Writing for me

I used to write for you.  I used to work so very hard to impress you, to make you think, to make you admire anything about my life.  How many countless posts I have simply deleted because it didn’t make the “cut”.  Perhaps these stories were too mundane, or perhaps I was too consumed with where your interpretations of my writings would lead you to judge me.  My Pastor recently said You cannot truly serve someone if you need them, their affirmation, their acceptance, their awe.  In a strange way I used you, whoever “you” are, to make me feel loved, accepted, creative or smart.  I gave you a lot of power.  The amount of stress burned through every agonizing sentence simply and finally crippled any form of creativity to write further, what began as joy became drudgery and painful.  Thank you Amanda Martin for shedding light to my procrastinating perfectionism.  So it is in this new found freedom I am going to finally just write, for me.  Because I really have something to say even if it is only to me.  My own form of preaching to myself, that I may not ever forget all that God has done in my life, through me or for me.  So if you happen to read this blog, great, thanks for stopping by and being interested, even better if God was able to speak to where you are in your life.  But if He doesn’t or you just don’t appreciate my thoughts or writing, so be it.  This isn’t for you, this is for me.

This is Why God gave us Free-Will

Okay, maybe that title is a little ambitious.  However, I do think I now know, if not just in part, why God gave us Free-will.  Of course it’s so that when we choose him it is because we wanted to and not because we have to.  But how often do we really do this?  I mean do we really think that choosing Him was something we did at conversion?  We say “I accepted Jesus and I believe in Him,  there I chose Him.”  Thats kind of like saying “A guy from publishers clearing house showed up to my front door and had a $10,000 check in my name…and I chose to accept it.”  OF COURSE YOU ACCEPTED IT.  No, we choose him day in and day out by the way we choose to include him in our day; our choices, our conversations, prayer times, play times, work times…etc.  Except its not that simple is it?  Often we come to Him because of OBLIGATION.  We feel like we Have to include Him, much like we included our younger siblings when we went to hang out with our friends- as a tag along.  Just think about it.  How many times do you pray or read your bible or do some good work because you HAVE to, or you Ought to. Go ahead…think about it. I will be here when your done.

Here is what I can tell you about why God gave us free will…This what happened to me the other day with my older son who is now two and-a-half years old.  It blew me away, and I didn’t fully understand it until I was thinking about it later.

I walked into our living room one day and Jayden was there playing on the floor.  He looked up at me and ran to a chair in the corner of our living room.  He climbs up into it and scoots his little body as close to one side as he possibly can.  Then he looks up at me and pats the seat next to him and says ‘come sit next to me Daddy.’  So, I sit down next to him in this chair that just barely has enough room for the both of us so that we are squished together.  I put my arm around him and he picks up a book and hands it to me and says…’read this daddy’.  So, I take the book in the other hand and begin reading it.  As we are reading it he placed his hand on my hand and just rested it there on top of it.  Lately he has been inviting me into a lot of his activities.  Playing cars, or watching a movie, or reading books, or wrestling on the bed.  And each time it is as if he is CHOOSING ME.  He could do all of these activities all by himself and sometimes does.  But to have him invite me into his little world, now that is a feeling I could only describe as delight, joy even.  I will always be Jayden’s dad whether he chooses me or not.  I will always make sure he is safe or has what he needs.  But when he invites me into his life because he wants to just be with me…there is no greater gift. I mean am I really into playing cars that much?  No,  but it was never really about the cars was it.  I know God is the same way.

There are so many reasons to choose God.  SO MANY.  But when I realized that He also receives joy when I do it, well it has changed how I pray, how I read, how I live.  Now I find myself inviting him into a lot of my life, simply because I love Him…I really love Him.  May you choose Him today, invite Him into your life even to participate, and enjoy His presence.  I know He would really delight in that.

A list of lessons learned so far while serving in Uruguay….(uncompleted)

1. GOD IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL. If He calls, He will provide everything ; even the necessary hardships to help us grow.  Even when we are not faithful.

