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10 Lessons Learned from Mom

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My Mom’s birthday is coming up, so allow me to pay tribute to one of the strongest and most faithful women of God I know! I’m sure that a big reason why I am who I am today is because of my Mom’s wonderful example, God’s Grace, and my mama’s PRAYERS!

Below is just a taste of all that I’ve learned from my Mom! May it bless you as well.

Don’t be Afraid of a Little Adventure! – At the age of 27, my Mom left behind her entire family in her home country and boarded a plane to the United States. She dared to come with only a work visa and a suitcase. She didn’t know one soul in this country. Not even the family she was coming to work for. Talk about guts! Perhaps that’s part of the reason why I can board planes to just about any part of the world.

Follow Your Dreams – My Mom went to a beauty academy in her home country and had her own beauty shop by the time she was 23. After a few years here in the U.S., she opened up a beauty shop in our neighborhood with the help of my Dad. She would go on to successfully run it for 25 years! Yes, much of my childhood was spent watching customers walking around in rollers or with dye in their hair and breathing in the hair spray and nail polish fumes. My best friend and I used to pretend to be aliens while sitting underneath the beehive hair dryers. I have all those memories because my Mom had the courage to follow her dream of opening up her own salon.

Hold onto Jesus, No Matter What! All hell literally broke loose in my family when my parents divorced. My Mom ended up raising my older sister and me, caring for our two dogs and bird, and running her business on her own! It wasn’t easy, but God stepped into all that chaos, brokenness, and trauma and rescued my Mom. It was out of that ugliness that Jesus saved her and gave her peace, joy, and love.

Take a Stand for Jesus. My sister and I freaked out when we found out that my Mom had left the Catholic faith and was a born-again Christian. We feared she had joined a cult! We thought she was a traitor. But my Mom stood her ground and continued following Jesus. That decision changed the course of our family!

Serve God with All Your Heart! – My Mom was one of the original members of the church she ended up attending for more than 20 years! Over the years, she served as a Sunday School teacher, usher, deacon, prayer team member, and food-pantry volunteer. You name it, she did it! She even had an online radio show with another prayer warrior and preached at various events in her church. My Mom is a servant with a capital “S”.

Trust God to Fulfill His Word! – God means it when He says you and your household will be saved (Acts 16:31). A few years after my Mom got saved, my sister also became a born-again Christian. A few more years later, I finally got saved. God’s Word is True! Don’t give up on your loved ones that are still lost because God surely hasn’t!

Always be a Student of the Word – My Mom has been to seminary and has taken many Bible study courses over the years. She loves reading her Bible. She can read it for hours! She doesn’t hesitate to pull out her Bible dictionaries and commentaries when she wants to understand something further. She really is a life-long learner. May we all continue studying to show ourselves approved. (2 Timothy 2:15)

Family Comes First – My Mom is the kind of person who will drop everything to help her children and grandchildren. Back when we were younger, my Mom wouldn’t hesitate to close her beauty shop early to drive me to skating practice and would wait in the car until I was done! She would also pick up my sister or me at night when we would get out late from our after-school job. Were we spoiled? Probably. Did we feel loved? Absolutely!

Let God be Your Vindicator – When people wrong my Mom, she doesn’t get even. She does something way better. She goes to the throne and lets God handle her battles. And He does! (Romans 12:19)

Let God Reward You – My Mom delights in helping those in need without expecting anything in return from them. She enjoys accompanying her friends to their doctor appointments, translating for people who struggle with English, or praying for people who are going through hard times. My Mom just has this grace for helping people. God finds creative ways to bless her for her servant’s heart.

Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you! Thank You!

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”  (Proverbs 31:30-31)

 

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

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Delay or Divine Interruption?

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I ended 2013 literally with a bang. I got into a minor fender bender three days before the new year. I’ll spare you the details, but suffice it to say that a guy collided into my car trying to beat me to a parking spot. Everyone was fine, thank God. But it was so not cool.

Especially not when you’re with your Mom and you’re dropping off stuff to the local Goodwill! We also had plans to visit another store and then to go to one of our favorite restaurants to eat Salvadoran food. We had a full schedule!

But time ticked away as we waited for the cops to arrive. Then more time escaped us as they filed their report.

I remained calm. We were so thankful that we were OK! But I was just a tad nervous after this ordeal. I thought about just going home. But we pressed on. We went ahead with our plans even though we literally had gotten sidetracked.

Here’s where I started to see God’s Fingerprints.

