Guatemala Return!

Hey Everyone,

I made it back in one piece.  The trip was an amazing success in my eyes.  We were able to spread the gospel, encourage, and be encouraged by the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit used our team to bring in around 35 (and perhaps many more that just didn’t do it publicly) to accept Christ, encourage multiple churches, and learn a great deal of what healing needs to happen in our own lives.  We praise God to see that through invitations the people are willing to follow.  Just as Jesus said the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few we were able to collect a harvest.  I am sure the Lord has used our working as to plant a seed for the many others to come in the future.

I hope to encourage my readers and supporters with the message that I received today in my devotions. I was reading through 1 Timothy and came across verse 1:19, where Paul encourages Timothy to “fight the good fight, holding on to faith” I think sometimes I have forgotten the importance of fighting for my faith.  I think faith should come naturally and that it is God’s job to keep me faithful by bringing me faith building things.  But as I continue to live life here I realize that faith doesn’t always come easily.  I must in fact choose to view life with the eyes of faith over simply accepting the easy way out which may in fact be lessening the vision of who God really is.  It is not easy to say a loving God is in control when you are suffering.  It is not easy to say God loves you when you are being persecuted.  It is not easy to say you are following God’s plan in life when you are given heavy trails that you didn’t think should be.  But it is these times that we are to stand up.  It is these times we are not to simply sit back and accept that God does not then love enough…  We are to fight the good fight.  We are to stand our ground in the midst of the trails.  The one good thing about persecution is getting through it while knowing God is still good and that showing love is still possible.  Jesus tells us trails will come and those who stay faithful to the end, those whose love does not grow cold, will be saved (Mt 24:13).

Keep loving and know God is as well!

Blessings and much thanks for all the prayers and support!