2. Prayer is the most humble and honest act of ministry before God anyone can do.  Prayer is literally giving up control of a situation and giving God the glory no matter what the outcome.  It is sometimes difficult and sweaty, and if it’s done right it is thankless.

3. Confrontation is a necessary element to real unity.

4. Honesty before preservation will always reap a harvest of trust and confidence.

5. People, no matter what the culture or language barriers, will always respond to a genuine act of love.  Love has no equal.

6. My family is the most important ministry I have next to my worship and obedience to God. And more often then not ministry to my family is worship and obedience to God.

7. Success is not determined by numbers but by obedience.

8. An unexpected gift is unbelievably comforting and lifts my spirits.

9.Ministry can be done when you have children- yes its messy, but that’s the way it should be.

10. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is under constant attack.  First by me (my carnal way of thinking), the world, my culture, government, religions, Satan.  It is most important to maintain a pure and true view of the Gospel.  ”Grace and Peace to you from God our father and the Lord  Jesus Christ who GAVE HIMSELF for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age. According to the will of our God and Father.” -from Galatians 1.  It is completely free to me and it cost Jesus everything to get it for me.

11. Jesus has unlimited patience.  1 Timothy 1:16

12. God loves me and his heart is good toward me.  ”There is no shadow of turning with thee”

13. The enemy is like a nipping annoying animal trying to trip me up from the path God has me on.  He  is out to Destroy me, He is out to snuff me out.  And if he can’t destroy me then discourage me and make me feel helpless.  He is a liar and the only accuser of God and God’s children.  And if we are not careful we will often agree with him about God, ourselves, or our brothers in sisters in the Lord.  i.e. sentences that start like this…”I am always…”  or “they are always ….”

14. Stepping out in faith is stepping out in obedience.  God calls then I follow.  I ONLY follow after I know he has called.  Stepping out to “try” and see if it is God’s will would be testing Him.  Jesus didn’t jump off the temple to prove He was Gods son we shouldn’t jump off the cliff to see if God has called us.

15. Obedience is better than sacrifice.

16. Jesus is serious about a relationship with me, a daily commune with Him.

17. Kingdom work is always about the King- ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’ – Luke 17

18. There are no lone rangers in the kingdom of God.  We need community.

19.When true Kingdom work is being done, denominational boundaries simply disappear.

20.My wife is not my enemy, and I am not hers.  ”Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” – Ecclesiastes 4:12

21. There is no substitute for good homemade american brownies.

To be continued…eventually.

Speaking Tomorrow Night

Speaking tomorrow night at a youth event….still haven’t been insulted or slandered or persecuted for what I preach or how I live…”for this is how they treated all of God’s prophets” and “you are not greater than your master, if they persecuted me they will persecute you” is ringing in my heart.  Pray that I would speak the fullness of this Gospel  not just the pleasing parts but the “carry your (unpleasant death) and follow Me” parts, in this is the meat of this Kingdom, a people who are not about their name but His.

Note: This is not me asking for persecution but rather, reflecting on the fact that when this Gospel has been preached in the past it is met with stiff opposition and often persecution. Makes me wonder if I am speaking the Gospel fully when I have not yet met opposition. Some would say rejoice…but Jesus said to worry when people flatter you and praise you for what you say because that is how they treated the FALSE prophets…the true prophets weren’t met with such fanfare neither was Jesus himself.

