Remember when you were a kid and you pretended you had 3 wishes and they would all come true? What would you wish for? Money? Vacations? 3 more wishes???
Some of our supporters through the years have occasionally challenged Mark and I to put a wish list on our newsletters. We really haven't a lot and I'm not exactly sure why! We just didn't. Maybe it's because we are just so appreciative of the fact that people send us money every month and it seems extravagant to ask for more! But this last newsletter we added 3 things to a wish list that we were needing/wanting. A new laptop--the one we have is extremely overworked and there's just too many people needing to do school and work on it and there aren't enough hours in the day for everyone to get done what needs to be done! A new camera--ours broke about a year ago and we haven't been able to replace it and haven't been able to take any photos. And a kitchen aid stand up mixer--I do a TON of cooking and baking for our family and others and even though it isn't truly a need it is something that would make my life a lot easier!
A week after we put it out someone wrote to us that they felt God leading them to give us all 3!!! Praise God! We are so thankful and we are truly enjoying the blessings! Our new camera is amazing! It is more than we could have ever expected. I am LOVING my new mixer--I call her Julia since Julia Child is one of my cooking heroes. And we are getting our new computer in about a week or so.
The lesson in all of this is that God is faithful! He is faithful with our needs and He is faithful with our wishes. He wants to bless us! What are your wishes?
Showing posts with label thoughts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thoughts. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Give Us This Day...
It's interesting to me how we can learn the Lord's Prayer as a kid and not really know what it means until we grow up and live out a life of faith.
I remember praying "Give us this day our daily bread..." and thinking as a kid how much I like bread and that it's just so cool that God gives us bread every day! YAY God!!! It wasn't until we moved here on the mission field that I truly understood what that phrase meant.
When we lived in the US and things got tight we went out and got an extra job. Sometimes it was a less than glamorous job--but it got us through the tight spots. We struggled a little but could truly make things happen when we needed to. Thank you God for providing jobs and the opportunity to work and provide for our needs. He was giving us our daily bread.
Moving to Guatemala where we can't just go out and get a job (we don't have the right visa for that) if things get tight has really opened my eyes to what this means in our lives. Sometimes God provides daily--not ahead of time.
I have the American mentality that a savings account and a bit of a cushion is a good thing and a desirable thing to have. It's irresponsible not to have some extra little bit put away in case of an emergency. I have been under a lot of self-condemnation because that doesn't happen for us! It's been a tough thing for me to see. I often wonder why I can't save. Then I think about it a little and realize this: maybe God wants to provide DAILY.
We get our offering and it seems to be more than enough and I think "NOW we can put some away." Only to find that our car needs hundreds of dollars of more work than we realized or there's a medical situation to deal with or one of our homeless people needs some meds or one of our guys in rehab needs shampoo and eye glasses or our electric bill was figured wrong and now we have to make up the difference! This is a part of daily life here in Guatemala. Sometimes we can't plan ahead--and just when we think we have it's all gone!
I find it interesting that it's taken me this long to realize that daily means day by day. We may not be able to plan for tomorrow we just have to take God's provision as it comes--daily. This is faith! This is where the rubber meets the road. This is where we trust that He is our daily provider as we are faithful with what He provides.
So now when I pray "Give us this day our daily bread..." I smile because I realize now what it means to actually live completely and totally dependent on God for every. single. day. Not easy--but always worth it.
I remember praying "Give us this day our daily bread..." and thinking as a kid how much I like bread and that it's just so cool that God gives us bread every day! YAY God!!! It wasn't until we moved here on the mission field that I truly understood what that phrase meant.
When we lived in the US and things got tight we went out and got an extra job. Sometimes it was a less than glamorous job--but it got us through the tight spots. We struggled a little but could truly make things happen when we needed to. Thank you God for providing jobs and the opportunity to work and provide for our needs. He was giving us our daily bread.
Moving to Guatemala where we can't just go out and get a job (we don't have the right visa for that) if things get tight has really opened my eyes to what this means in our lives. Sometimes God provides daily--not ahead of time.
I have the American mentality that a savings account and a bit of a cushion is a good thing and a desirable thing to have. It's irresponsible not to have some extra little bit put away in case of an emergency. I have been under a lot of self-condemnation because that doesn't happen for us! It's been a tough thing for me to see. I often wonder why I can't save. Then I think about it a little and realize this: maybe God wants to provide DAILY.
We get our offering and it seems to be more than enough and I think "NOW we can put some away." Only to find that our car needs hundreds of dollars of more work than we realized or there's a medical situation to deal with or one of our homeless people needs some meds or one of our guys in rehab needs shampoo and eye glasses or our electric bill was figured wrong and now we have to make up the difference! This is a part of daily life here in Guatemala. Sometimes we can't plan ahead--and just when we think we have it's all gone!
I find it interesting that it's taken me this long to realize that daily means day by day. We may not be able to plan for tomorrow we just have to take God's provision as it comes--daily. This is faith! This is where the rubber meets the road. This is where we trust that He is our daily provider as we are faithful with what He provides.
So now when I pray "Give us this day our daily bread..." I smile because I realize now what it means to actually live completely and totally dependent on God for every. single. day. Not easy--but always worth it.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
A strange thing happened on the way to the meeting...
Do you ever feel like God is trying to tell you something. All at once. Loudly.
This afternoon has been like that for me. Within the space of one hour we experienced a strange variety of things that has me going, "Hmmmm..."
On the way to our weekly staff meeting at the YWAM base we saw a jack-knifed semi truck trying to make an impossibly sharp turn from a highway (under construction) to a little side road where all the regular highway traffic is being routed through. I felt so bad for the driver and felt a little bit of how frustrating it would be to try to manoeuvre through a centuries old, cobble-stoned, city to make deliveries in narrow, quaint little streets. Antigua is charming until you are a truck driver I'll bet!