My Mom and I had a lovely time at the restaurant. We had already finished our meal when a lady sitting across from us started chatting with my Mom. She then came over to sit with us! The lady mentioned she was Honduran. My Mom mentioned I had been to Honduras on a missions trip just that July. I gladly showed her photos of my trip and shared some of the amazing testimonies.

The lady was stunned and asked us lots of questions about the Lord. I live for these moments!  So my Mom and I got to share our faith with her and even got to pray for her.

As I looked into the lady’s eyes and told her that God loves her, she started to cry. She couldn’t stop hugging me at the end of our time together.

On the way home, the fuzzy picture started to get clearer.

Was the accident that afternoon good? No. Was having to wait for the police report good? Nope. But what the enemy meant for evil, God turned around for good! (Genesis 50:20)

Our decision to continue with our schedule, despite our delay, allowed us to be at the restaurant right on time. Yes, right so we could meet a lost sheep who desperately needed to hear about God’s love.

Will God go to extremes and allow wrenches to be thrown in our schedules just so He can send us on divine assignments to minister to someone who is hurting? Yup! That’s part of the joy of serving the Lord!

The next time your plans get stalled or your to-do list gets interrupted, take a moment and look up and look around and ask the Lord if He hasn’t placed you in that situation for a divine purpose! Remember, everything happens for a reason:

 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28).

Did this encourage you?  Feel free to leave a comment or hit “Like” below. To get my free e-booklet MiraculousLovely Abroad: Lessons and Snapshots From the Mission Fields and to get these posts e-mailed straight to your inbox, click here. To find MiraculousLovely on YouTube, click here. To find MiraculousLovely on Pinterest, click here or on Facebook, click here.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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My Ode to Joy!

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Rejoice like it’s 2014!

Happy New Year! I pray that this will be an amazing year filled with much evidence of God’s Love, Faithfulness, and His Sovereignty! Blessings to you! I hope you enjoy the post below!

I’m not a New Year’s Resolution type of person, but I do like to write out goals for myself for the year. I also love it when God shares a word or theme for me for the year.

His word for me for a couple of years has been “Believe!” That evolved into “Believe and Receive!”

The word that I feel the Lord is impressing on me for this year is “JOY!” As a pastor recently prayed over me, the JOY of the LORD is my strength! (Nehemiah 8:10)

What I love about Jesus Joy is that the world can’t take it away from you. Circumstances can’t dampen it. Your mood can’t ruin it. People can’t touch it.

The JOY that comes from the LORD is unlike anything else.

It remains constant, immovable, and unshakable. Not like happiness that comes and goes.

Happy is GREAT, but JOY is even better!

You can’t buy joy. It’s something that comes from within like that spring of water welling up inside of you that Jesus talked about in John 4:14. It’s part of that abundant life that Jesus promised to give us in John 10:10.

It’s also the second fruit mentioned, right after love, in the Fruit of the Spirit list found in Galatians 5:22.

Yes, JOY is part of our inheritance as Christians. I find that it’s closely connected with Trusting God, Walking by Faith, being a Prisoner of Hope, and Knowing who you are in Christ!

The apostle Paul knew about this joy. That’s why despite all the hardships he went through, and even while he was under arrest, he could still be content and encourage the church in Philippi to, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

Friend, do you know about this joy that I am writing about? Are you experiencing this joy that cannot be extinguished despite all the fiery darts the enemy tries to throw? Oh, how the enemy of your soul would love to steal your joy!

Are you familiar with this unspeakable joy that cannot be contained and that comes from knowing Jesus as your Lord and Savior, as it is written:

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8)

This joy doesn’t mean your life here on earth is perfect. However, thankfully this joy gets brighter after having faced your fears and walked through fire and finding that Jesus really was with you all the way! I pray you all experience this joy!

Even if you’re in a place right now that seems less than joyous, here are just a few verses to encourage you. May they bless you today and throughout the year!

  • “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” (Psalm 126:3)
  • “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.” (Psalm 126:5)
  • “Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.” (Isaiah 61:7)
  • “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit…” (Romans 14:17)
  • “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)
  • “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

I’d love to know what your “one word” for this year is! Please share it in the comments below if you’d like. If you’re just starting your walk with the Lord, Congratulations! Please visit the Info for New Believers/Seekers page.

Did this encourage you?  Feel free to leave a comment or hit “Like” below. To get my free e-booklet MiraculousLovely Abroad: Lessons and Snapshots From the Mission Fields and to get these posts e-mailed straight to your inbox, click here. To find MiraculousLovely on YouTube, click here. To find MiraculousLovely on Pinterest, click here or on Facebook, click here.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

I’m happy to be participating in Bonnie’s Faith Jam this week!