The Red Door Cafe

As you probably know our focus is Discipleship and we have been doing a lot of that with the students. But one thing we also focus on is our city. How can we reach this city, how can we help, serve, etc…?  This year we have had some crazy stories about people we have met. It seems every student and leader has not just one, but a few stories of people seeking us out. We have an instance where the group was on the beach and this man walked up to the group and said “I just feel peace with you guys. I was going to come and ask you something, but I don’t remember what is was.” And he continued to stand there. One time Aaron and the director were at a small hardware store and this man heard them talking and asked where they were from. They told him and then spoke with him about what we do here. After the conversation was over they went outside looking at some ladders and this man (also a customer) just started following them for no apparent reason and remained standing next to them. Some girls who are very young (ages 13 and 14) and are run-aways have taken an interest in one of our students and ask her questions about life and about the Lord. The oldest girl is pregnant and they are sleeping with some men (ages 18 to 20ish) who also traffick these girls to make money and are physically abusive to them as well. This of course is not a good situation, but all the more we feel that the Lord has allowed us to be in their lives to hopefully help bring truth and justice. Another is a story of a  lady who worked in the apt building that we live. One morning she was reading her bible, so we asked her about it. At first she thought we were Morman’s, but then realizing we weren’t she seemed stunned to meet other Christians. The next day Aaron said “God bless you” to her as he was passing by and she began to cry. Aaron prayed with her. I came downstairs and saw her crying and then she began to share with us how much she was in need of Christian community. That she felt alone in her faith and wanted so much to find other believers to spend time with. There are more and more of  these stories. Many of these have come about just by us passing people on our way. We haven’t even been chasing after it. The harvest is ripe here in Uruguay without us even trying. People are flocking to us and the Lord is giving us influence…

All that to lead into this. Last year we began to vision cast about opening a coffee house where we could invite the people we meet to come and just be. To open the doors to the community for us to serve them and to love them. Last year we spent a lot of time looking at different buildings and places. This year we feel like the Lord is just saying to start it with the house that the students live in now. There is a big kitchen/dining area in the house. We are not able to start a business at this point, but we would however be able to invite others to make donations and offer free coffee. Right now the idea is to make this a place for people to come, chill, study, pray and commune. We are going to have different themes within the coffee house. I will be over a section dedicated to injustices. I have a heart and vision for speaking out against injustice, so this will be a way to me to grow and expound upon these dreams within my heart. We will also have desks for studying, books to read, couches and tables.  Some of the teams that have come in have brought items to place in the coffee house.  And right now The Texas Mission team is here helping us re-model, so we can open this hopefully in the next 2 weeks.

This is a big project and needs to be covered in a lot of prayer.  For lots of reasons this will change many things about the current structure of La Mission.  But we want to see others around find Christ.  Find his love and his hope.  One thing I heard Pastor Jonathan Martin say recently on a pod cast that ministered to me in a huge way was “We cannot compromise outward mission for the sake of inward development”.  We will continue to pour into our students and lead and teach them in the wisdom that God gives us, but also one of those ways to lead them is teaching them to serve and love others outside of our “Mission” bubble.  Pray for this café that it would be a place of peace, truth and community.  The name of this café is going to be “The Red Door Café”.  We are painting the door red to represent how through Christ’s blood we now have an open door to the Father.

La Mission Update – April

We have been in here this year for almost 4 months and so much has been going on.  I have been backed up on our updating, not because there isn’t anything to update on, but more because there has been so much going on that finding the time has been the challenge.  Instead of trying to place all the details into one email Aaron and I are going to be updating our blog page with some of our stories.  So please be checking back if you would like to read more about this season of our lives…

We are now halfway through this current mission year.  It has been good, at times hard, at times frustrating, but many times refreshing and always worth it!  We see the growth that is taking place in the students and it is beautiful, we see that the harvest field here in Atlantida is ripe and that God currently has us in a place of influence.  We have so many stories and testimonies of people following us to ask questions about who we are or begging us to open our doors to them for community.  We have been ministering to sinners and believers alike.  Not because WE have something to offer, but because CHRIST has given us love and God is placing people in our path as we draw closer to his heart.  This year God has given us more vision in how to not only create community for La Mission, but also in how to invite strangers into that community and offer friendship, love and truth.

For Aaron and I personally God has been speaking to us so much about prayer, about the power of prayer and about how necessary it is to be faithful in prayer; to seek God in ALL things.  We want our students to have a passion for prayer.  God has also been speaking to us about servant hood .  One thing we have started in La Mission and want to continue more is to visit people in our neighborhood “just because:” , to take them a gift and spend time with them and also to see if they have any needs for no reason at all, but to love them.  Really, we want to be like Jesus.  To spend time with the Father, to minister to the people that we pass throughout our day, to serve others and to lead and teach the sheep whom we have been entrusted with these things, not merely in words, but by example.