So we had to take the long way around through another little town to get to our meeting. While on the road we were behind a police truck with 2 officers in it just minding our own business until a large can was thrown out the window of the police truck. Right away I said to Mark, "Did you see that? They just littered!" Why that was so surprising I still don't know! Then the second can was thrown out. That's when I noticed that they weren't just any cans, they were the large 20 oz. Gallo beer cans! So they were drinking and driving, on duty, and littering. "Hmmmm..."
Right about then my phone went off that I have a text message. Now, I usually don't check texts because, frankly, it's usually just ads for the company we have our phones with. But, for some reason I checked this one. It said that I had a court date. Tomorrow. For the Q4,000 (about $500) debt I haven't paid. The text was complete with case numbers and everything. I said to Mark, "What debt? We don't owe anyone that kind of money! What do you think this is?" When we got to the base we showed our director and he said not to answer it or even call the number because it's an extortion. ???????? Yeah, an extortion text message.
Then, while we were in the meeting I heard a truck trying to get through the street and heard a crash. Not good. Mark went outside and saw that the driver had hit our car with his truck and put a decent dent in it. For real. Not even kidding. I went out to look at what had happened and there was the driver trying to get away! I stopped him and our director helped me out while Mark was moving our car to assess the damage more accurately. The driver immediately started blaming US because we had parked on the street. Now, there's nowhere else to park at the base. There's only the street. WE had parked on the street and that's why he hit us and it's our fault. Our director made him get out of the truck and I said to him that it's not our fault it's his fault and he said that here in Guatemala it is the parked car that is blamed for these types of accidents! Again--????????
Our director immediately got on the phone to the police, and miraculously, that changed his tune. All of a sudden, he was all apologetic and wanted to know what he could do to make it right. We took his information and left it at that for now. The damage doesn't effect the performance of the car only the look--so it's not too bad. But, we do feel he needs to take responsibility for his actions so we're thinking of how to do that without causing his family hardship by demanding money. And in case you're wondering, the police never did show up.
So what do you think God is trying to teach us? Is He trying to tell us that justice is His and we can't look at man's idea of justice to work for us? Is He trying to tell us that He is in control and we need to rely on Him?
I don't know. But, I do know that God is good, and just, and He is in control. So, I'm not going to worry too much about it all. I'm going to continue to pray for our beautiful home country of Guatemala. I'm going to pray that HIS justice reigns here and thank Him for his grace and mercy that keeps us working here. I'm going to believe that He loves this country more than we do and that we can be instruments of His will here in Guatemala. I'm thankful that we are able to do what He's asked us to do. And tonight I'm going to bring soup to homeless people and addicts and be thankful for the things that keep MY life here normal for me.
This afternoon has been like that for me. Within the space of one hour we experienced a strange variety of things that has me going, "Hmmmm..."
On the way to our weekly staff meeting at the YWAM base we saw a jack-knifed semi truck trying to make an impossibly sharp turn from a highway (under construction) to a little side road where all the regular highway traffic is being routed through. I felt so bad for the driver and felt a little bit of how frustrating it would be to try to manoeuvre through a centuries old, cobble-stoned, city to make deliveries in narrow, quaint little streets. Antigua is charming until you are a truck driver I'll bet!
So we had to take the long way around through another little town to get to our meeting. While on the road we were behind a police truck with 2 officers in it just minding our own business until a large can was thrown out the window of the police truck. Right away I said to Mark, "Did you see that? They just littered!" Why that was so surprising I still don't know! Then the second can was thrown out. That's when I noticed that they weren't just any cans, they were the large 20 oz. Gallo beer cans! So they were drinking and driving, on duty, and littering. "Hmmmm..."
Right about then my phone went off that I have a text message. Now, I usually don't check texts because, frankly, it's usually just ads for the company we have our phones with. But, for some reason I checked this one. It said that I had a court date. Tomorrow. For the Q4,000 (about $500) debt I haven't paid. The text was complete with case numbers and everything. I said to Mark, "What debt? We don't owe anyone that kind of money! What do you think this is?" When we got to the base we showed our director and he said not to answer it or even call the number because it's an extortion. ???????? Yeah, an extortion text message.
Then, while we were in the meeting I heard a truck trying to get through the street and heard a crash. Not good. Mark went outside and saw that the driver had hit our car with his truck and put a decent dent in it. For real. Not even kidding. I went out to look at what had happened and there was the driver trying to get away! I stopped him and our director helped me out while Mark was moving our car to assess the damage more accurately. The driver immediately started blaming US because we had parked on the street. Now, there's nowhere else to park at the base. There's only the street. WE had parked on the street and that's why he hit us and it's our fault. Our director made him get out of the truck and I said to him that it's not our fault it's his fault and he said that here in Guatemala it is the parked car that is blamed for these types of accidents! Again--????????
Our director immediately got on the phone to the police, and miraculously, that changed his tune. All of a sudden, he was all apologetic and wanted to know what he could do to make it right. We took his information and left it at that for now. The damage doesn't effect the performance of the car only the look--so it's not too bad. But, we do feel he needs to take responsibility for his actions so we're thinking of how to do that without causing his family hardship by demanding money. And in case you're wondering, the police never did show up.
So what do you think God is trying to teach us? Is He trying to tell us that justice is His and we can't look at man's idea of justice to work for us? Is He trying to tell us that He is in control and we need to rely on Him?
I don't know. But, I do know that God is good, and just, and He is in control. So, I'm not going to worry too much about it all. I'm going to continue to pray for our beautiful home country of Guatemala. I'm going to pray that HIS justice reigns here and thank Him for his grace and mercy that keeps us working here. I'm going to believe that He loves this country more than we do and that we can be instruments of His will here in Guatemala. I'm thankful that we are able to do what He's asked us to do. And tonight I'm going to bring soup to homeless people and addicts and be thankful for the things that keep MY life here normal for me.
Friday, March 18, 2011
When you Least Expect it...
