Time apart makes the Heart Grow Fonder

We all have heard the phrase time apart makes the heart grow fonder. I can certainly attest to that as for those of you who know me know that I love to drive truck and see the world. I have another testimony to that statement as I came back to Costa Rica. I returned here on Jan. 2 and I am here for a couple weeks, to close out my time here. On Saturday I had the opportunity to hang out and talk with my friends here. Yesterday on Sunday I went to church and to my roommate's host family for dinner. We had a time of prayer and just talking bout what God is doing.
Both those experiences had opened my eyes to what God has been doing since Nate and I have been doing since we have been working in La Milpa and La Cuenca. When we are all caught up in the moments of life and in different situations or just trying to handle the everyday life. We often times miss the simple blessings or the works of God, because we are so caught up in the moments of life situations. Having the opportunity to come back and just what God has done in the past two weeks that I was home was just amazing. People are going to church for the first time or people are opening up more to Nate as he continues the work. Or just that the kids still run up to you and give the biggest hug just because we love them as Christ has loved us.
The opportunity came when I had the opportunity to talk and pray for a man named James on the street. He told me that he had just gave his life to the Lord a short while ago and that he is living on the streets but God is changing him. He told me that tomorrow, which is today Monday the 5Th, he is going to rent a place because God has given him the ability to start his own business and to be able to afford to pay rent.
Prayers
Praises
-to be able to come back
-for all that God has and is teaching me
-for all the support from home
Requests
-there are still some decisions at home for me to make
-just for a time of rest and relaxation here
-that God will continue to show up

Thanksgiving Retreat in Guatemala

I had the great opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with my extended family of brothers and sisters in Christ, that are working in Central America. It was a great time to just be with others and be able to hear what God is doing in them and through them.
The theme of the retreat was John 15:1-17, where Jesus talks about being the vine and being pruned. I still have been thinking about this concept, the implications that it holds, and all the different truths in it. One of the biggest things that I have been thinking about is how the vines send out so many runners. We do this I think a lot unintentionally but it happens as life happens. We start something that God has called us to do and it produces fruit. It is good but then it grows and seeks out other opportunities as situations arise. Which is not a bad thing but as the runners send out other runners and other runners send out other runners, we look at our lives and ask God how did I get here and why am I here? All these things that I am doing are good and I do them to glorify you but I am just so tired, why? We have spread ourselves so thin by this point that we have lost our identities and friends and or sometimes family because we got so caught up in serving that we had forgot our original purpose is just to be with our Father.
I think about all the kids here in Costa Rica that we work with and the kids that I had the opportunity to be with in Guatemala. I see all these needs of just kids and single moms, that are doing what ever they have to, to find love or money, and my heart goes out as I wish there was something more that I could do. I can spend the few moments of my life with them and I can pray for them or play with them, then the rest is up to them and God.
We are not meant to do everything, only what God has called us to do. The only way we can do that is by remaining close to the "Vine", which is Jesus. As we remain close to Him, He will guide our steps, putting you into the place where you are meant to be to reap the harvest for Him that He provides. We are merely a coin in His pocket to be spent for the purpose of honor and glorifying Him. We were created to simply be worshipers and friends of God. We were meant to work and produce fruit but that is not our reason to live, but to simply be faithful to God and do what He has called us to do. One of the verses that scares me is when Jesus says in that day many will come to me and say Lord, Lord, look at all these things that we have done in your name, but I will say I never knew you. We can do nothing apart from Christ.
Prayers
Praises
For the good time with everyone in Guatemala
For God's peace and presence
For the lessons God is teaching me
Requests
For guidance and wisdom
I am and have been praying for a while asking God for my calling on my life
That we all remain close to the Father