Now a quick update on the little lads.  Our boys are doing well.  They seems to really love each other.  Jayden is a good big brother to Camden and is always looking out for him.  Camden never seems to mind Jayden squeezing him with his bigs hugs.  Camden is really into little toys now and everything he sees he wants to put in his mouth.  Jayden is always making his little brother laugh and right now Camden is 5 months and still has brilliant blue eyes.  Jayden will be 2 and ½ the end of May, he is growing up in so many ways.  His vocabulary has expounded and he is even understanding the differences between many English and Spanish words.  He loves to walk to the store to buy milk.  We have a really close convenient store where we buy milk, eggs and a few of our groceries.  He loves to grab a basket and do all the shopping for us.  Everyone there knows him and he always greets them as he places the groceries on the check our counter.  These boys are such a joy to us!  It can be really hard from day to day taking care of these two, who are both very young and require a lot of attention, but they are called here too.  In fact a lot of the relationships that we have in our apt building or other places around town are because people have taken an interest in our kids and it has opened doors for conversations and friendships.  Impacting the kingdom at such a little age.

Now, how can you pray for us?

We have had a few teams from the states in and our already.  Currently “the Missin Texas” is here with us.  They will be here until the 21st.  Pray for this team and the work that is taking place through them.  On top of ministering in our town and in Montevideo the team is helping us renovate our kitchen and turn in into a coffee house where we can invite our community to come, enjoy coffee or tea, study, pray, etc…  This is something we plan to have open in the next 2 weeks.  This project needs to be saturated in prayer.  Check back soon to hear more about this café.

As leaders in La Mission we feel like the Lord is asking us to get together to seek him for direction in some particular areas.  Pray that we would be able to find the time to retreat and that God would speak to us and bring us unity, clarity and vision.

Also we are still praying for new van.

We appreciate your prayers and support.

God Bless, The Yancey’s

February 18th Update

Sorry that it has been two weeks since ourst update.  We are starting to have a fuller schedule, so is a lot to update on, but not a lot of time to sit down and  record it all.  My apologies.  Today I am going to try and send a small update.  Hopefully as precise as possible, yet small.

Over the past couple of weeks a lot has taken place.  Students have begun classes.  They have leadership and Old Testament right now.  Soon they will begin some other classes.  Most of the classes this year are for one month and then we begin a new subject scripture memory will be a class that continues throughout the year and that will begin in two weeks.

We have also begun ministering in Atlantida in various avenues.  The students go once a week to a Nursing Home.  We have beach ministry for the children twice a week and also we have begun to make visits to homes or businesses of people that we have met throughout the city.  Some who have accepted Christ and others whom we are just created relationships with in hopes that they too will choose Christ to be their Savior.  Just last week we went to visit a store owner here who accepted Christ over the summer (well, winter here).  It was her birthday.  She is new to the faith and doesn’t know much about where to begin in her new journey.  We invited her to come to our devotions in the mornings. She seems very excited about this, so pray that she is able to come from time to time.

Over the past couple of weeks as well some of our students have been facing some difficult days and difficult questions about their faith in God or aggravations in community.  After being here over a month they felt they should be seeing more change in their lives.  A couple of them confessed that they thought once they got here everything in their past would just magically evaporate and they would live this amazing life without temptations and with a continually desire to seek the face of God.  Although we do desire that transformation take place in our students and that they completely submit their hearts and lives to God, La Mission however is not a magic pill and they still are growing in leading disciplined lives.  However we also can look at who they were a month ago and who they are now and we see an incredible difference.  We had a time to pray through some of these feelings and God just spoke to all of us that he loves us.  Not for all that we do, but just because he loves us.  He spoke to us that the way to change into his likeness is to seek him with all of heart, soul, mind and strength.  I wish you all could have been in the room this evening, because it was such a beautiful time in our community as we truly heard the love of the Father for us and how he is doing a work in each one of us.

