Journal

Tuesday, June 18, 2002 11:00 P.M.

Blessings! I'm getting ready to head home for a short vacation! I'll be up there for 2 weeks with my family and am really looking forward to it. This Friday we are having an outreach here in Zacapu in one of the town squares. We are really looking forward to what God will do this Friday, practicing hard with the worship team and excited to bring the Gospel to the streets!

And Saturday we are filling a bus up from the church along with the worship team to go to a quincea�era. A quincea�era is a big party they hold in Mexican tradition for girls that turn 15. It's like when a girl becomes a young lady and is a very special celebration. We are taking the worship team to have praise and worship in the celebration and are excited about that, too. God is doing good things.

And Sunday after church I head for the bus station to go to the border. And from the border, I catch I flight to TN. So blessings and those of you who are in TN or MN, see you soon! Blessings and love to you.

Monday, June 10, 10:30 A.M.

Yesterday, we had an outreach in Cortijo Viejo. The message we wanted to share was that we need a new heart and only Jesus can give us one. It was lots of fun, with clowns, mimes, and even puppets! We took 8 of the kids in the youth group and they did an excellent job! Lots of people came out to see it, and I believe the message stuck with them. We had a salvation prayer at the end and all.

This really excites me because I've had this as a dream since last fall: that we could go out and evangelize in the streets. So often we wait for a team to come from another church or from the States, but I'm thrilled because God is raising up a team HERE! Praise His Name. The kids did an awesome job, and we give all the glory, honor, and praise to Him who called us according to His purpose!

Now we are preparing for a bigger outreach here in Zacapu, the 21st of June. This time we are taking the worship team out at doing it "Concert-Style", to reach the lost! (That we are having worship practice 3 times a week!) Please keep this event in your prayers, that God will use us to win the lost for Him.

Monday, June 3, 10:00 A.M.

Praise God we had an awesome mission trip to Oaxaca! Moises and I came back in the bug Saturday to be here for the Sunday morning service. And Pastor Chacho is planning on coming back tomorrow or Wednesday. From crossing rivers in the bug to fighting off tarantulas, it was an exciting trip.... If you want to catch the highlights of the trip, click HERE!

Friday, May 24, 1:00 P.M.

Lots of updates for you!....Let's see, Tuesday and Wednesday we worked in the church smoothing out the cement ceiling and the pillars. What that means is that we put a thin coat of mortar mix on the ceiling. It was quite a job. About 8 of the guys from church got together and we had a good time working. Tuesday we got a nice start at 7:30 A.M. and finished about 8:00 P.M. And Wednesday we started early again and barely got the church finished and in order for the evening service. In short, I came out very happy and very sore! (I guess I'm not in shape for this kind of work!)

THIS MONDAY WE ARE GOING ON A MISSION TRIP TO OAXACA! It looks like Pastor Chacho and I are going in the bug. Possibly Moises or another person will go with us, but we are not sure yet. I'm really excited about going because it's been awhile since I went. The last time, Chacho went by himself and the time before, the bug didn't make it! But with God's hand of mercy and protection, we will make it this time. I thank the LORD for the Bug because it has been a big blessing. It runs great and maybe doesn't look pretty but takes me from here to there.

We are leaving for Oaxaca 5:00 A.M. Monday morning and I'll be back here Saturday. Chacho may come back with me, but chances are he will stay to help provide covering for a particular church in need of a pastor. And he will come back the next Tuesday or Wednesday.

We are bringing 2 bicycles down for some pastors that need transportation, and as much clothes as the bug will carry. I'm also preparing to give basic guitar classes to some of the pastors who want to be able to lead their congregations in worship with the guitar. There is a great need to teach guitar basics. I also hope to bring my guitar down to give to a pastor. These native pastors really inspire me because they give their very lives for the Gospel, hiking miles to carry the Gospel to other villages and thinking nothing of it. And God takes care of them! I don't know how or where they even find enough to eat sometimes, but God takes care of them. So we want to be as much of a blessing as possible, encouraging them to keep on in the work and helping provide for their needs, if that meands bringing bicycles or whatever we can to support them in the work. They are so encouraged just to know that we are behind them and are praying for them.

