I called to activate it while I was in the city. Before I could activate it, I had to tell them again the address where I had the new one rushed. I had that information back at the ranch, so I was going to have to call again. This was after they already asked me all the security questions to verify it was me. I asked if since they verified me with all the security questions if they could trust that I had received the card, it was not stolen. No. So I tried calling back at the ranch on my cell phone. I went through all the security questions, but the call got dropped because my cell phone drops calls regularly. So I called again. This time, because they had accessed my security questions too many times, I was told that I would have to send them documents proving who I was. I tried explaining I live in a foreign country, but they said I should have someone else mail them. What do they need? A driver's license and recent utility bill. I don't have utility bills, I live on a mountain in Honduras. Ok then, car insurance. Don't have it. Car registration? I have it for my car in Honduras. No, has to be for the U.S. How about a W-2 or W-4? I don't have those, I receive a 1099. Not acceptable. In other words, I cannot activate my card without verification, but I do not have any acceptable documents to prove I am who I am. Result? I had to cancel the credit card I have been using for over 10 years because I have no way to prove I am me. Very frustrating. Thankfully, I have another one. I had to activate that one today too, because it expired Nov.30th. I was nervous to call that company after the previous disaster. Thankfully, they were much more helpful.

So that's how my day started. It got better, though. I ended up going to the city with a friend so he could get a bus ticket to Nicaragua. We had an interesting time trying to find the bus station that everyone was giving us different directions to get to it. After about an hour, we finally found it. I felt a great sense of accomplishment when we finally got there.

From there, we drove out to Siguatapeque, a town about 2 1/2 hours north of the city. We were interested in visiting a Christian camp out there that I might use for a spiritual retreat for our high school kids. They have a lot of fun activities, including a high ropes course, that I think the kids would really enjoy. Sometimes kids are more receptive to spiritual things when it is outside their everyday surroundings. Anyways, we had five hours to talk in the car (except when we listened to a couple of sermons). One of the things we talked about was how we show the love of Christ (or not) to the people around us. I have come to realize that oftentimes we as Christians become so self-absorbed that we forget to love others well. True love was demonstrated to us by Christ dying on the cross. The Scriptures say that we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren, that is, our brothers and sisters in Christ. But do we really do that? Ever? Sometimes we are willing to make small sacrifices for the sake of our brethren. However, if it is a huge inconvenience, or if it is going to make us somewhat uncomfortable, we are unwilling to make the sacrifices necessary to show the love of Christ. When I came onto the mission field, my missions director said that the number one reason why missionaries leave the field is because of other missionaries. How sad is that? If we are unable to show the love of Christ to one another as believers, how can we possibly demonstrate love to those who don't believe?

There is someone very close to me that has taught me all about the heart of Christ. This person loves people as I believe Christ loved those around Him. Whether they are poor, sick, addicted to drugs and alcohol, or even murderers (yes, even them), this person tries to see the hurting soul beneath the tough, dirty exterior. And then, this person shows them the love of Christ. Sometimes food, clothing, or money is distributed, sometimes health care is sought, sometimes forgiveness is given for theft. The result? The doors of their hearts are opened to hear and receive the gospel. But it takes a willingness to see past the hardened exterior to reach out to these people. The only real way to do it is to look outside of our own selfishness to see the needs of others. And I have come to realize that EVERYONE has needs, including those closest to us.

The lesson I have learned through all of this? I need to look outside of myself even more, see the hurt and needs of the people around me, and learn to love them with the love Christ has for us. That includes even when I am frustrated about a stupid credit card. It is my desire to start looking for opportunities to show the people around me the love of Christ, even if it means making sacrifices. After all, that's what we are commanded to do.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Happy Thanksgiving! I realize that I have done a terrible job of keeping in touch. This past couple of weeks have been very hectic as I have been winding down the school year. We finished on Wednesday, with the graduation of two of our students, Nilsy and Oscar. I am very proud of them! The ceremony went very smoothly, thanks to the help of many of my teachers who were very hands-on in getting everything ready. I feel like the semester went well. I am very ready for a break, but am looking forward to starting the spring semester again in January.

I decided that for Thanksgiving today, I needed a quiet day at home, so that's what I did. I was invited to the House of Timothy for lunch, where I had a wonderful typical Honduran lunch with my roommate Corina, my friend Steve, the housemom Margarita, and one of the guys that lives in the house. But don't worry! I still got turkey and all the trimmings when my next door neighbor brought me a HUGE plate of leftovers from her Thanksgiving feast. It made for a wonderful dinner!

Now that school is out, I hope to do more writing, although there will be much less to write about. I might actually get around to doing my September/October newsletter! Yes, I said Sept./Oct. Sad, but true.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with family. May we continue to remain thankful, no matter what our circumstances.

Praise the Lord!

"From the rising of the sun to its going down the LORD's name is to be praised. The LORD is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens." -Psalm 113:3-4

Today there were several reasons to praise the Lord. First of all, two more students chose to be baptized today. Ellianna, a ten-year-old missionary child, and Oscar, an 18-year-old ministry youth, both decided to publicly profess their faith in Jesus. Five carloads of people from the ranch came to witness and celebrate these two young believers. Although the ceremony was brief, there was much rejoicing among the participants.

Later this afternoon, I learned from my "roommate" Sara that she was moving back in with me. I say "roommate" because although Sara technically lives with me, she has been a single housemom with four young boys for the last several months. Our Children's Services Director came up with a new plan for the boys that works best for everyone. Three are moving in with a family that is already established, and the youngest will be moving in with the Director's family. Sara is now free to return to our duplex to live and will go back to being an assistant in the homes. I am thrilled to have Sara here! When they met with the boys and the family, the boys were very happy to receive the news.

The Lord continues to work in a might way in the lives of our children!

Overcoming Little Bumps

"For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me." - Psalm 86: 5-7

Our God is so good. I feel ashamed to think how I let so many little things that go wrong completely affect my mood. Yesterday was one of those days. You know how you have days when stupid things go wrong all day? That was my day. I overslept, broke my travel coffee mug, dropped the telephone into the trash can so it was covered in coffee grounds, and dumped a pencil sharpener FILLED with shavings all over the floor. There were other things too, but you get the idea. The culmination of all these things put me in a grumpy mood. Why? There is no good reason why. All I had to do was look at all the things the Lord has done in my life. He has heard my prayers over and over and answered me. He has loved me, protected me, and provided for me. All my needs are met, and even some of my wants! Paul exhorts us in Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, Rejoice!" He also goes on to say a few verses later (11) "for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content . . ." Oh, how I wish I could reach the point in my spiritual walk when I am content in all situations! But even as I stumble and fall, the Lord reaches out, helps me up, and starts me on my way again. For He is also ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy. What a mighty God we serve!

Pray for One Another

"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work." - 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

This is such a wonderful blessing. More and more I realize that there is a tremendous amount of need in this world. Not only physical needs, but every person has emotional and spiritual needs, and faces trials in this life. May we continue to pray for one another, encouraging one another with the love of our Savior.

"Pray for me, and I'll pray for you." - Michael W. Smith

Controversial Conversations

"For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him." - 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10

Recently I have had a couple of different conversations with people regarding predestination vs. free will. Now I have to tell you, the first time I ever heard of this controversy, I was in my late twenties living in Northern Virginia. I was attending a Bible Study for the single young adults, and we came across Romans 8:29-30. As I read these verses, they struck me for the first time. I asked someone sitting at my table, "Wait, does that mean God predestined us to be saved?" My friend laughed not at my question, but at the controversial can of worms I was about to open.

