Compiled List of Nicaraguan Updates

Many of you who I have met since returning from Nicaragua have asked about the work that was done there and the time that I spent there. I have recently added all my emails, that were sent during my time there, to my blog to allow you see what was done at the missions there. I also decided to create one post with the links to all the posts to give make it easier accessible for those who would like to read more about it. If at anytime you have questions about anything, feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer them. 

Nicaraguan Updates

#1: September 21, 2009 - First Two Weeks of Language School

#2: October 21, 2009 - 3rd and 4th Weeks of Language School

#3: November 5, 2009 - Completion of Language School

#4: November 14, 2009 - Amidst rain, birthdays, and visitors...

#5: Novmeber 27, 2009 - For thy mercy is great above the heavens...

#6: December 31, 2009 - Harvest Truly is Great...

#7: January 7, 2010 - New Life

#8: January 17, 2010 - An Upward Call
#9: February 4, 2010 - Changes, happenings, blessings....

#10 February 18, 2010 - Dust, insects...but God is faithful!

#11: March 10, 2010 - Time...how it flies

#12: March 25, 2010 - Smoke, dust....the list goes on...

#13: April 7, 2010 - Rain Showers, Beautiful Sunsets, Naughty Children

#14: April 22, 2010 - Truck problems, Climbing Cerro Negro, Piglets, and much more....

#15: May 6, 2010 - LP Vaccination Day, Birthday Party, Staff Trip....

#16: May 17, 2010 - Girls' Class, Sunday Night Church...

#17: June 3, 2010 - Rain, Mother's Day, Planting

#18: June 29, 2010 - Class time, cutting grass...

#19: July 19, 2010 - Fear Ye Not...

#20: August 5, 2010 - Falling Rock, Truck Problems, Nature Lessons...

#21: August 23, 2010 - Girls' Day, Planting, Feliz cumpleaños

#22: September 9, 2010 - Fresh Corn, Good-bye, New Animals
#23: September 23, 2010 - New Places, New People, Birthdays, and Visitors
#24: October 7, 2010 - Rain, Making Rugs, and Parties...
#25: October 21, 2010 - Birthdays, Ladies' Day, and a Death
#26: November 4, 2010 - Filling Silo, Perfect Attendance, Fellowship Meal
#27: November 18, 2010 - New Experiences, Reminders, Birthdays

#28: December 6, 2010 - Harvest, Visitors, Graduations, and many other things....

#29: December 16, 2010 - Christmas Blessings and Happy New Year

#30: December 23, 2010 - New Faces

#31: January 6, 2011: A New Year...new opportunities...

#32: January 27, 2011 - God's Blessings

#33: February 24, 2011: Lord, Let Me See the People

#34: March 10, 2011 - A Spiritual Birth

#35: March 24, 2011 - Between Here and Sunset

#36: April 14, 2011 - Wherever You Are

#37: May 12, 2011 - Rain

#38: May 26, 2011 - Moving Day, Zoo

#39: June 9, 2011 - Birthdays, Street Ministry

#40: July 2, 2011 - Giggles, Tall Brothers, and Girls' Class

#41: August 4, 2011 - Time is Flying By

#42: August 25, 2011 - When Life Gives You Mud Puddles

#43: September 13, 2011 - ¡Adiós! El Terrero

The reason to put all these updates up is in no way to bring glory to myself, but rather to show you the work of God that was done in Nicaragua - a work that would have not been possible had it not been for the love that God extended to all of us by first sending His Son for you and I. This love that  was shown to us was given to us when we accepted Christ and took on this form of love in our hearts following our spiritual re-birth. This love allows us to serve Him and portray His love to those around us. 

May God receive all the glory!

A Mother's Touch

The temperature of the day seemed to be 110 degrees in the shade. Animals could be found under the trees and the people of the town did not stray far from the comfort of their shaded hammocks. But the heat of the day did not stop us from driving through the little town of La Palmerita to spend time with our Nicaraguan friends and hold a few Bible studies....

I wrote a post this week on Jewels of Jesus. Read more here...

The Beauty of Whitespace

Whitespace - a term I had heard only a few times before. What was it? 

This week I began a journey in learning of Spiritual Whitespace as I started reading a book by Bonnie Gray - the author of Faith Barista. 

So what is whitespace? Untouched, unmarked space, but not blank. It has beauty! A canvas longing for quiet, beauty, rest. We have been instructed to rest.

[Earnestly] remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy (withdrawn from common employment and dedicated to God). Six days you shall labor and do all your work, But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, your daughter, your manservant, your maidservant, your domestic animals, or the sojourner within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it [set it apart for His purposes]. Exodus 20:8-11 AMP

Even God in all His holiness rested after He created the earth. He, who was all-knowing, all-powerful, Supreme, needed to rest. How much more do we as fallen creatures saved by grace need to rest? We even find Jesus, amidst His calling here on earth, stepping away from His task at hand and retreating to the mountains for some time alone. He, who came to earth as an individual to die for our sins when He himself was sinless, recognized the need to step back and find that spiritual whitespace - that place of beautiful rest.

