Sweet Fellowship Among Believers: Abundant Joy in the midst of Overwhelming Crisis

How do you even begin to reflect back on such life-changing devastation that has hit and affected people in your own country.You see, not so long ago I was just your average Christian in America immune to all the damage that a storm like Hurricane Sandy could pack.

House torn apart from Hurricane Sandy

Unstable house down off the beachfront

Stuffed Tigger in the debris

 Being so far away from the east coast because I live here in the beautiful Northwest is a blessing and a curse.Here in the Tri-Cities in eastern Washington we do not experience natural disasters like earthquakes, monsoons or hurricanes ... it just doesn't happen; and I feel extremely blessed by God to live here.But ... living here in such a calm climate can be seen as a curse as well because over time we watch what the media shows us as to what areas of our country are being affected and by what kind of natural disaster.Even though many of these hit all over the US, once the media stops their coverage, I too easily place all that in the back of my mind because I myself was not affected.Is this resounding with anyone? This is where the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief comes into play.They are an organization that seeks to bring the hope we have in Christ to disheartened and devastated people who have had their lives altered in many ways due to the crisis they have just been through.Because of this trip that God orchestrated so beautifully to go and help with a collegiate team from Resonate church in Pullman and Moscow and funds that were given to our church association to send me; I will never be the same.

There were 13 of us altogether on this team from the Northwest that would impact many lives across Staten Island and we all met for the very first time at the Sea-Tac airport on the day we were flying together.

Everyone at the airport at the Enterprise Rental

At first I was anxious and a little intimidated because I had never done anything like this before, so everything was new to me.For those of you who know me well, it takes a bit of time to get used to a new adventure.But I should have known better because God knows my heart and if I would have just taken a second to think about it, my whole life since the age of 15 has been an adventure and seemingly an uphill, downhill rollercoaster ever since.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2

Life is never what it seems, yet for me I have seen and experienced so much in my 26 years.17 years of schooling, various mission trips to shine the light of Christ and 5 countries later, I have learned that when God is in control of my life all I have to do is grasp tightly to Him because He will lead me where He wants me to go.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8

So, here I am following where God wants me to go and it just happens to be as a leader driving around 10 crazy but Christ loving college students all over Staten Island so that we as a Northwest group can make a difference in the hearts and lives of the homeowners affected by Hurricane Sandy.As I said before this was a new experience, when we first arrived (after circling the Newark Airport various times trying to find the exit) we saw the tent city where we would be staying for the duration of our time together.

The tent city

It was 1:45 in the morning and we were whisked into an orientation where we were told about the times we would be eating, leaving to mudout houses, showers, sleeping arrangements and other teams that were already here.We stepped into our tents with our luggage in tow and I was thinking that I have never been so cold in my life.*Let the fun times begin ... the small kerosene heater we had in our tent had gone out already and my teeth were chattering like no one's business.And as I'm putting my stuff on my cot I had chosen and trying to do this quietly because there was already a team from Mississippi sleeping ... lo and behold I here this familiar voice and I see no one else but Rena Register pop her head up from her cot and try to tell us to bundle up because it's cold.And here she is all bundled up from head to toe in her sleeping bag with a beanie, gloves and a hoodie with all the blankets on top.I went and jumped on her cot and gave her a great big hug and was so excited to see her in Staten Island.I knew then that God had lots of smiles, laughs and joys in store for my time here; and I knew that I was going to be alright.

Hanging out in our "cozy" tent

 

Being ourselves in front of Meg Dwyer's house

 Later that morning as we struggled to pull ourselves out of bed after getting only 3 hrs of sleep, we bundled up and headed to the gym where breakfast was to be served.I really appreciated the cooking team that was there to greet us with their warm, delicious food when we were all half asleep.

Us with the Cooking team from Florida

You know, God does special things through teams that are devoted to Him and I saw that day in and day out with our group even though we were sometimes exhausted and frustrated beyond words.God would still choose to use us in the days that lay ahead.

Devotion time before we leave in the morning

The time came to go out and find some houses to work on and our team leader, Penny Jenkins (from Airway Heights Baptist Church) was calling on the work orders we had and we weren't making contact with anyone.We finally arrived on the site of one house that needed the yard cleaned out and the inside of the house drained and we got to work, because literally their house hadn't been touched for 2 months and there was a few feet of water just sitting under the floor that had been ripped out down to the joists.

