Advent: Getting Ready for Christmas

 

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”  Galatians 4:4-6 NLT

What is Advent? 

Advent is the four weeks leading up to Christmas, and is a time dedicated to anticipating the arrival, or "advent," of Jesus. It is also a season that Christians can use to prepare spiritually for the celebration of Christmas. 

Christmas is a time for joy, peace, and reflection. While the commercial aspects of the season can sometimes overshadow its spiritual significance, it's essential to take time to connect with the true meaning of Christmas. Here are some ways to spiritually prepare for this special time of year:

1. Reflect on the True Meaning of Christmas

Spend some time each day reading Scriptures related to the birth of Jesus in the Bible. The YouVersion Bible App (or Bible.com) has Advent/Christmas reading plans for this season. But don't just read the Scriptures, meditate and reflect on the significance of God sending His Son Jesus. Pray for understanding of the love of God shown through Christmas. 

 2. Practice Gratitude

Practicing gratitude is good for you ... always. The Apostle Paul writes, Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT. Our Christmas season often gets consumed with consumerism; we're focused on buying gifts and keeping lists. Gratitude gets us refocused on the right things at Christmas. Even if you don't journal, take five minutes every day and write down 1-3 things that you are thankful for.  

3. Engage in Acts of Service

Christmas is about giving, but not just gifts. John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the world that He gave ... but He didn't just give a gift, He gave Himself to us at Christmas. Find ways to give yourself to others. Volunteer your time to serve in your church, or visit the less fortunate (i.e. nursing homes), offer to assist neighbors, family or others in any way you can. Practice "Random Acts of Kindness" for strangers, or someone you know, but do it anonymously. The main thing is to keep your focus outward instead of inward. 

4. Spend Time Daily in Prayer

Take time each day to pray, thanking God for this season to celebrate His Son, praying for your own personal focus in this season, and for others who may be hurting or less fortunate. Christmas is not always a happy season, especially for those who have lost loved ones recently. As you pray, ask God to show you ways you can encourage others. 

By incorporating these spiritual practices into your daily life, you can deepen your connection with the true meaning of Christmas and experience a more meaningful and fulfilling holiday season.

“At this Christmas when Christ comes, will He find a warm heart? Mark the season of Advent by loving and serving the others with God’s own love and concern.” 

Mother Teresa, Love: A Fruit Always in Season

Happy Thanksgiving

 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

I have so many fond memories of Thanksgiving Day - no school! Watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and wowing over the giant balloons, the size of the crowds, the beautiful floats and so much more. The smell of delicious food cooking in the kitchen. The warmth of the house because of all the food and people. And then the quietness of the evening after everyone is gone. 

Though those memories come from my childhood, today will be much the same. Our family will gather and celebrate the goodness of God. We'll watch the parade and eat delicious food. The house will be warm from the cooking and the gathering of so many people. We'll laugh, reflect on our blessings, make plans for Christmas and enjoy the day. And then at some point, family will begin to leave, the house will cool off, the kitchen will be cleaned and the quietness of the evening will settle in and we will rest. 

Rituals like Thanksgiving Day are an important part of our family. We reconnect with one another and we are building memories and traditions for our grandkids. My prayer is that they will see the importance of family, of counting our blessings, enjoying the craziness of the holiday, and look forward to Thanksgivings in the future. 

From our family to yours - Happy Thanksgiving!

The Watering Hole

 

[22] But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. [23] For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. [24] You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. [25] But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. James 1:22-25 NLT

After church and a delicious Pastor Appreciation brunch yesterday Cecelia and I drove to Harriman to be part of a unique ministry. A friend of mine, Kasey Stout has a ministry called The Watering Hole. On Sunday afternoons he sets up on the side of Roan State Hwy and the Clinch River and has church. He started it almost a year ago when he said the Lord told him to go to the river and baptize people who came to him. He obeyed. He put it on Facebook that he would be there between 1-3 Sunday afternoons. First couple of weeks not many came, but soon God began to draw people there for salvation, prayer, encouragement and obedience. 