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Reflections on 2013

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It’s hard for me to believe that this is my final blog post for 2013. Honestly, I’m still a bit surprised that I’m blogging at all!

I’d like to take a moment to thank all of you for reading my blog this year and for taking this journey with me!

It’s not always easy for a rather private person like me to share about what the Lord has been showing me, but it’s been a delight to hear how these posts have touched you. It encourages me to continue sharing these thoughts. It reminds me that they’re not just for me to store away in my memory and journals!

When I felt the Lord ask me to lay down my journalism career years ago, I had a feeling that one day He would ask me to “pick up the pen” again but to write for His glory. I wrote for a Christian publication after I got saved, but that was still journalism. That was still writing about others.

I guess what God wants me to write about in this season is what He’s showing me.

By faith, I started writing “inspirational pieces” in 2012. I wasn’t even thinking about blogging. I just had to get these pieces out, so I started to share them with a special group of women on a weekly basis. I would e-mail them a piece, and they would graciously read them and give me encouraging feedback. God finally gave me the courage to start blogging just this January. I kept saying that, “I’ll keep writing as long as God keeps giving me something to say.”  God has been Faithful!

I’m reminded of the widow that the Prophet Elisha met in 2 Kings 4:1-7. Her late husband’s creditor was coming to take her two sons away as his slaves. She was at the end of herself and had little to give. Elisha wanted to help her, so he asked her what she had in her house.

“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”  (vs 2)

That was enough for the man of God to spring into action.

“Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”

She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”

But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.

She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.” (vs 3-7)

I love how God took the little that she had and multiplied it! I will say it again, God is Faithful!

I wasn’t sure what I would write about each week, but like clockwork as I finished one blog post the ideas for future posts would spring up. I never lacked a topic to write about.  Yes, the more we pour out and share, the more God fills us.

And so I pray you have been encouraged by reading my posts (or my little drops of oil) throughout the year. Your feedback has helped to encourage me along the way!

Now please allow me to thank just a few of the women who have been praying for and cheering me on with my blog, Facebook page, YouTube Channel and Pinterest Boards!  I apologize if I’ve left anyone off the list. Next time, perhaps, I’ll focus on some of the men as well because I know you guys are praying for me, too!

  • Thank you to my Mom who faithfully listens as I read her each of the posts after they’ve been published, and to my sister who gives me great feedback on my posts and videos! And thank you to my niece (and nephew!!!) who have inspired me to write a few posts!
  • Thank you to Celine, Julie, and Lisy for being so supportive of all my “crazy” ok “God-sized” endeavors.
  • Thank you to the circle of women who were reading my “pieces” before I had a blog: Priscilla O., Lisa O., and Lauren G.
  • Thank you to Dianna, Jamary, and Rachel who kindly encourage me to “keep writing!” Thank you to Christine who reminded me, “YOU need to write.” And thank you to Priscilla P., Ceu, Lisa S. and others for all the prayers you’ve lifted up for me!

The list could go on and on, but I’ll save that for another day.

Only the Lord knows what I’ll write about and do next year. To God be the Glory!

Did this encourage you?  Feel free to leave a comment or hit “Like” below. To get my free e-booklet MiraculousLovely Abroad: Lessons and Snapshots From the Mission Fields and to get these posts e-mailed straight to your inbox, click here. To find MiraculousLovely on YouTube, click here. To find MiraculousLovely on Pinterest, click here or on Facebook, click here.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

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Viking Hunters

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An ordinary afternoon in Union Square Park.

In 2010, God allowed my friends Christine, Vernon, Juan, and I to take an evangelism class at our church based on the popular series “The Way of the Master”.

“Us Four” as I affectionately call us, already had evangelism experience under our belt so we were actually students who were going to be quickly turning around and training others.

As part of the class, we took our first “fishing trip” to Union Square Park on a Friday evening to practice the skills we had been learning throughout the weeks.

Initially, we all split up to talk to people one-on-one but I didn’t fare so well as I started talking to a guy and half way through our conversation his girlfriend came up to us. I was so concerned that she might have the wrong idea about what I was doing, that I lost my train of thought and only gave him the law and pointed out his sins but forgot to mention the “Good News” that we have a savior in Jesus.

I saw that Christine was free, so I went to partner with her.  We found another fellow to talk to when all of the sudden we spotted him.

