Whats on the horizon for us

Over the next few months we have several exciting events of the horizon.  First off in the middle of September we will be hosting Global Cane Outreach.  They are an organization that ministers to the blind community.  They will be bringing new walking canes and doing training and also giving out audio Bibles. We are so blessed to partner up with this much needed ministry.   Here is a link to their website-  http://www.globalcaneoutreach.org/index.html.

At the end of September we will be head to Lima for 6 days.  I was asked to be the guest speaker at speakers week at the CC Bible college in Lima.  I humbly accepted this honor and I will be teaching a one week class on the Principles of Biblical Missions.

As soon as that class is over we will be heading to the airport to travel to the States for two and a half months.  It is always bitter sweet time.  It is hard to leave the ministries and family and friends here in Peru, but at the same time it is always so good to see churches, family and friends in the States.

Hope to see you very soon!

God's overwhelming faithfulness

Over the past several months we have been so blessed to see the hand of the Lord so visibly.  We had several visitors and even a large team come down and share the good news of salvation through faith in Christ alone.  It came at a much needed time for me personally.  This last year has been a very taxing one for me.  Ups and downs and changes have been the norm.  It seemed like every day was going to be filled with challenges and struggles.  Yet those are the times when the Lord shows His great faithfulness.  The process of spiritual growth and transformation can be a painful process, but it is a rewarding one.  I wouldn't want to go back through what this last year has been, but at the same time, I wouldn't change the fact that I did.  Looking back, it was such a sweet time of being refreshed, strengthened and encouraged by the Lord.  His faithfulness is overwhelming and when I ponder it all that I can do is praise His name.  One thing is for sure,  "the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, therefore I will hope in him."

Farewell Merv

This morning Merv left to return back to Sonora.  The time with him went so quickly.  When Merv first contacted us, we had never met him.  We weren't sure what to expect, but let me just say, we couldn't of anticipated what a blessing he would be both to us and the people of Cajamarca.  Merv displayed a sacrificial love that can only be displayed when one is in Christ.  There is going to be a void without him here, but we know that the Lord has great plans for him and we are praying that the Lord brings him back quickly.

Post EPIC

It has been several days since the EPIC team departed and returned to the States.  I can't even begin to express the joy and encouragement that we received from this team.  The Lord worked through this group in amazing ways.  It is such a testimony to them because it shows they were prayed up and prepared to minister to the people of Peru.  They came to serve and be used by God and that is truly what happened.  Their impact will probably not even be realized this side of eternity.  The bus drivers who took us around (who are not believers) spoke to us about certain issues. They saw something different in this team (even opposed to other Christian teams they have taken around).

They are an amazing group of young people and a great group of leaders.  They never complained and were flexible and ready to adapt to any situation.  They didn't even get that much down time or sight seeing.  They were here to serve and bring the gospel.  I am blessed and encouraged.  I know they have other missionaries that their church supports and they need to experience other areas and bring the same fire and encouragement that they brought to Peru to those other locations, but I would love for them to come back and serve with us anytime.  So EPIC, I just want to tell you all, you are an amazing group and your faith in Christ and dedication to serve Him has encouraged me.  Thank you so much for all you have done!

Day Three with team EPIC

We can't even begin to express what a blessing EPIC has been to us so far.  There encouragement and selflessness has been nothing less than amazing.  The first day they showed up they got busy.  Keep in mind, they had not slept or rested.  They had just flown from LA to Lima into Cajamarca and then that afternoon performed an amazing kids festival.  They pushed through and blessed the community.  We lost count of the kids, but it is safe to say we were in the 150 range not to mention all the parents that showed up and stayed through the whole festival.

Sunday morning a few of the youth lead worship and Dave preached a powerful message.  After service they all came over to our house to celebrate Arianna's first birthday.