Sitting water under Janet's house joists

After talking with Janet who is the homeowner we found out that this house had been in their family for 57 years and when Hurricane Sandy hit she wasn’t sure if they were going to demolish the house or just rebuild.But Praise the Lord, we were there in time to clean it out for them and help give them a fresh start.

Janet and her sister

Later as we were still working on the property, Janet’s next door neighbors returned home and we were by God's grace able to begin our 2nd house which would turn into a 3 day project from start to finish.

David and Layla's House before

 

David and Layla's house after we finished

 David and Layla are the homeowners and we all felt so honored to be able to finish their house for them so that a contractor can come in and rebuild.I’m going to share a little of their story so that you can be as encouraged as I felt.When we first met them, they were so overwhelmed and didn’t know where they were going to start in the tearing out and rebuilding process.It was difficult for me to see their livelihood and stuff just destroyed and strewn all over their property.You see, Layla is pregnant with their first child and is due in March and for me I don’t know what I would do in her shoes to be bringing a baby into a house devastated like that. So we did what we do best, we asked them if we could pray for them and this huge smile just spread across Layla’s face and she was excited to pray with us; “whatever that was” (as with many homeowners we met, they had no idea what it meant to communicate to God through prayer).We all gathered around and grabbed a hand and prayed with them for God to bless their baby and give them hope and healing in this very difficult time of crisis.

Kyle and Alli (Resonate team leaders), David and Layla, Justin

On the last day in working with David and Layla’s house, David told us that he wanted to give us a cake to thank us for everything we had done for them.We tried to tell him that we didn’t need anything, but he wouldn’t be persuaded; so we returned the next day and he gave us 2 cakes for us to share with all the other Disaster Relief collegiate teams.

Cakes from David to the Northwest group

We were able to finish these first 2 houses and give them all a Disaster Relief teddy bear and Bible to remind them of us and to give them the everlasting hope of God's Word.

Suz and Meleah presenting the DR bear and Bible to Janet

 

 

This part for me became one of the more meaningful parts of our time in Staten Island as a Disaster Relief team.We were given these cute Disaster Relief teddy bears to give away, the goal was to not leave with the teddy bear you were given and so we were always on the lookout for opportunities to give them away.As a team we also signed a Bible for each of the homeowners and gave that to them and prayed with them after we finished their homes.Each time we finished a house we gave the homeowners lots of hugs, prayed with them and left them with many great memories of our time together and the hope that God was holding them in His hands.This is just a fabulous encouragement for me as a believer that even in the midst of crisis and struggle, when we don’t know which end is up, that God is there in the midst of all of it; loving on us and giving us His strength and grace that will help move us forward.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39

As I continued this journey of sacrifice while learning to live in a tent which is temporary, eating hearty meals because I needed all the energy I could get, laughing like crazy at jokes, comments and ultimately the college students I was with and loving like we had no tomorrow on anybody we came in contact with; God was being glorified through every moment!And I know He was smiling down on us, that in the midst of such tremendous devastation and loss we could find joy in life’s most difficult moments as we learned to live with each other 24 hours a day for the 11 days we were together.Fellowship was sweet as we met new people almost every day from the many teams that came from all over the US: Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois, Florida and Ohio just to name a few.Oh how God marvels at us as His creation when we live together in unity!

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! Psalm 133:1

After taking a well needed mid-week break into Manhattan to see the sites: Rockafeller center, the 9/11 Memorial, Times Square, Grand Central Station and Chinatown … we came back refreshed to attack the houses and work hard again to continue making an impact in Staten Island.

Stairwell in Grand Central Station

 



Christmas tree in Rockafeller Center (Me, Penny (Team Leader), Bill, Justin and Katie photobombing)

 

Tori and I getting our picture with the Ninja Turtles =)

We drove to a new house to begin mucking out debris and tearing out water soaked sheetrock and insulation, this time we would meet Grace and Lester and their son Gene.We arrived ready to do whatever they had for us.We were lead downstairs to their basement where Hurricane Sandy had done it’s damage.Grace shared with us that they had just finished remodeling their basement to serve as their son Gene’s bachelor pad a couple months before the storm hit … and like so many stories that we heard, they lost everything that was down in the basement.It saddened me to hear her further talk about what it used to look like down there and how beautiful it was and then ultimately a waste of money because it was all destroyed.It just reminded me how fleeting this life really is and how we shouldn’t put our hopes and dreams in stuff.