I've been wondering for over a week how to post this story. It's been something that happened when we weren't expecting it and it's not exactly encouraging. I like to post really great and positive things that happen here in our beautiful home, but, sometimes it just isn't great or positive. This is one of those times.
Last week (Tuesday) we had a busy day as a family in the City running errands and getting some things done we needed to do. After we finally got home (about 3:30 or so) we all sat down for a quiet evening and a family time with maybe a movie or something. We were all tired.
About 6:00 or so someone started knocking frantically on our door. We went to the door and it was our neighbor telling us that they needed us in the house across from us because one of the young men who was living there had hung himself and there was a woman and a baby in there and the woman was bleeding terribly. Mark ran over there quickly to help out. In the room was the man, the woman was lying on the floor and her baby (about 9-10 months old) was lying next to her. He saw that the woman was still alive but not able to respond to anything and the baby was fine as far as he could tell. Alicia went in to see if she could help the baby and to bring medical gloves to her dad. Mark stayed with the woman until help could come.
The medics got here and went right in to help and came out with the baby, who by this time was screaming, and handed her to me. We got towels and blankets for her (they had to cut off her clothes because she was covered in blood and they needed to see if she was hurt) and tried to calm her. My neighbor came to help and Bailey and I ran to the nearby pharmacy to get a bottle, baby shampoo, and diapers. We came home and asked if it was possible to give her a bath and were told yes. They wanted to know if there was some wound they couldn't see in her hair or something--she was covered in blood and it was dried on.
By the time the whole thing was finished, about 4 hours later, we were still in total shock. What happened? Why did this happen? It was a very emotional evening for our family and our kids were a little bit shaken up. It was a tough night for sleeping.
We have since found out that the young man was very depressed, he was in an attempted robbery about 9 months ago (someone attempted to rob him while he was working) and was shot. As a result, he was paralyzed from the waist down. I can understand his depression. It would be hard to deal with that when you are as young as he was and face your entire life in that situation. The woman was his ex-girlfriend and the baby was his. He was angry about the failure of the relationship.
It made me realize that whenever I have seen him around he seemed, on the outside, to be doing okay. I mean, he didn't seem as angry or depressed as he obviously was. Could I have reached out to my neighbor more? Would it have mattered? I don't know. I can't beat myself up about what is past, but, I can change the future. It makes me more determined to be compassionate, open to the Holy Spirit leading me to speak to people, open to really taking time to find out about people and reach out to them.
It's so easy to go about my busy day and life and not really take the time. How many people do we know who could use encouragement? And, really, how hard is it to encourage someone?
This young man had people in his life helping him and encouraging him and working with him. People who loved him. He was unable to receive it. It's important to not only be givers but receivers. We have to allow people to give encouragement to us and love on us. It's just as important as being someone who helps and encourages others. Maybe more.
In an update--the young woman died this past Saturday. She lived for 3 days after the attack. The baby is fine and living with her mom's family in the City. Please pray for her.
Last week (Tuesday) we had a busy day as a family in the City running errands and getting some things done we needed to do. After we finally got home (about 3:30 or so) we all sat down for a quiet evening and a family time with maybe a movie or something. We were all tired.
About 6:00 or so someone started knocking frantically on our door. We went to the door and it was our neighbor telling us that they needed us in the house across from us because one of the young men who was living there had hung himself and there was a woman and a baby in there and the woman was bleeding terribly. Mark ran over there quickly to help out. In the room was the man, the woman was lying on the floor and her baby (about 9-10 months old) was lying next to her. He saw that the woman was still alive but not able to respond to anything and the baby was fine as far as he could tell. Alicia went in to see if she could help the baby and to bring medical gloves to her dad. Mark stayed with the woman until help could come.
The medics got here and went right in to help and came out with the baby, who by this time was screaming, and handed her to me. We got towels and blankets for her (they had to cut off her clothes because she was covered in blood and they needed to see if she was hurt) and tried to calm her. My neighbor came to help and Bailey and I ran to the nearby pharmacy to get a bottle, baby shampoo, and diapers. We came home and asked if it was possible to give her a bath and were told yes. They wanted to know if there was some wound they couldn't see in her hair or something--she was covered in blood and it was dried on.
By the time the whole thing was finished, about 4 hours later, we were still in total shock. What happened? Why did this happen? It was a very emotional evening for our family and our kids were a little bit shaken up. It was a tough night for sleeping.
We have since found out that the young man was very depressed, he was in an attempted robbery about 9 months ago (someone attempted to rob him while he was working) and was shot. As a result, he was paralyzed from the waist down. I can understand his depression. It would be hard to deal with that when you are as young as he was and face your entire life in that situation. The woman was his ex-girlfriend and the baby was his. He was angry about the failure of the relationship.
It made me realize that whenever I have seen him around he seemed, on the outside, to be doing okay. I mean, he didn't seem as angry or depressed as he obviously was. Could I have reached out to my neighbor more? Would it have mattered? I don't know. I can't beat myself up about what is past, but, I can change the future. It makes me more determined to be compassionate, open to the Holy Spirit leading me to speak to people, open to really taking time to find out about people and reach out to them.
It's so easy to go about my busy day and life and not really take the time. How many people do we know who could use encouragement? And, really, how hard is it to encourage someone?
This young man had people in his life helping him and encouraging him and working with him. People who loved him. He was unable to receive it. It's important to not only be givers but receivers. We have to allow people to give encouragement to us and love on us. It's just as important as being someone who helps and encourages others. Maybe more.
In an update--the young woman died this past Saturday. She lived for 3 days after the attack. The baby is fine and living with her mom's family in the City. Please pray for her.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thanksgiving
Where do I begin? What am I thankful for? Here's a little list of what I praise God for in my life!
1. Grace and mercy
2. My wonderful family and friends
3. The fact that God knows what's best for us and brought us to Guatemala.
4. The privilege of serving the street people that we meet.
There they are. Generic, but, simple and to the point.