Afterwards, the Calvinist vs. Armenian debate was explained to me for the first time. I was shocked at this new viewpoint and didn't know what to think. How could God choose some for salvation and some for destruction? Isn't salvation a free gift we can either choose or reject? I spent the next months studying Scripture, trying to find a definitive answer to these questions.

Now for those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, let me briefly explain. The Calvinist view, named after the theologian John Calvin, believes that because man is totally depraved, he is unable to choose God, and therefore God chooses some to be saved, but not all. (For we know not all are saved). There is much more to it than that, but that is the basic gist of it. The Armenian viewpoint believes that God knew before He even created us whether or not we would choose Him, therefore He "predestines" us based on our free-will choice. Again, there is much more to it, but that is the basic tenet.

Apparently, this controversial topic is discussed in churches everywhere. I'm fairly certain that my church in VA held the Calvinist view, and I know for a fact that my pastor here in Honduras holds the Calvinist view. So what did my personal studies show? Well, based on the influences I was receiving, I leaned more heavily towards the Calvinist view - God chooses us in His sovereignty. Even the verse above says that God appointed us to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. But there are also Scriptures that support the opposing view. So what do I think? I believe our finite minds cannot possibly truly know the mind of God. We can have theories and ideas, but all fall within the limits of our knowledge. I believe that somehow, and I have no idea how, God's sovereignty and man's responsibility come together in unity.

So why am I sharing this? Last week, I somehow got into this conversation with my coworker, Amanda. She had never heard the Calvinist view before, and so I shared with her the Scriptures that are frequently used to support that view. I also assured her that my purpose was not to confuse her, only to encourage her to search the Scriptures. Any time we spend more time in God's Word, we draw closer to Him, and that's what it is really about anyways. Then tonight in my girls' Bible Study, the girls that attend a Sunday School class at the church shared that their teachers, who obviously hold the Armenian view, told my girls that the Calvinist view was wrong, and the Scriptures do not support that view. I was not happy that these teachers told the girls they were wrong. I would prefer they shared their view and why, and then cncouraged the kids to search the Scriptures themselves. When it comes down to it, really only God knows His ways. "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.'" - Isaiah 55:8-9.

It seems funny to me how this conversation seems to cycle in my life about every year or so. This week has been the time for it again. I love it not because it is controversial, but because it causes us to reflect on Christ and our salvation in Him. Any conversation that points us to Christ, is a conversation worth having, no matter how controversial.

Meditate on These Things

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things." - Philippians 4:8

God has given me many good things on which to meditate. When we focus on the positive things and stop looking at the negative, we can enjoy life more and the rich blessings that God gives to us.

This week I had the pleasure of celebrating my birthday. I don't usually like to make a big deal of it, but it is nice to be treated special once in a while. Although, shouldn't we treat others special every single day? Why do we wait for a "special day" to show an abundance of kindness to people? If only we would treat everybody as if everyday was a special day. Think how much more loving this world would be.

Ok, I got a little sidetracked there. My birthday was lovely. My coworker, Abby, made apple muffins to share with the teaching staff to celebrate. The primary school students made me a card that they all signed and sang "Happy Birthday" to me. In the afternoon, I went to the city and had a nice afternoon with my "novio" Michael. He treated me to a wonderful dinner and gave me two beautiful typical Honduran paintings. Overall, it was a really great day.

As far as school goes, it is just flying by. Report card grades were due to me this week, and I am proud to say that quite a few of our students made the A-B honor roll! I am so proud of them! Just seven and a half more weeks before we graduate two more seniors! Where does the time go?

As I share these positive things, I think back on the Scripture above. We need to learn to control our thoughts. I received an encouraging e-mail from my Shepherd Group leaders back in the States. They reminded me about our forgiveness in Christ and how so often Satan lies to us and reminds us of our past shortcomings. When we are able to control our thoughts, and to meditate on the things that are pure, lovely, virtuous and praiseworthy, we are able to shut down the lies of the Enemy. May we always meditate on the blessings from the Lord. Of course, the greatest blessing we have received is His gift of salvation. Of all our needs, that was our greatest. Earlier I was listening to a teaching by Carolyn McCulley that my friend Courtney gave me several years ago. She points out in her message that if God has met our greatest need of salvation, will He not also meet our lesser needs? Matthew 6 tells us not to worry. When we are able to meditate on the goodness of the Lord, there is never a reason to worry about anything. So may we obey this command in Scripture, and meditate on these things!

Greetings!

"Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." - Galatians 1:3-5

I cannot believe that September is half over already and I have not blogged even once this month. Where does the time go?

Things here continue to go well. The school is still standing, so that's a good thing. This morning I overslept, after having slept in yesterday, too. I think my body is tired and fighting off a cold. I am trying to take plenty of vitamin C and resting. I was still able to get out of the house on time for church this morning. I wanted to get there early and practice piano because I was playing and singing the hymns. The pastor's message today was really wonderful. He talked about Jacob wrestling with God. The main point of his message is that our journey with God is not about us - it's about Him! How often we forget that simple message and make everything about us. We are a selfish people, and so much of the time we get upset or angry when things don't go our way. In reality, as long as it goes God's way, that's all that matters! And God ALWAYS gets His way! I was deeply touched and convicted by the message.

After church my ranch group went to lunch at the mall, ran a couple of quick errands, and headed back up the mountain. We made it home before 3pm, which in itself is a small miracle. I was able to rest and read for about three hours. Boy, I needed that!

This evening I started my girls' Bible study back up again. We are doing a study called "Walking by Faith, Lessons Learned in the Dark" by Jennifer Rothschild. I am excited to be back with my girls again. Tonight was just an intro to the study and a time of fellowship. I am hoping the girls make time each day to work in the study. Although I know it is tough for them, it's my way of trying to encourage them to spend time in the Word each day. I figure even a few minutes a day is better than nothing.

Tomorrow is Independence Day here in Honduras. We are off from school tomorrow and Tuesday. Tomorrow I am headed into the city to see the Independence Day parade. I have never gone in my three years here, so I am looking forward to it!

Speaking of needing rest, it is past my bedtime!

A Day in the Park

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us." - 2 Corinthians 4:7

I had a really blessed day today. I went to a place called Ecoparque with my good friend Michael and the guys from his ministry. What a beautiful day! Although the clouds surrounding the area threatened rain, we had perfect sunny weather the entire time! I watched the guys play in the pool while talking with Becca, the assistant director of the Project. We had a delicious lunch of chicken and rice, and then walked around the grounds of the park. The park has so much to do! Some of the boys rented bicycles, rode horses, went swimming, played frisbee, played soccer, and could have used a cool zipline!

Although I usually use this blog to talk about my ministry, I want to share a little bit about the Micah Project. They help young men (usually teenagers) get off the street, overcome their addiction to yellow glue, get an education, and learn about Christ. I share this because three of the boys that came with us today are street kids. Michael invited them to come to get them off the street and encourage them to join the Micah Project. I met one of the boys, Jose Daniel, a few weeks ago when walking with Michael through the center of town. Michael spent time with Daniel that evening, talking with him and getting him food. The kid I met was high on yellow glue and almost incoherent at times. The kid I saw today was just that . . . a kid. What a difference from the time before. The hard part was knowing that at the end of the day of just being kids at a park, these three boys would return to the streets. Please pray for Daniel, Hector, and Axel, that they would survive the streets until deciding to come into a better place at the Micah House.