Yesterday was the 43rd Sunday of the Watering Hole and Kasey had invited me to preach. By the time I got there, there were about 30 people who came for the service. Some brought food to feed the people who came. Several people were under a canopy kneeling at a prayer altar that had been set up. Two people were scheduled to be baptized at the end of the service, but Kasey gave the invitation after I preached and two other people came for salvation and another woman came for baptism (she had been saved at home, but drove two hours to be baptized at the Watering Hole). In all two people professed faith in Christ and a total of five were baptized in the river.  It was evident the Spirit of the Lord was there. 

Kasey is a Corrections Officer at the prison where I teach for Carson Newman. We met about a year ago and a friendship started. Kasey is a genuine person and a passionate follower of the Lord. I have seen him witness to and pray with inmates, other CO's, and staff at the prison. I've followed him on Facebook and he is always involved in sharing the gospel and serving others in any way he can. During the recent storms and flooding in our area, on his own time, Kasey gathered people, donations and supplies and delivered them to some of the most hard hit areas. 

When I read the passage in James 1 about not just hearing the word but doing the word, I think of Kasey and The Watering Hole. By faith, he obeyed what God was telling him to do, and God has done some amazing things. Lives have been changed because he and others are there. He has been an inspiration to me of what it looks like when someone hears what God is telling him to do, and does it without knowing what the outcome will be. In reality, Kasey is living the normal Christian life. What would our world look like if the rest of us followers of Jesus listened for what God is telling us to do, and then just did it? I have a feeling it would be a lot better world, and God would be glorified!

Hit the Ground Running

Most Mondays I try to send a men's text group a word of encouragement to start their day and week. here is the encouragament from this past Monday: 

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,  I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:13-14 NLT

There is an African proverb that says:

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're the lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."

The apostle Paul understood the importance of "running" but his goal wasn't to survive, his goal was to attain "the prize", to fulfill the calling God placed on his life, and to draw closer to Jesus.

We are all "running" this race called life, but what (or who)  are you running for? Are you running just to survive, or are you running for the glory of the Lord? Let go of the past and "press" toward Christ.

Praying you have a blessed week as you run the race of your life. 

"But God"

 

2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil... 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) Ephesians 2:2-5 NLT

The semicolon is a period on top of a comma. In writing, the semicolon is used to connect two independent but relatable thoughts. The semicolon represents a decision by the writer to continue the sentence where it could have been ended. 

I have often seen people with semicolon tattoos or wearing shirts or jewelry with a semicolon. When you see a person with a semicolon it often symbolizes that the person has overcome difficult challenges or hardships and is moving forward in their lives. The wearer could have given up and perhaps even ended their lives, but decided to overcome and move forward. The semicolon represents a continuation where an end was likely.

In Ephesians 2 Paul is reminding his readers that their lives were once on a dead end path. They, and all of us, were dead in our trespasses and sins. There was nothing we could do about it; dead people can't change their situation. But God stepped in and changed all of that. The One who is overflowing with mercy, because He loved us so much, stepped into our hopeless, dead end lives and raised us from the dead, giving us life, hope, peace, joy and so much more. The "But God" is God's semicolon; it represents a continuation where and end was likely. 

God has always been a "But God" kind of God. Consider these "But God" Scriptures: 

(Joseph said to his brothers) You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. Genesis 50:20

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26

When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead . . .  Acts 13:29-30

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able . . . 1 Corinthians 10:13

"But God" are two of the best words to hear in a story. If you’re in a season where you are waiting on God, encourage your faith by reading through and meditating on these "But God" Scriptures, and let God continue to write your story. 

Lessons in Prayer

 15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

Ephesians 1:15-16

We are studying Ephesians verse-by-verse on Wednesday evenings at church. We are in week three of chapter one 😄. Chapter one is basically one long prayer that Paul is praying for the believers at Ephesus (in fact, verses 3-14 is one long sentence!) The prayer is in the form of a benediction or words of blessing. Last night we talked about verses 15-18, which is a continuation of the benediction, and three things really struck me: 

1. Paul's prayer is very positive and affirming. Of course he is writing his prayer knowing it is going to be read to the church (or churches), so it would make sense that he would start out on a positive note. But I think that's the way Paul probably prayed all the time - positive and affirming. It made me think about my praying, and honestly much of my praying is grumbling and complaining about things that are bothering me, or things I want the Lord to fix. That needs to change. I don't like it when people complain to me all the time, I can't imagine it is much of a blessing to the Lord when I do it to Him. 

