Christ Alone

Colossians 2:1-4

1For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, 2that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.

Christ ALONE

Reflecting over my last month here in the states I have encountered many different perspectives of our life in Nicaragua.  At times it has been humorous to hear peoples comments but on the other hand those same comments make my heart hurt for them.  

We are not saints for what we have done.  We are just being obedient to what God has called us to do.

We did not go just for a year to experience life in another country.  We went with a heart desiring to serve the Lord for as long as He calls us there.  

We are not stronger than you.  We have come to rely on God’s strength each and everyday.

We have the same needs.  We have the same desires.  And, what we have found is that we have to get back to the truth of scripture as a “church” which is called a BODY OF BELIEVERS.  

Reading through Colossians today, I have the same feelings feel as Paul.  I struggle with the hearts of the people here in the US and all over the world.  My greatest desire is for them, even you who is reading this, to be encouraged in Christ ALONE.  Christ ALONE is the one who walks with us each and everyday.  Christ ALONE is the one who gives who the assurance of a tomorrow.  Not a tomorrow guaranteed to live in this place we call “home” but if it is our time to leave this world then a guarantee that tomorrow you will be in your eternal home.  

No matter where you live, so easily we can get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life.  But is this what Christ called us to get caught up in?  NO!  He wants us to get caught up in the life of doing His business.  What is His business you may ask?  His business is loving the Lord your God and loving others.  You may say what about making disciples.  We are supposed to do this as well but Christ summed up the 10 commandments into these two and when you love the Lord and your love others (Matthew 22:36-40) you are obeying what he commands in Matthew 28 for the great commission.  In my opinion you can’t make disciples if you don’t love the Lord and love others.  So we must be filled with His wisdom and knowledge in order to do His business.  We cannot be deceived any longer with the false teachers that are unfortunately so prevalent in our churches today.  Just turn on the tv or visit a church in your area that is preaching a feel good message.  I know my heart hurts for those who are sitting under preachers, teachers, etc who are not preaching God’s word and His word alone.  God Word + anything else is false teaching.  It is God’s Word ALONE that we are to share.  

Don’t think that just because our family has been called to a foreign land that we are any different from you.  We are no different.  We experience a lot of the same things from getting frustrated with school work with our children, driving and the person in the other lane swerves into our lane, to being distracted by the things of this world.  But I am grateful to be where God has called us to be because our family has learned over the last year of our life what is truly important…..Christ ALONE.  

Prayer: Father, turn our hearts back to You.  Take the distractions out of our lives so that we can serve You more.  I know not everyone is called to the foreign mission field but we are all called to be missionaries in our own home, workplace, neighborhoods.  Make me more mission minded wherever You have me today.  In Jesus Name I Pray. Amen. 

Living The Story

Living The Story

What is your story?  When did your story begin?  We all have a story to tell but the real question is, are you willing to tell your story?  

I personally believe our story begins the day we are conceived.  Even though we can’t really share about that time in the womb, our story began.  During those first 40 weeks, +/- a few weeks, God was weaving our story to life.  This part of your story may be difficult to bear because of choices your mother made (i.e. drinking, drugs, etc) while you were in the womb but no matter what it is still part of your story.  But we can find in scripture God’s love for us, even then.  

We see this in Psalms 139:13-17, 

“13For You formed my inward parts;

You wove me in my mother's womb.

14I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Wonderful are Your works,

And my soul knows it very well.

15My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;

16Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;

And in Your book were all written

The days that were ordained for me,

When as yet there was not one of them.

17How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!”

God’s word is filled with so many stories that gives us hope for a new tomorrow.  God’s word is filled with wisdom and instruction.  But we must learn to open God’s word daily.  By reading it daily the words 

       come 

                  to 

          life and become a part of our everyday life.  

When we let God’s word live through us, then we allow it to 

come 

     to 

  life for those around us to bear witness.  

When we share the story of our life that God wrote, it helps others come to know Christ.  We all have a story to tell but again are you willing to tell that story.  

That story of brokenness. 

That story of healing.

That story of forgiveness.

That story of redemption.  