As I spent time with these boys, I was able to appreciate the work we are doing in our ministry. I know that any one of our kids could be like those boys living on the street. God has brought them into the safety and protection of our ministry. They have all their needs met, and are hearing the gospel on a regular basis. I just want to praise God for the work He is doing in Honduras. There is so much need, and there are so many suffering children. I am so thankful that there are many ministries here, working with different populations and meeting different needs. I also praise the Lord that I am a part of this awesome work!

My Roller Coaster Day

"Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." - 1Corinthians 15:55-57.

What a day! I don't even know where to begin. At first I thought about how and what I would write, but then I realized I just need to write and see what comes out. So here goes.

This morning I experienced the worst tragedy of my time here in Honduras. I witnessed a man killed in a motorcycle accident. It was horrible. I didn't see the accident itself. I just saw a man and his motorcycle bounce across the road like a ragdoll. When we got to the actual scene, the man was clearly dead. It was the most gruesome thing I have ever seen. Had I been in the States, I would have stopped and called for help. Here, I felt helpless. I didn't know what to do. The one thing I have heard is that if you witness a fatal accident, don't stick around - there could be more fatalities. I felt so heartless just leaving the scene, but I knew there was nothing I could do. I didn't see what actually happened, or else I might have stayed to give a statement. I don't know if he was hit by the bus or taxi in front of me, or something else. It was just horrible.

The afternoon was a better experience. I went to a place called Proyecto Victoria, a drug rehab center. We don't have anyone there, but my friend from another ministry was going to visit some of his guys that are there. It was a great facility where guys are able to detox and try to re-enter society. It was great to see the progress that some of them are making. One of the guys is someone I have been praying for since last February. He is a walking miracle. Last February they had little hope for his recovery, and had a time of fasting and prayer for his life. Today he looked great and seemed to be a completely different person. I believe the hand of God is truly on this young man. There were others, too, who are making great progress. There was also the sad story of a young man who left the facility without finishing his treatment. I am slowly learning the ups and downs of ministering to hurting youth. Ultimately, there is little that we can do. Our role is to be obedient to God. The rest is up to Him.

This evening I am back at the Bridge House. Just as I was closing up for the night, a couple of the youths were telling me about a big strike tomorrow. Apparently the President of Honduras is hosting Hugo Chavez tomorrow at the Presidential Palace and will be signing a treaty with him. There are major plans for strikes in response to this deal with the devil. Please pray for this country. There could be major ramifications resulting from this deal.

I feel like there is so much more to talk about, but I will stop there. I am going to try and get an early start out of the city so I do not get stuck in the strikes.

Blessed in the Busyness

"Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, 'Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.'" - Psalm 35:27



Things have been extremely busy again. We are well under way with the new school year. Today marks the beginning of the third week of school. I am enjoying my job immensely. There are difficulties, too. This past weekend we had one of our newest teachers return to the U.S. By God's grace (and the grace of my wonderful staff), I was able to cover all the classes that she was slated to teach. As long as no one gets sick, we'll be just fine. :)



Starting tomorrow, I will be covering the Bridge House until next Monday morning. I will drive to the city each day after school, spend the night there, and then drive back up the mountain to work each day. It's not my favorite thing to do, but I don't mind it too much. This week I am actually glad I can help. This past weekend, one of our kids that lives at the Bridge House lost his mom to illness. She had been very sick, and passed away on Friday night. The couple that cares for him wants to take him on vacation and spend quality time with him. Please pray for him as he deals with this loss.



There have been a lot of other things happening, but for the sake of time, I will not go into all of them. Overall, I would just say that I feel extremely blessed to continue in the work that God has called me to do in Honduras!

Simply Watering

"So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor." - 1 Corinthians 3:7-8

The Scriptures are so clear that we are nothing apart from God. I get so frustrated when I hear people telling me that I am getting on God's good side because I am doing a good work in Honduras. I see myself as one who waters. I pour into the lives of the kids that live in our ministry community. But it is God who gives the increase. I am simply here out of obedience. I am nothing special, other than a creature created in the image of Almighty God. I am no better and no less than those who planted this ministry. Will there be a reward in the end? According to the above passage, yes! And I look forward greatly to the reward that I will receive in eternity. But what I do does not make me greater or less than any other person. I am simply doing what God has called me to do. May God alone receive the glory for the harvest that is produced in the end!

Spiritual Wisdom

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." - 1 Corinthians 2:12

Being a Christian has a lot of advantages. It also has a lot of challenges. But one of the greatest things that we as Christians have received, apart from our salvation, is the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is through this Holy Spirit of God that we are able to recognize the amazing things that God does in our lives. Ask most nonbelievers, and they attribute the good things in their life to their hard work, their success, their accomplishments. However, they are missing the most essential gift of all. What a Christian believes is nonsense to the world. It is only by the wisdom of the Spirit that we are able to truly see this world in the same light that God sees it.

I have recently received what I consider to be an amazing gift from God. It might be temporary, it might be more permanent. There is absolutely no reason for me to have received this gift apart from the grace of God. The world might look at it from the worldly perspective that I have somehow earned it or deserve it. Through the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, I know better than that. I receive this gift with a thankful heart, knowing that God had great mercy and compassion on me, allowing me to experience His awesome power. To be able to see things from a spiritual perspective is in itself an amazing gift. May we always remember that by the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to catch a glimpse of life from God's perfect and almighty perspective.

Back into the Swing of Things

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." - 1 Corinthians 18:1

I apologize for allowing so much time to lapse since I last wrote. A lot has happened in the past few weeks, and yet they seem trivial when it comes to writing about them.

The biggest news is that school started on Monday! We are now back into full swing. I love my job as principal, and I love that I am still teaching two math classes. I have found that my favorite part of the job is problem solving. I still have lots to do, but I feel like I am slowly getting caught up.

Another event that happened at the ranch in July was a "carnival" run by our summer interns. They had games on the soccer field with prizes to win. They had a "pie in the face" event in which they smeared plates of shaving cream in the faces of the ranch leaders. They also had a "bobbing for the big one" event. Ron, our ranch manager, bobbed for a Snickers bar in a never-before-used clean toilet filled with lemonade. It was quite disgusting to watch, but the kids all loved it. They ended the afternoon with a greased pig contest. The interns bought piglets in the community, greased them up with oil and shortening, and let the kids try and catch them. Prizes were given to the winners. At the end, the piglets were returned to people in the community. Everyone had a blast throughout the afternoon.

The girls continue their ESL program on Saturday afternoons in the city. They are doing a great job and getting a great response from the kids that are attending. It's neat to see how fast the kids are picking up English by coming just once a week.

Finally, I had the great privilege of distributing backpacks to all the kids before school started. The backpacks were donated by Reston Bible Church, my sending church in Virginia. The backpacks were filled with school supplies and gifts for the kids. They actually arrived in February, but we decided to wait and distribute them in time for the new school year. The kids were excited to receive their new packs. I even had a couple of them follow me from house to house as I delivered them!

That's the latest news from Honduras. I will try to do better about writing more often, now that the craziness of the start of school has died down!

