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. 

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!