--Dayle
1. Grace and mercy
2. My wonderful family and friends
3. The fact that God knows what's best for us and brought us to Guatemala.
4. The privilege of serving the street people that we meet.
There they are. Generic, but, simple and to the point.
--Dayle
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Anniversary!
5 years ago today we arrived, bag and baggage, at the Guatemala City airport intending to stay for one year. It was the first time the kids had been on an airplane. It was the first time I seriously questioned whether or not God really knew what He was doing. I remember feeling so overwhelmed it was like I was in a daze. All I kept thinking was, "One year, Dayle, you can do it for one year." And that made me feel so comforted.
I didn't expect to ever feel like I was at home here in Guatemala. I kept thinking of Minnesota as home. I kept holding on to the fact that I was only here for one year so I didn't need to get attached. I didn't need to really learn the language. I didn't need to figure out the open air market. It was all too much, so I didn't think about it.
Until God showed us that we were here until He moved us. Whenever that would be.
So I started looking at places to live and found the home we have been in for 4 1/2 years. I started making an effort to learn Spanish. I started to make a big effort to learn how to shop the open air market for my family. I started to not get so nervous about my kids when they would get sick (we live here, parasites are sometimes part of the fun!). And I found myself slowly loving what I had been given.
I'm so thankful that God knows so much better than I what exactly I need for my life. I'm so thankful that He sees my desires before I even know them myself! How could I know that in just 5 short years Guatemala would feel so much like home that the thought of leaving, even for a short time, makes me just stressed out! The thought of not doing soup run or seeing my friends at church or the kids at the base or the DTS students who come and go would make me so sad? The thought of waking up and not seeing the beautiful valley we live in surrounded by the gorgeous and majestic volcanoes is unthinkable to me now.
How could I know that I would compare the market with the grocery stores back in MN and the market would win?! I never guessed that throwing the toilet paper in the garbage next to the toilet instead of flushing it would become so second nature to me and normal that on the few occasions that we do visit the US and can flush, we forget! And, I love driving here in a passive-agressive sort of way! I love my street Spanish! And the thought of not kicking off the Christmas season with the burning of the devil and then walking to Central Park to see all the Christmas lights is unthinkable.
At this point, Christopher has lived most of his growing up years here. Bailey's memories of MN are good, but, her memories of Guatemala are shaping her. Alicia wants to make this her home. What kind of people will this experience make them? I can't wait to find out.
I love Minnesota and it will always be "home". But, I'm grateful that there is place in our hearts for more than one "home". I'm thankful that Guatemala has become home to us and the people here are like family.
Who knew?
--Dayle
I didn't expect to ever feel like I was at home here in Guatemala. I kept thinking of Minnesota as home. I kept holding on to the fact that I was only here for one year so I didn't need to get attached. I didn't need to really learn the language. I didn't need to figure out the open air market. It was all too much, so I didn't think about it.
Until God showed us that we were here until He moved us. Whenever that would be.
So I started looking at places to live and found the home we have been in for 4 1/2 years. I started making an effort to learn Spanish. I started to make a big effort to learn how to shop the open air market for my family. I started to not get so nervous about my kids when they would get sick (we live here, parasites are sometimes part of the fun!). And I found myself slowly loving what I had been given.
I'm so thankful that God knows so much better than I what exactly I need for my life. I'm so thankful that He sees my desires before I even know them myself! How could I know that in just 5 short years Guatemala would feel so much like home that the thought of leaving, even for a short time, makes me just stressed out! The thought of not doing soup run or seeing my friends at church or the kids at the base or the DTS students who come and go would make me so sad? The thought of waking up and not seeing the beautiful valley we live in surrounded by the gorgeous and majestic volcanoes is unthinkable to me now.
How could I know that I would compare the market with the grocery stores back in MN and the market would win?! I never guessed that throwing the toilet paper in the garbage next to the toilet instead of flushing it would become so second nature to me and normal that on the few occasions that we do visit the US and can flush, we forget! And, I love driving here in a passive-agressive sort of way! I love my street Spanish! And the thought of not kicking off the Christmas season with the burning of the devil and then walking to Central Park to see all the Christmas lights is unthinkable.
At this point, Christopher has lived most of his growing up years here. Bailey's memories of MN are good, but, her memories of Guatemala are shaping her. Alicia wants to make this her home. What kind of people will this experience make them? I can't wait to find out.
I love Minnesota and it will always be "home". But, I'm grateful that there is place in our hearts for more than one "home". I'm thankful that Guatemala has become home to us and the people here are like family.
Who knew?
--Dayle
Friday, October 22, 2010
Rescue Mission
It was one of the most inspiring news stories I’ve ever seen: 33 miners from Chile were recently rescued after being buried alive for over 2 months nearly ½ mile underground! During the first 17 days of their nightmare they had no communication with the outside world and they had almost nothing to eat. A team of people finally discovered them and then worked to get them supplies and drill a hole to rescue them. Rescue workers were sent down to the miners and all 33 were pulled up one-by-one in an escape pod barely big enough for them to stand in. The rescued miners were embraced by friends and family and surrounded by a crowd of cheering people. Finally, the rescue workers were brought up as well. There are some things about this story that parallel our experience as Christians:
1) We were also rescued from a dark pit.
We were lost in our darkness until the light of the Gospel came to us.
2) Now we are the first-responders sent to rescue those who are still in the darkness.
We are the only preachers God has.
Romans 10:14 “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and
how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear
without a preacher?”
3) There was only one way for the miners to be rescued- through a very narrow passage. For us there is only one narrow way to salvation also, through Jesus Christ.
Mat 7:14 “…strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few
there be that find it.”
Joh 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
4) Those being rescued couldn’t do anything to save themselves. All they could do was get into the pod and trust it to carry them to the surface. All we can do is trust Jesus to raise us up from darkness to light. We can’t do any work to contribute to our own salvation.