Copan and ESL

"For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." - Romans 4:2-3

It's been a couple of weeks since I last wrote. I'll do a quick update. Last weekend I had the opportunity to go to Copan. Copan is about seven hours from here, and has an archaeological park with Mayan Ruins. It was a fun weekend, and I got to see yet another place in this beautiful country. I also went horseback riding for the first time ever. It was a little scary, but I am glad I did it.

This week I was back to work. I went house to house, checking school uniforms and measuring for new ones. I have also been trying to catch up on ministry e-mails, working on school census information, checking curriculum, etc. It amazes me that there always seems to be so much to do. Also, my car went in for repairs this week. It needed a lot of work, but I was amazingly blessed by a couple of donors that covered the entire cost for me. It's somewhat shocking when something like that happens, but it came at a time when I really needed it. God is so good. It was another example of His grace in my life.

Tomorrow night I will be covering a house of girls. I have stayed there many times before, so we should have a good evening together.

There is one other thing I can write about that I may not have mentioned before. One of my students, Nadetie, decided that she wanted to start an ESL (English as a Second Language) outreach to the community. I told her that if she put it all together, I would be the adult supervisor. Well lo and behold, she did! And a great job she did, too! The first week there were about seven kids that came to her class, and there were three other teenage girls from the ranch that came to help - Maria, Eleni, and Jhoselyn. I was unable to attend last weekend since I was in Copan, but the report I got said that about 25 kids from the community came! Originally, Nadetie wanted to do this for the adults. However, since she has had such a great response from the kids, that seems to be who will attend the classes. It is so exciting for me to see one of my kids take the initiative to implement an outreach to the community. It is an example of exactly what this ministry is all about - creating the next generation of leaders.

So there's a quick update on what's going on here. God is good and faithful, and I am constantly reminded of it!

He is Listening

"But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The LORD will hear when I call to Him." -Psalm 4:3

It's been a really strange week. However, throughout it, God has shown repeatedly that He is in control.

On Wednesday, I had a slight mishap in a parking lot - with a Mercedes Benz. I was parking, and supposedly hit the car in the space next to mine. Thankfully, the damage was so minute we could barely see it, and nobody in my car (and there were five of us) had any idea we even made contact with the vehicle. Of course, my initial reaction was to argue it, because none of us really believed I did it. However, I called a guy in our ministry and asked his advice. He said to give my name and number, the name of our organization, and his name and number. He said to have the owner call him, and he would work out the details on my behalf. So I did. The owner came out (I had been dealing with the driver) and I gave her the information. She looked at it, and then said she knew the guy in my ministry from whom I got the advice. That night, I got an e-mail from the guy in the ministry. He said that when he got home, so did his son, along with his son's best friend. It turns out, it was the father of his son's best friend who owned the car. Small world, or God's grace? I choose the latter.

The reason I share this story? God continually teaches me that He is in control. Not only that, but He hears when we call out to Him. There is another personal situation that I have been praying about for a long time. This past week, God seemed to set in motion events that could eventually lead to answer to my prayer. Although I do not know the outcome, I know that God has heard and will answer my prayers. Why? Because He is faithful. I may not receive the answers I expect, but I will receive an answer.

So often I feel like God is not listening, because I cannot see immediately the work that He is doing behind the scenes. I was reminded in church this morning of the story when Elijah prayed that his servant's eyes be opened to see the army of angels standing ready to fight on their behalf. Just because we cannot see God working, does not mean He is sitting idly by. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) This is a promise of God! And I plan to stand on the promises of God.

Random Babble

"The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The LORD is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works." -Psalm 145:8-9

Well, I got a better night's sleep last night, so waking up was a bit easier. I was down working at the school by 8:30. I finished all the elementary schedules and pulled together all their curriculum. I started on the secondary school, only to find I made a mistake in my scheduling, and had nowhere for my missionary kids to go during a Spanish-only class. Ugh! So I reworked the schedules, and I think I have it figured out now.

At lunchtime, I said goodbye to the team that has been here all week. This team has been here before, and we appreciate all the work they do each time they come. The team leader is getting married in August, so he will not be back this year. Hopefully, someone else from the church will head up a group and return in six months. :)

My goal for tomorrow is to finish my newsletter and post both this one and the last one on my website. I have not done a very good job of keeping up with it. Blogging seems to work better for me. Although truthfully, I really don't know if anyone actually reads it. I did get a comment once, and my cousin has a link on her blog to mine. So I guess a few people read it! Point? I still need to send out my newsletter for everyone else.

An Uneventful Day

"LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow." - Psalm 144:3-4

I did not get nearly enough accomplished today. Actually, I didn't do much of anything. I woke up later than I planned because I wasn't feeling well all night and didn't sleep much. Once I rolled out of bed and got myself moving, it was well into the morning. I went down to the school to try and get some work done, but I ended up visiting with the kids that were working there, instead. They are trying to clean the walls of the school for me, and we all realized today that because flat paint was used, they cannot be cleaned. As the kids tried cleaning, the paint was coming off but the dirt wasn't. So that means that now we have to repaint before school starts, using a semi-glossy paint that can actually be washed.

I did work on some of the elementary schedules and pulled together materials for the 3rd and 4th grade teachers. I didn't finish, but I started. I intended to go back to school this afternoon after lunch and work some more. Well, I got talking with different people, so again, no work was accomplished. The only thing I did do was burn a couple of Micah Boys CDs for my girls. The Micah Boys is a music group from another ministry here in Tegucigalpa. They performed here at the ranch in May, and left us a CD to burn. The kids loved them, and wanted a copy of it. For more info on the Micah Boys, go to www.micahcentral.org

My roommate is off covering a house for the night, so I am here all by myself. I actually thought I would love it, but I am a little lonely at the moment. As soon as my clothes are finished drying, I will head to bed.

Trying to Make a Difference

"But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them." - Acts 16:25

Today was a fairly productive day. I spent the morning at school, typing up schedules for the fall semester and collecting curriculum. I am almost finished with the elementary school, and then I will finish the high school.

After lunch, I took a trip to the city. I picked up the new teacher, Amanda, from language school to give her a break. We went shopping, and then I had a meeting with a prospective missionary. He is interested in enrolling his kids in our school, so I spent some time with him talking about his kids, their abilities, and discussed logistics. After dropping Amanda back at her host family, I returned to the ranch in time for a ranchwide barbecue. Now, I am not usually a fan of large gatherings at the ranch. However, it was nice seeing all the kids since we are currently out of school. I also have enjoyed getting to know one of the team members better this week. The young woman, Lisa, has been here several times before. Lisa stopped over last night and we talked for quite awhile. I have really enjoyed getting to know her and her heart. She'd make a great missionary, but I don't know if that is God's calling on her life.