Out of nowhere, a guy dressed as a viking –  with a mask, horns on his helmet and spikes— started crossing the street and was heading right in our direction.  Christine had been in the middle of sharing the Gospel with the dude we were standing with. Later on, she shared that all she could think was that the devil himself was headed our way! All she could do was keep preaching the Word! I just tried to remain calm. After all, we were in Union Square on a Friday night. There are always tons of characters there. Thankfully, he walked by us without any incident.

After we were done, we went to check on the guys. Juan soon joined us, but Vern was in the middle of sharing the Gospel with a group of people who seemed to be hanging on his every word. Christine went over to talk to some of the teens standing by Vern, leaving Juan and me to our own devices.

Juan and I were the “loose cannons” from the group, so we weren’t going to stand still for too long.

We were there for just a few moments when I spotted him again.  There was the viking. Except this time he was sitting by himself, smoking a cigarette.

As I saw him sitting there, I thought, “Well, if he really is the devil incarnate then we should go preach to him too!” So without any further thought, I said to Juan, “Let’s go over to him.”  To which Juan immediately replied, “Ok!” As we were walking over to him, I suddenly realized that I had no idea what to say so when we were just steps away from the viking, Juan and I quickly decided that he should be the one to talk.  Perfect! He was the Green Beret and Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army!  I, on the other hand, was not.

I was just “in the zone” which I can only describe as being filled with Holy Ghost boldness as well as a little touch of crazy (how else can I explain going out and evangelizing in New York City and abroad!)

Thankfully, Juan eased his way into a conversation with the viking and suddenly, to our surprise, he relaxed enough to literally lift up his mask so we could see him face-to-face. Instantly, the intimidating viking became just another young guy who needed to be reminded that God loves him.

He shared how he had just finished one job and was on his way to another job where I suppose he is required to wear the costume. He mentioned that he did grow up going to church. We chatted for a bit, and I was thrilled that I got to pray for him at the end of our conversation.

Now I can’t say that I’d go up to every viking I see, but I am so thankful that God reminded me that night to look past a person’s exterior to see the lost sheep inside.

There are lost and hurting sheep all around us. Do you see them? They are in your home, work, school, neighborhood, etc… Why not ask God to show you who He would like you to reach out to with a kind word, smile, prayer or with an invite to your church?

If this encouraged you, please feel free to leave a comment and to hit “Like” below.

 

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The Confession

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Doing outreaches in New York City can be just as adventurous as going abroad on short-term missions trips! You never know quite who you’ll meet. Here’s a story of one unforgettable encounter I had while ministering in Manhattan.

In 2008, I felt God drawing me to serve with the New York School of Urban Ministry (NYSUM).  NYSUM provides training and housing for short-term missions teams ministering in New York City.

As an associate staff member, I would take teams who were visiting from out of town on outreaches to place like The Father’s Heart Ministries soup kitchen, to local shelters, and also on homeless outreaches.

The place I used to take teams to on homeless outreaches was in midtown. The team would hand out sandwiches, toiletries, and blankets and then we’d get to speak and pray with the men waiting on line to enter a facility where I’m told they sleep on metal chairs instead of beds.

I’ve met all kinds of homeless people. I must say most are friendly and welcome a listening ear. Some are well versed in the Bible. A few have thanked me profusely for spending time with them and have said they would like to one day do the same thing that I was doing! So sweet.

I have fond memories of many of them. Many of the guys at this particular site had just come from out of town and had no place to stay.

Then there was this one guy who shocked me.

One evening, I was talking to a man who seemed deeply burdened. I had prayed with other guys numerous times before, but it seemed like something was really weighing this man down.  When I asked him what I could pray for, I thought he would say something rather standard such as for a job, an apartment or for good health. But he surprised me by saying, “Forgiveness.”

So I began to pray for him. Normally, I would then invite the person to pray silently, but for some reason I felt like he needed to get whatever it was off his chest so I suggested he say whatever he needed to say to God out loud and that it would remain between him and God.  I wasn’t prepared for what he was about to say next.

With tears streaming down his face, he asked God to forgive him for shooting someone. Huh? I was stunned.  But at the same time, I was honored that he felt that comfortable that he could say that in front of me.  I continued to pray for him and soon it was time to leave.

Only as I was heading back to the van with the team did all these thoughts start racing through my mind including, what if he still had the gun with him?

Looking back, I’m sure I could have handled the situation much better, but on that particular night I felt like my job was not to judge the man or make sure that he was arrested.  God would take care of that. On that night, I felt that I was called to just listen and pray for a man who was in deep distress.

It reminds me that there is no pit too deep that Jesus can’t redeem us and rescue us from it!  Sure we may not have shot anyone, but we still have sins that we need to confess to God and sometimes even to each other.