5) The rescuers worked as a team, each having their part to play. Each of us in the
church have a part to play in the rescue of lost souls. Some preach, some provide
support to the preachers, but all need to consciously work toward the same goal. Ultimately it’s
only Jesus who saves people. But he chooses to use us to preach the good news to others so that
they can accept or reject His salvation. We don’t save anyone. We “rescue” people by pointing
them to the only way of being rescued.
6) Each saved miner was celebrated.
Luk 15:10 “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God
over one sinner that repenteth.”
7) The rescuers needed to be rescued too. As a believer, we too face dark times. Sometimes it’s because of disobedience (like Jonah running from the call of God to preach). Sometimes the darkness comes as a test while we are actually obeying the Lord. Either way, we need to trust our lives to the same Jesus Christ that the sinner does. Maybe God gives us dark times to help us remember the hopelessness of people without Jesus.
We’re here on a rescue mission!
Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
It only makes sense that we would have the same mission as our Master. Have you been
seeking those who need to be rescued from the darkness? There are MORE than 33
trapped people waiting for you this time!
-Mark
1) We were also rescued from a dark pit.
We were lost in our darkness until the light of the Gospel came to us.
2) Now we are the first-responders sent to rescue those who are still in the darkness.
We are the only preachers God has.
Romans 10:14 “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and
how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear
without a preacher?”
3) There was only one way for the miners to be rescued- through a very narrow passage. For us there is only one narrow way to salvation also, through Jesus Christ.
Mat 7:14 “…strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few
there be that find it.”
Joh 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
4) Those being rescued couldn’t do anything to save themselves. All they could do was get into the pod and trust it to carry them to the surface. All we can do is trust Jesus to raise us up from darkness to light. We can’t do any work to contribute to our own salvation.
5) The rescuers worked as a team, each having their part to play. Each of us in the
church have a part to play in the rescue of lost souls. Some preach, some provide
support to the preachers, but all need to consciously work toward the same goal. Ultimately it’s
only Jesus who saves people. But he chooses to use us to preach the good news to others so that
they can accept or reject His salvation. We don’t save anyone. We “rescue” people by pointing
them to the only way of being rescued.
6) Each saved miner was celebrated.
Luk 15:10 “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God
over one sinner that repenteth.”
7) The rescuers needed to be rescued too. As a believer, we too face dark times. Sometimes it’s because of disobedience (like Jonah running from the call of God to preach). Sometimes the darkness comes as a test while we are actually obeying the Lord. Either way, we need to trust our lives to the same Jesus Christ that the sinner does. Maybe God gives us dark times to help us remember the hopelessness of people without Jesus.
We’re here on a rescue mission!
Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
It only makes sense that we would have the same mission as our Master. Have you been
seeking those who need to be rescued from the darkness? There are MORE than 33
trapped people waiting for you this time!
-Mark
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Odds and Ends
It's been a while since I felt like I had much to say that would require an actual blog. I say a lot, but, it isn't always life-changing, earth-rattling, or even important! But, I have a few things on my mind and heart that I would love to share!
When we first moved to Antigua, I had a lot of difficulties with a few different things. I missed my family and friends, I missed cleanliness (you can't imagine), I missed the orderly way that things are usually done back home, I missed being completely understood when I talked, I missed so much! I wondered if I would ever feel like this was home. God is so good, because He has made this feel as though I'm home. We have a wonderful life here. I love my family, my church, my friends, my home, our ministry, my routine, and learning Spanish and laughing at the mistakes I make. I still miss some things, but, I don't LONG for them as I used to.
I enjoy the market. When I go to the US, it's fun to shop in a big superstore with everything clearly marked (so everyone pays the same!) and organized. It's fun to get around with my big shopping cart in spacious aisles that are free from debris and stacks of boxes. It's fun to find bargains and marvel at how cheap butter, milk, cheese, bread, and meat is compared to Guatemala. It's fun to find ice cream in our favorite flavors and candy we can't get here. But, after a week or two, I find myself longing to bite into a piece of fruit that is actually ripe and ready to eat when I buy it, or buy the freshest of fresh veggies to prepare for my family. I miss the taste of the beef and chicken here (it is different!). I long for "home".
This past week, our family lost someone irrepalceable in our lives, my Unlce Rod. He was someone who poured out his life for others, including us. He mentored my husband and worked with us as we were just starting out into ministry. He performed our wedding. He was there when Alicia was born and didn't at all mind when she threw up in his hair just before he had to do Bible Study on a Wednesday night! He was a wonderful man of God and an example to so many. I'm so grateful that I had him in my life.
It was tough being here when I wanted to be home with my family and comfort my dad and see everyone and celebrate his life. But, then I realized, the best way I could celebrate his life is by staying here and doing what he did. Pouring my life into others. So, in honor of him, that's what I will vow to do. I think about how he's looking down on Guatemala and seeing us right now and I wonder what he thinks? I hope he's blessed to see the fruit of what he poured into us. I hope we are worthy of not only his time, but, the time of so many others who have given so much for us to do what God has called us to do.
You all are special to us. We couldn't do what we do unless you were faithful to pray and give so that we could be here. It's a wonderful thing to be so blessed with so many incredible people. I hope we are always mindful of that and strive to make it count.
When we first moved to Antigua, I had a lot of difficulties with a few different things. I missed my family and friends, I missed cleanliness (you can't imagine), I missed the orderly way that things are usually done back home, I missed being completely understood when I talked, I missed so much! I wondered if I would ever feel like this was home. God is so good, because He has made this feel as though I'm home. We have a wonderful life here. I love my family, my church, my friends, my home, our ministry, my routine, and learning Spanish and laughing at the mistakes I make. I still miss some things, but, I don't LONG for them as I used to.
I enjoy the market. When I go to the US, it's fun to shop in a big superstore with everything clearly marked (so everyone pays the same!) and organized. It's fun to get around with my big shopping cart in spacious aisles that are free from debris and stacks of boxes. It's fun to find bargains and marvel at how cheap butter, milk, cheese, bread, and meat is compared to Guatemala. It's fun to find ice cream in our favorite flavors and candy we can't get here. But, after a week or two, I find myself longing to bite into a piece of fruit that is actually ripe and ready to eat when I buy it, or buy the freshest of fresh veggies to prepare for my family. I miss the taste of the beef and chicken here (it is different!). I long for "home".