Thank you for your support for you are making a difference and helping to provide pastoral oversight and encouragement to some 10 churches down in Oaxaca! Even though you may not know these dear brothers, by your prayers and support, you make these life-changing trips possible. Please keep us in your prayers as we go that God will protect us and use us to be His hands and feet.

May God's blessings be over you and build you up in the faith. I'll update my journal as soon as I get back. I'm believing for GREAT things this trip! ~ Josu�

Wednesday, May 15, 1:15 P.M.

The LORD is good. Yesterday, Jes�s Olivares and I went to Cortijo Viejo. We had a small reunion with about 5 elderly people. It was very special as the LORD gave profetic words and we prayed for each one. The thing that excites me the most is that I see hermano Jes�s and Esperanza being raised up in the LORD. God is giving hermana Esperanza the grace and heart of a pastor. She is leading these abreviated church services in which she prepares a word to share and does an excellent job! My heart for going to Cortijo Viejo has been to help raise up the brother Jes�s and Esperanza, and I see God doing just that! One of the ladies that comes every week, Miss Elena, used to come heavy and a bit discouraged....We see God working because now she comes excited about the LORD and full of joy and life! Praise God for His work!

We are planning on heading to Oaxaca on a missions trip the 27th of May. I'm working on fixing a bike up for a native pastor down there. This fellow walks miles to preach the Gospel and is doing an awesome job preaching the good news of Jesus. He really needs a bike. So I brought an old bike back from the border. Any normal person would have said the bike was shot....bent rims, weather-destroyed tires, bad seat, old and a bit rusted.... But with God, all things are possible! I tore it all down, got the rims straightened out and new tubes and tires. Then I picked up a can of spray paint, and now I'm going to paint it. LORD-willing, it will be painted, greased up, and ready to take down to give to this pastor. Thank you for your support that helped make this possible!

Monday, April 22, 12:00 P.M.

Praise the LORD, I�m back home in Zacapu! I went up to the border in my good old �70 Beetle with a friend, Jes�s Olivares. I went up to renew my papers to be here in Mexico and Jes�s stayed on the Mexican side while I crossed into Texas. He stayed at one of our churches there in Progreso.

God blessed me so much this trip! I�m learning to trust Him more and more and it seems that every time I go to the States that God opens up more doors and blesses. Thank you, Jesus. Financially, I didn�t know how I would be able to get some of the things I needed to bring back, but God provided so abundantly that I was even able to bring a new bass guitar back for us! (We�ve been needing one for months.) It�s simply incredible how God works.

So much happened while I was up there. But real briefly, it�s like this... I got to spend some time with Art and Velma Debeof, some dear friends of mine. Art turned 87 last Sunday and he�s going strong for the LORD, serving in the area of helps ministry. Art doesn�t feel called to preach or evangelize, but serves God with his hands, painting, building projects, etc. He is an inspiration to me because he gives his all to serve Jesus where God has called him to.

I also had a chance to spend to time at our mother church, Bethany Church, in McAllen, TX. It was a blessing to see my friends and brothers there. They have such sweet hearts.

I had been praying for some time about starting a business of some sort to help support myself down here. And I came across the idea of selling silver jewelry. So while I was up in McAllen, I checked on buying silver and found out that it�s higher quality silver than what�s here in Mexico and I could buy it wholesale. So I invested some money and bought silver! Yikes! I was scared at first, but felt down in my heart I felt that it was right and that God was going to bless it. You know how it goes, the enemy comes to you and makes up all kinds of lies why I shouldn�t sell silver or anything. I called Mom and Dad about it, and they had good advice. Mom reminded me of how Paul in the Bible made tents to help support himself and go on mission trips, etc. So I�m excited about this opportunity! God has blessed this venture from the beginning. I no sooner got the silver Thursday a week ago, and people starting buying there in McAllen! Please pray with me that God continues to prosper and bless this small business. Thank you so much. :)

Well, God bless you bunches and receive lots of love and greeting from here in Zacapu! I�m back and ready to dig in hard!.......p.s. oh, yah, Chacho is leaving for the border right now, but hopes to be back by Saturday. It seems we keep missing eachother. No sooner does one of us get back and the other heads off somewhere!