What God Has Been Saying

"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free," Jesus said in John 8:32. In John 14:6-7 Jesus says "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!"
These verses have been on my mind today I sit and wounder what is it that God wants me to learn from this week. I have been challenged this week to express truly how I feel and with what i am thinking. I am a person that doesn't like to speak up and I try to keep peace. This week God has been challenging me to speak up cause when we turn off our feelings and our thoughts to please others, we are not allowing God to work in our lives. How many times have I just done something to please some one when it isn't what God would have done but my fear of man has stepped in the way. John 14:27 I am leaving you with a gift- peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid. With a spirit of fear we can not accomplish what God would have us to do, because He calls us to get out of the boat.
It is not easy for us to let what we are feeling or thinking out because we fear what others will think or how they will act but God has promised never to leave nor forsake us. He also has promised us that he has plans to prosper and not to hurt us. Everything He does is for the good of the Kingdom.
When you go to confront things go in peace and love as Jesus had set the example for us. He didn't avoid conflict but took it head on as it came. How often do we just let things build up in us without us even realizing it. When we sit back and wait for things to get better with out taking action. It is not easy to speak up and things don't always get better right away, but God always works for the good.
Prayers
Praises
-God is helping me get over my fear of man
-God is speaking and teaching me
-God has plans for us
Requests
-For God's guidance and direction
-For more of God's love and wisdom

More Pics of the Trip

Here is a picture of the tuktuk. They are taxis in Guatemala. Tuktuks are like motorcycles covered and with a seat in the back. They are very romantic.



The other picture is just one I thought was fun to add from Nicaragua.

The Trip

I know that it has been a month since the last time that I have updated my blog. I didn't forget about it, but I have some very interesting times. I have finished language school, been to the states, and drove to Costa Rica.
The family in front of the Cross is the family that I lived with while I was going to class. That was a fun and interesting way to be in the culture and learn the language. I don't know how well I know Spanish but I am trying.
A couple days after class I flew into Chicago to meet with Dylinn, who had been in the states for fund raising, to drive back down to Costa Rica. We had left the airport at 11:30 at night and drove to Kansas City, MO. We had got there for breakfast and for Dylinn's meeting with a church. After that we headed to Huston, TX. We met with Dylinn' s dad and some of his church members. We helped them for half the day build a house for a guy, that had his house destroyed by the hurricane. Then we Kingwood, TX to meet with the pastor and the church that had been down over the summer. On Saturday we went to see Galveston, TX, where the hurricane had hit the hardest. Dylinn had gave the message Sunday morning and then we headed for the border at Laredo, TX.
Monday morning we crossed into the big beautiful country of Mexico. We slept in Puebla after stopping at every Pemex gas station in Mexico City. Tuesday we made it to Tuxtula Gutierrez, Mexico, where we watched Obama win the election. We were pulled over 7 times in Mexico, and lost a lot of sodas as bribes.
Wednesday we went to Antigua, Guatemala and spent a couple hours touring the historic town and the ruins. It was where I had got to ride in a tuktuk. It was a blast. Guatemala was a beautiful country. We stayed the night with a family that Dylinn knew.
Thursday we were in 4 countries. We started off in Guatemala drove through El Salvador, when we encountered fun. We got to the border of El Salvador and Honduras when the borders didn't like us. It took us like 3 to 4 hours to cross the border cause of all kinds of things we had to do. Then we got snookered into taking a border cop to the border of Honduras/Nicaraguan border. We had planned to stop for the night in Honduras, but if we would have done that we would have had to pay for the hotel room for him and us. So we drove through which took about 2 and a half hours. We had got stopped 4 times in Honduras. The guy with us tried to use his authority to help us but it still cost us money.
Friday we leisurely drove to San Juan del Sur to meet up with Chico and Nate, who were renewing their visas. Saturday morning were spent some time at the border and came the rest of the way home.
It was awesome to see all the differences in the cultures and just see God's beautiful creation. Dylinn and I had a good time together, too.
Prayers
Praises
-the safety in travel
-for all the country that God made
-Dylinn and my time
-God for just being loving and creative and just himself
Request
-for all the people over the world
-for the states as we have just elected a new president
-for us as we seek what God has for us here

Thank yall so much for all the prayers and support. I couldn't make it with out it or have seen all that I have since I have been here.