This past week, our family lost someone irrepalceable in our lives, my Unlce Rod. He was someone who poured out his life for others, including us. He mentored my husband and worked with us as we were just starting out into ministry. He performed our wedding. He was there when Alicia was born and didn't at all mind when she threw up in his hair just before he had to do Bible Study on a Wednesday night! He was a wonderful man of God and an example to so many. I'm so grateful that I had him in my life.
It was tough being here when I wanted to be home with my family and comfort my dad and see everyone and celebrate his life. But, then I realized, the best way I could celebrate his life is by staying here and doing what he did. Pouring my life into others. So, in honor of him, that's what I will vow to do. I think about how he's looking down on Guatemala and seeing us right now and I wonder what he thinks? I hope he's blessed to see the fruit of what he poured into us. I hope we are worthy of not only his time, but, the time of so many others who have given so much for us to do what God has called us to do.
You all are special to us. We couldn't do what we do unless you were faithful to pray and give so that we could be here. It's a wonderful thing to be so blessed with so many incredible people. I hope we are always mindful of that and strive to make it count.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
What now?!
So we've been going to the streets now since the end of November to hand out food to the homeless people in Anitgua and it's been a huge blessing! I make a big pot of soup (whatever kind I want and have ingredients for that day) and we buy some bread and drive around and give out a cup of soup and a piece of bread when we see someone sleeping on the street. We've been praying with these guys (mostly guys) and ministering the gospel to them regularly. We know them now. We've become a part of their lives and they ours. God is good.
Last week we decided to see about going behind the market area here in Antigua and feeding the group of people that sleep there too. We've avoided that spot before because it's really dark there and we aren't sure who's there and what's happening. We've driven by many times, saw silouhettes of people in the dark, but, didn't stop. Last week a police officer helped us out by staying with us while we handed food. We also parked the car so that the headlights shone on the spot where they are sleeping so that we can see better. There were about 13 people there. It was sad. They sleep on old dirty mattresses and under really dirty blankets. Right now it's nice because it's dry season--I don't want to think about rainy season for these people.
Last night we went behind there again and then to the dump area directly attatched to the market. I couldn't believe it. We left with soup enough for about 25 people and packets of roasted vegetables for 18 people and banana cake for about 30 people. By the time we were done at those two locations we only had enough food to feed some of our regular guys on Santa Lucia (about 7) and we had to totally skip going to the recollecion area where we usually can feed up to about 15 guys.
Now What??????
Mark and I are praying about going out on 2 nights a week. One night for the people behind the market and the dump area and one night for our regular street guys. This is going to be a lot more work as well as a lot more food! It's going to take some faith to feed these people. Please pray with us!
Last week we decided to see about going behind the market area here in Antigua and feeding the group of people that sleep there too. We've avoided that spot before because it's really dark there and we aren't sure who's there and what's happening. We've driven by many times, saw silouhettes of people in the dark, but, didn't stop. Last week a police officer helped us out by staying with us while we handed food. We also parked the car so that the headlights shone on the spot where they are sleeping so that we can see better. There were about 13 people there. It was sad. They sleep on old dirty mattresses and under really dirty blankets. Right now it's nice because it's dry season--I don't want to think about rainy season for these people.
Last night we went behind there again and then to the dump area directly attatched to the market. I couldn't believe it. We left with soup enough for about 25 people and packets of roasted vegetables for 18 people and banana cake for about 30 people. By the time we were done at those two locations we only had enough food to feed some of our regular guys on Santa Lucia (about 7) and we had to totally skip going to the recollecion area where we usually can feed up to about 15 guys.
Now What??????
Mark and I are praying about going out on 2 nights a week. One night for the people behind the market and the dump area and one night for our regular street guys. This is going to be a lot more work as well as a lot more food! It's going to take some faith to feed these people. Please pray with us!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Time of Refreshing!
We just returned from a wonderful time of refreshing in Minnesota visiting our friends and family! It was such an amazing time, thanks to all who made it possible for us to really just unwind. You are so special to us, you'll just never know.
We were able to meet 2 new nephews! And, can I just say that the Annands make incredibly beautiful babies?! Really!!!! Congratulations to Mark's sister Robyn and her husband Patrick on their beautiful son, Joshua. We're also so glad to have been there for the birth of Matt and Katie's son, Max. What a blessing for us to be able to connect with new family members!
God is so good! I want to encourage you all to do what we've made a point of doing for our family--take a day to just rest, enjoy your family, and reflect on God's goodness. It's so important, especially now as things become so crazy in our world. We need to stay grounded in the things that are important. Spend some time of refreshing yourself!
We were able to meet 2 new nephews! And, can I just say that the Annands make incredibly beautiful babies?! Really!!!! Congratulations to Mark's sister Robyn and her husband Patrick on their beautiful son, Joshua. We're also so glad to have been there for the birth of Matt and Katie's son, Max. What a blessing for us to be able to connect with new family members!
God is so good! I want to encourage you all to do what we've made a point of doing for our family--take a day to just rest, enjoy your family, and reflect on God's goodness. It's so important, especially now as things become so crazy in our world. We need to stay grounded in the things that are important. Spend some time of refreshing yourself!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
What God has done!
It's so good to sit from time to time and look back on all that has happened. I try to do that in June so I can see the first part of the year and evaluate where we are. Did we get as far as we needed to in school? How are the kids doing? Are we meeting our goals as a family and, if not, what can we do to make room for new goals or to make our goals happen? Are we spending our time and resources wisely?
These are things I think about. Here's a 6-month evaluation:
Ministry since January 1, 2009
We have hosted and planned for several teams.
We have completed our new theme for Kid's Club on the Armor of God and the Fruits of the Spirit.
