Back in Guatemala and Getting things Started...

Hey Everyone!
We were very blessed to be in Alabama for almost three months with you all visiting family and friends and churches and sharing what we feel like God is telling us to do this year in Guatemala. As soon as we got back, we started to work.
We were blessed to be able to work with a medical team sent from Global Missions of Mercy that worked with people in the village and also in the city of Camoton. This week, we are working with a construction team also sent from GMM, and we are in the process of contacting pastors and setting up our first Pastoral Training Seminar for the year. We sent out an email asking for your prayers for this seminar...so please pray and lift up the two pastors that are coming from the States to lead the classes and for the pastors here that will be receiving the teachings. The two pastors from the States will be here from March 7th to March 14th.
Also, we have hired Nancy Perez to help us administrate the teams that will be coming in the next five months, and we are not used to being "in charge" of stuff :) so please pray that everything will run smoothly and be glorifying to God.
Thank you for everything!! Please keep us in your prayers!

The Tongue!

I have been reading James, and I think that most know that the beginning of chapter 3 talks about our dangerous MOUTHS. It starts out talking about how small the tongue is but how powerful it can be. Its like a rutter on a huge boat and a bit in the horse's mouth...although a boat and a horse are big, a small rutter and a small bit can direct them to go where they want them to. When I read verse 6, I started getting so sad. It says "The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." The part of this verse that really caught my eye was how our whole path of life can be set on fire and destroyed by our mouths.
I was listening to the radio the other night, and the host asked people to call in and share stories of how their mouths got them in trouble. One mother called in and shared a story of how she has not seen her daughter in years and has never seen her grandchildren because of a comment she made to her daughter's husband. That mother's words set their relationship on fire.
Also, the power of our words can destroy the path that God has set out for us. When we let our words of doubt, fear, or insecurity direct our path instead of God, that path that God intended us to take will be burned along with all of the blessings God had in store of us.
Although there are terrible consequences to letting our mouths run wild, I can't help but think of that part on Lion King 2 (a favorite right now with my kids) where Simba takes Kovu for a walk to talk to him and they come to a place where everything has been burned. He tells Kovu that sometimes after something has been destroyed by a fire, the things that grow back our stronger and better than what was first destroyed if they are taken care of. God tells us the same thing. If we would give Him our burnt relationships and plans, He will restore them and make something good out of the ruins. Praise You Lord that You don't give up on us! But, please help us to go to You before we burn it all up.

The Leading of the Holy Spirit

I've been reading in Acts these last few weeks, and a couple days ago I read in Chapter 13 how the church and leaders prayed and fasted for the leading of the Holy Spirit.
It says in verses 2, 3, and 4 "While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia..."
Then Paul and Barnabas went from place to place ministering and preaching the Gospel of Christ to the Jews and Gentiles and speaking with the power of the Holy Spirit...and even in verse 44 it says that in one city after hearing about the power in which Paul spoke, "...almost the whole city gathered to hear the Word of the Lord." Can you imagine the whole city of Florence or the whole city of Athens coming to hear the Word of God? They weren't coming to see some famous ball player or some famous singer or actor; they came to hear the Word of God. And the thing is...when this CITY came to hear what Paul had to say, they weren't coming for Paul. It all had to do with the leading of the Holy Spirit because they were in God's perfect timing and speaking God's perfect words. The pressure was off of Paul and Barnabas and it was put on God's shoulders where it is suppose to be. (Matthew 11:29-30 "Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The burden that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light." New Century Version of the Bible) God tells us here to give Him our lives and decisions and worries and accept, in exchange, His ways and His leading and His comfort. This is when we can truly be led by the Holy Spirit. I'm mean really...what were the people in the church and leaders and Paul and Barnabas doing before they even went to this specific city to preach the Gospel?...worshiping, fasting, and praying. And then what happened? An entire city came to hear the Word of God. Worshiping, fasting, and praying is all about God and all for God, so why wouldn't we then be able to understand the leading of the Holy Spirit? Now, if we are worried, distracted, and not praying, the opposite will happen because then we are focused on how WE feel. We will then worry too much to sense the Holy Spirit, be too distracted to fast or pray, and therefore make immature, human decisions that have little to no effect for the Kingdom of God. What a waste of energy and time. How much time and energy do I spend without the leading of the Holy Spirit? How much do you?

Today, worship the Lord (sing or listen to worship music, write about how awesome God is in a notebook or journal, tell God how thankful you are for what you have), fast for the Lord (sacrifice something you really like to do today and go do something that puts your focus on the Lord, give up chocolate or movies, or just plain fast for today and spend it in God's presence), and pray (write to God, talk to God, sing to God...but then be sure to listen).