Sunday, April 21, 10:30 P.M.

This morning I didn�t play any of the praise songs. Instead, I told the team to go ahead and I praised down with the congregation! It was great! I continue to praise and glorify God for what He is doing in the worship team. They do great without me! That was always my dream; to get them to the place where they function just as well if I am with them or not. We still have lots of areas to improve on, but they are getting it. I�m so proud of them and excited where God brings us.

Right now my prayer is that God will raise up another worship leader. This morning, for example, Pastor Chacho led the praise and worship while the team followed him, but I would like to see another worship leader in place so Chacho can have a break.

Monday, April 8, 12:00 P.M.

Hello everyone. Please keep me in your prayers as tomorrow I�m taking the bug up to the border to renew my papers. I hope to be back here in a week and a half, so I`ll update my journal when I get back. God bless you all!

Wednesday, April 3, 1:15 P.M.

Last night we got back late from 2 days of relaxing. It was a much-needed vacation and a blast! We went to a waterpark all day yesterday and came back rejuvinated in our spirits and ready to run again.

This afternoon, Pastor Annie from the border and many other pastors are going to arrive and then Pastor Chacho and Lupita are going on a pastor�s retreat with them. I�m praying for God�s anointing as I�m preaching tonight as Pastor Chacho is not going to be here. Well, I�m going to see if I can run in to town and put this on the web quickly. Blessings and thank you so much for your prayers!

Sunday, March 31 2002 11:15 P.M.

Wow! This week has been full of activity. With special services and all celebrating the resurrection of our LORD, we have been running. And then on top of it, at the last minute, we got a call to see if we could host 18 youth. We said SURE! So they arrived Friday afternoon and did an awesome outreach in the street that evening. They came with clowns, mime, drama, and a video. It like charged up my batteries and encouraged me to work harder on getting a puppet team and clown troup together. It�s funny how much poeple stopping in like that can encourage you. They were here Friday night and left Saturday morning.

This week, Pastor Chacho and Lupita are going on a pastor�s retreat from Wednesday to Friday. Just tonight Chacho asked if I could take the Wednesday night service. So I�ll be praying and studying hard the next few days! LORD, my You take over the service and speak Your Word.

We�ve been running like crazy lately and so tomorrow we are going to get away. I think we�re going to the zoo in Morelia and maybe to a waterpark! (the "we" includes Chacho, Lupita, Azalia, Abid, Sara�, and myself) It will be a blessing to get away and relax.

Friday, March 29, 2002 9:30 A.M.

When I went to Cortijo Viejo Wednesday, one elderly brother was in bad shape physically and in the hospital. Yesterday, I went to visit him in the hospital before going in the March for Jesus. I brought my harmonica along and we had a special time singing old choruses, etc. What a ministry to just go and love the elderly! No matter how old we are, we need to feel loved and cherished. Showing God�s love to the elderly is so rewarding for me. Although, physically Ambrosio wasn�t feeling well, after a song or two that spark of life and joy returned to his eyes!

This morning, Pastor Chacho and I went to visit Ambrosio again. We prayed for him and sang wit him. I think I get more blessed by going than Ambrosio receives blessing! LORD, I want to be Your hands and feet. Help me to shine Your love. Ambrosio is such a sweet elderly gentleman; I think of him as my own grandpa.

Thursday, March 21, 2002 10:15 P.M.

This afternoon was the March for Jesus in Zacapu! I dressed up as a clown and had a blast giving stickers to the children and telling them that Jesus loves them. I had so much fun greeting the smiling faces of the children. Oh, LORD, how can we reach these children with Your love?

Wednesday, March 20, 2002 10:45 P.M.

God is doing incredible things. Today, I went to Cortijo Viejo, a village about 30 minutes from here. Some of the elders of our church, Jes�s and Esperanza Medina, live there. Today, Jes�s was out preparing the ground with his two horses to later on plant corn, so Esperanza went with me to visit and pray for some brethren. Esperanza is very dear and loves the LORD with all her heart.