The girls have been helping teams at a malnutrition center.
We have continued to be active in our church.
Mark has been active in street ministry here in Antigua.
We've taken part in training sessions here in Antigua and Mark has taught at a conference at the Lake.
We've started building relationships with some young men here in hopes of beginning a youth minsitry in Antigua.
We've survived our 4th Semana Santa (Holy Week)! No small feat, I can tell you!
Family stuff
We have more than half completed our school year already! (we school year-round)
The kids have had a lot of opportunities to translate and use their Spanish.
We have been able to spend the beginning of the year seeking God for His direction for our family.
God has provided miraculously for our family and our visa situation.
Our family has been able to bless a couple of Guatemalan families and meet some needs they had.
Goals for the rest of the year.
We are needing a new car. Our car has just died--it was bound to happen! Mark has opportunities to go to rural churches and train the people, but, until we get a new, reliable vehicle, it can't happen. Hopefully we'll have a new one by the end of the year.
We need to finish our school year. Alicia will be in 10th grade! I can't believe it.
We need to take some time off. We need at least a month off to refresh.
We would like to do some more training sessions in evangelism and outreach and do more work with the youth in Antigua.
God is so good! We are feeling like we are right where we need to be and things are happening. We'll keep updating what's been going on as it happens!
Dayle
These are things I think about. Here's a 6-month evaluation:
Ministry since January 1, 2009
We have hosted and planned for several teams.
We have completed our new theme for Kid's Club on the Armor of God and the Fruits of the Spirit.
The girls have been helping teams at a malnutrition center.
We have continued to be active in our church.
Mark has been active in street ministry here in Antigua.
We've taken part in training sessions here in Antigua and Mark has taught at a conference at the Lake.
We've started building relationships with some young men here in hopes of beginning a youth minsitry in Antigua.
We've survived our 4th Semana Santa (Holy Week)! No small feat, I can tell you!
Family stuff
We have more than half completed our school year already! (we school year-round)
The kids have had a lot of opportunities to translate and use their Spanish.
We have been able to spend the beginning of the year seeking God for His direction for our family.
God has provided miraculously for our family and our visa situation.
Our family has been able to bless a couple of Guatemalan families and meet some needs they had.
Goals for the rest of the year.
We are needing a new car. Our car has just died--it was bound to happen! Mark has opportunities to go to rural churches and train the people, but, until we get a new, reliable vehicle, it can't happen. Hopefully we'll have a new one by the end of the year.
We need to finish our school year. Alicia will be in 10th grade! I can't believe it.
We need to take some time off. We need at least a month off to refresh.
We would like to do some more training sessions in evangelism and outreach and do more work with the youth in Antigua.
God is so good! We are feeling like we are right where we need to be and things are happening. We'll keep updating what's been going on as it happens!
Dayle
Small World
I’m in Guatemala sitting at the computer that we use to listen to the radio station from back home in Minnesota. Technology has made the world smaller. Imagine being a missionary to Guatemala 50 years ago. You may not have seen your family back home for years at a time, and you may have had to rely on letters to communicate. These days you can leave for the mission field one day and see your family on a video phone the next day. Hop on a plane and you’re back home after a couple of in-flight movies. Right now if I wanted to I could probably share the gospel with someone who’s sitting at his computer in... Germany! Amazing! Through email you can pass out virtual gospel tracts to people in many states at the same time! Maybe God has allowed this technology at this time in history to make it easier for us to get the job done. It makes the call to go into all the world to preach the gospel seem more do-able, doesn’t it?
Friday, May 29, 2009
If You're Watching This, I've been assassinated...
Lately things in Guatemala have gotten a little tense, to say the least! The political situation is not good. It's becoming volatile. Please pray for God's Spirit to fall and revival to begin. Watch this, and you'll know what I mean.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC_ODpxMA10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC_ODpxMA10
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Fish Sandwich
A while ago I was fasting, and I started craving a fish sandwich. I could almost taste it! Well later as I was reading my Bible I happened to be reading in John 6, and guess what it was about! Jesus multiplying the bread and fish! "No fair!", I thought. Maybe it was God’s sense of humor. But then I thought of how much more valuable a spiritual fish sandwich is than a physical one. Eating a fish sandwich will feed my body, but reading about Jesus making a fish sandwich will feed my spirit! The Bible says that we can’t live on bread alone. We need every one of the words that God speaks. Which food do I hunger for the most? Also, I can multiply food like Jesus did! Every time I share God’s word with someone else I multiply it to those people, and they can get fed spiritually too! So, yes, I finally got the fish sandwich my taste buds craved. And it was sooooo good! But what’s better is knowing the God who feeds body, soul and spirit.
--Mark
--Mark
Global Warming?
With all this talk about global warming and climate change I want to offer some thoughts. First of all, I’m not a scientist, so I don’t know for sure if global warming is even true or if it’s really caused by humans at all. But even if it is, there’s a deeper issue. When God made the world it was pronounced "good"(Gen 1:31). Creation fell when SIN entered the world- not when cars or factories were invented (Gen 3:17-18, Gen 6:5-7). So the reason the creation is so messed up is because of our sin in general. Some may say that our "sin" is not taking care of the earth better. But, no, Adam was probably taking care of the garden just fine (Gen 2:15)- until he disobeyed God’s commandment to not eat of the one tree God said not to eat from (Gen 3:6). So the real issue is disobedience to God’s commands. The real problem isn’t my carbon emissions it’s my sinful commissions. Because of our sin there WILL be a global warming one day. God has said he will destroy this earth with fire (2 Peter 3:7, 10) and make a new heavens and new earth (Is 65:17, Rev 21:1). So let’s seek God in this earth and look forward to the better one to come. Go green if you want to, but let’s let the Lord guide our steps, not the counsel of the ungodly (Ps 1:1).
--Mark
--Mark
Monday, January 5, 2009
New Year Stuff
Well, here we are at 2009. Who'd have thought?