God, I pray that you will teach us to walk daily in Your Spirit and be led by Your voice.

"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives...the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" Galatians 5:16, 22, 23 New Living Traslation

Sweet Home Alabama :) - CULTURE SHOCK!

Well, we made it to Alabama, and we have gotten settled in to where we are staying. I have to admit, the culture-shock is hitting me hard...everything is a little overwhelming...and Daniel says he tries to feel overwhelmed, but it's just not working. :p Anyway, I wanted to right a little bit about the way I have been feeling just because Daniel is not home to make fun of me...
So, we get into the Atlanta airport on Tuesday around 12am Atlanta time, and first of all..everything is so stinking big! and loud! and there is a train inside! and everyone is speaking English! and Levi and Mary Kathleen are trying to put their fingers in the electric medal belt thing that spits out our luggage and spins it around to us! Then we get out in the freezing weather, into the van, onto the freeway in Atlanta, and all the cars are fast and Brother Bryan is driving and after stopping at a gas station to get my wonderful husband some State-side milk because he's been a year without it, we go to the huge hotel. Well, the kids wanted to sleep in their "Mae Mae's" and "Daddy Bone's" room, so I spent the first part of the night trying to convince myself that everything is ok...the kids are just in the next room...they are not still in Guatemala, and the last part of the night tossing and turning because the hotel bed felt like I was sleeping on a huge pillow...and yes, that may sound dreamy to some of you, but to me, after sleeping on a very stiff bed all year, I woke up hurting from head to toe. Then, we get up and get ready to head to good ole Alabama, and we stop for breakfast...and there are so many stinkin' choices, I start getting overwhelmed again and just want to hug my children...I don't know why. Anyway, we decide on a chicken place, and the biscuits were sent from heaven and the sweet tea was too...and it didn't even matter that the restaurant had a 71 health rating. :) (The truth...the score was hanging up next to the amazing sweet tea) Then we get back on the terrifying freeway and Brother Bryan is still driving :) and Mary Kathleen is just fussing about her car seat and Levi is hitting her for fussing so then we have to spank him and her...then they are both crying..but then an amazing thing happened. We stopped at a McDonald's and the woman working the drive through spoke Spanish, there were no cups for our coffee, and there were no lemons for Brother Bryan's sweet tea, so I just felt right at home for a split second. But then we got back on the road and I'm back to terrified again. We make it home 5 hours later, and we step into a wonderfully warm house and start unloading the bags. Then, we immediately go to my mom's house for dinner, then we get on the scary highway again and go to Killen for church and to see everyone on that side of the river, and then we go to Wal-Mart (at 10pm) to get more milk and some cereal...and let me tell you...I don't know what it is about Wal-Mart, but it scares me too right now. I'm sure I will get over this very soon because everything was so pretty in there, but I was very much happy to leave last night. Then I had to drive for the first time because Daniel drove another truck home, and his truck did not have a speedometer, so he wanted me to go first, but after following me going 45mph on the highway, he decided he would take his chances and go first. Ok, finally make it home, and Mary Kathleen decides she is now afraid of the dark and wouldn't go to sleep, but we did finally make it to sleep. Today started very very busy with unpacking and my bother coming over and telling me all the things he wanted to do and we had to do all of these things before 2pm because he then would have to go back home. Then we go to Rogersville because Mary Kathleen is now sick with congestion because of the weather change...and I have a break down and start scaring my mother....I hear that this is culture shock and that it will soon ware off, but I am now wide awake and it is almost midnight and I have no idea why I can't go to sleep...but maybe it will ware off soon and we will get back into a routine again. :)

Getting the Final things Together

Well, I'm here in the house with the kids getting the last things together before we go home. Bags are packed, bills are paid, floors...will soon be mopped :) and Daniel is having his final meeting with the men in the village today. He is taking them out to eat in the city again because they had such a fun time last time. This time Daniel invited Hermano Ronald, who will be teaching the men along with Jorge while we are gone. He has taught the Bible study for the past two weeks in the ministry, and the men are responding so well to him. Daniel is very excited, and Ronald was definitely an answer to prayer. Also, a man named Jose will take over the Bible study in our house on Tuesday nights and Miss Milgian will be teaching the girls' Bible study on Tuesday afternoons. It is so refreshing to know that when we are in the States, the work that the Lord started will continue even if we aren't here.
It sure is a hot day today...breezy, but hot. We will not know what to do when we arrive in the States! But surely it won't be as big of a difference this year because last year we got back in December! Wow! Now that was cold. And I also hear that it is unordinarily hot this year, but we will see what "hot" means. :) We are very excited to see what the Lord will show us while we are in the States. We are seeking Him and for what He wants for our lives next year, so please join us in prayer as we seek His direction.
Also, for all the teachers out there...I am having to renew my teaching liscence by May. Lord willing, I will be taking two internet classes in the next few months to get the credits I need, but I was wondering if anyone can tell me what the process of renewing your liscence includes. I know I have to send my credits and some info somewhere...but I am really not very informed in this area. Can any of you teaches out there help me with that??? :)
Well, better get the floors mopped. We are having the preachers and family from our church for dinner tonight too. We are serving REAL southern States food, so please pray that they like it. :)
Bye!