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:14

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

We came and began tearing down the sheetrock and it was so wet that I could stick my hand in it and pull it off by whole sheets like a piece of paper.The insulation was the same way, just coming out in large strips.As we continued working on the other side of the basement we found up in the ceiling beams debris that had floated in from other houses and from the beach that just lodged up there when the water receded. It was just so crazy for us to think about someone’s stuff being in a place where it doesn’t belong.After a bit Grace was able to come down and help us clean, I can’t even imagine what all was going through her mind as she was cleaning up what used to be a beautifully remodeled bachelor pad for her son.I just have no words to describe the loss that she was feeling.

Suz, Meleah, Grace (homeowner), Tori, Katie and I

The next day as we were finishing her house by power washing and spraying shockwave to kill all the mold, she grabbed me and a couple other girls from the team and brought us to her van. She was so thankful to us for all the work we had done on her house that she gave all of us 2 scarves.A few months ago she had ankle surgery and was laid up for 6 weeks so she kept herself busy by making scarves.She insisted that we each take 2 because she wanted each of us to have one for ourselves and one to give to someone else.

Grace and Lester (homeowners) with our group (wearing our new scarves from Grace)

I was just in awe again at how generous these homeowners were towards us, because we were the ones who had come and were helping them; but they often had gifts or goodies for us.In Grace’s case she had juice and cookies the first day and the next day (after going to Dunkin Donuts ourselves for coffee and snacks) she had 2 dozen donuts and a large container of hot coffee sitting on her front porch waiting for us when we returned to finish her house.It just goes to show what giving hearts these people have.I love this lady!

Suz and I presenting the DR bear and Bible to Grace and Lester

 

 

As I close this post, let me leave you with one last story of a family we helped.On the 6^th which was our last working day before we flew out in the morning, we returned again to a house that we had checked on a few days before. It was this sweet Indian lady named Jayshere and her husband.Their friend Jody was there helping us.They were waiting for the carpet cleaning guy to return to finish a job he had started and so we told them we would return in a few days. We came back and moved boxes into the garage and organized them, moved furniture into the living room and moved a few pieces of wood around the side of the yard.For us as a team it was really not a big deal, in fact with all 13 of us there we were done in no time.So we were able to talk with them for a while about why we were there.Jody shared with us that the carpet guy never returned and ran off with $7,000 of their money.She was saying that she had to see the good in everything and said that he might have needed it worse than they did otherwise she would have gone crazy with the large amount that it was.This loss is unfathomable to me!But they knew that God was going to work everything out and that we were proof of the work He began in their lives Then Jayshere insisted that she donate $100 to us and we told her that we were here doing this for free but couldn’t tell her no so we let her know that we’d give it to Disaster Relief to buy more supplies for other teams to come and do more work.

All of us with Jayshere and her friend Jody

 God is my Abba Father and has been all my life but He moved so mightily through my life on this trip that I need to say that complacency had set in for the last couple months before I went on this trip.I was just in a state of dullness and the unknown factor of life had set in about my job and ultimately my future.But God has this funny way of bringing me back to where I belong, that no matter how far I wander; I belong to Him.Isn’t that so amazing!We belong to Him and we are His!

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

How can I ever begin to explain how close we all became during these 12 days together … I feel like I have known these people all my life.But you know, that’s the way it is when fellowship is sweet among believers.I left the Tri-Cities not knowing what the trip was going to hold for me and to be honest I was anxious and intimidated by the task that lay ahead of me because it was all last minute.With God that phrase doesn’t exist, He planned for me to travel with this team even before I was born.

 All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:16

After 12 days of meeting so many different college teams and living amongst some pretty crazy Disaster Relief workers that have hearts that beat to serve the Lord and ultimately drawing close to the Northwest team from Idaho and Washington, I left Staten Island feeling more aligned in God’s will than I’ve ever  felt.There are no adequate words to express how much I learned and how much I want to be used in the future to impact the people around me with the Gospel of Christ!  

All of us with Bruce, Randy, Susan and Rick (the DR team that was heading everything up)

 



Riverside, WA 2010

This mission trip to Riverside has been one of the more meaningful ones I have been on yet, part of that being because I was leading it (through God's guidance) and responsible for 16 students plus 2 summer missionaries.We worked with Rick McLaughlin who is the pastor at New Fellowship Baptist Church in Riverside and who used to be my youth pastor here at KBC.We also worked with Vicki James who is a North American Missionary on the Colville Indian Reservation.

Each day went pretty much as follows: I met with 4 students I chose to be team leaders because of their commitment to God every morning at 7am to pray, share Scripture with them and voice concerns & prayer requests for each team.We had breakfast and split off into different work projects from 7:30-8:30 to spruce up the small town of Riverside (300+/- people).Each team worked from 8:30-11:30 weed eating, mowing, painting curbs, sweeping, raking gravel, dismantling a barn and various other projects.