All of it is God’s story for us to tell to the world, in order, 

…to bring hope to the brokenhearted,

…to bring healing to the hurt,

…to bring forgiveness to those who have hurt us and 

…to bring redemption to a lost world.  

So, what is your story?  Are you willing to share your story with others?  Are you willing to put it all out there to bring 

Glory and Honor to God?  

What is your redemption Story?

Prayer: Father, Thank you for my story!  Thank you that you have used all of me to share your story of brokenness, of healing, of forgiveness and redemption.  Thank you that you have used my story to bring hope to the brokenhearted, to bring healing to the hurt and to bring forgiveness to those who have hurt me.  Father, each our stories have the ability to bring glory and honor to you, let it begin today!  I pray for my friends who have not shared their story.  Give the strength to be able to share their story with others.  In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.  

To Live Is Christ

Today, I am beginning a new study and this is what this first week is about - To Live Is Christ.  Can you say that and really mean it?  That is the question.  Can I be like Paul and live for Christ, no matter what the cost?  We often find ourselves saying, Lord show me your will for my life but....  What do you put at the end of that sentence?  But don't ask me to get out of my comfort zone; but don't ask me to change jobs; but don't ask me to speak in front of large groups; but don't ask me to be bold in my faith and share the gospel with a perfect stranger; but don't ask me to move to a foreign country to be a missionary!

This week we have shared with friends and family on FaceBook about where we feel God is leading us in our ministry when we get out of language school.  We feel that God is leading us to the North East side of Nicaragua to be able to start a hospital.  Yep...I said it- a hospital.  YIKES!  That is so not what I planned on doing here.  I spoke with a dear family friend last night about all this and she said this, "but I thought you already knew what you would be doing after language school.  I thought there were two positions open to be missionaries there and you were just stepping into those positions."  I told her that the way it works with our organization is that if you feel called to a certain country, like Nicaragua, then you go to language school in Costa Rica for a year or up to a year and then go to your country of service and begin your ministry (what you feel God has called you to do).  Well we have done things a little different.  We were the first ones to be approved to come straight to the country of service to do language school.  Some missionary candidates know exactly what God has called them to do when they get there and some continue to have God reveal His plan to them during that first year.  During the year of language school your focus is suppose to be solely on language school and not getting involved in ministries yet.  This was the con that was brought up when we wanted to come straight here.  It is so hard when people ask...."so what are you doing in ministry?"  Well, we are going to language school.  How "glamorous" is that to say to people.  Well, at least that is not what they want to hear.  People think you should be doing something else in addition to going to language school.  But it is very taxing on your brain to be in a new country, learn a new culture and learn a new language much less begin to do ministry.  But after a few months, we felt more at ease with our daily routines and began to do more in the area of ministry.  We did not begin to help with leading bible studies and agriculture at the Emmanuel Home of Protection just to say we are doing something.  We felt God leading us to help in these areas.  We will continue to do these things until God tells us it is time to head North.

Earlier this week, we had the opportunity to meet with our field director, Darrel, to share with him what we felt God was calling us to do.  (I remember him telling us even before we left and when we first got to Nicaragua , be open to what God has in store for you.  I know you feel like God is calling you in a certain direction right now, remember it can change.  Well he was correct.)  Our meeting went well and he gave us his approval but reminded us that this would be a long road and lots of work.  He advised us to do lots of research and then speak with Jason, President of BMDMI.   On a side note let me say that Josh still feels lead to church plant and disciple but we feel like God is using this opportunity to open MANY doors to be able to do this.  During the next few weeks and months we will have a lot to do.  We will need to meet with Jason and then we are not sure of the process after that but think that it will have to go before the board as well.  So be in prayer with us that God will open doors where they need to open and close doors where they need to close.  Also prayer for discernment for Josh and I along the way.  We don't want this to be a Josh and Laurie thing.  We want to join God where He is already at work and if this is truly God's plan, that He will continue to reveal that to us.  We will continue to do more research of the needs of the area and make new contacts.  We will be traveling to remote areas and seeing the different areas.  Thank you for your prayers.

