mi casa es su casa...

My house is your house...a very common and often said without thinking kind of phrase. In Mexico it is almost mandatory to say this phrase as you welcome someone into your home or you say where you live. I feel the idea behind it is "Come on in, take your shoes off and make yourself to home for as long as you need or want to." Sounds good right? Yet it is realistically a hard attitude of the heart to have. Are you really that unattached to your home/refuge?
It is not natural for me to use that phrase. I unconsciously think "This is my space and you can stay for awhile but..." So why am I talking about this anyway?
Yesterday we invited Sirenia and Juan and their three kids to come for dinner after the morning service. As we entered I said "Come in you are in your house." As we worked in the kitchen I again said "Here is where the knives are, feel free to use them besides you need to know you're in your home." She smiled and I cried. I think that after seven years of living here as a missionary, it was the first time I used this particular culturally accepted phrase and truly understood it and felt it in my heart! No Sirenia is not moving in, but my home is her home and I know that I could go to her house and she would say the same thing from her heart.
On a different, yet not so different note, as Juan and Sirenia stood outside the church after the AM service, her uncle drove up, ordered them to get in the truck and drove down the street to their little house. All along the way he was reprimanding them, "This is the second time I come and you are outside that place with those people!" Sirenia's reponse? "Yes it is. You will probably find us there on Sundays from now on." They discussed other things, he left and we pulled up to take them to our house or should I say their house? We had a wonderful dinner and conversation. They are so hungry for spiritual food! We returned for the PM service. As we said goodbye around 9PM, Jennifer (their daughter) said, "This was the best day! We started in God's house and we ended it in God's house! And in between we ate at our house in Izcalli." Sounds like I wasn't the only one who felt the true meaning of my house is your house!

Some thoughts on testimony...

A man who lives right, and is right, has more power in his silence than another has by his words. Philip Brooks

Faith in small things has repercussions that ripple all the way out. In a huge, dark room a little match can light up the place. Joni Eareckson Tada

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 10:32

Theology is an interesting school of thought. The Bible is beautiful literature. Sitting in a quiet sanctuary, bathed in the amber light from stained glass windows, having our jangled nerves soothed by the chords from the organ-all that is inspiring. But to tell you the truth, when we leave the classroom, close the church door, and walk out into the real world, it is the indisputable proof of changed lives that makes us believers. Gloria Gaither

There is NOTHING more appealing or convincing to a watching world than to hear the testimony of someone who has just been with JESUS. Henry Blackaby

Most of the people that God allows me to be a testimony to, have a scrape to get by kind of life. Once in a while they set foot inside an ornate chapel or cathedral and are somehow convinced that being near those stained glass windows, altars of saints, and gold fixtures is enough. The majority simply return to their "normal" life until the next time they need their "religious fix." Others make elaborate altars in a corner of their home or business and to be honest spend more on that altar than they do on themselves and or their families. YET...everyone who I have witnessed come to Christ says nothing of those things. They talk of the love, peace, forgiveness, and hope they find in Christ. Ninety percent of the time they mention how the testimony of someone "who had been with JESUS" took their eyes off those windows and turned them up even higher to the Lord.

Wow! I fall so short! So many times I push the program or "the right way to worship or live out your faith." Lord, help me to shine with your light!

Are you settling for stained glass windows, beautiful hymns and choruses, organized programs, and neat little "Bible Studies" about books written by others who also are settling for organized religion? Or are you "Letting your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Chicken pox at the church...

On a positive note first! Juan (Sirenia's) husband prayed to receive Jesus as his Lord and Savior during the sunrise service! We had a good time after the service eating tamales and visiting.
The only dark spot on the day was that an adult at the church has chicken pox and did not tell anyone until they had spent the last three days hugging everyone. Yes, I am a bit frustrated and worried for my family. My hubby and teenagers have not had chicken pox! Please pray for Antonio especially as he has been sick and his defenses are down. The Easter sunrise service was packed so just pray for everyone who has been exposed.

SOFT...soft

Antonio has been sick and getting worse for a several monthes. He finally took himself to the doctor yesterday. He has a problem with high levels of uric acid. I think they call it gout? One of his feet is extremely swollen and painful. He is taking medicine and on bed rest for as long as he can stand it! (Somehow I think that is his translation of what the doctor probably said!) He is definitely willing to listen for now. His exact words in the middle of the night last night were. "NOOOOO do not cover my foot! Even the weight of the sheet hurts!"

For some reason the only word that comes to my mind for ME in this situation is soft. A while ago, a pastor friend gave me that word. He said "Diana one of your words to always remember and live is ...soft." I love soft breezes, and soft grass between my toes, and soft sand at the beach, and soft frozen yogurt, and soft pillows and blankets and soft jazz music, and soft sweaters and soft footies and soft butterfly kisses and....somehow soft is much harder when it is supposed to be me! Antonio is a cuddler and "a pamper me when he is sick" kind of guy. So soft is a good thing for me to be when he is sick. Wednesday is normally our day off so I got up put on soft footies, soft sweatpants, soft music on the stereo, opened the blinds a to let in some soft sunlight and crawled back into bed to cuddle. Needless to say it was not long before Antonio said "I appreciate the "soft" stuff but tell me how many things your brain is actually off doing. I would love to just sleep in, so maybe you could go do computer stuff or maybe a nice breakfast in bed!"

How does he do that? After I finish softly typing in this entry, I am going down to make some soft boiled eggs and warm doughy biscuits!