We had our lunch break and chillaxed from 11:45-1:30 when we headed to the small park in town to have a youth time after knocking on about 10 doors in town that had kids or teens.The youth shared testimonies, and we sang a few songs and played games until around 3:30.Then we usually walked back to the church to have about an hr of down time before we all (RBC & KBC + some local kids) ate dinner together.Tues & Thur evening we headed onto the Colville Indian reservation about a 10 minute drive from Riverside to hang out & play games, sing songs and share testimonies with the kids on the rez.

Wed evening we all headed into Omak (the nearest city) for Teen Volume.This is a time in the summer where all the churches in Omak put on a youth/community time on Wed to worship with God and get to know the community.I asked a couple of the KBC youth to share testimonies during this time.The RBC youth lead the worship time and we lead a game time for anyone who wanted to get involved.So, cool story ... during one of the songs (One Way Jesus) it started raining, but by the time we finished singing the next song (Ain’t Nobody – which talks about how there’s no one else in the world who loves us more than Jesus) the rain had stopped.

Fri was the block party on the rez to close out the VBS time the RBCers had lead all week there with the kids.I was in charge of the balloon animal table (because I love making balloon animals and seeing kid’s faces when they receive them!).So, amazing story of how the Holy Spirit swept through our midst ... we were coming to the closing time and last testimony/song/raffle ticket drawing when after one of the RBC youth shared her testimony, youth after youth & a kid that was saved last summer during our VBS time on the rez just came up and shared their testimonies.
At this time we were all in tears at how the Holy Spirit had worked in their lives to get them to the point they are today and what God had saved them from.Some of the youth from both youth groups have been through a lot that I can’t even imagine someone their age going through, but God is amazing and He has them here for a reason.Later that night (the block party was supposed to get over at 8:30 & it lasted until almost 10pm) after we returned to the church (New Fellowship Baptist Church) the youth spent the next couple hours just sharing with each other what God had done in their lives and what their burdens & prayer requests were.Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

I have been praying for a few months now that God would break down strongholds and walls that the teens have built up around themselves.I also prayed that prayer all week and Fri morning in my quiet time, so I can check that off as an answer to prayer because that is truly what began to happen Fri evening when they began to share with each other.The youth that before this week couldn’t be around each other for very long because they couldn’t get along were talking like civilized human beings.Only God can make this happen!I saw my leaderships students flourish this week despite many attacks the enemy tried to bring against us and I know God is going to continue to draw them to His side.

There is still a long way to go, as always, because it is a process to grow in Christ, but I truly believe some hearts were turned & eyes that had been spiritually shut for awhile have been opened to the things of God.I look forward to seeing the youth grow and blossom spiritually as they continue to hold each other accountable.I also know that in coming back home, they had to come back to stressful and sometimes harmful home situations & they have to learn how to deal with all the “noise” the world has to offer them.It is my heart that the youth learn to deal with these situations in their lives and that they continue thirsting after God’s Word.

"Sing Over Your Children" by Matt Maher

"Undone" by FFH

Eight Essentials

GOD IS

Only one true and living God exists. He is the Creator of the universe, eternally existing in three Persons—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—each equally deserving of humanity’s worship and obedience. He is infinite and perfect in all His attributes.

THE BIBLE IS GOD'S WORD

The Bible is God's written revelation to people, divinely given through human authors who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is entirely true. The Bible is totally sufficient and completely authoritative for matters of life and faith. The goal of God’s Word is the restoration of humanity into His image.

PEOPLE ARE GOD'S TREASURE

God created people in His image for His glory. They are the crowning work of His creation. Yet every person has willfully disobeyed God—an act known as sin—thus inheriting both physical and spiritual death and the need for salvation. All human beings are born with a sin nature and into an environment inclined toward sin. Only by the grace of God through Jesus Christ can they experience salvation.

JESUS IS GOD AND SAVIOR

Jesus is both fully God and fully human. He is Christ, the Son of God. Born of a virgin, He lived a sinless life and performed many miracles. He died on the cross to provide people forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation. Jesus rose from the dead, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return in power and glory.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD AND EMPOWERER

The Holy Spirit is supernatural and sovereign, baptizing all believers into the Body of Christ. He lives within all Christians beginning at the moment of salvation and then empowers them for bold witness and effective service as they yield to Him. The Holy Spirit convicts individuals of sin, uses God's Word to mature believers into Christ likeness, and secures them until Christ returns.