A New Normal

Today, as I sit here in the quietness of this house, I am reminded that we can so easily become dependent on someone to help us along the way.  We have had the JOY of having a young lady stay with us for the last 5 weeks.  Yes we had another young lady stay with us but this time for a shorter time.  Alex was able to plug in to different ministries while she was here.  She made such an impact not only with the girls at the Emmanuel Home of Protection but on our family as well.  She helped us with learning the language more and loving on our kiddos.  We are truly grateful for the time we had with her.  This Saturday will be my first day doing the bible study with the girls at the home by myself so this is my new normal.  Also, over the last two weeks I have been reminded that our days are numbered.  We are not guaranteed tomorrow so we must live as though today may be our last.  Don't get me wrong, it is so nice to have friends and family around but we can't become so dependent on them to things for us that we forget WHO we should put ALL our trust in....God.  God is our ROCK and our FOUNDATION.

I said that I have been reminded that our days are numbered, well here is the reason.  A missionary family that is serving here in Nicaragua had to experience the unthinkable...the death of their child while serving on the field.  It was a freak accident and even if they would have been right there with her, they could not have saved her life.  Taellor's mom believes she died instantly from the fall.  Her hammock was tied to a palm tree and the tree broke.  When Taellor fell, her head hit the cement in just the "right" spot.  Yes, this is very tragic but the joy that this family has in knowing that Taellor loved Jesus more than anything else in this world.  She was only 19 but the life she lived was incredible.  She showed God's love to those who did not know what LOVE was or what LOVE could be.  I have enjoyed watching this family show God's LOVE through their tragedy.  What a testimony!  They are continuing to fulfill Taellor's calling in areas of Nicaragua that most people would not go willingly.  She chose to serve because she felt the call as well as her parents!  How awesome is that!  What joy as a parent to know that your child wants to be serving on the mission field alongside you.

So the new normal for this family is to continue serving in the same places they would go with Taellor and know that they are bringing glory and honor to God and keeping Taellor's memory alive.  I pray that when you accepted Christ not only as your LORD but as your SAVIOR as well, you discovered a new NORMAL.  LIVING EACH DAY FOR CHRIST AS IF IT WAS YOUR LAST DAY TO BE ABLE TO BRING GLORY AND HONOR TO HIM!
As Psalm 139 says:
16Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; 
 And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

Clinging to Life

Do you find yourself clinging to life right now?  I have to confess I am clinging to life.  Clinging to things I miss.  Clinging to relationships with friends back home.  Clinging to things familiar.  Clinging to my first language.  Clinging to everything but what I should be clinging to...the TRUTH of God's Word!  Josh and I had a good discussion last night, which was a major milestone for me.  I have found it difficult to have in depth conversations with my own husband for years.  Why?  Maybe from fear of really sharing my heart and those thoughts being out there vulnerable to what I don't know.  But I felt like a light turned on last night for me not only in this area but in the area of where I am having difficulty.

This step of faith, in coming to Nicaragua, has been one of the hardest things I have ever done but I can probably guarantee will not be the last.  I have had to depend on things other than myself which is what we all should be doing everyday!  We should be clinging to the very foundation of what our life is about - Christ!  Josh reminded, which I knew already but so need reminding everyday, me that I am here in Nicaragua for a purpose.  I have discovered that in the missionary community it is a lot like the military community in that people have reservations of making deep friendships with others for fear of them moving away.  If you know me, really know me you know that is so not my nature.  That is the complete OPPOSITE of my personality.  I want to develop deeper relationships and am not afraid of sharing my heart, all my heart with others.  I have felt God nudging me to get closer with the ladies in our neighborhood but definitely need God's help with this.  Another mom in the neighborhood talked about when she first came it was hard to get into a group that already looked so tight.  We must be willing to open our hearts to have others be a part of our groups.  Because who are we to say someone would be a part of the group or not.  Think about the movie, "Yaya Sisterhood" (one of my favorites) and the diversity of the ladies who were friends.  We need diversity because we can all learn from each other.  We learn how to be a better daughter of the King, a better wife, a better mother, and a better friend when we let down our walls.  Jesus calls us to LOVE but how can we love others if we put up walls and cling to things in this life, instead of clinging to HIM.