2. Paul's prayer is other-people centered. Again, he's writing a prayer that will be read to a church, so this makes sense. But, as I reflect on my praying, I usually start with me, my needs and wants, and my problems. Later down the line I'll mention others that I am praying for, but it is usually as I am wrapping things up. How different would my prayer life be if I started by praying for others first?

3. Paul's prayer is focused on the spiritual rather than the physical. The first part of his prayer (vs. 3-14) is focused on reminding them who they are and what they have in Christ. He reminds them of the gospel that they had received and how Jesus saved and sealed them in Christ. And then in the second part of his prayer (15-23) he is praying that they would know God at a deeper level, and know all the spiritual blessings they have in Him. He's praying for their spiritual growth. 

Again, when I think about my own praying, it is too often focused on material things, both for myself and the few other people I pray for - physical healing, financial needs met, jobs, relationships. Nothing wrong with praying for those things, but should those physical needs take precedence over the spiritual lives of those I pray for? 

When it comes to prayer (and many other things) I am a work in progress, but thankfully the Lord never gives up on me, and He is always challenging me to grow in my praying ... and He is you too. 

God and Gold Medals

 

But now the Lord declares: "Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained." 1 Samuel 2:30 NIV

Before this year, the Summer Olympics were last held in France 100 years ago in 1924. One of the stars of the 1924 Olympic Games was a runner named Eric Liddell. Known as the "Flying Scotsman," Liddell went to Paris as the favorite to win gold in the 100 meter, However when the races were scheduled, the 100 meter was to be on Sunday. A devout Christian, raised by missionary parents in China, Liddell refused to participate. He claimed Sunday was the Lord's Day, a day of rest not competition. Teammates, friends and even politicians pressured and begged him to change his mind, but he refused. It was determined that he would run the 400 meter that would be on a different day. 

No one expected Liddell to do very well in the 400 since he had not really trained for it. Some people even criticized him for his religious faith. One reporter wrote that Liddell "...should look down the track rather than look up to the sky.” Just before he headed to the stadium to compete in the 400m finals a trainer gave him a note that read, “ In the Old Book it says, “He that honors Me, him I will honor”1Samuel 2:30. To everyone's surprise, he not only won the gold medal, Liddell also broke the Olympic and world records for the 400 meter at the time. He would also win bronze in the 200 meter. 

Soon after the Paris Olympics, Liddell married his fiancée and began to serve as a missionary with the London Missionary Society's mission in China, where his parents had been worked and where he had been born. When the Japanese invaded China at the start of WW2 Liddell decided to stay and minister to others. Eventually, Liddell was captured and imprisoned in a Japanese internment camp. When he had an opportunity to be freed, he declined a prisoner swap so an expectant mother could go home. He ministered daily to those around him. Even in prison, not a day passed that Eric did not spend time reading Scripture and praying. He surrendered himself to be used of God in a prison camp.

In 1945 Liddell developed an an inoperable brain tumor. As he lay dying, he reminded those attending him to surrender everything to the will of God. While slipping into a coma, he was heard trying to say the word that typified his life – “surrender.” He died in a Japanese prison camp, but fellow prisoners said, “Jesus Christ was among us because we saw Him in Eric Liddell."

Eric Liddell received a gold medal in the 1924 Olympics for his efforts in a competition, but he received something greater than a gold medal from the Lord for his surrender to Christ. Friends, don't waste your life living for the wrong things, live the the eternal. 

(The film "Chariots of Fire" (1981) told the story of Eric Liddell and the Olympic Games.)

Happy Hanukkah !

 

 

The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah began Thursday, December 7th. A friend, Pastor Larry Robertson shared this information on his Facebook page. I thought it was helpful and worth passing along: 

"Jesus observed Hanukkah, also known as the Feast of Dedication. We read in John 10:22-23, “At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon.”