Today they are heading out to Perquria, which is an animal market that is quit the experience.  They will be doing some evangelical skits, worship, evangelism and some open air preaching.  In the afternoon they will head into the Plaza in Cajamarca and do some sight seeing and some more evangelism and souvenir shopping.

Please continue to be praying for this team and all they come in contact with.

EPIC youth group trip fast approaching

It has been a couple crazy busy weeks preparing for the Epic youth group from CC Sonora.  We are so very excited to have them coming to Peru to serve with us and bless the people of Cajamarca.  They will arrive this saturday and hit the ground running with a Fesitval de Niños.  From there we just keep on the move.  They will be here a full 9 days pouring out.  We are praying that the Lord touches the lives of all they come into contact with, but we are also praying for them.  We want the Lord to do a work in each and every one of them so that they are never the same.  We want them to be fired up for Jesus.  When they go back home they make an impact in there circles.  To see a group of kids willing to leave the comforts of home and come to Peru (even if it is for a short time) it blesses our hearts and encourages us.  Be praying for them and their dedicated leadership.  We will post an update once they are on their way home.

Consider your ways

I have been teaching through the book of Haggai during our midweek service.  I don't know if I have ever heard the book taught and I know if I have it was probably in connection with some type of building project that a church was doing.  

I have been so blessed in preparing and studying this little book.  While Haggai is only two chapters the message is profound.  An issue that is sticking to me is the fact that even though the returning exiles where doing the Lord's work of building the temple, which was a noble work and a commanded work, their hearts were not in it.  Yes there were many circumstances and issues that they were dealing with, but nevertheless, they were apathetic in the work once they returned to the building process.

What an incredible wake up call for us Christians.  Even though we may be pastors, missionaries, sunday school teachers, greeters or whatever other "service" we do in the church, if our hearts are not in, as the Lord tells the people in Haggai's day, our service is unclean and defiled.  This is a wake up call for me.  Even though I live in Peru and am planting a church and serving the people, it is so easy to just go through the motions.  To think that I am doing the work of the Lord so it is all good.  Yet, if my heart is apathetic, the Lord would tell me that my service is unclean and defiled.  It is inherent in everyone to want to earn our salvation.  To earn the blessings that we may receive.  Grace can be hard to accept when we are full of pride.  So while we do all this, we need to check what our motives are.  Am I doing this because I think that I am earning a little slice of heaven?  That some how what I am doing is granting me entrance to the kingdom?  The Lord through Haggai told the people to consider your ways.  That is a great exhortation for each on of us to do daily.  Consider your ways, check your heart, check your motives.  This goes beyond those of us who may be in "full-time  ministry".  If you are saved you are in the ministry.  So whether at your job or the grocery store we need to consider our ways and serve the Lord because He is worthy and we need to do it with a pure and clean heart.  The Lord gives us great opportunity to be about His kingdom and His work.  It should be a joy and not a burden.  As God has told the people in Haggai's day and so many before and since, "I am with you declares the Lord."  What an incredible promise.  We all, I believe, go through those desert lands.  In those times is when we need to cling to the Lord's promises.  

John Newton the famous hymn writer and pastor from an earlier generation wrote an older lady who was struggling with spiritual flatness. Newton asked this lady...…."are we weary on our pilgrimage through this long thorny barren wilderness"

And I think we need to ask ourselves this question.....

I know I do...….Is that what our Christian walk looks like?……Yes, we do our labors for Christ.....but it is almost a burden......

There is no joy in our work for Jesus....there is no joy in our work for the church........we are just half hearted.

And the lady who John Newton wrote was dealing with that very issue.

And I would argue that many of us one time or another deal with that very issue as well......Newton responds to this weary Christianity with the following........

"God forbid! No! I would rather wish for a thousand hands and eyes, and feet, and tongues — for ten thousand lives — that I might devote them all to His blessed service!..To the service of Jesus"

In service we will encounter hard and dry times.  We will have seasons of lows, but the Lord promised, "I am with you."