As for me, I have felt more sure than ever that this is God's calling on my life. I do not know for how long, but last week while on the beach, I had tremendous peace about being here in Honduras. You would hope I would have had that same peace over the three years I have been here, and I have. Somehow though, I was just reassured that I am exactly where I am meant to be at this moment. I love this country and its people. I love the children, and I love reaching out to the poor and needy. But I never feel like it is enough. There is so much need here. I know I am fulfilling a need here, but there are hundreds, if not thousands of other kids living on the streets of Tegucigalpa. I read the Scripture I wrote above in my quiet time this morning. It made me think of a friend of mine here who is witnessing to a gang member that robbed his home - TWICE! This gang member has since been off drugs for almost two weeks, was arrested for suspected gang activity, and PRAYED in jail! He says it brought him peace, and he then brought another guy with him to hear the same witness. I don't know if this guy has accepted Christ, but he is moving in the right direction. And all because my friend allowed the Holy Spirit to work through him, submitting to Christ rather than anger and revenge. I have never had the opportunity to make such a major difference in someone's life. I can only pray that as I pray and sing hymns to God, someone in need, spiritual need, will listen. Please continue to pray for this country, and the countless children who are suffering here. And please continue to pray for me, that I would be an effective vessel for the Kingdom of God.

God's Perfect Knowledge of Us

"For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." - Psalm 139:13-14

I spent most of today cleaning, catching up on e-mail, and playing piano. Overall, it was a good day. My bathroom is now clean, I have a few more e-mails to write, and I enjoyed time using the gift of music.

Tonight I had dinner with a visiting team. Several from the group have been here before. One of the team members is a young woman that I have spent time with in the past. We sat together at dinner and caught up, summarizing what God has been doing in our lives over the past year. Although we had that conversation about two hours ago, I have thought more on it. We talked about how sometimes we feel like we have no idea what God is doing in our lives. However, as I thought more about it, I realized that God formed us, and had a plan for us before we were even born. How awesome is that! During the times that we are in the wilderness, we can still know that God's hand is on us, guiding us in the way we should go. As it says in Isaiah, His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than ours. Who can argue with that? It gives me great assurance knowing that nothing is out of God's control, and He knows exactly what He is doing. With that knowledge, I can rest peacefully tonight. Good night!

Back from the Beach

"Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses." - Acts 13:38-39

Wow! What a great quote from Scripture. I am just going to let that one stand for itself.

I just arrived back today from my week at a private island. I went on vacation with five other coworkers - Abby, Hannah, Jae, Jessi, and Ron. Together we split the cost to rent a private island for four nights. Amazingly, it cost me less than a plane ticket to go for a week's vacation here in Honduras. I loved it. We went last year, too. This time around, I got sunburned AGAIN, and was eaten alive by the bugs. However, it was still a great vacation. I feel rested and ready to face life again.

I will try to write more frequently about the summer's events. There will be a lot going on as I prepare for the new school year. We also have seven interns visiting for the summer. They will be doing all kinds of work at the ranch, including some things at the school. They will be doing an inventory of the school resource room, sanding and repainting the tables in the kindergarten room, and implementing a card checkout system in the library. It's going to be a busy but exciting summer!

Waiting for the Redemption of the LORD

"If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope." - Psalm 130:3-5.

I'm not going to lie. The past couple of months have been extremely difficult. However, I have now reached a point of respite, and it couldn't have come at a more needed time. As I look back, I see how my sin overtook me so many times, and how often I screwed up. A lot. But the great news is that we have forgiveness with the Lord. He offers redemption and comes after me every time I start to fall away. When I am spiritually weak, He is strong for me. I honestly did not know how I was going to get through, and yet here I am, standing strong on the other side. God is faithful. Going through this difficult time has once again strengthened my faith and shown me God's goodness. He truly loves us and wants us to serve Him with a willing heart. When that happens, no matter what He asks of us, He will provide.

Even though school is now finished, my days have continued to be busy. Because of the recent closure of the Tegucigalpa airport, all flights into and out of Honduras are through San Pedro Sula, four hours north of here. I made that trip this past Monday to see off my roommate Jenny, and to welcome a new teacher, Amanda. The nineteen hour day was long and exhausting, but we returned safely. I have been showing Amanda around and trying to help her get acclimated to life in a different culture. I have also started getting things organized for the new school year. I have a lot to do to keep me busy this summer! But I will approach it, and the new school year, with the knowledge that God is able when I am not!

Good Advice

"And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it - lest you even be found to fight against God." - Acts 5:38-39

I realize it has been almost two months since I have written on this blog. Life has been extremely busy since I took over as principal of Ebenezer Academy. I am very happy to say that school ended yesterday, and I am no longer a full-time teacher. I do have to admit though, it is sad for me to give up my kids. I have had the same class since I arrived in 2005. I have watched them grow and mature in so many ways. It is hard to no longer be "their" teacher. However, I know that God has a plan for me, and He has me moving into a different role. I have enjoyed my new role for the most part, and look forward to being able to do it without worrying about teaching full-time too.

I have to admit, there have been times when I have felt like I am fighting against God. There are certain aspects of my life that I look at and think I want it a different way. But deep down, I know that God has a good and perfect plan for my life. I have to keep reminding myself that God loves me, and He is using me for His glory. There is nothing that can overthrow God's plan, and He will finish the work He has started in me. So now that school is over and I have more time to think again, I hope to dwell on the Word of God and stop trying to resist His perfect plan. I also hope to get back into the habit of blogging, and maybe even write a newsletter. :)

Smile

Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you." - Luke 17:20-21

It's been a rough couple of weeks. Not that I am surprised, because I knew it would be. I am very tired all the time and feel like I am constantly behind. I feel discouraged a lot of the time because I know that I am not doing either one of my jobs as well as I could be. On top of that, my car was towed to the city yesterday because it keeps dying on me. I find myself more and more wanting Christ to return in all His glory and end all these trials and tribulations. But the truth is, if I just think about it, I already have the Spirit of God living within me. Since I know that is true, then why I do allow myself to feel defeated and discouraged? There is no good reason. It is somewhat ironic that as I am writing this, I am listening to the song, "Smile" by Tony Bennett and Barbara Streisand. The main point of the song is that no matter what is happening in your life, just smile. Knowing that Christ is living in my heart should cause me to smile in all situations. As Psalm 94:19 says, "In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul." :)

Split Between Two

"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." - Luke 16:13

I am learning very quickly that it is impossible to be split between two opposing things. Lately I have been absolutely exhausted trying to fulfill my role as principal, while at the same time fulfilling my role as a teacher. I don't actually hate one and love the other, but I tend to get frustrated with one when it interferes with the other.

I do, on the other hand, have a love-hate relationship with my car. I love that I have it. I love the freedom it gives me when I have somewhere I need to go. I hate, however, the fact that it keeps dying and is costing me a lot of money.

I know, neither of these things has anything to do with the above Scripture - at least, not directly. It does in a sense, though. The stress of the jobs and my dead car have had the same effect: hurt my relationship with the Lord. As I thought about this, I realized that I have been like Martha in my job, rather than sitting at the feet of Jesus. I have worried about my car and the expense that it is going to be, rather than trusting God to take care of it. I have served the "masters of this world" rather than the Living God. My attitude toward these things is indicative of my submission to (or rebellion against) God's lordship. I also now see how that applies to other areas of my life. God wants me to serve only Him and let go of the cares of this world.

Worthy of Praise

"Also with the lute I will praise You- And Your faithfulness, O my God! To You I will sing with the harp, O Holy One of Israel. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, and my soul, which You have redeemed." - Psalm 71:22-23

It's been a good day. Although my car is still dead, God provided transportation to church today. Afterwards, I had an awesome afternoon with my small group from church. We went and visited the Micah Project, another ministry here in Tegucigalpa. Micah Project works primarily with boys that they help get off the street and help them have a better life. We had an awesome lunch of tipico foods. We had a tour of both the house for the teenage boys, and the leadership house where those 18 and older live. I have visited once before, and am blessed to see the work God is doing through Micah Project. It is awesome to see all the ministries that are working in Tegucigalpa, helping the poor, and ministering to the lost. God's hand is truly in this troubled country.

