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.