SALVATION IS BY FAITH ALONE

All human beings are born with a sin nature, separated from God, and in need of a Savior. That salvation comes only through a faith relationship with Jesus Christ, the Savior, as a person repents of sin and receives Christ's forgiveness and eternal life. Salvation is instantaneous and accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. This salvation is wholly of God by grace on the basis of the shed blood of Jesus Christ and not on the basis of human works. All the redeemed are secure in Christ forever.

THE CHURCH IS GOD'S PLAN

The Holy Spirit immediately places all people who put their faith in Jesus Christ into one united spiritual body, the Church, of which Christ is the head. The primary expression of the Church on earth is in autonomous local congregations of baptized believers. The purpose of the Church is to glorify God by taking the gospel to the entire world and by building its members in Christ likeness through the instruction of God's Word, fellowship, service, worship, and prayer.

THE FUTURE IS IN GOD’S HANDS

God is actively involved in our lives and our future. Through His prophets, God announced His plans for the future redemption of His people through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son. With the call of the disciples, God prepared the way for the future of His Church. In scripture, God promised that Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth to resurrect and judge the saved and unsaved. As the all-knowing and all-powerful Creator and Judge, God can and should be trusted today, and with our future.

All in the Serve

My life at this moment is nothing to brag about but there is an underlying theme that has been resounding lately; namely that I want to serve the God of my life with all that I am.I will admit that I am not perfect and have made many mistakes, but it is just too short a time while I am on this earth to not do something meaningful.You see I learned a long time ago that if I was to let worldly influences affect how I view this life and the actions that come from that then I was going to get nowhere fast.Therefore things like material possessions, financial matters, and any and all feelings that come from the flesh are to be dealt with from God my Savior and through His strength alone.

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Romans 6:6

I have come to learn unfortunately by experience that when I try and deal with similar matters in my own strength that I end up messing things up worse than they were before.From this day forward I will glorify God through my circumstances and in everything that He brings my way; no matter the cost.You see God has done everything for me and though I do not deserve His grace; He freely gives it.So I say Amen Lord Amen.

And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto His heavenly Kingdom, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:18

Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Psalm 2:11


Verse 1:

Never gave you nothing

people couldn't explain a way
Never gave you nothing
without something to gain
never could slow down enough to study your face
but now I wanna know your name

Chorus:

Hold my feet to the fire
Till I'm breaking a sweat
Till I'll never forget your call
Keep me in line
Give me the nerve
Here it's all in the serve

Verse 2:

Locked in the diamond lane
I keep driving past it
Better to be safe, than learn what you're about
Give me another chance to go where You're going now
I’m here to walk it out
I’m here to walk it out
I’m here to walk it out

Chorus: (2x’s)

It’s all in the serve
It’s all in the serve
Here it’s all in the serve

(Lyrics by Michael W. Smith)

 

Wherefore we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Hebrews 12:28
I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me on that Day -- and not to me only, but unto all those also who love His appearing.
2 Timothy 4:7-8

Remembering Ecuador

During my first days here, as they turned into weeks and then into months, I often thought to myself; will I ever return home? Although there were many times when I was around Americans from the United States, I have to say that I did not feel at home. I'm sure many of you will agree that when one travels outside the confines of their country and the circle of family and friends that surrounds them; they are ultimately in a foreign place estranged from everything they hold dear. Well, this was my story, and although I decided to study abroad to improve my spanish skills; I wasn't quite sure what all this year would entail for me. I then decided that I would have to learn to cope in this place I found myself and that since I had chosen to live here for a year, there was going to be some changes in my outlook of life. So needless to say I began listening to music, watching movies and television and trying to speak only in Spanish so that I might become somewhat fluent by the time I return to my beloved homeland. Afterall a year is an awful long time to be away from one's culture and I thought I would try to gain Spanish fluency if I ever wanted to return in the future.

Weeks passed and months moved along, at times at a snail's pace as I travelled this small but beautiful country learning all I could wrap my mind around about it's people, culture, political situation and problems which I tried to understand. As our two month vacation after the first semester came and went and the second semester arrived, I enrolled in a Kichwa class so that I might learn the first language of a large amount of the population here in Ecuador. That way when I spoke to them they would feel more at home around me and maybe even accept me as more than just a “gringa”. When I learned that there were many different people groups here, it made me feel more at home in the sense that I as well came from a different culture and people group.

