Anxiety is not a place you want to stay. Too many of us when faced with challenges spend too much time figuring out what we are going to do instead of looking for what God is teaching us. One of the lessons He continues to teach is that He is our rock and refuge.  We clearly see this theme over and over again in the Psalms.  When the psalmist is being pursued on all sides and anxiety is creeping in, he turns to the LORD reminds himself of the truth of who God is and His mighty works.

The LORD brings peace where there is turmoil, strength where there is none, and life where there is death. May you turn to Him today.

Personal Reflection

What are you most prone to be anxious over?  Is it possible that God is asking you to trust Him with that?   God’s Word reminds us of the truth of His faithfulness, love, and mighty works.  If you’re not in His Word meditating daily, you are setting yourself up for anxiety and a crash of anxiety.  Get a reading plan from YouVersion.com or a paper copy somewhere.  Get a good study Bible, read, and meditate on it today!  Begin in the gospels (John, Mark, Matthew, or Luke and move on to Acts and Psalms and see how God overcomes adversity and anxiety.

Prayer Focus

Father, meet us in our deepest anxiety and remind us who you are.  For even the wind and waves obey you. Nothing is outside the realm of your control.  Where we have doubt, replace it with faith.  For we believe; help us with our unbelief.  Let our minds be fixed on you continually and may our lips be filled with praise.  In the Name of Jesus, Amen!

Yesterday we went to the markets in Antigua.  That was a crazy experience of hearing the words “good price” and “one dollar” way too many times.

See you all soon if the Lord wills!  Blessings!

#guatemala, #casaangelina, #markets

What a great privilege it was to work on the School Project/Ministry House with a team from all over the U.S.  We were so focused that we didn’t even stop to take a picture until the very end.  This unfortunately meant not all of our fellow workers are in the picture.

One of the great things about being on mission together whether at home or abroad is that you get to meet your brothers and sisters in Christ and hear the amazing stories of how God rescued them and added them to His family.  Loved getting to spend time with one of my new brothers from SD!  It also opens your eyes and expands our understanding of how big God is and the depth of His grace.

The work in the trenches is hard, tiring, exhausting, and every other word to describe life draining.  These trenches need to be dug to move on with the school/ministry house project.  We are pictured in one of the many trenches above.  Each one needs to be dug 3ft down and is about 16″ wide.  Our tools included pick ax, shovel, and a long heavy metal bar.  For 4 1/2 days, some used a jack hammer to bust concrete, some used a chisel and hammer to clean the edges, some picked, some dug, but we all worked together

A job like this is reflective of life.  We don’t always understand all of the details of the why other than it must be done.  As time unfolded we began to get more information about earthquakes and why the holes needed to be dug that way.  As we listened to the testimonies of the girls that came from abuse and abandonment, my arms continued to pick, shovel, scrape even when I couldn’t lift them.  I couldn’t help but feel compassion and power to make sure no child is waiting in a situation like that.  Not only I but the entire team kept working.  When we trust in God in all things, He will complete His plan of redemption with our hands and feet.  What a blessing it is to work for our God!

Today we’ll be heading out to Antigua to do some sight seeing, take a tour of a coffee plantation, and spend some time at the market, followed by a picnic.  Please pray for continued beautiful weather and that God would form a hedge of protection during our travels.  The roads and driving are not like the USA at all.  Picture New Your city on streets that are barely 2 lanes wide and at some points we’re driving through a foot of water with motorcycles passing on both sides with on coming traffic.

May God richly bless you today and may His presence satisfy your every need!

We’re worked on the ministry house again. More trenches and busting out flooring and walls today.   It’s the location that will eventually house the Gym, staff housing, as well as a REC center.

I have to admit with all the changes I’ve seen, I was a little surprised that this building wasn’t complete.  It will cost over 350K to finish.  I’m praying about what my involvement will be in that project as I’m really feeling like helping to lead a fundraising campaign for it.

There are many blisters, sore backs, legs, hands and fingers.  But progress is being made and we really haven’t had any major injuries.  This is amazing considering we are using everything from pick axes to jack hammers.  Praise God!

We read from Psalm 146 and learned how praise is connected to salvation not situation.  God continues to bless us as we submit to doing His work.  It is such a blessing each day to see all of the kids lined up to greet us as we come in on the bus!

Thank you to all of you who are praying for strength, endurance and healing.  We love all of you and can feel your prayers!  Spirits are high and God has been so faithful.  Please keep praying for us and the completion of the Ministry House and I will continue to send updates as I am able.