Yes we are saved in an instant but sanctification, or being set apart for God and being molded into the image of Christ, is a process. It happens over a lifetime.

Could I encourage you to take a moment right now and ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and to shine a light on any unconfessed sin that you may have? If something comes to mind, don’t ignore it. Just ask Jesus to forgive you. Ask Him to give you the strength to stop doing/saying/thinking that or to start doing/saying/thinking what you know you should.

The Bible says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1John 1:8-9)

What a wonderful Savior we have! Receive your forgiveness from Jesus and ask Him to cleanse you and help you make a brand new start. To read more about how Jesus cleanses us, click here.

If this encouraged you, please feel free to leave a comment or to press “Like” below.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Foreign Friends – Part 2

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Boys we met at our first ministry site

We had the pleasure of meeting many kids and teens during our time in Honduras. Each one has a story. Each one is precious in God’s sight.

Leading up to this trip, I just knew there would come a time when I would meet one person and I would KNOW that he or she was the reason why I couldn’t stay comfortable at home and why I kept feeling drawn to Honduras. I KNEW that God would show me who that person was.

In Brazil, that person was Josie, who you can read about here. In Ecuador, it was a young 14-year-old girl who was the oldest of six kids who lived in a humble farming community that was high atop the Andes mountains. She didn’t go to school because she had to stay home doing chores and watching her younger siblings. She was a bit shy. When it was time to play games with all the kids, she was awkward and felt more comfortable sitting back and watching everyone else. That was fine with me as it gave me a chance to chat with her without her siblings being in tow.

In Ethiopia, it was a young 14-year-old girl I’ll call Ann. We had visited a government run shelter for orphans and abused girls. There were about 300 girls and a few little boys in that shelter (there was a separate shelter for older boys). I can still remember the sea of girls that attached themselves to each of the team members. I am not exaggerating when I say that I had one girl holding each of my hands and one girl tucked into both of my arms. When we walked, we walked as one organism, only separating when we had to pass through a doorway. All they wanted was for us to play with them and to spend some time with them. They excitedly showed us the barn they had on the property. They so sweetly covered my head when it started to rain. They kindly pulled out a chair for me when we were indoors. It was there that I got a glimpse of how the children must have flocked to Jesus when He was passing by. If I could, I would have hugged all the kids that day!  Still, Ann is one of the girls that still stands out to me. She had a sparkle in her smile. Her English was great! When I started chatting with her about the Lord she exclaimed, “I love Jesus!”  She had recently become a Christian and a family member was taking her to church. I happened to have one Gideon Bible with me, and I knew she was the one to give it to.  I happily gave it to her with this charge, “Read it and then share what you learn with the others!”

So who would I meet in Honduras?

This time we interacted with so many kids, but I’ll share about only two for now.

The first is a 14-year-old boy that I’ll call Nelson. I was chatting with his friend at the site pictured above. I was encouraging them that God has a good plan for their lives. As I was encouraging them that they can overcome their obstacles, Nelson surprised me by quoting Philippians 4:13 which states, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” I asked him what else he knew so he quoted John 3:16 which states, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” I was so blessed to hear him quoting scripture so I asked him if he had a Bible. His eyes lit up as he said, “No.” That’s when I was so thankful that I had brought a small Gospel of John in Spanish. I didn’t know who it was meant for until that moment. I gave it to him with the same charge, “Read it and then teach the others!”

The other boy that made a real impact on me was a 15-year-old boy I met at the high school. I will call him Victor. We had just finished our presentation and were chatting with the students. Victor was standing next to his girlfriend. I soon learned she was a believer who went to church. I asked Victor what impacted him the most about the presentation and he said the “Everything” drama. The drama is about a girl who is lured away from Jesus because of a guy, money, drinking, eating disorders and ultimately suicidal thoughts. Jesus redeems her of all of that!

I asked Victor if he faced some of those temptations. He said he was dealing with all of them. I asked if he believed in God. He said he wasn’t sure. “How could there be a God with all the bad things that happen?” he asked. I shared how we live in a fallen world and we can choose to follow God or to sin and live how we want, etc…  He listened intently. When I asked if he’d like to receive the Lord, he said yes. After we prayed, I just held onto his hands and looked him square in the eyes and kept speaking life into him. He just kept listening and holding on to my hands. He had tears in his eyes. At that moment, it didn’t matter that he was in his high school or that his girlfriend was standing right next to him. I’m not even sure what I said to him, but in that moment I KNEW that Victor was a big reason why I had come to Honduras.