These last few months of my life I have grown as I learned to live in the world around me and what it means to be a stranger in a foreign country. It has been a time of change in my short lifespan of twenty-two years that I will never forget; nor do I want to. As my time draws to a close in this wonderful and different country called Ecuador I find myself with mixed feelings as I will miss this place when I leave, so I thought I would put together some snapshots of images from the last ten months of my life of the people and faces that will forever be in my memory. Now as I begin the process to finish out my studies here and return to my hometown in Washington State, I will always remember Ecuador as I saw it through the lens of my camera and hopefully have the chance to look again on it's beauty as the hope of coming back is never too far from my mind.

My Reality

This is what I see in the reality I live today
People walking around contaminated with filth and grime
Too materialistic and philosophically cold-hearted to take notice; to the Life, the Truth, the Way

Like a world without color the way they live this life
They fill their daily walk with "important" things to do
But in their hearts they harbor their emptiness, pain and strife

This is what I see in the world I live today
Believers who are afraid to step on toes
A lot of time wasted in what we should do, think and say

We pray and ask for wisdom without us having read
the Bible, our manuscript, the precious Word of God
But we forget inside it says: "faith without works is dead"

This is what I see in the world I live today
A future hopeless and desolate without true meaning
The world's inhabitants ambuling about following every sway

You see we are their messengers of truth; speaking against the lies
No matter the circumstance we need to overcome
With God as our forfront we'll continue marching; as the spiritually wise

This is what I see in the world I live in today
The earthly beings that they are looking for "something new"
But searching and searching though they've done; the Truth they still push away

Alas surge on we will, following closely the footsteps of our Lord
Though laugh at us they must; still blinded by their deceitful prince
There is yet a war at hand and we shall vanquish with the Sword

13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 4:13-15

Do you ever feel that no matter where you are at any given moment you do not feel “at home”?I have felt this way many times throughout my life and although I have travelled to many different places; this feeling is because we as believers in Christ do not belong on this earth. Though we try hard as we might to make this our dwelling by blending in with our coworkers, classmates, family and neighbors; alas there is no faking it . . . it doesn't work.

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

You see? As the following passage of Scripture states, this should be our goal:

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2a Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith
Hebrews 12:1-2a

God has big plans for us according to His will, but we must shake off our human selves and act as what we have been made for . . . servants of Christ. I want to encourage you to not let your guard down no matter how easy or difficult you may have it in this world remember that we are always in an unseen battle with God's main enemy; Satan. Allow me to share a paragraph or two from C.S. Lewis one of my favorite authors from his book “The Screwtape Letters”.

MY DEAR WORMWOOD,

The real trouble about the set your patient is living in is that it is merely Christian. They all have individual interests, of course, bu the bond remains mere Christianity. What we want, if men become Christians at all, is to keep them in the state of mind I call 'Christianity And'. You know---Christianity and the Crisis, Christianity and the New Psychology, Christianity and the New Order, Christianity and Faith Healing, Christianity and Psychical Research, Christianity and Vegetarianism, Christianity and Spelling Reform. If they must be Christians let them at least be Christians with a dfference. Substitute for the faith itself some Fashion with Christian colouring. Work on their horror of the Same Old Thing.
“The Screwtape Letters ch. 25 pp.1”

This is what has happens to our world when we as believers get swayed from our Rock and Fortress Jesus Christ. Below is a passage of Scripture that I turn to when my mind drifts from the real situation I am in on earth.

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:10-12

“ . . . but the greatest triumph of all is to elevate this horror of the Same Old Thing into a philosophy so that nonsense in the intellect may reinforce corruption in the will. It is here that the general Evolutionary or Historical character of modern European thought (partly our work) comes in so useful. The Enemy [speaking of God here] loves platitudes. Of a proposed course of action He wants men, so far as I can see, to ask very simple questions; is it righteous? is it prudent? is it possible? Now if we keep men asking 'Is it in accordance with the general movement of our time? Is it progressive or reactionary? Is this the way that History is going?' they will neglect the relevant questions, And the questions they do ask are, of course, unanswerable; for they do not know the future, and what the future will be depends very largelyy on just those choices which they now invoke the future to help them to make. As a result, while their minds are buzzing in this vacuum, we ahve the better chance to slip in and bend them to the action we have decided on. And great work has already been done. Once they know that some changes were for the better, and others for the worse, and others again indifferent. We have largley removed this knowledge. For the descriptive adjective 'unchanged' we have substituted the emotionl adjective 'stagnant'. We have trained them to think of the Future as a promised land which favoured heroes attain---not as something which everyone reaces at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is,”
“The Screwtape Letters ch. 25 pp.6”

Let me leave you with one final Scripture passage for the week. May God truly bless you with His truth and grace as you adhere to His word and therefore attain His wisdom so as to combat the flaming arrows of our enemy; because he never rests from his work of deception.