Our family decided to set aside this week to seek God together for this year and what He wants from us. We are watching "Driven By Eternity" by John Bevere this week and discussing it as a family. It's amazing what insights the kids have. I love their perspective on things! If you haven't read the book or seen the teaching, do it. It's really challenging. I love that it blows away things we as Christians always believed but, weren't necessarily Biblically true. I like the challenge.
I'm looking forward to this year. I can't wait to see what God will do with us. It's exciting! What will happen? What will we be doing this time next year? This time last year we were planning on going home for a visit in February, what will next year bring?
Blessings to you all this year. Seek God. Stay faithful!
-Dayle
Our family decided to set aside this week to seek God together for this year and what He wants from us. We are watching "Driven By Eternity" by John Bevere this week and discussing it as a family. It's amazing what insights the kids have. I love their perspective on things! If you haven't read the book or seen the teaching, do it. It's really challenging. I love that it blows away things we as Christians always believed but, weren't necessarily Biblically true. I like the challenge.
I'm looking forward to this year. I can't wait to see what God will do with us. It's exciting! What will happen? What will we be doing this time next year? This time last year we were planning on going home for a visit in February, what will next year bring?
Blessings to you all this year. Seek God. Stay faithful!
-Dayle
Friday, December 26, 2008
Full of Surprises!
On the 23rd of this month we had a surprise breakfast at the café for Dayle’s 40th birthday. I decorated with white balloons instead of black because I wanted to symbolically represent life instead of death. This "over-the hill" business is a lie- Moses didn’t even begin his ministry until he was about 80! Abraham was 100 and Sarah was about 90 when they had Isaac, right? Also this holiday season our Pastor’s family had a surprise- their daughter Amber flew here from the states without telling her parents. Someone else we know also had a surprise visit from her sister a few days ago. On Christmas morning Dayle and I were surprised by the 3 alarms that our kids set in our room- all of which went off at 6AM.! They were up and ready to open presents. One of the cool things about kids is that they help us adults to see things from a fresh child-like perspective again. And speaking of kids and surprises, on Christmas night my twin brother Matt told me that he’s now a dad too! What kinds of surprises are in store for 2009? Whatever they are, they’ll obviously be what we least expect. But it keeps life interesting, doesn’t it? And even if some of the surprises are bad, we’ll be surprised by the comfort of God’s presence in the middle of it all, and someday we’ll be surprised by how God worked it for our good. So brace yourself...
Saturday, December 6, 2008
You Never Know
When we were still living in Minnesota I gave a guy a penny with the 10 Commandments stamped on it. It’s a little witnessing tool that I used a lot back then. I saw him later on another day and he showed me that he had made it into a necklace!
A couple of years ago I was witnessing to a Jewish guy, but he didn’t give his heart to the Lord, and I just forgot about the talk and went on with life... until I got an email from him months later telling me he wanted to know more about Christianity!
Then this week in Mexico I got into a cab and the driver remembered me from another time I had been in Mexico. He brought up the fact that I had given him a gospel tract!
You just never know what will happen when you share the gospel with people. I know a story of a man who witnessed to people for 40 years and never heard of one person getting saved through his ministry until right before he died when he heard testimony after testimony of people who he had helped to bring to Jesus. Sometimes we get to see results, but sometimes we don’t. But if we continue to share the gospel no matter what, we may be storing up a lot of surprises for ourselves in heaven!
A couple of years ago I was witnessing to a Jewish guy, but he didn’t give his heart to the Lord, and I just forgot about the talk and went on with life... until I got an email from him months later telling me he wanted to know more about Christianity!
Then this week in Mexico I got into a cab and the driver remembered me from another time I had been in Mexico. He brought up the fact that I had given him a gospel tract!
You just never know what will happen when you share the gospel with people. I know a story of a man who witnessed to people for 40 years and never heard of one person getting saved through his ministry until right before he died when he heard testimony after testimony of people who he had helped to bring to Jesus. Sometimes we get to see results, but sometimes we don’t. But if we continue to share the gospel no matter what, we may be storing up a lot of surprises for ourselves in heaven!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
You Are Invited To Your Own Funeral!
On Halloween we had a funeral at Higher Grounds Café in Antigua. A funeral is a service for dead people, and before we know Jesus we’re dead in our sins. Someone had donated a coffin, and we went out to the streets with invitations. At the service I preached in English and Abner, one of our other YWAM staff members, translated into Spanish. I was told afterwards that 14 people responded to the call for salvation. Halloween is all about fear. But the Bible says, "...fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matt 10:28). Was Jesus trying to scare people out of hell??? I guess, in a sense, he was. But shouldn’t we come to God out of love and not fear? Well, Proverbs 16:6 says, "...by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil." It doesn’t say they depart from evil by hearing about the love of Jesus. Fear has to come first. Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom..." We have to use the Law to expose a person’s sin. When they are convinced of their sin and then fear the wrath of God, then they can truly appreciate the Savior and fall in love with Him. Love takes over from there as the person realizes that they deserved wrath but they received grace! Paul was able to stand on Mars’ hill and use an altar to an unknown God to declare the true and living God. We can do the same with things like Halloween and coffins too.
The News Girl
The other day I went to the park with some pictures of the gospel story. I sat down on a bench, and a little 7 year old girl came over selling newspapers. I showed her the pictures, and when she saw the picture of Jesus nailed to the cross she took my hand and "nailed" it up, then the other hand, and then my feet until I was nailed to her make-believe cross while sitting on my bench. A little while later I was with her and her mother and siblings, and I got to share the message with them too. The little girl was carrying the "bad news" and I was carrying the "good news". I think back to when I was her age. What if no one had been there to tell me the good news, and I had grown up without knowing about the things of God. I wouldn’t have ended up in Guatemala telling a seven-year-old girl and her family about Jesus Christ. Who would have taken my place? Maybe no one. But my mom made sure I knew about the Lord when I was young. And that seed is still bearing fruit today!
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