God uses the daily things in our life to bring us closer to Him if only we will allow them to do so.  Don't look at the trials as something bad but as a chance to go deeper in your relationship with others and with God.  Cling to the TRUTHS found in God’s Word.  Cling to the PROMISES that He has given.  Cling to not only the CROSS but to the EMPTY TOMB.  

A Week Off

A week can be a good thing but it can be a bad thing as well.  The good is that we have time to catch up on office things...newsletter, receipts, finance program.  As well as trying to get everything lined up for the kids to begin their new school on May 5th.  The bad part is not being in language school for a week.  You know the saying, "if you don't use it, you lose it", well I must practice speaking in Spanish this week!  I must!  I must!

A week off can be a good thing.  We have had a great week of getting our to do list completed which is a load off my shoulders.  I have realized this week the importance of rest and how often we go, go, go and ignore what our bodies are telling us.  WE think we are invisible and can go ninety to nothing and not have consequences to our physical, mental and spiritual well being.  Each morning I have had the privilege of sending a devotional to friends back home and this had provided me such an opportunity!  Not only to strengthen my relationship with Christ but to encourage others as well.  If we are willing to be servants for Christ, you never know what doors he will open for you.

A week off can be bad thing.  I have gotten out of the "normal" routine of going to language school each day and practicing my Spanish.  I guess looking at having a week off, this might have been the only bad thing which I guess is okay.

Last night we found out that the schools will be closed again this coming week!  They have been closed for the last three weeks.  The first week was because of Samana Santa (Holy Week) and the following two weeks was a safety precaution as far as all the earthquakes we have been having.  The weird thing is we have only had two small, and I mean small, earthquakes this past week.  So to close school for another week is not logical to me but I am not in charge.  This really messes up schedules for everyone when the kids are not in school.  Can you imagine the chaos this would cause in the US if they closed schools for 4 weeks?  BOY!  We will looked to neighbors to help watch Sydney and Noah while we go to school each day from 9:00-11:30.   Well, the one thing we have learned here is you go with what you are given.  Make the best of every situation.

Praying for Wisdom and Understanding

     Oh, how I have prayed for this many times since coming on the field of Nicaragua.  I find myself praying it even more now since beginning language school.  As you read in my post several weeks ago, my tear ducts sprung a leak and I have to admit they continued to leak that very next Friday in Spanish class, Saturday morning and that afternoon.  I just didn't feel adequate.  I didn't feel like I could do anything right much less learn to speak another language.

     Well, as I began this post on February 18th I didn't feel as if anything had changed but today, March 21, 2014 and I can not say the same thing, I can now say something has changed...... my perception and my attitude.  I am where I need to be.  I am doing just fine in language school.  I can do many things right.  I must look at each day differently but I need God's help with that every day....more like every minute of every day! There are still days that I struggle with giving everything over to God.  My human, selfish side pokes its ugly head out and that is when I have to retreat back to my room for some down time before I show more of that selfish side than I already have shown (which if you know me, it's not pretty at times).
     I am not perfect and feel as if I am very transparent, probably to a flaw but I  know that God continues to use me in ALL my flaws to do His work.  The past 3 months have been very challenging at times and very rewarding at times.  We have had to truly rely on God with so many things - learning a new language, maneuvering around a large city in a foreign country, speaking enough Spanish to be able to get our point across, homeschooling our children, and the most difficult for me is our finances.  Can I just share my heart?  Well, of course, I can...I am the one writing, haha.  Anyway, it seems like since I was in college I have struggled with money.  Not in the sense of having a love of money or managing my money but being able to give our finances over to the Lord.  This is where trust comes into play.  DO I TRUST GOD?  Yes I trust that He will take care of us and provide for our needs but for some reason it seems more difficult when we are living in another country as missionaries.  It is not like I can go out and get a job to make up for any difference in our support given for the month.  So this is where we have to 1) TRUST the Lord and 2) humble ourselves to make phone calls, send emails or messages via Facebook to supporters who have not given.  The later is harder than the first.  But we know that God has us in Nicaragua for such a time as this so I know that HE will provide in ways that we can never imagine.  So, please continue to pray for us as we continue to follow where God leads!