If Victor were the only person I had prayed with during my time in Honduras, I would still have counted my trip a success. For Victor was a lost sheep that desperately needed to hear that God loves him!

I count it a joy and a priviledge to share these moments with kids (and adults!) in foreign places.  I may never see them again this side of heaven, so I always pray that I will make the most of what little time I have with them.

Again, you don’t have to wait to be abroad to pray for and encourage those around you. Pray and ask God to lead you to the people He wants you to share His Good News with. That is definitely a prayer that God will answer!

If this encouraged you, feel free to leave a comment or to hit “Like” below.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Viva Honduras

Cute school kids we visited

My trip to Honduras was everything I could have hoped for and more!

The people were so friendly, and our host church CEAD went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. That included greeting us with a banner at the airport in the wee hours of the morning, throwing us a welcoming party, serving as translators and guides throughout the week, and sending us off with a night of culture, which included food, music, and fireworks!

The people of Honduras were ready for change. They were open to inviting Jesus into their lives and into their country.

God showed up in a Mighty way in Honduras. I’m honored to have been part of this historic trip.  I’m still amazed that 2,000 missionaries went to flood Honduras with the love of Jesus and that I was one of them! (To read how I decided to go on the trip, click here.)

There’s no way I could fully describe everything I saw, felt and experienced in Honduras, but I will try to give you a just a taste.

Honduras is one of the most violent countries in the world because of all the gang activity that takes place. It is located in Central America, near my Mom’s home country of El Salvador.

The country is divided into 18 different states or provinces. The teams were spread out all throughout Honduras. A group of more than 100 was assigned to Honduras’ capital city Tegucigalpa in the state of Francisco Morazan. There we broke up into seven teams.

The team of 20 that I was with on a daily basis was called Team 4. We were a mix of folks from New York, New Jersey, Florida, Texas and North Carolina. (You guys rocked!) Monday through Thursday we visited various sites including an elementary school, a middle school, a high school, the Harvard of Honduras, a hospital, a detention center for street boys, and a temporary shelter for families who had traveled for hours so their loved ones could be admitted into the hospital.

At each of those sites we performed skits and dramas, shared testimonies, gave salvation calls, and prayed for the people afterwards. At each of those sites, we felt God’s prescence in a powerful way! Amazingly, my team alone saw more than 240 people give their lives to Christ! Yes, the harvest was ripe!

While we were ministering to the youth and some of the poor, there were other missionaries who were conducting medical clinics, distributing food and shoes throughout the country and leaders training the local pastors. There were others who visited the Westpoint of Honduras. The military was so receptive that they ordered hundreds of the discipleship books being distributed so that incoming students could also be trained!

Everywhere we went, people welcomed us and remarked that they could feel that God was with us. People were so open to prayer. That included our guards, our hotel staff, the mayor of the beautiful tourist city we visited on our free day called Valle de Angeles, etc…

Our US team in Francisco Morazan plus the local Honduran team helped bring the Gospel to more than 40,000 people in those few short days. More than 12,000 people received the Lord! Glory to God!

If all that wasn’t amazing enough, then Saturday came. That was the official 1Nation1Day when 18 crusades or festivals were to take place. The President had already declared July 20th a national holiday. So much prayer and preparation went into the events. Would the people come?

The answer?  YES!

Flag

In our stadium alone, 35,000 cheered and worshiped the Lord! Some 3,000 were in an overflow stadium!

Very early on in the evening, we saw a man walk right out of his wheelchair! There were reports that people were being healed as they were simply entering the stadium!

I was rejoicing just being in the stadium, and then they invited us to go onto the field! What an honor! We got to take a lap around the stadium. The people were cheering and thanking us for coming. I felt like I was an Olympian in the Closing Ceremonies. Except I was an Olympian for Jesus!

Things got even better!

So we’re standing there on the track and it’s time for the salvation call so we’re asked to start interceding for the people. I’m praying for people from afar, but I’m still hoping that I can interact with them. But they are behind a fence. And so many raised their hands to receive the Lord. How could we pray for all of them?

Then the guards open the gates and the people start trickling onto the field. And they start coming to us with their prayer requests! Yes! That’s why we came! To pray with the people and to encourage them and to love on them!

We’d pray for one person, and then a family, and then two friends. We’d pray for adults and kids. We’d pray for healing. We’d pray for salvation. We’d pray for other requests.

It was organized chaos, and I loved it!

The crusades made the covers of the local papers. Sweet!

In San Pedro Sula, the “murder capital of the world” there are usually 20 murders a day. Prior to our arrival in Honduras, the two major gangs had called a truce. That had to be God parting the seas! I’m told that during the 9 days that a team was there, there were no murders. Praise God!