Something else that has been really cool: there is currently a team of Missionaries here from Brazil who we have had a chance to work with some.  The team is here about 2 more weeks, but 2 of the girls will be staying another 6 months.  On Sunday we joined them in a local church that they are working with and it was a Beautiful service, also they have been able to come to some of our devotions and I think a few of the girls may even come to some of our workouts at 7:00 am.  They really are a great team of missionaries and they have a huge heart for what they are doing.  Some of them are called to be near by either in Uruguay or Brazil and others are called to Asia.  It was a blessing to hear some of them share about their calling, because you can see God’s love in them.  And there are ready to surrender all to share Christ with the world.  So now in La Mission we have Spanish, English and Portuguese.  There are no language barriers in the kingdom of God.

Prayer Requests:

Today “The Mission” South Carolina is coming to do some ministry here in Atlantida and also in Montevideo.  We will be hosting them and working along side of them this week.  We have lots of big ministries going one, so please pray for us as we minister.  Pray that our city would have open ears to hear the truth about God’s love and Salvation.  And pray for all the other dynamics of a mission trip as well.  Pray for the unity among their group and among us.  It is going to be a fun, exhausting, excited and tiring week… But we’re ready to see God move!

Thank you all.  I may be sending out a few updates throughout this week, since we will have so much going on and it may end up being to much to summarize in a short update.  As always we are so thankful for your prayers and your support.

We love you!

The Yancey’s

La Mission Update and Prayer Requests 1.29.2010

Today we are bringing DETOX to a close. We will still be having some other activities and lessons similar to what took place this past 2 weeks, but we plan to start a more routine schedule this coming week. Some of that will include classes and local ministries in Atlantida. We plan to visit the nursing home here at least weekly and to do a children’s beach ministry each Friday and Saturday. Also to help in the community with those in need or in the schools to help clean them up and maybe even teach some courses to them on health or other areas since that was offered to us last year. We cannot specifically talk about Christ in the schools, but this would open the door to invite them to other events where we would have freedom to share the Gospel with them. We will also be visiting churches, and doing other events that break into our schedule, which is all part of it.

This year we have a talented group, we desire that God takes our talents and molds them into a tool to be used to open the door to share his truth and light in Atlantida and all the places that the Lord would have us minister this year. Today,  Aaron spoke with the students about Abraham’s covenant with the Lord. He asked the students to take some time during their personal prayer times to read through some of his journey in Genesis and pray about making their own covenant with the Lord.  Not something we have asked them to covenant, but things that the Lord has specifically spoken to them. Also this evening we are going to have a bonfire and worship time on the beach where the students will take some time to surrender things to the Lord that he may be asking them. Each of them will take the things they are surrendering then they will place those in fire. They will share their vows to the Lord in the company of witnesses, almost set up like a wedding on the beach. Already the students have shared a lot about things that God has been asking them to surrender and it has been beautiful to see them deepening their relationship with the Lord as they let go fully and follow after him as their lover and their everything.

Now for a summary on Youth Camp: Wow! What a great time everyone had. Including me who was often traipsing around with a little one in my arms and a 2 years running under my feet. I had to miss out on some of the session during naps or bedtimes, but all in all it was SO worth the trip there to see God at work. La Mission students and Ana, she is a Pastor and Teacher in La Mission this year as well, went down ahead of the staff. They traveled with the Youth from Sinai (our local church body). The rest of the leaders went down 2 days later to stay Saturday and Sunday and be involved in work shops and Preaching. Saturday Morning was a session on Holiness. Valeria (one of the leaders here) led a session with the girls and Pastor Bart (Director) led a session with the boys. I was unable to stay for all of the girls session, but it seemed to go well and Aaron said that the guys session went really well. That night Pastor Bart was the selected speaker. I missed his sermon, because Jayden and Camden were ready for baths and bedtime, but heard amazing testimonies about the sermon and about the ministry that took place later. The theme the next day was “Being Different on Purpose, Aaron was the speaker. He gave a hard, but beautiful message. It was a call to make Christ LORD of our whole lives. To truly give him the right to ask for anything. To leave everything, to follow him. Such a good message. After the message he mentioned that he wouldn’t be there to pray for the students that it would be a time between them and the Lord. Oh, how beautiful to me is this next scene.  Aaron hadn’t even finished talking when someone (one of La Mission students) went up and just laid down before the Lord in such surrender, then other person so reverently left his seat and did the same. A few followed. There weren’t many at the altar at this point, only a few. The verse kept going through my head many are called, but few are chosen. Those few were truly there laid before the Lord in complete submission and vulnerability before the Lord. These Few were the chosen. By the end a great portion had gone down, but I remember the few and the beauty of their brokenness.  After the service there was worship and thanksgiving to the Lord. 