After my visit to the Micah Project, I went to visitation. Our ministry is required to have supervised visitation once a month for any family members of our kids that are registered with the government. We have it at a school in the city for about two hours. It is a difficult time for those with no family, and also for those who have family but are unable to live with them. I stayed there until about 4:00, and then got a ride home back to the ranch.

As I reflected on the day, I just had to praise God. Although things have been difficult lately, God has proven Himself faithful, as always. He provided transportation. He provided safety. He provided a good time of fellowship. While at Micah House, I found out the girl who had her computer stolen had it returned to her (through a miraculous series of events). Even in times of difficulty, God is always with us and taking care of us. He is the Rock of Salvation. He is truly worthy of our praise.

I Am Blessed

"When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you. Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today." - Deuteronomy 8:10-11

I've realized lately that I have a tendency to focus on the negative. I don't mean to be that way, and I never really considered myself a pessimist. I guess I always thought of myself more as a realist. Anyways, when it was brought to my attention that I tend to shoot down ideas, it helped me realize that I tend to do that in other areas of my life, too. For instance, I have a tendency to forget all the ways that God has blessed me, and instead look at what I am lacking. I also tend to forget the seemingly little things, which in fact, are huge. I have plenty to eat. Anyone who sees me can know that immediately. I am not hungry, and I have three meals a day. I have a great place to live. I have a family that loves me. I have friends who truly care about me. The list could go on and on. So often I forget to be thankful for these many blessings that the LORD has given me. In reality, I do not deserve any of it. Yet the LORD decided to bless me in so many ways. I am in a country where I am surrounded by poverty, people who do not have enough to eat, and many who are completely alone. I work with kids who were abused and abandoned. How is it that I so easily forget how blessed I truly am? The LORD knew, which is why He warns us to not forget Him in our times of plenty. We cry out to God when we are in need, but how often do we remember to praise Him in our excess? I am wealthier and have more advantages than most people in this world. I am going to try and focus more on what God has provided in His mercy than what I lack. I hope to hold more to a positive attitude, and continually remind myself that I am blessed!

Staying Focused and Keeping God's Perspective

"And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." - Deuteronomy 6:6-9

My car died today. I was on my way down the mountain with three other people, when all of a sudden I just completely lost power. We glided to a stop, attempted to start it a few times, and then gave up. Thankfully, I was in an area with cell phone reception, and I was able to call someone at the ranch. William, my next door neighbor, came and got us. He then took the time to go back down with the tractor and tow my car back to the ranch. I rode in the car and steered while the tractor pulled me. I couldn't help but think of the spiritual application in that moment. I am like my car in that I am completely helpless and useless without the Spirit of God within me. He is the power that moves me. Like the tractor, He often has to pull me along in the direction He wants me to go. I can either be obedient and steer in the direction He is pulling me, or I can resist and end up in a ditch. When I am obedient and steer in the right direction, He gets me to the final destination - exactly where I need to be. The only way to know which direction the Lord is pulling, is to keep my eyes focused on Him. It is so important that we constantly be in God's presence, and yet we often try to keep Christ separate from different aspects of our lives. It is my desire to someday reach a point when God's commandments are in my thoughts when I am home, when I walk, when I lie down, and when I get up - every moment of every day.

After feeling sorry for myself and my car troubles, the Lord reminded me it could always be worse. This evening, I read a blog of another missionary serving with another ministry here in Honduras. I know her from my church here. She wrote how her computer was stolen out of her car when she was standing right by it. She didn't realize one of the doors was not locked, and she was literally within feet of the car when it happened. She never saw it. She was absolutely devastated. Her computer is her connection to her friends and family back home. It had all her photos, all her music, all her documents. I realized how easily I take things for granted. Now my car not starting doesn't seem like such a big deal anymore. If I could just reach a point in my life where I stay in God's presence, the things of this world would no longer matter! It's all a matter of perspective.

A Week of Rest

"And He said to them, 'The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.'" - Luke 6:5

Whenever we talk about the Sabbath, we are talking about a day of rest. Even the Lord rested on the seventh day after Creation. I've been reminded again recently how important it is for us to rest and to have Sabbath days. This past week was Semana Santa, or Holy Week. Here in Honduras, that means that most of the country shuts down for a part, if not for the entire week. We were off from school the entire week. I used this past week as a time of rest. I knew I needed it. In our busy lives, we often forget to take time to just rest and recouperate. We think we have to keep going because otherwise we will fall behind, or we will be less productive. I've realized that in order for me to be the most productive, I need rest. That means getting to bed early enough to get a good night sleep. It means taking one day off each week to relax, whether that day is Saturday or Sunday. For me, it is often Saturday because my Sundays are usually not the least bit restful. Resting also means allowing yourself to take a vacation when you need it. Even if it means going to a park, taking a walk through the forest, or sitting somewhere quiet, we need to rest. Having just completed an entire week of rest, I know that I can hit the ground running tomorrow (not literally, I don't run). I am ready to face new challenges that come my way, because I now have the energy to face them. And I can keep running as long as I stop along the way to give myself downtime when needed. Speaking of which, I need to go to bed. :)

Good Friday Musing: Relationships

"All men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider His doing. The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and trust in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory." - Psalm 64:9-10

Growing up Catholic, Good Friday has always been a holy day to me. It is a day to reflect on what Jesus did to reconcile us to the Father. Normally for me, it is a day to hole up in a room and spend time in the Word and prayer. I did some of that today, but today was more about my relationships with people. I started my day having breakfast with some of the WGO missionaries that work in our El Hatillo mission house. I don't get to see them very often, and really enjoyed spending time with three short-term missionaries and a long-term couple. I then stopped by and visited two other co-missionaries that were staying in the same hotel where I am taking a mini-vacation. Although somewhat brief, I enjoyed my time talking with each of them. By God's divine providence, I got a random phone call from my roommate who was also at the hotel. She did not know which room I was in, but found me in her attempt to call the front desk. After that, I was invited to join some other co-missionaries for lunch who were coming into the city for the day. The day culminated in a Good Friday service at my church, where I had a brief time of fellowship with my local church family.

Good Friday is usually a day I spend alone. As I look back on today and how different it was from previous years, I cannot help but think about how most of Jesus' life on earth was about his relationships with people: His disciples, the sick, the lame, the demonized, the sinners. Yes, Jesus needed time alone to commune with His Father, but the majority of His time was spent with people. It was out of His love for people that He took on flesh, became like us but without sin, and suffered a horribly brutal death. Why? Because without it, we were separated from God by sin. But He loved us so much, that He paid the penalty for our sins, redeeming those who trust in Him and restoring our relationship with God. Relationships are very important to God. I am an introvert by nature, but I was blessed by my time with people today. Sometimes in the busyness of life, we forget the things that are most important in life. As this holy week draws to an end, my prayer is that I will enter into the last quarter of the school year with my relationships with people as a priority. Jesus loved people and spent extraordinary amounts of time with them. We as Christians are commanded to love one another. The best way to do that is by spending time with each other.