Senor Trip!!

Well the first graduating class at the ministry is taking their trip today for the weekend. They are actually getting to go spend one night at the beach. This will be the first time for almost all of them to leave the village and the first time for all of them to see the beach. Mom and Dad were able to raise the money to send them on their trip. So thanks to all who may have contributed to their trip. This will be a life changing experience and for many the only time they will leave the village. The teachers saved up as well as the kids, as much as they could, and they are all going together and will come back tomorrow. They are soo excited! They gave us a going away party the other day. It was wonderful and sad at the same time. They are precious kids and we have gotten to actually know many of them, and the teachers are now our friends here so it was a very special day for us with them. They all said wonderful things to us and gave us cards and then prayed for us! But we are going back to the States on Nov. 2 if nothing else changes. We still have not made a decision about next year. We feel the moving in the direction to come back but with a different focus and maybe in different areas here in Guatemala. But still need a lot of praying and guiding I feel before we get to that decision. We are planning on having meetings and conferences while in the States to disguss this with the churches and the people who have been a part of God's ministry here with us for the past two years. So please be in deep prayer with us to see God's direction and to hear His voice. It is not easy at times to serve here in Guatemala and feels like it would be "better" to start something in the States and would feel "more right" to do so but we are all here as workman approved by God to do good works not what feels better or makes more sense. And NO, I am speaking to myself not to those who feel I am addressing you. HA And they know who they are. So pray for the light to shine on the right path and for us to have the courage to continue, whereever and with whatever, to be that good workman created to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph. 2:10). We will be home in almost one week!!! We are soo excited to be able to see our families and friends! It has almost been a whole year since we have seen most of them so it will be wonderful! Levi and Mary Kathleen are already asking about when we are going to see them and telling us what they want to do while they are home. Well mostly Levi since Mary Kathleen speaks Spanglish it's hard at times to understand her. So if and when you see her you will need to greet her with a big "Hola! Como Estas?" and a big kiss for her to warm up to you. And we will have to find a place to buy the flour to make tortillas or she may not eat her meals! She loves the food here and Levi loves the food in the States. So we will have our work cut out for us! But are looking forward to spending the time with our families and friends and receiving further direction from God as well! Love yall and please keep us in your prayers. God bless!!

And today Brandi will be performing her piano recital and playing three songs after taking lessons for two and a half months. Haha She feels embarrassed but I think it is wonderful! I will record it and show it to the churches! Ha No, just to friends and family. Funny.

Prayer

I go to a prayer service we have at our church at 5am on Saturday mornings. I usually take my friends Nancy and Jenny and sometimes their family with me. Well, I didn't go for two weeks, and I had forgot to call Nancy and Jenny and tell them that I was going to go this past Saturday, and I feel 4:45am is a little too early to call them to remind them. :) Well, I went on to prayer, and when I got there, Nancy and Jenny weren't there. (I wasn't surprised.) But, when I got up from praying, there they all sat in the congregation! (And they do not drive.) They told me that their cousin was suppose to come pick them up so they didn't call me to see if I would bring them, but then he ended up not showing up...so, THEY WALKED. Instead of going back to sleep at 5:05am, they walked to prayer...still dark outside...at least two miles away...walked. It convicted me so much that they would not only sacrifice their Saturday mornings, but they were willing to walk in the dark two miles to get to church to pray with their church family at 5am. You know honestly, if it would have been a Sunday morning service at 10am, I wouldn't have been as impressed at their commitment, but I know for sure that I would have said "Oh, I can just pray here." And then said a quick 10 minute prayer and gone back to sleep.
What about you?
God give us the passion for Your presence to make the, a lot of times, hard decisions to just be with You. Please teach us that "if everything is smooth and easy then I must be in God's will" is NOT the truth. Thank You that when You see us making sacrifices and obeying Your voice that You are pleased and that You bless Your people for being faithful and obedient.