And He said to them, [[a]As for you] come away by yourselves to a deserted place, and rest a while—for many were [continually] coming and going, and they had not even leisure enough to eat. Mark 6:31 AMP.

I encourage you to find your place of rest - your spiritual whitespace. A place where you can lay aside the daily weight and find God, as He waits for you. As He desires for you to rest in Him.

I have just began my journey through this book. Join us as we take this journey of finding Spiritual Whitespace.


The beauty of whitespace!

WHY? a heart's cry

WHY?

The question continued to tumble through my head this week. Various recent happenings played over and over:

The news of young boy who was snatched from this life unexpected. 

Reading the experience of a young family as they dealt with the father's cancer.

A young expecting mother left behind after her husband passed on.

Two little children taken suddenly in a vehicle accident.

The list went on and on. But as the question continues to tumble, there is a sense of peace that God gives. True peace that this world cannot give. The peace that only one can find in God and God alone. 



Why we ask? We don't understand. We question what happened. We are not at fault for questioning what has happened. We remain at fault when we allow our questions to turn to bitterness. The bitterness is what the devil uses to trip us and have us doubting God and His goodness.

But God is GOOD! We are reminded that these happenings have happened so that God might be glorified. The following Scriptures affirm this:

Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. John 9:3

When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. John 11:4

If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:11

We wonder why? but we see in the verses above that the works happen for the glory of God and that God might be glorified. These experiences and the individuals affected by the experiences display the peace that only God gives. The peace that comes from accepting the circumstances and acknowledging that God is glorified through it all...



Blessings!

Here Am I, Send Me

Today on Jewels of Jesus, the emphasis is placed on the call that we have as Christians. I am sharing some of my personal story and the call that I recieved to serve in Nicaragua.

Read more...

But the Greatest of These is Love!

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned , and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 

4 Charity suffereth long , and is kind ; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself , is not puffed up , 

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly , seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked , thinketh no evil; 

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 

8 Charity never faileth : but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail ; whether there be tongues, they shall cease ; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away . 

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 

10 But when that which is perfect is come , then that which is in part shall be done away . 

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly ; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known . 

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 KJV



Blessings to you as you love as Jesus does!

Would We Truly Long for Heaven?

Would We Truly Long for Heaven?

(click for a sound clip)

Would we truly long for heaven 

If this life was perfect here,
If we had no pain or heartache,
If we never shed a tear? 

If we had no disappointments,
And our dreams would all come true,
Could we keep that heav'nly vision
And that deep eternal view?

Would we truly long for Heaven
If we never gave a sigh,
If the old were always taken,
And the young would never die?

If we had no cherished loved ones
Waiting at the eastern gate,
Would we truly long for Heaven
And reunion that awaits?

Would we truly long for Heaven
At the ending of the road,
If our backs were never bleeding
From the burden of the load?

If the sun was always shining,
If we never felt a gale,
Would we long for Heaven’s Harbour
To be safe within the veil?

Would we truly long for Heaven
And the bliss of yonder shore,
If we had no loved ones tugging
On the line at Heaven’s door?

If our precious family circle
Never was broken here below,
Would we truly long for Heaven
Where our loved ones we shall know?

Yes, dear Savior, we are longing
To be safe on Heaven’s shore,
And these trials only make us
Long for Heaven more and more.

And we see that Thou art using
Every trial of each day
As a tug from Heaven’s anchor
Just to pull us Heaven’s way. 
--Elizabeth Drudge

This song really struck a chord this weekend as I listen to the Buffalo Valley Men's Octet at Wilkes-Barre Mennonite Church Sunday morning. If my life was perfect, what would I have to look forward too? If no one ever died, who would I miss? 

Then I thought, do I truly long for heaven with each passing day? Does each day find me longing for the day when I will see my Savior's face? Scriptures reveal the day is fast approaching - 

"18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye 

have heard that antichrist shall come, even 

now are there many antichrists; whereby we 

know that it is the last time.(1 John 2:18)

Many false teachers are in our presence, attempting to teach "new" doctrine and doing away with "old" doctrine. But God's Word is unchanging! He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

My challenge to you is to truly long for heaven. Stay strong in the True faith of God as we are in the last days. Heaven awaits for those who have remained faithful to the calling of God on their lives. some final Scripture for you -

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary

 the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, 

seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8)

5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelations 21:5-7)

The joy that awaits us truly outweighs the pleasure and luxury of this world!

Truly longing for heaven!