I’m so thankful that God kept us all safe. I’m so thankful that the team got along so well. I’m so thankful that people recovered from the stomach bug that was going around. I’m so thankful that our family and loved ones were kept safe while we were away.

I’m so thankful that God showed up in unexpected and extraordinary ways!

All I can say is that we serve an AWESOME GOD! Jesus is real. He is alive. He still heals. He is still in the miracle working business.

The same Jesus that showed up in Honduras wants to flood your life with His Love and His Power. Will you let Him?

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20 – 21)

If this encouraged you, please feel free to leave a note below!

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Hola Honduras

National Flag of Honduras
J. Stephen Conn / Foter / CC BY-NC

Blame it on Facebook! I refused to join Facebook for years! I liked being one of the five people on earth not hooked on social media. Then late last year, I caved and within weeks I saw an ad for an historic missions trip to Honduras. The ad said they were assembling the largest missions team in history to flood the country of Honduras.

They were looking for 2,000 missionaries to go and share the love of God with school children through dramas, skits, sharing testimonies, and prayer. And there would be crusades held in the 18 provinces in Honduras. There would be free medical clinics for the people, food and shoes distributed to locals, and training for local pastors. How could I resist?

I did my research. Watched the videos. Prayed. Waited. Researched other trips. Prayed. Waited. Watched the videos again. Researched more trips, etc… In the end, I kept feeling drawn to this trip.

Below are some of my objections and how God answered each and every one:

I don’t know the organizers or anyone else going! No problem. God arranged for me to “randomly” meet one of my team leaders the day before I found out I was assigned to her group!  He also used me to encourage one of my sister’s friends to join the team. And one of my team members “happens” to live in my neighborhood! I’ve been meeting with my team these last few weeks and they are all lovely people. Thank God!

Honduras is one of the most violent countries in the world! That is why they need Jesus!  Amazingly, a few months ago the leaders of two of the biggest gangs in Honduras held a press conference from jail and they declared a TRUCE! They asked God and society for forgiveness! Glory! God has parted the seas for us! The harvest is ripe!

The temperature can get to 100 or above! Thankfully, not where I’ll be! Praise God!

My Spanish is still broken! After much practice, my two minute testimony is coming along great. My family and friends have been happily surprised by my pronounciation. That has got to be the Lord!

So I already see God’s hand in this and I haven’t even set foot in the beautiful country of Honduras!

I’m looking forward to all the wonderful people I will meet! I’m looking forward to praying and encouraging them! I’m looking forward to making new memories with them! I’m looking forward to seeing signs, miracles and wonders and seeing God work in unexpected ways! God is doing something in Honduras, and I am humbled and honored to be a part of it!  God is also doing something in me. I’m looking forward to what God will say and do while I’m abroad!

Who knew me joining Facebook would lead to this? Oh right, God knew! To learn more about 1Nation1Day, click here.

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9: 35-38)

Did this encourage you? Feel free to write a comment below.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Why GO?

I’m just days away from my short-term missions trip to Honduras. I will be one of almost 2,000 missionaries that will flood the nation of Honduras with God’s love. Although I’m so excited to be going and ministering to the high school students there through testimonies, skits, and prayer times, I still marvel that I am going. As I pack my suitcase this time around, I’m reflecting on how I even started going on these trips and why I go. Blessings!

I must say I am an accidental short-term missionary. At least in my eyes. I never grew up wanting to go on missions trips. I certainly didn’t know any missionaries. Over the years, I did discover that I enjoyed traveling. My goal years ago was to travel to the cities that hosted Olympic Games. And God allowed me to go to the modern Olympic Games stadium in Athens, Greece and the stadiums in Sydney, Australia, Salt Lake City, Utah and Los Angeles, California. Not bad! I am so grateful for all the wonderful places I’ve gotten to travel to over the years.

But God had different plans for me. After years of traveling for vacation and for work and after my amazing time in Israel in 2007, I knew it was time to “give back.” Before I could even ponder where I might go, God introduced me to Tyler Burkett from Extreme International.

Tyler was in town with his wife and a group of teens who were on a missions trip to New York City. I was guiding his team on an outreach through the New York School of Urban Ministry (NYSUM). During our lunch break, the kids mentioned that they had been on a missions trip to Ecuador. I was intrigued. My Dad is from Ecuador so I asked them which part they had gone to, and they proceeded to say the name of my Dad’s hometown! What? Of all the places in the world, these kids had gone on a missions trip to the place where my Dad was born and raised? When Tyler said he went there often and invited me to join them, I didn’t need to see a burning bush in front of me. I KNEW that I would travel with him one day. The next time I saw Tyler, it was two years later. I was in the airport in Ecuador with my teammates from Texas for the missions trip in 2010.

