His plan, not ours

The group from the US that has joined us for the week came prepared to do two different two-day VBS's. The first two days, we conducted the VBS in one area and saw about 30 different children over the two days. The group did a great job with games, crafts and a Bible lesson. Yesterday, the second day of the first VBS, there were about 10 children who prayed and asked Jesus to come into their hearts. It was very exciting and encouraging to see these children place their faith in Jesus.

Today, the first day of the second VBS, did not go as planned.

We were in a different location and looking forward to interacting with completely different children. The area seemed perfect for what the group had planned. A lot of houses in a small area. Surely there would be a lot of children. We set everything up and then began walking the neighborhood passing out flyers announcing the VBS.

Zero, that's 0, children showed up. As we sat there, watching the time pass by, we began to feel a little disappointed. Not even 1 kid? Really? What did we do wrong? As the missionary, you begin to feel like you are letting the visiting group down. As the visiting group, you begin to feel like you have wasted your time. Neither feeling is good.

We may not be able to explain why we were unable to reach any children today, but we know that God's plan is much bigger than ours. It is not an accident that each member of the group is here. It is not an accident that God has moved us and the Ruesgas here. Perhaps today was just a reminder that we cannot accomplish anything without the Lord. We walk away from this experience not discouraged, but understanding more our need for God. We have a job to tell the world about Him...we cannot do that without Him!

We will be attempting to conduct VBS again tomorrow. Whether 100 or 0 children show up, all we ask is that God be glorified through us. We want nothing more than to be a light here in Orizaba, Mexico.

Will you join us in praying that God would be glorified through our efforts tomorrow?

A Babel Worship Experience

I'm sitting in a Bible study at the La Fe Iglesia Bautista. This is the church that has been started by our teammates Adolfo and April Ruesga. The meeting is taking place in a conference room at the Fiesta Inn in downtown Orizaba.

I can't understand a word of what is being said, but I know what is going on. As I sit here and listen to individuals read portions of Scripture aloud, I am amazed once again by our Lord. They are reading Scriptures that I have read before. I can't understand them as they read...God can!

Listening to Scripture being read in a language you don't speak is an amazing experience. I am reminded that Jesus Christ didn't just die for those of us that speak English....or Spanish....or any other language. After all, what language does God speak? (I am sure people all over the world have a different answer for that one)

I know God has called me to share the Gospel with the people of Mexico. Right now, that almost seems impossible to me since I am unable to speak their language. If I allow myself, I can get overwhelmed thinking about how to learn a different language. Sitting here listening to these few worship the Lord, their Savior, in their own language is refreshing. As I begin to learn Spanish and slowly start understanding more of what is being said, I hope I never forget this feeling.

If you've never had the opportunity to worship (sing, read Scripture, etc) in a different language, you really need to. There is a small group of believers here in Orizaba who are passionate about what God has done for them; they would love to worship with you!

Intersections

Perhaps one of the most exciting things about life (for me) is the way that God allows our lives to intersect with others. I'm talking about those brief encounters: a conversation with someone you've never met before and will probably never see again, an acquaintance that lasts a few weeks before losing touch, or even a friendship from that past that is no longer a part of your life. Those moments are exciting for me because I don't believe they happen on accident.

They are divine intersections.

I was recently thinking about one of these intersections in my life. A couple of years ago, while I was still youth pastoring, I met a guy who was a youth pastor at another church in the area. A few days after we met, he contacted me and asked if I would meet him at Starbucks. We sat there for just a little while but we talked about ministry, youth and our families. Eventually the conversation moved to missions. I shared with him that God was moving my family and we would soon be leaving youth ministry and moving to Mexico. He was very interested. Before we parted ways, he shared that he had really been struggling with the idea of missions lately.

About one week later, he sent me an e-mail that said he had resigned his youth position and would loading up his family and moving to a third-world country within the next week. The next e-mail I received was his goodbye. He actually did it. He packed up his family and left. No plans. No guarantees. He explained that he knew this was what God wanted and he just couldn't say no. He couldn't stay any longer.

I'm ashamed to say that I don't even remember his name. (So dude, if you're reading this, remind me!) I don't even know which country he moved to. I'm not even sure why we met. I am, however, glad that our lives intersected. That guy showed me what real faith looks like. He challenged me to live a little more...dangerously. (It's not really dangerous if your trusting God though)

I am thankful for the intersections in my life. Unfortunately, I don't take advantage of all of them. Sometimes I just blow right through them and miss the point. Sometimes, I slow down, take notice and learn a lot. Either way, I am glad that God allows my life to intersect with others and I'm doing my best to take advantage of everyone of them.