God revealed Himself as we prayed for a woman. I guess this elderly woman, Miss Elaina, was experiencing much pain in her knees. I didn�t know that at the time, but when we finished praying for her, she shared how she felt a warm sensation as God touched her and that she now had no pain in her knees! God healed her! Just like that. PTL!

The next place we went to was an elderly couple. (you see, at present this is a love ministry to the elderly) We prayed for them and sang with them and felt God�s presence in a very sweet way.

A great part of my purpose for going to Cortijo Viejo is to encourage Jes�s and Esperanza and their 2 daughters. I believe God is going to use them as a family to minister in their own village. He already has begun to do it! So my goal isn�t so much to go and visit/pray for people as it is to encourage Jes�s� family. And God is doing it. :)

I got home from Cortijo to crash on the couch for about 15 minutes before getting ready for the evening service. I�d like to share with you what God did tonight in the service. It was simply incredible. God took over...and we weren�t ready for it! After some powerful, spiritual-warfare type praise that the LORD led us in, we were carried right into His presence. We worshipped the Father for some time and then the LORD led us into intercession as a church.

The most beautiful time was during worship, where God began to fill people with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Some were standing, others sitting with tears running down their faces, and still others on the floor under the power of God. But each one was touched in a very special and personal way. We all left renewed and encouraged. I LOVE how God works!

Tuesday, March 12, 2:30 P.M.

The worship team is going ahead. I`m excited because starting this week we are going to get together with the dance team and the worship team to learn about praise and worship together and become more united. I have been sharing on worship and praise with the team and how we need to become true worshipers, not just Sundays or Wednesdays, but that we LIVE a life of worship for our God and Creator....(Don`t worry, I won`t start preaching....) Up `til this week the dance team and worship team have practiced separately, etc. But I view the dancers and musicians/singers all in the same "worship team", in the same ministry. I feel that it is important that both those on the worship team and the dancers understand the importance of praise and worship and what it means to God.

I found a beautiful definition of what worship is this morning as I was studying: TO LOVE TO THE EXTREME. (Amar en extremo) Worship isn`t just raising our hands or singing, it`s LOVING God with all we have and all we are! The verb "to worship" is similar to the verb "to love", but carries so much more. It is to LOVE God like someone madly in love. That`s worship; giving our heart, soul, mind, and strength to our God in an act of devoted love. I`m excited to see how God continues to work in the worship team!

(Oh yah, and PTL! after much fervent prayer, God has provided a soundperson! We have had a tremendous need for someone to run sound for some time. As I was praying about the need and thinking, God litterally dropped into my mind who it would be. I went and talked with her yesterday. Her name is Maricela. She told me how sound has always fascinated her and how she is simply thrilled to serve God in this area! Isn`t God just GOOD? PTL)

Friday, March 8, 12:30 P.M.

This has been a week of challenges, but a very good one. God is doing a work inside my heart, making me stronger in faith and courage. Praise His Name. I�m pretty much well, now. And Monday I think I�m going to go on a 3-day watermelon fast. It is nothing spiritual with watermelon. It�s because the typhoid is still in my system and will be forever. But if you eat just watermelon for 3 days, it acts like a vaccination in that the typhoid becomes so weak it can�t come back! So I guess I�ll go for it. I�m tired of getting sick.

Yesterday, Lupita and I went to one of the missions 30 minutes from here, Cortijo Viejo. (Where Pastor Chacho brought the team that came down in October.) We visited several elderly people there and prayed for them. It was very special and the people were so blessed that we went to see them. Many want to come to church so badly but because of the distance and lack of transportation or bad physical conditions, they simply cannot. I love it there and I think Chacho and Lupita are going to send me to encourage the brethren and pray for the sick. Hopefully, I can go like once a week. I really love the people there. We spent most of the day in Cortijo Viejo and I came home so blessed and content inside, knowing that we gave and blessed others and that really blessed me.

Well, I�m in the internet cafe in town right now and I need to go pick up Sara� from school in about 10 minutes, so have a great day! (LORD-willing, Pastor Chacho will arrive tomorrow morning from the mission trip to Oaxaca!)

Tuesday March 5, 10:30 P.M.