Later Pastor Elba, one of the church pastors, came up to thank those who helped with camp.  She also wanted to take up an offering. Not for the camp or church, but for a family she felt that God had laid on her heart. Aaron and I had little money at this point. We had just received, last minute of course, the money to pay for our stay at camp. The week before we had gone shopping to buy milk, eggs and a few groceries to help us make it through the week. We were even coming to the last of Jayden’s diapers and were worried because we didn’t know how we would be able to pay for a new ones. But when the offering was taken we wanted to give so bad. We didn’t have a lot. I remember handing Aaron 10 pesos (which is about the same as 50 cents U.S.) and thinking this is so sad. I want to give more. Aaron later told me that he was thinking something similar. He wasn’t thinking “Lord why do we not have the money to give to this family right now. We want to help.” We truly felt saddened in our hearts. But we placed in the offering our 2 mites. Later Pastor Elba came to us and told us that the Lord had placed it on her heart to take up that offering for our family. “Are you kidding me?” “What?” Oh my goodness, How Humbling!!! How Amazing!!! What do we say? How in the world do we even except this? I was a mess. I started crying all over the place, because God’s provision is SO, SO Marvelous. I mean that… I marveled at the way the Lord was provided for us. Through about 40-50 youth from Uruguay. Also, one girl had placed a ring in the offering that the Pastor at first had tried to give back. However, the girl (She is also someone who wants to come to La Mission next year) wouldn’t take it back. This was a career ring. This ring represented her career and she said that was something that she had been serving and that the Lord had been asking her during Aaron’s service to surrender that. I now wear the ring as my “souvenir” as a reminder that when you follow after the Lord and seek his kingdom first that he takes care of the rest. He is a good Father and meets our needs. Also the Pastor was saying that the offering wasn’t much, but it was so much to us! It provided the exact provision that we needed. We were able to pay our power bill, buy those diapers and feed our family for the week. God provided from a Youth Camp… Wow, wow, wow! That was unexpected, Lord.

This is something that the Lord has been teaching us so much about. He promises to take care of us. Matthew 6:33 says “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” meaning our food, our clothes, where we live. He is going to take care of us when we have our hearts focused on kingdom matters. During Aaron’s service he spoke about the rich young ruler. We sometimes think “poor guy” he was going to have to give up everything, but we should see it as though he missed out on the opportunity to gain EVERYTHING. Christ told him “follow me” yes, he was going to have to sell all his possessions, but why would he need them. He was going to be with Jesus. He was going to have everything he needed. That’s how I what to be. I don’t want to be so worried about the perishable things, but rather just follow Jesus, learn to live like he did and watch him take care of me along the way. I want to gain everything by following him. He Provides, he provides, he provides. Stop looking for it. Look to the things of the kingdom. The needs, and sometimes wants, just happens. It’s not our concern, but it is miraculous! I am sure Aaron and I will have more to blog on this later as we see story after story of how he provides.

