Journal
Here's my most recent entry...Monday, July 14, 5:00 p.m.
As we continue studying the Old Testiment here at school, I see God's overall plan becoming unveiled. I see how God yearns to have fellowship with us, His creation. It's about relationship; it's about giving and receiving the love of God. I see the theme of worship seeping through it all. What is our relationship with God if it's not about worshiping Him? His desire is that we esteem Him so highly in our lives that we have nothing left but worship Him.
As you remember, I was praying about going to Chile after this training. As I continue to wait and trust God to open the right doors, He seems to be opening a door for Uruguay. (the small country below Brazil, mainly atheistic) I'm in contact with missionaries who are serving in Uruguay right now and I feel God doing something.
Along with a seminary dedicated to training church-planters, God is bringing about a movement of worship. David and Sandy Rice are involved with teaching praise and worship throughout the country. They told me that the people are so hungry! The need is for anointed worshipers to be able to teach and train worship teams both on what is worship and praise from the Bible and also to teach basic classes on how to play various instruments.
David and Sandy have an awesome heart to work interdenominationally and are seeing churches unite as a result. I'm praying about going and checking it out soon after the new year because that is exactly what I feel God calling me to do. Right now, this is something you can join me in prayer for. Thank you so much!
Friday, July 4, 2003
It's been 2 weeks since I've started training in North Carolina. The training is excellent! My first class was "Studying and Using Scripture Effectively". We were taught how to do a topical Bible study, how to do word studies, and research in the Greek and Hebrew. This course gave me the tools I needed to know how to dig into a passage and see many spiritual truths I would have otherwise missed.
We went through the book of Colossians, verse by verse. I am overwhelmed with all that is in this book, and I know I've just scratched the surface for all that's there. What really stood out to me through thise study is how "Christ is all in all" (Col. 3:11)
So many things leap off the pages of Scripture at me, like when I look at verses like Col. 1:22, "...He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death in order to present you before Him holy, and blameless, and beyond reproach."
As we studied the chapter, we were able to see who the "Hes" were referring to. This verse is saying, "God has now reconciled us in Christ's fleshly body through death. Why did he reconcile us? In order to present us before Him holy, and blameless, and beyond reproach." What speaks to me is how it is the work of God, not what we do. God reconciled us to Himself. Not US through our holiness or methods. It is the work of God. Only through Christ are we brought into a right relationship with God. Christ is all in all.
Besides studies, the environment at school has been so much fun. I'm getting to know missionaries who are going all over the world. In just two weeks, we are establishing strong relationships by working together on projects, worshiping together every morning, and encouraging one another. It's been really awesome.
I really feel privileged to be able to get this training for missions which I feel will be so vital as I go down to South America later. I want to thank you once again for your support. I know so many are praying for me and helping financially, and I want to thank you. Thank you for parterning togther with me!
Thursday, May 29, 2003
Yesterday, I returned from Passion's OneDay03 event. It was a time of worship, repentence, and a time with God. More than 30,000 college students gathered, and the outcome was awesome! There were times where across the whole hillside everyone was on their face before God. At other times hands were raised to worship and glorify the King of kings. Worship leaders such as Chris Tomlin, Charlie Hall, and Matt Reidman led us in heart-felt worship and lively praise. It was awesome!
I still have 3 weeks until my missionary training starts in N. Carolina, so I'll be helping this next week in my church's youth camp in Lynchburg, TN. After that a quick trip to MN and help Jon and Stacy move to WI. Then back down here to start training the 23rd of June. Thanks for keeping in touch!
Tuesday, April 29
Ok, now for a long-over-due update. Last Thursday morning, Nathanael and I made it back up here to TN. We had a special time together in Mexico. I had brought him down with me when I went down in the beginning of March. He was a big help and blessing me me as well as to everyone down there in Zacapu.
The goal during this last time there in Zacapu was to get the worship team ready to take over for when I'm gone. As Betuel got more confident on keyboard, I backed off. And by the time I left, I was down below in the congregation, watching as the team played under the anointing. It was awesome. I wanted to cry....and after my last Sunday there, I did. I guess to see how God has raised them up and is using them so powerfully is awesome.
Mois�s is back on guitar and is pushing on with God. Antonio is on bass and giving his all. Nancy is on drums and is training another drummer. (Claudia, the girl she�s training, plays on Wednesday nights, and some on Sundays! She�s learning fast. I think Nancy is a much better teacher than myself!) And the 3 singers are doing great as well.}
When I left Mexico to come up for missionary training now, it was very hard because I've made such close friendships down there. You see, I was accepted as one of them, as a Mexican. So my leaving was very hard for them as well, but when I explained how I would love to stay but how I need to follow God's plan. They understood and are praying for me. It was a very teary day when I left. I cried and cried because I love everyone so much down there. But at the same time I felt 100% right that God was calling me to leave.
So my next step is to go to CIT (Center for Intercultural Training) in North Carolina. There, I'll be preparing to be a more effective missionary, learning intercultural skills, team leadership, interpersonal skills, etc. I'm excited about this next step! Please keep me in your prayers as I get ready to go to this training. My first class starts May 19th. Thanks for your prayers and support.