God, You are so good to me. My friend, Javier, from up in MN just called to say ,"Hi". What a tremendous blessing that was to me! Thank you Jesus for giving me the encouragement I need right on time!}

Tonight we had a voice class and it motivated me to learn and teach harmonies to the singers on the worship team! I now have a new challenge! It is to work more with the voices. (starting with my own!)

It�s interesting how today went for me. I was pretty miserable this morning, being sick again. It was hard for me to stay on top. I cried out to God because I needed His touch. And God touched me! Sure, physically, my body may not be responding yet, but I have the joy and peace of Jesus back in my heart. That�s really all that matters to me. Signing off for the night...Josu�

Monday Feb. 25, 5:30 P.M.

Saturday God did an awesome work, too. God touched so many hearts. I feel like God just came down and visited us in a very special way. It was so much more than I expected. God healed many broken hearts and hurts and was filling those hurts with His love. It was so beautiful to see. hurts.

Sunday Feb. 24, 2002 1:15 A.M.

This has been an incredible weekend! Friday night and Saturday we had "Explosi�n Juvenil", reaching youth from many different churches. It was awesome! Friday evening we praised and worshiped for nearly 2energized and the youth jumped into it! Then in worship, God�s presence litterally fell. Luis on the hours! This was a dream-come-true for me. I had always wanted to see the team do a concert in which the presence of God would fall with power and anointing. It happened. The praise was guitar was on his knees, Antonio on bass couldn�t hardly play under the heavy presence of God, and Veronica (singer) I think nearly feel over under the power of God! It was awesome! I give all the glory, honor, and praise to Jesus for I know He is the One who did it....(I fell asleep writing, so this is continued Monday...)

Wednesday Feb. 20

Tuesday I worked most of the day in the church. The toilet in the men�s bathroom has been out of service for months, so we are finally getting it fixed. My job was to dig a channel about 6 inches wide, 4 feet long, and 6 inches deep in solid concrete. I tore into it with a hatchet �til I broke the head and handle. Then I went for a 2 lb sledge and chizel. Finally I got serious and got out the pick-axe! It was a good change of pace for the morning!

Today I made some "spot-lights" with colored light bulbs and coffee cans! The girls are preparing a dance and want colored lights, etc., so here goes another invention...I made 4 make-shift spotlights and took a headlight out of my bug and the battery to use as a main spotlight from the back of the church! You really ought to see it.

We are excited about the youth rally this Friday and Saturday. God is going to do something awesome; I just know it! Friday night is going to be mainly praise and worship, concert-style with lots of energy! And Saturday we are going to have several workshops for the youth! I pray that God will change lives, renew a passion for Him, and raise each young person up for God�s service.

Sunday Feb. 17 9:40 P.M.

God is continually changing lives. Thursday evening we were in worship practice when a drunk fellow stumbled in and said he needed help. I shared a little with him and brought him to the house to talk with Pastor Chacho. That very night he gave his heart to the LORD and God instantly delivered him from his drunken state! He came this morning to church and I believe God is doing a work in his life as He has with Jes�s Olivares. Another testimony in the making!

Every other Thursday we are doing the food bank. God is touching lives through it! Each time needy people realize their need for salvation and receive Jesus as Saviour. Remember when I asked you to pray about us getting permission to bring food down from the border? The mayor of Zacapu gave us all the papers and authorization to bring as much food/clothes, etc down as we want! That is a HUGE praise report! Now we just need to bring it down and get it organized. Step by step.

Friday night we had youth group. Celene taught a short, simple lesson. We started to worship, and the LORD showed me to hand the guitar to Mois�s and let him go in worship. This young man has a sweet heart for worship and praise. The presence of God came and touched us in a powerful way! Serious. I felt God calling us back to our first love, like the church of Ephesus. As we were praying for different ones, etc. it was like a heart of intercession came on us and we began to lift up lost friends and family, praying for their salvation with great intensity. It was really something. All I can say is Praise the LORD!

Saturday Feb. 9 11:00 A.M.

Good morning. This has been a very special week. Although Pastor Chacho is not here yet, God is covering us. I�ve been experiencing the presence of God in prayer so much this week. It�s like you feel His love and that He�s right with you. There�s nothing as refreshing and renewing as to have God touch you!