Here are the prayer request for this week:

First, This coming Tuesday is February 2nd which is a day that people come from all around to celebrate “yumenja” or “the goddess of the sea”. There is lots of witchcraft, sacrifices and all kinds of things happening on the beach. This year Aaron and I live right in the midst of the most popular part of the events. We desire to hear from the Lord on what if anything he would have us to do. We do not want to ignore what is happening below our apt. But if the Lord would have us to somehow invade the enemies camp than we need to hear his voice and guidance as to what to do and how to do it. We even talked about doing a something for the children on the beach. Last year, it broke our hearts to see the hundreds of children in the midst of the witches and events, many of them were seated right at the feet of the witches as if to watch a kids show. These children are the adults of tomorrow. They will have a huge influence on this culture and country which so desperately needs Jesus. Witchcraft is highly practiced here. Even by those who do not quite understand it, its just cultural like the Easter bunny. Last year several students mentioned to us that as babies their parents took them to witches, because it was a common practice. Though we are not afraid because “He who lives in you is greater than he who lives in the world“, we need His direction. Even David knew not to jump into fights God didn’t call him into.

 Please continue to pray for this year and for the students that each of us would follow the Lord in all things and live according to his calling. We want to be a light to Uruguay and share Jesus with the lost. May God make us that light. May we be good examples and disciples of Christ. May he lead us to the broken and lost and may they find hope and love in us through him who sent us. And certainly we want to praise the Lord for another miracle. His unfailing provision. He is a good Father!

Thank you all for wanting to keep up with us. We appreciate so much your prayers. It encourages us to know that someone back home is thinking about us and praying for us. God has been so good to us! With Love, The Yancey’s

 www.yanceyfamily.wordpress.com

My Cup

Before the darkest trials of his life, just as he was being arrested, Jesus spoke these words to His follower Peter “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?

The past two days I have been singing a hymn called Great is Thy Faithfulness. I am not sure what sparked the song but I have not been able to stop singing it. This morning was no different. Then, I come to this verse in John 18:11, and this phrase haunts me… “Shall I not drink of the cup the Father has given me?” Gladly I am singing about Gods wonderful provisions, His Mercies, His presence, and the work I am allotted at this season of my life. My cup is overflowing with joy and friendship, beauty surrounds me, I will gladly drink from this cup so overflowing with great things that benefit me. But what if tomorrow this same cup begins to pour forth trials and afflictions, dark and lonely hours, poverty, famine, death and war? Will I still be so willing to draw the cup to my lips and swallow even these with as much trust and security as I would when unlimited pleasures are there? Oh God increase my faith! Trusting you comes so easy when the world is bright and the path is easy. I know that you REIGN and are ruler of my world…but how quick when the storms come and the trials begin do I cry out, and cower from my own shadow wondering if you are even present at all. Let my security come in knowing you to be GOOD at all times. With the same faith and trust as Paul had when he wrote “And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love him…” Romans 8:28 Or the psalmist who said “You have assigned me my portion and my cup” (psalm 16:5) It is easy to read this and think “yes you have allotted me my portion of safety and riches untold, even my cup to drink your wonderful wine”; but this verse is also two sided. For to say that you have “assigned me my portion and my cup“, is also to say that you have assigned the portion and cup of all your faithful followers whose lives were full of trials and persecutions, untold misery and deaths. My God is the same God as the prophets, such as Jeremiah whose nickname is “the weeping prophet”. God does reign and He has designed every season of my life. No thing surprises Him. He is well aware of my path and has promised to “Never leave me or Forsake me“. Father, help me to drink not only the beautiful wine that flows from your hand of pleasure but also the wine that flows from the valley of the shadow of death. I want to follow my Lord who “for the JOY set before Him” ( Hebrews 11:2) underwent the trials of the cross which though brought so much pain and sorrow, also brought glorious life and resurrection. Can I believe it? Is Gods word really trustworthy? May my life be one of obedient submission, of reckless abandonment and love. May I drink from the cup you have allotted me of which only you know the contents. When tasting life enjoy to the fullest that life which is given, and when tasting death rejoice in humbly drinking from the same stock as my Lord Jesus, knowing that it is through death that life is truly given.

