Feb
4
2009
I am astounded at the ways the Lord has been showing us recently bits and pieces of what He has in store for this place. I’ve been praying for nearly 6 months now that God will do something in this city that can only be explained as “God”. I know and believe He and only He can do that. I mentioned several weeks ago about the pastors we sat down with at breakfast here in Zacatecas who have a vision for seeing this place reached as well and have been praying for the same thing. You can read that blog post here. Then Monday of this week I wrote about the man I met at Starbucks and how he too has been praying for God to show up here and do something amazing.
Today we met a couple from LA. He is an outreach pastor at a average size church and they are very interested in starting a missions program. She has family in this area and came down to visit some of them and to see what God might have in store for them to do as an extension to what they are doing in LA. Their vision is to start a church in a rural village and see it become autonomous! Exactly what we feel the Lord would have us to do in our long term plans.
Comments Off | posted in Evangelism, Mexico, Missions
Feb
3
2009
This evening was a somber moment for me. Those who know me well know that I am a coffee fanatic and we are not talking folgers either. I like the good stuff. The kind that comes in a bag with a one way air valve to keep fresh and when you open it, it fills ever bit of your senses with anticipation of what it will taste like.
I like coffee made in a french press and chances are if you are not a coffee fanatic you may not even know what a french press is nor have ever had the pleasure of trying coffee made from one.
I’m the kind of person that will take my own coffee with me for fear that where i am going will not prepare it adequately enough to meet my standards.
Mexico is not at all known for their coffee. Their idea of coffee is hot water with some stirred in instant grounds and that’s about all you can purchase in their stores here. Poor souls, if they only knew what they were missing.
To remedy this situation I have been bringing coffee with me from the states. I found a great company online where you can purchase the supreme blends from around the world in 5lb bags. When we returned in December I had a whopping 8 LBS of coffee with me. Two bags of Starbucks Christmas blend, a bag of their Guatemalan Antigua, and a 5LB bag of the best Dark Sumatra i have ever tasted.
Today I opened my last one pound bag of coffee and am praying it lasts me until we leave here next Wednesday. God’s been so good to us this far, I can’t imagine Him leaving me high and without coffee before we return to where it flows rich and dark.
We’ll see! Pray for me as I go through this valley of darkness.
Comments Off | posted in Life
Feb
3
2009
Funny thing happened yesterday. I’ve put a lot of time and effort into some of the things we do. Our videos for example, the design work for some of our materials. And most recently our email update that we sent out on Monday morning. I’m really excited about what God has laid on our hearts for this year and specifically the vision for challenging people to live the most that they are able with the time that they have.
After I sent out the update, several hours later I received an update for another missionary that we met along the way. Their update included everything I had written about being alive. Word for Word with the only changes coming where I mentioned Mexico they had changed to include the city they were in.
I was actually a bit honored to think that someone would think what God gave me was good enough to take and use for them selves.
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not mad at all. I think it’s a wonderful thing if this organization can use it to challenge people in their arena that I could never connect with, than by all means please do so. My only question…Do they want the video and sermon that go along with it? =)
Comments Off | posted in Missions
Feb
2
2009
This was the start of what looks to be a very busy week for us. Crystal and I both have enormous to do lists that have to be done before we leave a week from Wednesday. Today Crystal told me to get out of the house so I could concentrate on this sermon I am trying to put together, so I left mid morning to head to starbucks and hopefully pound it out. While I was there studying I realized there was a man behind me also studying the bible. After I left “the zone” (you know when your mind gets in gear and things just start clicking), I went over and talked to him for a minute. His name is Renato and he is from a town about 5 hours south of here. He is studying to be a surgeon and is in his first year residency here in Zacatecas. He’s actually leaving to head back to his home in just two weeks. Renato mentioned that he is passionate about studying the bible, and has been a Christian for quite some time. He told me that he has had a burden to see Zacatecas reached since he came here a year ago and frequently goes to the mountain over looking the city to pray over it.
When I told Renato that Crystal and I had just arrived here to start churches, and I told him of the others I know who have been praying the same thing, he began to weep. I was stunned at his emotion and sensitivity to what God is doing.
This is just another thing that proves to me that God is at work here and is about to do somethings that can only be described at “God”.
Comments Off | posted in Life, Missions
Feb
2
2009
I can’t believe this time has gone by so fast. We returned December 11 to Mexico from our support raising trip in November knowing that we would have about 9 weeks before we go at it again. I can’t believe we only have one more week before we leave again.
This next trip will take us about 5000 miles over 5 weeks. We’ll be in three missions conferences over three weekends and hopefully will have a single Sunday night meeting on the way back to Mex.
I don’t remember a time during our support raising years that I was so excited about being in conferences. God has given us such a vision for the next weeks and I can’t wait to see what He is going to do. Besides that we’ll have opportunity to spend some time as a family and at our mission as well where we will be talking to them about recruitment.
Comments Off | posted in Missions