Thursday we had worship practice and it went excellent. I had time this week to study and so shared some before the practice on being a worshiper, etc. The team is doing great. I�m proud of them because they are dedicated to serving the LORD in the music ministry and are dedicated and responsible. What really excites me is to be able to pour into their lives in a way that is preparing them for the callings and ministry that God has for each one. Matt. 28:19 says to make disciples of all men, not just teach them, but help them to become all they can be for Jesus. There�s a great satisfaction in seeing each member of the team develop in their calling.

Friday came around and I finally put a door on Nancy�s room for her. (She�s been waiting for quite some time!) It was a project morning, doing odds and ends. Hey! They fixed my bug for me! I brought it to a body shop and they replaced some rusted out sections so now my doors shut nice and it won�t keep rusting. It�s like a new bug for me! But then the fuel pump died, so I�m going to try to get a new one today. The car is a real blessings down here. Praise God!

In the evening we had youth group. It�s going really good. Celene and I are getting better organized and working together with the youth. We had 9 last night. The kids are pushing forward so much it keeps me hopping to stay ahead! Lately it�s been around 10 youth coming each week. They are bringing Jesus to their schools and making a difference! This week, Azalia (13 yrs. old) had several testimonies of sharing Jesus with her classmates. That�s what it�s all about! Let�s take Jesus to the streets, to the schools, to the lost, where the need is great!

Monday, Feb. 4 2:00 P.M.

Chacho just left this morning for the border. He needs to renew the van permit and take care of some things. So for this next week or two, it�s time to give it all! Whenever Pastor Chacho is gone, it causes me to stretch and grow in HUGE ways, but I�m glad for it.

We are looking at some full months of activity. February 22-23 we are having a big youth event with the youth from our churches as well as others here in Zacapu. I�m looking forward to that! We are looking at another mission trip to Oaxaca in March and possibly a visit from a mission team from TN/MN. We are still working on the details now. Then comes April and we want to have like a youth camp with our 3 churches. We�ll go to Lombard�a where it�s hot and tropical! What a blast. :)

You know God is really good. Yesterday, I brought a friend to church. He�s mexican, but from Texas. We really hit it off. In the afternoon, we went out to eat and just hang out. It was such a blessing for me, because I don�t do that much. I get so involved in ministry and such that I don�t get out to just relax and that really did me good yesterday. It was also relaxing because I slid into English as he was born and raise in TX. You�d think he�s American.

I�m digging in with the worship team. Yesterday, I led the praise and Pastor Chacho the worship songs. Part of the time I was on keyboard and part just singing with Luis on the keyboard. God is raising the guys up! And now we are starting with voice lessons! I love the class. I�m learning so much from the Christian teacher that comes once a week. This week Lupita, Celene and I were there. And by next week, I hope most of the team is taking the class. Why? I feel like if you can sing, you can lead others into worship without even playing an instrument. If you cannot sing, it really limits you. So that�s exciting to see!

Wednesday, Jan. 30 10:00 A.M.

Praise the LORD for health and strength! Monday afternoon something hit me and I was in bed most of the day Tuesday. I think it was amibas...I felt shaky and weak, upset stomach, headache, and just almost miserable. But God is my healer and I feel good this morning! I�m taking a treatment to get rid of the amibas in my system. As I laid on the couch yesterday, the mere thought of food nearly made me gag, so I reached for my Bible and got some good spiritual food. I read in Psalms about God�s faithfulness, His care for us, and how He protects us. It was like I was reading those verses for the first time in my life. They just like came to life.

We are starting the food bank again. Tomorrow we�ll have a brief service and then hand out bags of food to the needy. I�m glad to see this taking off again. We haven�t been able to do it since before Christmas for various reasons. We are still working on getting permission to bring large amounts of food down from the border. The food is available there to bring down. It�s just some of the legal stuff, I guess. Please keep this in prayer. I believe there is great opportunities to reach the needy with this ministry of food distribution.