God Bless You!

#ministryhouse, #guatemala, #casaangelina

This is the view of the courtyard of our hotel, Dona Isabel.  It’s filled with vegetation and flowers, not to mention some of the local wild life of birds and insects

The hotel is surrounded by mountains and there is no direction to look without seeing God’s amazing hand of creation!

Included with the beautiful view was a volcano that decided to perform for us.  We get a great picture of our smallness in this vast world and universe that have been laid our for us.

Next we journeyed to the orphanage of Casa Angelina.

Nestled in a hillside, it’s filled with beautiful views.  It’s so great to see how this place has grown in the last 3 years including the addition of 3 houses including Harvest House sponsored by our community.

We began our time with worship and praise including 2 testimonies from orphans at Casa Angelina.  what a powerful witness to what God can do and has done!   Shortly after we toured the entire facility followed by visiting some of the local widows who have been blessed by this ministry.  At the end of our journey we had the opportunity to play with 80 kids currently housed here.  Truly a full day.

On a personal note, My eyes were filled with tears today as I stood in front of Harvest House.  The progress on God’s vision that he laid on my heart and others in our community.  I’m blessed beyond measure when I think of the smiling faces, laughter and joy that will fill this place!

After returning to Dona Isabel, we were again blessed with a home-cooked meal for kings followed by a great time of fellowship and praise!  I will continue to try to include as many pictures as I am able.  I’m left with the thought, What a might God we serve!!

#harvesthouse, #guatemala, #casaangelina

We left at little after 5pm to start our journey to Des Moines. We will spend the night and rise early to catch the plane to Guatemala.  Thanks Amy for snapping our photo!

GUATEMALA 2014 MISSION

The time has finally come.  Lots of prayer, packing, and preparation.  We are on our way to Guatemala!  We’ll be serving in the orphanage at Casa Angelina in the central part Guatemala with a team comprised from multiple states.  You can see more information on Casa Angelina

at http://whatmattersmm.org/

I look forward to seeing friends and getting an update on God’s work in the lives of the children and staff I met only 3 yrs ago.  I will have the privilege of seeing “Harvest House”.  As a local community, we’ve committed to building this house at the orphanage.

The nights will be filled with the glow of volcanoes and days mixed with hard labor.  All for the benefit of children being rescued from the streets where parents have abandoned or abused them.

Providing internet service is available, I will strive to provide daily updates on God moving as we serve!

#guatemala, #harvesthouse, #casa

Here are some ideas of how the body of Christ can end abortion

1. Love, pray and invest in those women that are wanting abortion And help them like you would a daughter of your own. Do not look down on or judge them.  Love them.

2. Help provide for financial needs of healthcare, etc. for an expecting mom to ensure a healthy pregnancy for the woman and the child.  Be willing to open your home to help care.

3. Live the word together.  Reach out to those that are hurting with the love of Christ and His word.  Help them to see that they don’t need a man to have value, but that God has given them value in who He has made them to be

4. Consider opening your home for adoption

5..  Teach your children God’s word and pray for God’s mercy for them.  They are in His care.

6. Be an active participant in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20)

7. Eradicate poverty in your community as much as your are able by loving and serving the poor.

8. Love God and love others

What if we would wait on the fancy new car and give $$ to the impoverished instead? What if we were to actually invest?

I am convinced we would see the ultimate grass movement of love this nation has ever seen along with a decrease in the number of abortions, families in poverty, and crime.

Romans 5:1-5(ESV)

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us

This morning my heart is overwhelmed with the thought of my brother in Christ, Pastor Saeed Abedini.  While I type this, the thought of suffering he is enduring brings grief to my heart.  I had the privilege of talking with his wife Naghmeh when she came to speak at our church. What a blessing! My heart aches for her and their children.

Yet while in grief, there is joy that fills my heart, knowing the above truth: The suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character and character produces hope and hope will not put him to shame.  The suffering of Saeed is not worthy to be compared with the glory of Jesus that is being revealed in him!

The faith of many have been strengthened and I count myself among them.  As your brother in Christ, I petition you that we would pray daily until he is released.  Pray that many more would come to know Christ and be strengthened.  Pray for Naghmeh, her children and her parents.  Especially as she travels to make others aware of the situation and clearly shares the gospel.  Pray for our government and the Iranian government to take real action.  Remember God is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine…Pray Big!

Take the time to sign this petition and share this so others are aware also.

http://beheardproject.com/saeed

#SaveSaeed and #BeHeard.