The story of Hanukkah really is amazing. It comes from the 2nd century BC after Antiochus Epiphanes invaded Jerusalem, raided the temple, set up an altar to Zeus in the Temple, and slaughtered pigs to Zeus in the Temple of the LORD! When the Jewish people argued against the desecration, Antiochus Epiphanes slaughtered many of the Jews and sold others into slavery. He also made circumcision illegal and required everyone to sacrifice to pagan gods and eat pig flesh.

In 167-166, however, Judas Maccabeus led a revolt against the Greeks and won! Afterward, the Temple was cleansed and rededicated to the Lord, thus the “Feast of the Dedication.”

And as the story goes, when the Jews went to relight the Menorah in the Temple, they found only enough consecrated oil to light it for one day … but miraculously, it lasted for eight days, which is why the celebration of Hanukkah lasts for eight days.

Hanukkah is also known as the Festival of Lights. Use these next 8 days as a prayer prompt to pray for the power of the Gospel to bring souls from spiritual darkness into the Light." (Larry Robertson)

As we prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of the Savior, the true Light of the World, let us join in praying for those who have yet to see the Light, and let's strive to be Light-bearers to those living in darkness! 

God bless, and Happy Hanukkah!

Pray for Israel

 

Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper.

Psalm 122:6

I'm sure you are aware of the situation in Israel. Recently Pastor Dean Haun of First Baptist Church of Morristown, posted an article from a ministry contact in Israel. It is a guide to praying for Israel during this current crisis. 

PRAYING FOR ISRAEL…

The Hamaayan congregation in Israel (one of our partners) put out a great prayer guide for believers concerning this conflict:

1) Pray for the young people who have been called up to active military service as well as their families who see them off knowing how devastating this conflict is. Joining with the soldiers who are already in service. There are many from our congregation & all the congregations in Israel being called up daily.

2) Pray for the soldiers, for wisdom & discernment when looking for the terrorists who are still hiding in the villages & other place through the country.

3) Pray for the kidnapped soldiers & citizens, many elderly, women, small children, for their safety & quick release.

4) Pray for a wall of fire, for protection against the intervention of Hezbollah, the Muslim Shihad from Lebanon, allies of Iran, that they will not open another front against Israel from the North.

5) Our families and friends living in the south where the devastation is the most extensive. Pray they are safe, out of harm’s way and will be healed of post-traumatic stress. All of them will have friends/relatives that they celebrated the holidays with, now gone.

6) Our government and military to make wise, long-lasting decisions that honors God, seeks His help and wisdom to defeat the enemy and save our troops.

7) Many families lost their home along with all their belongings. Pray that God will supply and provide for them.

8) For the body of Yeshua (Jesus) to unite and be the light to their friends and family. Going through this trauma as well, for God to give them the strength to give out.

“See how they are rewarding us by coming to drive us out from Your possession which You have given us as an inheritance. Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” (2 Chronicles 20:11-12).

Thank you for praying!

Get Up and Go On

 

The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again... Proverbs 24:16 NLT

Recently I found myself falling back into some old patterns of thinking and behaving that have plagued me for much of my life. Over the years I have tried hard and worked hard to break some habits and thought processes that bring me down spiritually, mentally and emotionally. I will do good for a while, sometimes even long stretches, but then I either get lazy or something triggers me and I fall back into my old ways. It's very frustrating and I've asked God to "fix" me many times over the years, but I end up back in my old ways. I even wrote in prayer journal on Monday, as a prayer to God, "I know it's not true, but part of me thinks I'm never going to be able to change in this area. I am ... disappointed with myself. I am sorry ... but I am always sorry after the fact." 

This morning (Tuesday) I was doing my morning walk around the neighborhood, ear pods in, listening to a podcast and not paying much attention to where I was walking. About a fourth of the way into my neighborhood loop I stepped on the edge of the pavement with my left foot, my ankle turned and down I went onto the pavement. I managed to get my right hand down to catch myself, and I turned a little to my right side to keep my face from planting on the ground; I landed on my right side and rolled a little. I immediately looked around to see if anyone saw me (it was about 7:30am and thankfully no one was outside their house.) I got up and sort of triaged myself to make sure I hadn't sprained my ankle or broken a hip. Thankfully just a few scrapes on my right hand a nice little blood-blister. I continued on my walk, picking up the pace to get out of that part of the neighborhood just in case someone was looking out their window when I fell. 