1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not whither. Whatever he does prospers. 4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Psalm ch. 1

Forever a daughter of the Most High and His servant while I pass through my time on earth towards my permanent home . . . Heaven.

~until then~

Ecuador Project: Las Casas Altas

I am currently asking people to gather a few school supplies for the kids I volunteered with this last semester.Or even if you know of kids that have too many school supplies that they are not going to use and you would like to donate to help kids that do not have money to purchase these items.

My mom is coming to visit me the first week in March and will bring everything that has been gathered with her to help me deliver them to the kiddos.

If you live in the Tri-Cities and would like to help or know someone that would like to help, the list of supplies is below.Feel free to send me a message if this is feasible for you and your budget.

100 of each of the following:

Number 2 pencils
Blue, Red and Black BIC pens (the clear ones with colored lids)
pencil sharpeners (dollar store ones are fine)
erasers
8 pack of Crayola crayons

Pictures of the kids I volunteered with are below, just follow the link. ;D

Las Casas Altas - http://uidaho.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2051540&l=9fc32&id=40308828

Ecuador Update 5

This month so far has had its ups and downs.It was fantastic celebrating the coming of the new year or should I say the farewell to the old year (año viejo) 2007.They celebrate by making año viejos. These are life-sized made with old clothes stuffed with newspaper, stuffing or other material . . . kindof like scarecrows.They put masks on them usually of political figures like presidents of the different countries or children characters like the Simpson family, Spiderman or like this year Shrek was popular.And in the main street in town they set up big stages with even bigger people figures.These likenesses ranged from different soccer teams, stages with ecological demonstrations, more political figures and also some well-known characters.Each stage has statements and political promises that weren´t kept in 2007 and new statements which they hope to fulfill in the new year.

Another tradition they have is for guys to dress up as widows.They put on dresses (usually black), wear wigs and do other things to look like women.The reason behind this is that the old year is the husband that has died.So there are groups of guys dressed as widows stopping cars on the eve of Dec 31st asking for money to support them (as widows who don´t have husbands) but in reality the money goes to purchase gasoline and matches to burn their año viejo at the strike of 12.

At the strike of midnight the figures on the stages and each stuffed figure representing the old year are burned.In every neighborhood people gather together in the streets to celebrate the burning of the old year and the new hopes of the coming year.

Later on in the month I took a 11-day trip around different parts of Ecuador.I travelled with a friend I met a few months ago who is from Finland.We travelled first to a beach town called Salinas.This is 10-11 hrs on a bus so we took a night bus.We stayed for 4 days and spent 2 of those at a beautiful beach nearby (an hour and a half) called Montañita.The second stop in our travels was a city bigger than Quito called Guayaquil.It is also near the coast and had humid climate.

It was enjoyable but the insects definitely came with it.And although I used insect repellent I´m still recovering from my more than 75 bug bites. ;D Ok, on to the next city which was Cuenca.This city is famous for it´s churches . . . and they were beautiful!We sat atop the upper half of a tour bus so we could take better pictures of the city.I couldn´t think of a better deal than $5 per person for a tour of a beautiful city.Our last stop on the trip was some magnificent Inca ruins that are now protected under law in a place called Ingapirca.Since this was just a day trip we headed back to Cuenca to buy bus tickets for the night bus to Quito.(Another 8-9 hrs)But before we headed back we made one last stop at a famous Panama hat place in Cuenca to take some souvenir photos.At every stop we took pictures so I hope you enjoy my trip as you browse through the photos.All the links are below.

Salinas, Ecuador - http://uidaho.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2055957&l=adcbd&id=40308828

Montañita, Ecuador - http://uidaho.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2055956&l=e0253&id=40308828

Cuenca, Ecuador Part 1 - http://uidaho.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2055570&l=ea32d&id=40308828

Cuenca, Ecuador Part 2 - http://uidaho.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2055618&l=30f9e&id=40308828

Ingapirca, Ecuador - http://uidaho.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2055694&l=ee9d8&id=40308828

Guayaquil, Ecuador Part 1 - http://uidaho.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2055693&l=336d1&id=40308828

Guayaquil, Ecuador Part 2 - http://uidaho.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2055697&l=67460&id=40308828

Lastly I am here in Quito waiting for the next couple weeks to pass until I join up with the other University of Idaho students.We are heading to the Pastaza Province in the Amazon rainforest for a week long trip.If you can´t tell by now, I´m not back in classes yet from my Christmas break.We had 2 months to do all the travelling we wanted.After we return back to Quito from the Amazon we´ll be back at the university.