In between meeting Tyler and traveling with his group, Steve and Dianna Butcher from Amazon River Churches came to speak at my church, and they made an open invitation to go build a church in the Amazon jungle in Brazil!  I wrote here how tough it was for me to decide to go, but again God had already softened my heart towards missions.  I had no previous desire to travel to Brazil, but in 2009 I packed my bags and went on an adventure of a lifetime!

After going to Brazil with Steve and the team in 2009 and Ecuador with Tyler and the team in 2010, I was open to Steve’s invitation to AFRICA, which I wrote about here.

All this talk about traveling can sound kinda glamorous to some, but it’s not always easy to get on a plane, leave all your loved ones behind and go to some foreign country. There are shots to take beforehand (and sometimes gigantic malaria pills to swallow during the trip!), money to raise, vacation time to be used. There’s also lots of prayer and fasting to get ready for the spiritual battles that will take place.

Surprisingly enough, sometimes the toughest battles are fought long before even setting foot on the plane!

So why do I go?  Seriously. Why worry about mosquitoes and critters and what the sleeping conditions will be like? Why go to places where I have to brush my teeth with bottled water and avoid certain foods? And WHY go to places where I have to carry toilet paper with me and drown my hands in hand sanitizer??? (Just trying to be real folks! Don’t worry, many times I’m also shocked by how modern some of the cities are!)

Clearly, missions trips should not be confused with your typical vacations!

I go for so many reasons including:

I see God move in miraculous ways! I have seen Him heal team members and keep us out of harm’s way! Yes, that means that team members have gotten sick and been healed while being out on the field. Some have come on trips defying their doctor’s orders, and God has kept them healthy!  Other times He has held back the rain for us during the monsoon season, and He has kept us safe in the jungle in Brazil, on the mountaintops in Ecuador and in the slums of Ethiopia. Of course, I see God move in miraculous ways here at home, but there is something so special about how I see Him work when I’m abroad.

I meet amazing people! From the sweet kids we get to play with and minister to, to the humble pastors we meet who receive meager salaries and little recognition, to the full-time missionaries we get to come alongside and encourage, there is no shortage of wonderful people to befriend like I wrote about here. Some of the heroes are the missionary kids who adapt to life “out there” and embrace the local kids as if they were their family. Speaking of local kids, in Ecuador there was a little 4-year-old who was the daughter of a local pastor. She came with us during all our home visits and she was such a delight. What a trooper! She climbed up and down the mountainside without any complaints.

My teammates also inspire me. They leave behind family and the comforts of home and sacrifice the little money and vacation time they have. They set aside fears of insects or of long flights, lay down worries about health issues, and just go and love on the people!

My faith g-r-o-w-s!  God speaks to me extra clearly when I’m “out there” and I love it!  I know that I am in the palm of God’s hand and in the center of His will for my life when I’m out there. And I know that we are covered in prayer. That’s why I can be at peace in the middle of the jungle while we’re painting the church in Brazil or while we’re swerving along the mountainside on winding roads without guardrails in Ecuador. That’s why I can feel God’s presence during an impromptu service in a junkyard in Ethiopia! That’s why I can talk to complete strangers about Jesus and pray for them on the spot!

I am so encouraged to see how the locals love the same God that I do. It reminds me that as Christians we really are one family with the same Heavenly Father! I am so blessed to be able to travel around this beautiful world that God has created! And I am humbled and honored that I can be the hands and feet of Jesus in any small way while I’m there.

Because God says GO! It’s all over the Bible. It’s some of the last words Jesus said to His disciples after He resurrected and before He ascended into heaven. That should be reason enough for all of us to Go! When God opens a door, it’s best to go through it! The peace comes from knowing He goes before us and is with us! That’s His Promise to us!

Some of you may be thinking about and praying about going on a short-term missions trip. I pray that God will confirm things to you and swing the doors wide open for you.

Below are a few verses that are near and dear to my heart especially as I prepare for mission trips. I pray they will bless you as well!

  • “I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.” (Joshua 1:3)
  • “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
  • “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!'” (Isaiah 6:8)
  • “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'” (Matthew 28: 18-20)
  • “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
  • “…Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'” (Romans 10:13-15)

If this encouraged you, please feel free to leave a comment below. If you’ve already been on missions trips, I’d love to hear a bit about your experiences!

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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