Remembering My Call

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD." - Luke 4:18,19

These are the words that Jesus read from the book of Isaiah, just before being rejected in Nazareth. As I read them, I think about the call that God has placed on my life to do some of these same things. Tonight I had the joy of calling a young woman and giving her the green light to come and serve in Honduras. She will be a new teacher on my staff next year. I was happy to hear the excitement in her voice when she received the news. I remember having that same excitement when I got a similar call in 2005. Knowing that God was opening the door for me to serve the poor in Honduras brought great joy. I love what I do. Tomorrow as we celebrate Good Friday, and remember the suffering that Jesus did on our behalf, I pray that we will remember the call that He has placed on our lives to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, and to set the captives free. The message of the gospel is a powerful one, and God wants it spread throughout the world. If each of us would take the time to openly share our faith with our friends, coworkers and neighbors, how many more people would enter the kingdom of God? It is a joy and a privilege to answer the call to go and share the gospel throughout the world.

Going About My Father's Business

"And He said to them, 'Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?'" - Luke 2:49

I am sorry it has been a little while again since I last wrote. I am currently on vacation this week, celebrating Semana Santa (Holy Week) along with the rest of Honduras. I am actually back at the Bridge House at the moment. I arrived here on Friday night and will stay until Thursday. I am covering the house while the regular house couple is away at a conference in Nicaragua. I will then stay in the city through the weekend so I may attend the Good Friday Service and the Sunrise Service on Easter morning at my church. So far, my time here has been fairly relaxing. There are only two young adults who stayed this week. The rest are away visiting family. I am using the time to do my taxes, read, and work on my crocheting skills (I am a beginner). I am also going to the church for a little while each day to practice piano. I will be playing the hymns at the Good Friday service. Although I am fully capable of playing them, I tend to get nervous playing in front of people. Please pray for my nerves to remain calm so I do not ruin the mood of the solemn celebration.

Part of the reason I have not written in a while is because I have been extremely busy. I guess you could say I have been about my Father's business. In addition to teaching full-time, I have also been taking on more of the principal duties. They want me to take on the full role of principal by April 1st. This will allow me time to actively fulfill the role while the current principal is still here to give me guidance and counsel. Please pray for me as I try to balance both roles without neglecting the education of my students. Please also pray that I will not get caught up in Martha syndrome, which I tend to do naturally. Pray that I will take the time every day to sit at the feet of Jesus and receive instruction from Him.

I should also mention that last week we had our Spiritual Emphasis week. It was wonderful! We had two visitors, Tom Gill and Russell Miller. They are friends of my coworker, Steve Livingston. Tom presented most of the messages, while Russ shared through his gift of music. Their messages were powerful and really touched many of the kids. Their ability to be genuine was well received by the older kids. I believe the students really listened to what they had to say. Please pray that seeds were planted in the hearts of those kids who still refuse to surrender their hearts to Jesus.

My goal is to rest this week so I will be refreshed and renewed, that I may then go back about My Father's Business here in Honduras.

Speaking Blessing Daily

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace." - Numbers 6:24-26

Every morning for the past two and a half years, my principal has sent us to our classes with the words, "I bless you in the name of Jesus." It was only recently that I realized that she was actually speaking blessing over us. What a powerful realization! The power of the tongue is something that I have been reflecting on a lot lately. As I prepare to step into the role of principal, I have been thinking about how important it is to send the teachers off each morning with a word of encouragement and blessing. While I love the words that my principal uses, it just doesn't seem right to say the exact same thing. It wouldn't be wrong, but it is hers. As I read through Numbers chapter 6, the famous verses of blessing struck me. Somehow, speaking this powerful blessing to the teachers every day seems to be an appropriate solution. It says exactly what I hope for each teacher that gives daily of their time and talents. I don't know for sure if I will say these exact verses, but they have given me an idea of what I want to say to my teachers each day. I want to send each precious teacher into their day with a powerful word of blessing.

Worthless Sacrifice? All You Need is Love!

"And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." -Mark 12:33

As a missionary, I often have people talk to me about how much I sacrifice to be doing what I am doing. They talk about my willingness to leave family and friends to go to a foreign country and serve. They talk about the "creature comforts" that I have given up to live in a third world country. While there is some truth in that, the other side to look at is what I have gained. For instance, I love the school where I teach, and I have tremendous support. I have a relationship with the kids that goes deeper than is possible in the States. I not only can talk about Jesus freely with the kids, but I am EXPECTED to share my faith with them. There are no restrictions placed on me because of the twisted cry, "Separation of church and state!" I have fewer distractions without TV. I've learned to plan ahead because I can only get to the city twice a week. All in all, there are many more benefits to being here than sacrifices made. That being said, even if I sacrificed everything to be here, it still would not be enough. The scribe in Mark 12:33 understood that loving God totally and completely was greater than any sacrifice made. It does not matter what or how much we give up, but rather our devotion to the Lord that takes precedence. When that is the standard, how do I measure up? Do I serve the Lord wholeheartedly because of my devotion to Him, or do I hope my "sacrifices" will somehow score me points? How much time do I spend with the Lord on a daily basis, preparing to do my service? I am not saying that I do not do these things, but when closely examined, do I really put the Lord God above all else in my life? Some days, yes, but other days, not enough. It does not matter how much I have sacrificed to serve as a missionary in a foreign country. When I am not loving the Lord God with all my heart, soul, and strength, I am missing the mark and all my sacrifice is worthless.

Giving God What Already Belongs to Him

"And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.' And they marveled at Him." - Mark 12:17

Tonight in our singles' Bible study, we watched a portion of a message given by Andy Stanley called, "Playing God." Throughout this study, Pastor Stanley has been talking about the power that we have from God and how we use it. Tonight's message focused on how we have a tendency to hold on to that power so tightly that we sometimes push God away in an attempt to keep what He has given us. There were several points that stuck with me. One is that whatever power, privilege, or gift we have, we can and will lose at some point. A second point is that all these things come from God in the first place. It is absolutely absurd to cling to something and try to keep it from God when it was He who first gave it. Sadly, I can think of specific times in my life when I have done just that. Sometimes I recognize the problem and repent. However, there have also been times when I was so stubborn about letting go, that God literally had to pull it away from me. Why do we do that? Realistically, the biggest problem is not trusting God enough to know that He will do what is best for us. He knows better than I do. So then why do I argue and fight Him? Everything I have - every talent, every met need, every relationship - is a gift. I have no right to call these things my own. God has the right to give and take away according to His perfect will. So when I feel God asking me to give something up, I might as well give to God what is already His anyways.

Jesus' response in the verse above was an answer to the Pharisees' question as to the legality of paying taxes. They were trying to entrap Him, but His answer caused them to marvel. May I continue to marvel at the teachings of Jesus. The above Scripture is also a gentle reminder that it is time for me to pay my taxes. :)

God the Refuge of His People

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling." - Psalm 46:1-3

I had no idea this morning when I first read this Scripture, that my day was going to be as bad as it was. Ok, so maybe it wasn't really horrible, it just felt that way. Let me tell you how it started. In our school, each person is assigned to provide a treat to share for someone else's birthday. I was assigned to bring something for my fellow missionary teacher, Jason. Today was Jason's birthday, and I made sure to bake a cake last night to be ready for today. This morning, I attempted to frost the cake before taking it to school with me. However, as soon as I started to put icing on top, the cake literally crumbled to pieces. I was devastated! I had nothing to take with me to celebrate Jason's birthday. I am still not sure what happened, but that's how my day started. Other things went wrong throughout the day, and I was very busy. However, as I re-read the Scripture from this morning, I realize now that the earth was not removed, and the mountains (on which I live) at no point shook. The day really was not a tragedy. Now if God will be my refuge when things get THAT bad, why couldn't I rely on Him to be my strength and refuge today? Instead, I let my bad mood affect my day. God has proven Himself to be reliable in the past, so I had no reason to fear or be upset by the day's events. And in truth, the day wasn't all bad. My students were good, I accomplished a lot that needed to get done, and I had dinner with the other ranch singles to celebrate Jason's birthday. When I am able to put God back at the center of my focus, it is amazing how everything else gets put back into proper perspective as well.