As I continued my walk, I was thinking about my fall and the Holy Spirit began to speak - "How did you respond when you fell?" I got up, checked myself out and moved on. "What did you WANT to do when you fell?" Well... my first thought was to lay there on the road and feel sorry for myself. I was already discouraged, and my fall just added insult to injury. I also thought about rolling off the pavement, down into the ditch next to the road and hide out in case someone saw me. But instead, I got up, brushed myself off and kept moving. 

The Holy Spirit reminded me that when I fall back into my old patterns of life, it's like taking a fall. I basically have three ways I can respond: 1. I can wallow in self pity and beat myself up for failing again (which is what I was doing). 2. I could withdraw from God and others and try to hide out in my shame and embarrassment (which I often do). Or 3. I could get up, get back on the road and keep moving forward (which is what He was telling me to do). I still had to deal with the consequences and pain of my failings, but I didn't have to stop making progress. 

I'm thankful God never gives up on me, even when I give up on myself. He is faithful to love me and teach me even when I fail Him (though I wish the lessons weren't so embarrassing and painful sometimes, lol). God loves me, and you too much to ever give up on us. 

I did make a couple of changes in my walk after my fall - I started paying attention to where I was walking, AND I stayed a good distance from the edge of the pavement the rest of the way. Both of those are good lessons for life as well. 

How Praising God Changes Our Perspective

                                                                                

 “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you” Psalm 42:5-6 (NLT)

As followers of Jesus it is important that we develop helpful spiritual habits into our lives. Habits like daily Bible reading, prayer and meditation help us grow in our relationship with the Lord. One of the habits that God has been building in my life recently is the habit of praising God. I have found it to be incredibly helpful especially in times of discouragement and discontent. 

One of the ways praising God has impacted me is by changing my perspective. Miriam-Webster defines "perspective" as "a mental view or prospect." Perspective is the lens which you view the circumstances of your life... your point of view. I've noticed that in times of discouragement and discontent, my point of view is focused on me; I'm viewing my circumstances through the lens of self, which only compounds and complicates my situation. When I intentionally praise God, my point of view changes; I become focused on God instead of myself and my problems. 

Whatever we focus on becomes magnified. When we focus on ourselves, our circumstances or our problems, those things are magnified from our perspective. When we praise God, our focus changes from us to Him, and He is magnified. The Bible tells us this in Psalm 69:30: “I will praise the name of God with song And magnify Him with thanksgiving” (AMP). When we look at something with a magnifying glass, it gets bigger. When God gets bigger, our problems get smaller. Either your problems will be big or God will be big. It’s your choice.

The next time you find yourself being discouraged by your circumstances, or discontent with your life situation, change your focus; be intentional in praising God and watch your focus shift, and your perspective change. God and His goodness will grow larger, and your problems (and self-pity) will grow smaller!

Guatemala Wrap Up

 

The last few days of the trip were pretty hectic, so I failed to post about days 6 & 7, and our travel day home. So here is quick rundown. 

Thursday, July 6

Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. 

Galatians 6:9 CSB

The day started slow, as everyone seemed to be feeling the effects of the previous days of ministry, and the thoughts of leaving in the next couple of days. We finally got ready and loaded up on the bus. Thursday was originally to be a ministry day for us, but because we had finished and dedicated the houses, and the need for the short-handed ministry staff to prepare for the next teams coming in, we had a free day. 

First we headed to the large cross overlooking Antigua. Known as Cerro de la Cruz (The Hill of the Cross), the sight is one of the leading attractions in the area. Built and dedicated in 1930, the site offers beautiful views of the ancient city of Antigua, as well as a view of the surrounding volcanoes. The pic above is our group in front of the cross. 

After our visit to the cross, we headed to Pastores, a town outside of Antigua famous for their leatherworks, and then to Antigua for lunch and a little more exploring. We had lunch at Pollo Compero, kind of Guatemala's version of  KFC. After a few hours of exploring the Artisans Market and the city, we headed back to the mission house to pack for the next day. 