James 1:2-4

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Philippians 3:10

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
there is no shadow of turning with thee;
thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
as thou hast been thou forever will be.
Refrain:
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand hath provided;
great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon and stars in their courses above
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. Refrain

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! Refrain

La mission update January 19th, 2010

We have nearly been here 3 weeks already. It seems so weird to think that our DETOX week is coming to an end so soon. After tomorrow we will take a break from DETOX until next Monday after we go to a Youth Camp in the department of Colonia. When we return we will finish our DETOX and begin our regular ministry scheduling and classes.

Already this year God has been doing so much! The students are wonderful and seem to be here to seek the Lord, to grow in his plans and to minister out of an overflow of His love and grace. So far during “DETOX” the students have been through lessons and exercises on: being set apart, their spiritual journey’s, discipleship, unity and gifts, servant hood, practicing the Sabbath, fears and the returning of the prodigal son. I am sure I am leaving some things out. They have been given daily a specific time to set apart for their personal prayer times, as well as fitness classes every other day. On top of these activities we also have been taking time to share testimonies with each other. A few of the students have already been able to share (leaders also do this) and have been very transparent about their life and the things that been through.

Here is an example of how something from “DETOX” might look like: The evening before our “rock your fears” day we asked the students to write down all of their fears and then to collect a rock for each of those fears. The next day we took the students to a mountain “pan de azucar ”(Sugar Bread in English). They all hiked to the top and there they prayed over each fear; and one by one tossed those rocks as far as they could. Of course there if nothing magical about throwing these rocks. However, it can be very transformational for the students lives as they surrendered those fears to
the Lord.

This past Sunday we visited our first church (apart from Temple Sinai, which we attend and work with regularly). Pastor Bart spoke and Aaron and I were given the opportunity to worship in song. This church is also the church that one of our first year students Romina attends (her parents are the Pastors). It is located in Pando, UY not far from Monte Video. One of the things during this visit that really stood out to us leaders and ,that we really enjoyed, was seeing Romina full of life with her local congregation. She was glimmering. It was the churches 4th anniversary celebration and the day before Romina had turned 23.

On Thursday the students are heading to youth camp (we follow along on Saturday) to minister at youth camp along Sinai. They will be doing some dramas, games, some worship and serving anywhere else they are called upon.Pastor Bart will be speaking on Sat. night and Aaron will be speaking the youth on Sunday morning. The theme for the camp is on “choosing to be different”.

As far as our boys they are doing well. Camden is now 9 ½ weeks old and loves to laugh and smile. Also he has been sleeping about 7 hours most nights, which has been a huge blessing. Jayden is a great big brother and tries so hard to help take care of Camden. We have had some difficult days with Jayden just being two and have been through so many transitions this past year. It is tough on him and thus tough on us. Despite this we are all doing well.

Our prayer requests for this week:

Please pray for the camp that will be taking place this weekend. Pray for the young people that are coming from several places across Uruguay., that God would minister directly to their point of need and that it would something that they continually cling to, not just an experience. Pray that we would be able to serve and to represent Christ well. Also for Aaron as he brings the word to these young people that the Holy Spirit would be his voice.

Please continue to remember to pray for our finances while we are here. We have learned so much about depending on the Lord to meet our needs on a daily basis. We are never sure of what is coming in. Sometimes it’s nothing for a while, but we know God is the source of all we need. The exchange rate has dropped some and our family has grown in size. We know the Lord has called us here this year and so we trust in his provision, so please join us in seeking him for this need.
And lastly we also want to plea with you to remember those in Haiti who have been through such a horrifying tragedy. Pray for those who are currently their ministering as well. Luke Renner and his family. Also Jeremy Hunt is there for awhile. Haiti is a place that needs redemption. Pray that the doors of the kingdom are opened and that hearts accepting of the message of hope. Let us not forget them in this crisis. Pray for the hurting that are crying out for the Lord that he would turn his ear to them and rescue them.

May God Bless you all
Aaron, Tracy, Jayden, and Camden

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