Monday, April 7
We are back from Oaxaca. Ever try eating iguana? That was our breakfast one morning. (Nathanaels and mine) You`ll never guess what it tasted like.......CHICKEN! just kidding. It didn`t taste like chicken, but it wasn`t bad. What wasn`t so good was the iguana eggs that they gave us with it. They were like turtle eggs with the soft shell and a pasty inside and an unforgettable flavor....
We saw God touch many lives on this trip. We visited some 8 small churches and adopted another in Huatulco. In each place God ministered to the needs of the people in a special way. One thing I can`t get over is how hungery the people are for God. We had a service one night that started at 6:00 p.m. after praise and the sermon, we had a ministry time. Then a participation of many different churches.... by now it was like 9:30 and everyone still fired up! It just kept on and on, praising and testifying...at around 11:30 p.m. I thought it was about over, but then they asked Pastor Chacho to preach another sermon! All in all it last until after midnight, and unfortunately that night I couldn`t stay because I was fried from all we`d been doing the days before, so I went to bed when Chacho started preaching the last time. People are hungry for God!
A praise report is that God is continuing to raise up the worship team. Yesterday we had a wedding, and on many of the songs Betuel took over on keyboard. In the next few weeks I hope to have him completely on keyboard. Please keep praying for Betuel on keyboard. He`s doing a great job!
A huge praise report is that Mois�s is back with us on the worship team! Keep praying for him. Yesterday was his first Sunday with us and he`s a big blessing.
Saturday, March 22, 2003
Today started out with adventure....I got bit by a monkey!!! But I guess a monkey bite never hurt anyone....
We are getting ready for another missions trip to Oaxaca. Pastor Chacho, Nathanael and I are leaving early Monday morning and coming back next Saturday night. Please keep us in your prayers as we go. We want to encourage the churches down there and as the work is growing, we will be meeting new pastors that are asking for our covering as a mother church.
Last week we had cruzades in a circus tent for 4 nights from Thursday through Sunday. We were in a rough area of town, and so it was awesome to lift high the Name of Jesus there. We brought the worship team out and the streets rang with praises to the King of kings! One day, Nancy couldn't come. (She's the drummer.) But while I was up in TN, she started teaching Claudia drums. I told them that I don't know if it was a great teacher or a great student because Claudia is doing terrific on the drums! (They told me it was both of them!) So that night that Nancy couldn't make it in time, I asked Claudia to fill in, and she did an excellent job!
That thrills me because I see the worship team reproducing themselves. They are training up others who can flow in worship! Please keep praying that God keeps raising them up. Pray, too, for Betuel who is taking my place on keyboard. Pray that he can becomes strong and faithful in the ministry that God has for him.
Thank you for for all your prayers for me as well. Nathanael (my younger brother that I brought back down with me) is enjoying it so much here that he doesn't want to go back to the States... except maybe for a hamburger! It's been a blessing to have him here and have time together. I'm teaching several more people keyboard and guitar, so pray that God will raise these new students up to be worshipers as well. Blessings!
....and I've decided to steer clear of monkeys....!
Monday, Feb. 10, 2003
Hi! I've just updated everything, so you can check my calendar out, or find out how orientation went with UWM. In a nutshell, United World Mission accepted me. What that means is that now instead of launching out on my own, I have the support and backing of going with a missions sending agency. UWM is that agency. They will help me send out newsletters from the field, take care of my finances for me and even make your gifts tax-deductable. I'm really excited about this new step of going with UWM!
I'm up here in TN until March 3, and God has opened up so many doors. I firmly believe that when God calls us to do something, He also funds it. I see God confirming the call and direction on my life by providing so miraculously from all sides. What a privilege it is for me to partner together with so many dear brothers and sisters here in TN.
I'm praying that God will have the entire $7500 raised for going to the CIT intensive training course this summer. This preparation for ministry is crucial, and I'm praying that all the money will be here by the time I start in May. How exciting it is to see God provide and I pray God's biggest blessings on all who are supporting me!
What a time we had last Saturday night in praise and worship! Brother Andy Barnes hosted a bilingual praise and worship night in his church, and WOW! it was something! I love it when God just decides to show up and take over and that's what happened! I thank God for the privilege to meet such awesome worshipers and be apart of what He is doing in these days. God is united churches, denominations, and cultures. It's awesome to see.
On Sunday, I was with a beautiful United Methodist church out in the country called Bethlehem. The generosity and love of the people there was incredible. They want to adopt me as their missionary! What a blessing! As we partner together as the body of Christ, God is going to do big things.
Afterwards, I went up to Monterey to share in another church. I shared how God brought me to be a missionary in Mexico and had a wonderful time with the people there. Pastor David Adams, pastor of these two churches is a good friend of mine and a very big blessing to me.
As I write of all these things, I can't help but remember the Sunday before in First United Methodist Church in Livingston. People with hearts for God. I love the people there, too. That's what I mean by God working all across the board, bringing churches together, regardless of denomination. It's so awesome that we can serve one another and encourage one another regardless of our denominational background.
God is good, and this trip to TN has been so full of blessings. So many wonderful people that I met.