After supper, we met for our time of reflection. Ed Shaver led our devotions. He used the houses we built as an illustration for our lives. The concrete and block foundation is symbolic of God and His word that we are to build our lives on. The bolts that held the baseplate for the walls symbolized our connection with God through prayer and other ways we connect with Him. The rest of the house - wood frame, metal sides and roof were all connected to the foundation by the bolts and nuts through the baseplate. But what kept the bolts and nuts secure and in place, was a small metal washer - without it, the nuts would become loose, or pull through the wood. The washer was small but was essential to holding everything together and in place. 

Ed compared the small washer to our faith. He then quoted Jesus: "Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matt 17:20. Just like a small washer can hold a building together, a mustard seed faith can hold our lives together and with God. It was a great reminder of the importance of faith, and the value of small things. 

Friday, July 7

Lydia had pre-arranged and excursion for a group of six of us to hike to an observation area for the Pacaya Volcano. Six of us piled into an Uber at 5am and headed into Antigua to meet our guides who were friends of Lydia. Armando, Brayan's dad also joined our group. We then took a van to the National Park Station at Pacaya where we met our trail guide Julio. He led us on the 3 mile hike up to the observation area. It was a very steep trail and I was definitely the "pace car" for the group, but we finally made it. The views of Pacaya, the lava field and surrounding areas were amazing. The few pics below don't do it justice. Pacaya is an active volcano that last erupted in 2021. We were able to walk around the lava field, and Julio even warmed up some marshmallows in a heat vent in the lava field. It was a once-in-a-lifetime  experience. 

After making it back down the mountain, we met the rest of the group in San Antonio, Brayan's hometown. His sisters had prepared lunch for our group at his dad's house. We got to eat and visit some of Brayan's family and explore San Antonio a little. We also delivered some crocheted blankets that we had brought for Hope for Homes, a ministry to special needs orphans. 

We then headed back to the mission house to finish packing, eat supper and then head to the airport. Though it was pouring rain and traffic was heavy, we got to the airport early and said our good-byes to Vinicio, Mono, and Samuel (bus driver). These three men left a lasting impression on us and we hope to work with them again in the future. 

Our journey home was quite a challenge. We were all exhausted, sad and anxious at the same time. After a delay in Guatemala, we flew overnight to Dallas. After a few more delays and a gate change, we finally made it home to Knoxville late on Saturday afternoon. 

It's impossible to capture everything about our trip. I hope to flesh out more of our experiences in future blog posts. But for now, thank you reading these and for your thoughts and prayers for us on our Guatemala adventure. 

Our group at the observation point with Pacaya in the background

Driving through Antigua at 5:30am.

Pacaya and part of the lava field

JBob with our trail guide, Julio

A view from the observation point. The three volcanoes
in the picture are Agua, Acatenango, and Fuego (the one smoking).

Guatemala Day #5

 

But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:20-21 nkjv

It was a bittersweet day for us today. This was our last "official" day of ministry and we had to say goodbye to the kids and families that we have been working with. 

Run down of the Day

Our mornings begin pretty early and we were running a little late this morning so after a short prayer time during breakfast we loaded up to head back to our mission area. Thankfully traffic was better this morning! We went to the Christian school where we have been doing VBS to put together the food bags and wait for the families to come and receive them. The students were there also, in class so we got to see them again too. When the families arrived, the pastor had us introduce ourselves and say a few words and pray before we gave out the food bags. (This was the Guatemalan version of "Mobile LifeHouse.") After the food bags were distributed the kids came out of their classrooms and we got to spend some time loving on the kids. We even got to do one of the VBS songs with them. It was hard to say goodbye when we left the school. We then went to the homes that we had built to dedicate them with the families. We were also able to give them quilts that we had brought that were donated by another church. Again they were so appreciative for everything, and each family provided a snack for us as a way of saying thank you. After another hard good bye, we left and stopped for lunch at a local restaurant with our bus driver and missionaries, and spent some time just getting to know them. We then headed back to the mission house for supper and our time of reflection, and Cecelia did the devotion and led us in prayer. 