Wednesday Jan. 23

Yesterday, I think I spent the whole day visiting people. You see, on Monday, Mois�s got in a bad bike wreck. He was carrying his friend on the bike and his friend�s foot got caught in the front wheel. They both went flying and rolling down a roughly paved street. Mois�s got knocked out for a bit and has a nasty knot on the forehead. He is roughed up all over with scratches, but PTL, no broken bones. It could have been really bad. So I went to pray for him and encourage him. Actually, I spent most of the day with him, going to the doctor, getting x-rays, etc. Everything�s all right, now. And he�s doing pretty good.

Then I went and found Manuel, one of our youth. Sometimes it�s hard for me because I think I�m project-oriented. And so if I go visiting and praying for people, I feel as if I didn�t get anything done! (Contrarily, if I get cabinets built, or something off my work list done, I feel like I got something done.) It sounds so crazy, because caring about people and helping them to grow to become all they can be is so much more important to me than getting the church painted or a project done! How ridiculous! People are by far more important. I want to always put people above my agenda and work. I�m learning to find a good balance in all this! :)

Today, then, I hit the work! :) I picked up a sheet of particle board & made two cabinet doors and framed a kitchen cabinet. It looks great with doors! I just have to put doors on the other two kitchen cabinets. A dear brother of mine, Pastor Tony, gave me a new blade for my Skil saw when I was up in TN. Wow! Now I can cut wood! Thanks, brother. :)

Monday Jan. 21 - 9:00 A.M.

I�m back in Zacapu! I arrived Saturday around noon. I am so happy to be back here where my heart is!

Thank you so much for your prayers as I returned. God opened the doors and everything I brought back made it all the way to Zacapu. I was praying hard and I know many of you were as well. I had too much bagage as well as things that they wouldn�t want me to carry into Mexico. But I paid the taxes on the sound mixer and guitar which amounted to about $55. But then they allowed me to pass through. I still continued to pray because I had mics, a trumpet, laptop, and lots of other things not accounted for. But they didn�t search me. I believe in prayer with all my heart and I know God answered our prayers.

Pastor Chacho and everyone here were really excited with all the blessings that the LORD allowed me to bring back. Yesterday we used the mixer for Sunday service and the new guitar. It worked great! What a blessing! God is so good. I mean really good!

I had really missed my friends and church here. Yesterday, it was so special to see everyone again at church. What really blessed me was how the worship team has gone ahead in my absence. They are doing great! I even got off the platform and enjoyed the praise for a little bit. :) I�m so proud of them. God is doing a neat work with the worship team. I feel like I could leave for wherever knowing that they would keep going! The only thing I�d like to see is a worship leader because Pastor Chacho is leading and I know he�d like to have a worship leader to take his place. Then I would feel like it was a complete work. Praise the LORD, one step at a time we keep on!

So today I�m going to try to get my act together and dive into the work. Back into giving music classes, working with the worship team, working with the youth, and whatever else the LORD opens up! Have a great day in Jesus!

Wednesday January 9, 2002 - 4:30 P.M.

Hi! I'm finally getting around to getting this updated after Christmas. I hope to get some new pictures on here, making page 6 of my pictures on-line. Come back in a few days and see what's new!

I'm presently still at Mom and Dad's in Cookeville, TN. I picked up a greyhound ticket today, so I'll be heading back to Mexico on January 16^th. It was really great to be home for Christmas and all, but at the same time, I can't wait to get back down to Zacapu!

The time up here in the States has been such a blessing. I really feel God's Hand of blessing everywhere I go. I just got back Monday, the 7^th from a quick trip to MN. It was so special to see all my friends and home church up in Bemidji. God has blessed me with so many sweet friends up there. It is so beautiful to see the giving hearts of so many. Thank you so much to all you who so generously blessed the work in Mexico!

Here in TN, my church in Tullahoma has blessed me in every way. And it's been so much fun spending some time together and getting to know each one better. God really is good. My heart is full of gratefulness to the LORD and lots of love and thanks to those who have blessed me showed me such love. Thanks guys.

Ya know, unfortunately, I haven't kept up on my journal at all while I've been up here. Whoops! But I'll get back on it and keep you up-dated when I go back down to Mexico. Take care, and I'll update my webpage more in the next few days. See ya!