Let me close with a few verses that have been alive in my life this month.May God bless all your friends and family this week, and may you reflect God´s light and love into the lives of the people around you.

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

Proverbs 11:30

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Proverbs 13:12

However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.

I Corinthians 2:9

Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight.

I Corinthians 3:18-19A

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Ephesians 1:22-23

Ecuador Update #4

Everything is well here in Quito with my studies and with my host family.I´m glad I have a host family that includes me in everything and makes me feel like part of the family.God definitely matched me up with a wonderful family.

I´m finishing up my 3rd cycle of spanish classes this next week and then I will have vacation time until Feb 18th, almost 2 months.I´m excited for this next semester because I will be taking regular classes here along with the last 2 cycles of spanish.I´m in the 5th level now and I will finish and take a spanish proficiency test after level 7 to receive a certificate.

God has blessed me thus far with a few exchange students who are also Chrsitians, and which have been a huge blessing while here.Two have them have left back to the states and I am praying that God will send a couple more Christian students next semester.Unfortunately most study abroad students are nont followers of Christ.

God has been teaching me many things from the study of His Word lately, and again it has been a tremendous blessing to be a follower of Christ here in Ecuador.There are so many people who reject God with their life and God has been putting a burden for them on my heart.

Please remember to pray for the people of Ecuador, that God will lift the blinders off their eyes so they will see their need for a Saviour.

Please continue to life me up in prayer as I continue to be a light to my host family, the exchange students around me and my teachers.Pray that God will continually give me the strength to trust in Him and not my own ability.Lastly, please pray that as I live my life differently than other students that people will want to know the reason why.

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40:30-31

The Wisdom of God Applied

18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

Matthew 13:18-23 (New King James Version)

Application 1) How do we know who to share the love of Christ with and be sure that their hearts are already softened by God?Even if we share the Word of God with a person who has not the understanding and therefore the seed is snached away by Satan . . . will not God our Father reward us in Heaven?

27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

Matthew 16:27 (New King James Version)

37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Matthew 13:37-43 (New King James Version)


Application 2) Let us not be the sons of the evil one who causes sin or who are stumbling blocks to fellow brethren in Christ, and who are eventually weeded out and thrown into the fiery furnace.

15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.” 16 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

Matthew 15:15-20 (New King James Version)

Application 3) Let us not be dull like Peter . . . instead let us be

(a) the salt of the earth :

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

Matthew 5:13 (New King James Version)

(b) the light of the world:

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Matthew 5:14 (New King James Version)

(c) as wise as serpents but harmless like doves:

16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

Matthew 10:16 (New King James Version)

(d) let us follow in the path of wisdom and understanding:

1 Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? 2 She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. 3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: 4 “ To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. 5 O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart. 6 Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things; 7 For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them. 9 They are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge. 10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold; 11 For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. 12 “ I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge and discretion. 13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate. 14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. 15 By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. 16 By me princes rule, and nobles, All the judges of the earth. 17 I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me. 18 Riches and honor are with me, Enduring riches and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver. 20 I traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, 21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill their treasuries. 22 “ The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. 23 I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth; 26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, Or the primal dust of the world. 27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, 29 When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, 30 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, 31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men. 32 “ Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. 33 Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it. 34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. 35 For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD; 36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.”

Proverbs 8 (New King James Version)

28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Matthew 15:28 (New King James Version)

Application 4) Our faith should be as the Canaanite woman and the centurian:

13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

Matthew 8:13 (New King James Version)

the size of a mustard seed:

20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

Matthew 17:20 (New King James Version)

for the Lord to do His good work in us.

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 16:24-26 (New King James Version)

28 Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Matthew 16:28 (New King James Version)

Application 5) Why do we live so as to gain this world? (having boyfriends/girlfriends just to have them, celebrating by getting drunk, having the best job, newest car, biggest house just for bragging rights . . . ) Let us lose our life (on this earth) for the sake of our God so we might find our life (our eternal, immortal life in Heaven)

Which is better . . . to have "the world at your fingertips" or . . . to have "the wisdom, understanding, wealth and knowledge of our Omnipotent God?"