Reflections on the Day

1. Thankfully Papaw David was feeling better today and was able to rejoin the team; thank you for the prayers. Everyone seemed to be moving a little slower today, partly because of the two previous days of work, and partly because we knew we would be saying good bye to some people who have found their way into our hearts in just a short period of time. That is one of the hard parts of short-term missions. 

2. Our time at the school this morning was such a blessing. This was the first time being there and seeing the kids for those that had been on the construction crew. The kids welcomed us and treated us like we were old friends. They are so friendly and welcoming, they easily melt your heart. We were able to put together food bags for 20 families, and each one had signed up before hand with the Pastor. When they arrived he had us also sit and he and Lydia (the translator) told them who we were why we had come - because the love of Christ compels us to go into the world and share the gospel and help those in need. He had us introduce ourselves and we could say a few words if we wanted to. We then had a time of prayer and he had each family representative come up and we gave out the food bags. Again, each person was so appreciative. Though it didn't seem like much food to us, the pastor said one food bag would last a family about two weeks. 

3. We also learned today that the pastor and his family run a feeding program for the kids at the school and they feed the kids breakfast and a snack every day they are at school. The school has only been in operation about a year, and before starting the school the Pastor and his family ran the feeding program out of their home for six years. Through the generosity of one of our church members, we were able to provide some significant funds to help provide the food for the feeding program. Pastor Lester was very grateful for the donation. 

4. When we went to dedicate the homes, the families had decorated the homes and put up balloons. Again, they were so appreciative of the help they had received. We wanted them to know that the reason for building the houses was because Jesus loved them, and He knew what they needed, and we were only there as His representatives to show how much He loved and cared for them. While we came here to be a blessing to others, we were really the ones who have been blessed. 

5. We had a great time getting to know our missionaries during lunch. Vicinio is the lead missionary right now because the others are in the states with their families. Though he is Guatemalan, he told us about living in the states for about 20 years where he learned how to do construction. About 7 years ago, he and his wife (who is an American) moved back to Guatemala to be missionaries with Servants Hearts Ministries. They have two daughters, one of which has Down-Syndrome. And four years ago, he earned his American citizenship. He has a remarkable story. The other missionary, Mono also talked with some of our members about his story. He worked in construction, but wanted to work with mission organizations because the money was better, but he said God wouldn't let him get involved in ministry for the wrong reasons, so he kept working jobs he didn't really like, Finally, when he surrendered himself fully to the Lord, God began to open doors for him to work with mission organizations and he has been full-time with Servants Hearts Ministries for about two years now. Both of these men have been wonderful to work with. We are going to miss them. 

6. During our devotion time tonight, Cecelia shared a message from a devotional book she is reading by Mark Batterson ("Draw the Circle: Forty Days of Prayer Challenge"). She talked about how God is so great and awesome that every day He keeps all of the planets in alignment and the earth spinning on its axis at 1,000 MPH, and rotating around the sun at a speed of nearly 67,000 MPH. And then she asked the question from the devotion: "When was the last time you lost sleep because you were concerned about the Creator keeping the planets in orbit?"  When was the last time you prayed, "Lord, thanks for keeping the planet rotating. I wasn't sure if we'd make the full rotation today, but You did it again!" I'm guessing the answer to these things is "never." We don't doubt God's ability to keep the planets in orbit, but why do we have a difficult time believing He can keep our lives in order? Which is easier, ordering the planets, or ordering our steps? It was a great reminder that we can trust God with the big things and the little things in our lives, because He knows what He is doing!

We are looking forward to another day in Guatemala tomorrow. Though it is not an official "ministry day" we will still be looking to see where God is working and how we can join Him. We will be praying for opportunities to share the gospel and show the love of Christ with the people we encounter on our journeys tomorrow. Below are a few pics from our day today. 

Papaw David giving out a food bag

J-Mama giving out a food bag

Jay giving out a food bag

Guatemalan countryside

New Vision Christian School

Food bags to give away

Families that came to receive the food bags

Pastor Lester, his wife Feday, and daughter Abigail

Ed giving out a food bag

Traditional Guatemalan dress. She wasn't
too happy having her picture made again, lol.

The School Kids and some of our team

Inside of one of the new houses

Maddie with Mono (left) and Vicinio (right)

Zach giving out a food bag