Be Soft!

All that she needed...

Thank you for praying for Sirenia! She asked us to visit her on Sunday expressing physical and emotional needs. To most it would seem that God had pulled the rug out from under her. Everyone around her would say "Somebody put a curse of bad luck on you!" You and I know that God simply permitted her to land on her bottom so she could get on her knees! She did just that yesterday in the AM church service. Sirenia is now a believer. Her earthly situation has not changed much but her eternal problems are resolved!

One of Sirenia's comments the other day was "I don't know why these things keep happening. I read my Bible last night and it kept talking about fools and not listening. I think I want to listen but I'm not sure to what."

Yesterday she heard "what!" Please pray for her and us as we counsel and disciple her. Please pray a hedge of protection around her and her children. She has much to learn and resolve in her life. Her husband is not with her now, please help us to pray him home!

Parasite cocktail anyone?

Just read our teammate Bethany Dean's blog. She has been having stomach pains. Her roommate (another of our teammates)Darlene Gabler just had her appendix removed so Bethany was worried. She went to the doctor yesterday. She left a message that it was amoebas. According to her blog it turns out she has typhoid and amoebas and something else! She and Darlene also apparently were in a fender bender yesterday! I know that technology and medicines today are incredible but....Pray for Bethany to get well soon and for Darlene to heal quickly as she goes on furlough within the next month.

Living Water in a dusty place....

Thursdays from 9am -11am and 4pm-6pm we have begun a Bible study and scrapbook time. Please pray for me as I share from the Bible. We are calling the Bible study time "Living Water" as Lord-willing all receive a fresh drink in the middle of their week.

I am also trying to use the little talent I have to teach how to scrapbook! I don't have much stuff but God is multiplying it like the widow's oil.

We're doing a happy dance...

Fellow teammates Joe and Heidi have reached 100% of their support! Pray as they tie up loose ends and say goodbyes or as I prefer C'ya laters!

We also finished up the week of ministry planning and some other training. Pray for our team as we implement everything.

I also ask you to pray for a new contact. Her name is Sirenia. I will share more later simply pray for salvation and peace in her heart.

May we all pray like Elias

James 5:7-20 says:
7Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
9Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
10Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
11Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
12But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
13Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
14Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
17Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
18And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
19Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

This passage has shown up twice this week in my devotions. As you know we are in the last days of ABWE Mexcio Team planning sessions. We as a team are making some big changes and decisions about the direction of ministry. We covet your prayers and even your advice. I am more and more convinced each moment of the importance of intercessory prayer. You for me and me for you. You know my heart as I always encourage you to step out for Christ and I know from your emails that you desire for boldness and the love of God to guide my life and ministry in Mexico. So keep praying and I will thank God each day for how you are living and sharing Christ each moment!

Some missions quotes

"Not called!" did you say? "Not heard the call," I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters, and servants and masters not to come there. And then look Christ in the face, whose mercy you have professed to obey, and tell him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish his mercy to the world.
William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army

"I have but one passion - it is He, it is He alone. The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ." Count Zinzindorf

"The greatest missionary is the Bible in the mother tongue. It needs no furlough and is never considered a foreigner." William Cameron Townsend

The Love of God

The love of God is greater far

Than tongue or pen can ever tell;

It goes beyond the highest star,

And reaches to the lowest hell;

The guilty pair, bowed down with care,

God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled,

And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain
O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure

The saints’ and angels’ song.

When years of time shall pass away,

And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,

When men, who here refuse to pray,

On rocks and hills and mountains call,

God’s love so sure, shall still endure,

All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—

The saints’ and angels’ song.

Refrain
Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above,

Would drain the ocean dry.

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

Refrain

By Fredrick Lehman

I am so in awe of the love of God. I only desire that my life tells a little of its' grandeur and endlessness.

I been missing

Chocolate cookies, Hudsonville ice cream and Winter in Michigan

Hymns in English

ild He reconciled,

And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain
O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure

The saints’ and angels’ song.

When years of time shall pass away,

And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,

When men, who here refuse to pray,

On rocks and hills and mountains call,

God’s love so sure, shall still endure,

All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace to Adam’s race

—The saints’ and angels’ song.

Refrain

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above,

Would drain the ocean dry.

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

Refrain

Imagine birthing a 15 year old!.....

This past week we had the incredible privilege to witness and be part of two new families being birthed! Friends of friends were in Mexico City doing paperwork for the adoption of two mexican teenagers. We got to ride along and help translate. I know how incredible birthing two babies was but can only imagine what suddenly having a 15 year old daughter or son would be like!

I cannot begin to tell all of the emotions I witnessed and felt as the events of the week unfolded. I can tell you that I got a little taste of how God must feel as He opens His arms wide and unconditionally welcomes us into His family. I am also glad that being adopted into God's family does not involve visits to Mexican offices and the US Embassy.

Our new friends are currently in the US Consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, finishing up the hopefully last stages of paperwork. I ask you to pray for Chad and Christy as they will soon cross the border with their new daughter Martha and for Roger and Luanne as they cross the border with new son Ramon. That border has been a turning point in the lives of soooo many Mexicans for years! This week it will witness the beginning of two new families!

Martha and Ramon's last words from Eduardo (director of the orphanage) were that they weren't just joining a new family but also being sent out by the orphanage as missionaries to Michigan. Both of them confirmed their salvation in our home we pray blessings upon them as they adjust to Michigan, new families, a new church and new friends!