My Family

If there was ever a time that I was looking forward to it was this. My family coming to Costa Rica to visit me. Sunday the 28Th was a day that could not come fast enough. That day I was just floating, like a kid at Christmas. I could not hold back some of the tears that came as I greeted my dad and grandparents as they came out of the airport. We went and picked up the car, which was very small but we made it work. They got to meet my host family and Dylinn and I had the opportunity to show them some of the areas that we work with. My grandparents got a time share in San Isidro. It was a beautiful area, unfortunately there was not much to do but there was a lot of talking and catching up to do. So we sat and talked a lot while watching traffic. It was very good for me. We did go horseback riding into the mountains to see a beautiful waterfall. We came back to the base early to do some sight seeing and meeting some more of my friends. We went on a tour of Cafe Brit with some of my friends. It was very informative and fun. We may not have done much but it was exactly what I needed. The week did fly by like anything that you always look forward to. Again while seeing them off at the airport i could not hold back the tears.
I got thinking of what was telling me during the week is how He just wants to sit and watch traffic and talk to you. Also on the trail back to the waterfall, just how many times does He have some of the most beautiful things hidden.
Prayers
Praises
-just for the time spent with my family
- for the safety of flights and just every where while they were here
-for the vacation
Requests
-for time to relax ( it was some what relaxing but i have a lot of things still to take care of)
-for my relationship with my host family
-for language school as we have a couple weeks to go yet
-for our safety and protection in every way
Thank you again for all your prayers and support. I know that it has been a while since I have last wrote a blog, we have been busy with studying and classes. May God continue to lead, guide and protect

36 Hour Silent Retreat

This retreat could not have come a better time. We are in a transition phase between the busyness time of the summer and language school. It gave me the time to rest as we clean up the base, work in La Cuenca, La Tabla, and in Vista De Mar. In the outreaches we are finishing the projects we started over the summer but did not finish. So it seems fitting that we have time to reflect on what God is doing during the 36 hour silent retreat.
I spent the most time reflecting on what God had been teaching me in my devotionals, which were on God never leaving or forsaking me. It brought up areas like trials and lifestyle. It was easy to see all the prayers God had answered when our plans had been changed due to circumstances or weather, and things of that nature. God always was in control and showed us what He wanted to do and it was awesome. It may not have been in our plans but He had to change them. I also thought about how it became a lifestyle of prayer for me and just how He provided the strength and energy to keep going, when I had nothing left to give.
I had went for a walk and took the pictures as I went and just reflected on God's creation and how we choose the paths we walk down, but He has a clear path He wants us to go. It will not be an easy path but a rewarding one, with flowers along the way, which are pretty, or some cattle, which I enjoy a lot. God has little surprises along the way. He was also reminding me that He is the stream of life and sometimes it may look tiny or crowded by the things in your life but He is there waiting to refresh you once again.
I also read through 1 Peter and was reminded of God's goodness and faithfulness once again. It also reminded me of the fight over our souls and how we are to stay faithful to God, because if we give into temptation it gives way to the Devil. It was brought to my attention again of how I am supposed to submit and respect everyone around me and how I am a foreigner.
Prayers
Praises
the great 36 hours
the work getting done
relationships being built in church
friends and family
Requests
we start language school Tuesday ( for 6 weeks)
we are going to live with host families on Friday (while we are going to school)
for the areas we are working with
my dad and grandparents are coming down Sept 28 to Oct 5
the decisions I am going to have to make
Thank you all so much again for the time you take to read this and for the time you take out of your day to pray for me. I am not sure how much time I am going to have while living with the family to update my blog, but I'm going to try and update it when I can. Thanks again for every thing. May God continue to lead, guide, and protect you as a reward on this earth for the sacrifices you have made for me. But also remember we have treasure in Heaven waiting for us as a result of our obedience.