Who Is the Greatest?

"And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, 'If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.'" - Mark 9:35

Today has been a crazy day. I started off well, meeting a friend for prayer at 7:30AM. Thank goodness for that, because I needed it the rest of the day. During the school day, I was pulled out of class for a meeting, had another meeting as a result of that meeting, met with my principal, and had yet another meeting later this afternoon. Oh yeah, and I taught today too. :)

When the school day officially ended, I had detention from 4-5, soccer field supervision duty from 5-6, met with my principal from 6-7, and had a Children's Services meeting from 7-8! Agh!

In the craziness of the day, I tend to forget the important things. It is only once things calm down that I am able to reflect on what God is teaching me. This semester I am in an adult Bible Study based on a series by Andy Stanley called, "Playing God." In it, he has been talking about our positions of power and how we use them. We have been talking about how Jesus washed the disciples' feet and served them, modeling how we are to live. We also talked about the verse above. A couple of the disciples were arguing over who would be the greatest in the kingdom. Jesus' response tells us that we are to be servants to all. As God is moving me into a position of more power, I need to look for ways that I can serve. One way I am recognizing is standing firm for the rights of the oppressed. That can take many different forms. Anytime a person is treated unfairly or taken advantage of, it is my responsibility to stand up for that person. Please pray for me as I move into a position of more authority, that I would put others before myself and be a servant to all.

Amidst the Chaos

"But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him." - Psalm 37:39-40

I cannot begin to tell you how busy things have been in the past couple of weeks. In addition to my full-time teaching duties, I was also full-time principal while ours was out sick, and full-time housemom while the regular houseparents were in the U.S. We have had a serious virus going around the ranch, so that we had to close school last Tuesday because almost our entire primary grades teaching staff was out sick. I was blessed by the people who stepped in as subs so that we could re-open the school next day.

Also, as many of you already know, I will be taking on the role of interim principal beginning in June. The ministry is planning on me taking on more and more and my principal stepping back. As this is happening, I am already beginning to deal with issues and difficulties. While it has been challenging, I praise God for His "strength in the time of trouble." As difficult situations arise, I know I can trust in God.

Today we had our school's Festival of the Arts. Each student had to choose an art form to display their talents. We had presentations of dance, music, and art that just wowed me. My roommate Jessi, a lifelong ballet dancer, put together an awesome dance with some of the girls. My music class did a handbell presentation of Amazing Grace. There were lots of beautiful paintings and drawings. The kids here at the ranch are really talented.

As I get back into my normal routine again, I will try to write more often. Again, this is not a promise!

Experiencing the Greatest Commandments

"Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" - Matthew 22:37-39

My day today had somewhat of a rough start. When I got into my car to head to church, I turned the ignition, only to find that my battery was dead. I called those scheduled to ride with me as well as potential rides. Within five minutes, I had four guys at my house, all willing to help me. Just a few minutes later, the ranch family that was going to drive us, arrived. I was so blessed to be the recipient of verse 39 of Matthew. All these people were loving me as they would love themselves.

It didn't stop there. I realized on the way to church that I had left my purse in my car at the ranch. I had no money and no ID. As soon as I verbalized my realization, every adult in the car offered to loan me money for whatever I needed throughout the day. Again, I was immensely blessed by the outpouring of love I was experiencing.

The rest of my day went smoothly because of the love I had been shown in my moments of distress. As I think about how the love shown me changed my day, I am forced to then look at the first and more important commandment. Do I truly love the LORD God will all my heart, soul, and mind? Or am I easily drawn to the things of this life? I can honestly see how the Lord is growing me in this area. However, there are many times when I am distracted away from Him. I know that only complete love for God can allow me to truly love myself and my neighbor. Perhaps one day soon I will then be able to show love to another as I was shown love today in my time of need.

Seeking to Please the Lord

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer." - Psalm 19:14

Well, so much for trying to write on a regular basis. Since school started again, things have been very busy. This past week we had a group from Texas come and do foster care training for our houseparents and teachers. I am also beginning to be more involved in the leadership team at the ranch as I prepare to take on the role of interim principal beginning in June. My schedule has become somewhat hectic as I juggle multiple roles.

Despite all the busyness, the words of Psalm 19:14 were a great reminder to me. I need to focus my words and my thoughts on things that please and honor God. I especially need to watch the words of my mouth. It was just on Sunday that once again my sarcasm got me into trouble. I have a tendency to tease people with whom I feel comfortable. On Sunday morning, on the way to church, I teased a friend about playing the same songs over and over again in the bodega (pole barn). I did not mean to be so hard on him, and later apologized for it. Thankfully, he confronted me about it (in a loving way) and admitted that because of other things that were going on too, my words hurt him. The truths in Scripture about the power of the tongue are so important. Words have the power to do great things, but also the power to destroy. It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will teach me to bridle my tongue, that it may bless and not curse. The same goes for the things on which I allow my mind to dwell. I know that I do not spend enough time meditating on Scripture. I think that is one of the reasons I have fallen into this format of blogging. I find that it forces me to meditate on a Scripture that I have read, and really try to apply it to my life. Now I realize that not every verse of Scripture has application, but so many do. If I just take the time to really "chew" on a verse and its meaning, it forces me to think on things above. Psalm 19:14 is really a prayer of mine: That "the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart" would be pleasing to God, Who is "my strength and my Redeemer."

Facing 2008

"But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head." -Psalm 3:3

Happy New Year! I know I haven't written in a while, but things got busy with the holidays. I was very blessed to have my dad come and visit me for a week here in Honduras. To celebrate the New Year, the Ranch community watched "Evan Almighty" on the soccer field, had a bonfire, and burned "Old Man Year" at midnight. It was a lot of fun.

I spent a lot of time thinking on New Year's Eve. It is tradition in almost every country around the world to celebrate the coming of the New Year. People anticipate what may be coming, expecting it to be a good year. People are thrilled to have survived the previous year, and look forward to what lies ahead. The truth is, for me, I anticipate 2008 to be a difficult year. I am anticipating a lot of tough changes in my life. That doesn't mean I am anxious about it. I simply am not anticipating a great year. However, as I read Scripture, I realize that what lies ahead is exactly what God has planned for me. God is my "shield." A shield in Scripture is a common symbol for God's protection. No matter what comes my way, I can rest in knowing that God will protect me from anything I cannot handle. When I am downcast, He will lift my head. Trusting these truths allow me to face 2008 with courage. Who knows, there may be wonderful surprises in store, too. Whatever comes, I know that God has a purpose and a plan in all of it.

May your 2008 be filled with love, joy, and the peace that surpasses understanding, which only comes from Him!