How are you handling your intersections?

All roads lead...forward?

Just last week I drove from Cincinnati, OH to Springfield, MO (a drive I have done many times in my life). Exactly one week later, I drove the exact same roads but this time was going from Springfield to Cincinnati. It was on that drive that I began to think about what was happening at that moment in my life. Where was I going? Truthfully, I was returning to where I had just come from. That was a sobering thought for me. I like to think that I am always moving forward in life...always progressing. Can I bemoving forward if I am heading back to where I just came from?

At that moment, I had a little "discussion" with the Lord. It's not that going back to Cincinnati (or any where else that I have been before) is a bad thing. In fact, I was excited to be going back, but I couldn't help but wonder how I could still be moving forward. It didn't take me very long to get an answer: It doesn't really matter if I'm headed back to where I just came from as long as I am not returning the same as when I left.

God did a lot in me during the week I spent in Springfield. I am going back to where I just came from but I'm returning different than when I left. I've learned more about myself. I've grown. I've moved forward.

If you're headed back to where you just came from, or somewhere you've been before, how have you changed? Are you moving forward...or just going back?

A Tipped Canoe in Muddy Waters

Recently I had the privilege of speaking at a youth camp in Northern Ohio. One of the activities the campers participated in was a 3-mile canoe trip which they invited me to. I wasn't overly excited about canoeing but was enjoying spending time with the teens so I decided to go. I had one goal in mind: find canoe partners who would agree to go the 3 miles without tipping the canoe. I had several invitations but settled on two girls who promised they had no intentions of getting wet. (After all, you can definitely trust girls more than guys!)

We made our pact to remain dry, hopped into our canoe and headed down river. As you probably know, with paddling a canoe comes an occasional accidental splash. We had not gotten far before I was on the receiving end of one of these "accidental" splashes. Of course, when you get splashes it is understood that you are allowed to retaliate. (At least I thought it was) The "accidental" splashes soon turned into large, purposeful splashes. Before I knew it, I was wet. My feet were wet. My seat was wet. However, we were having fun so it wasn't that bad.

With splashing comes consequences. Less than half-way through our 3-mile trip, we were doing our best to soak each other. Then it happened....SPLASH! Our canoe tipped and the three of us were in muddy water up to our chest. What had started as innocent splashing had now escalated to a broken promise and three soaked canoe partners. None of us wanted to get wet!

Isn't our spiritual life much like this canoe trip? When we start out we have every intention of living right. We even make promises to do so. It isn't long until we get "splashed." We never plan on sinning...we don't expect it...it just happens...and we get a little dirty. Before we know it, we start thinking that the "splashing" which first inconvenienced us is actually a little fun so we do it some more. Then it happens: we tip! We find ourselves soaked and in muddy water up to our chest.

Much like our canoe trip, in our spiritual lives we flip the canoe back over, empty out all the water, climb back in and start heading back down river. For the three of us in the canoe that day, the next tip didn't seem near as bad...except that the canoe hit one of the girls in the head. The second tip didn't just get us wet, it hurt a little. It took us a little longer to get back into the canoe.

If we aren't careful, the same is true in our spiritual lives. Instead of climbing back in the canoe and trusting the Son to dry us out, we continue to allow ourselves to tip (and it may even hurt a little). Before long, we don't even see the need for the canoe and are settled to stay in the muddy water.

God help us to learn from our "accidental" splashes and avoid the temptation to let our guard down. God help us to keep our lives clean and avoid the muddy water. If you're still in your canoe, stay focused and keep paddling. If you've tipped your canoe, flip it over, empty it of all the muddy water, climb back in and trust the Son to dry you once again!

Destructive Honesty & Beautiful Feet

WARNING: You may not be ready to hear this...

I am real. Real issues. Real problems. Real Struggles. I argue with my wife. I get angry with my kids. I sometimes get annoyed with people. [Maybe even you =) ] There are days I am self-conscious and feel worthless. I could go on and on but it all comes down to this:

I am just like you!

I am nothing...without the amazing love, grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. I have a real need for a real Savior. I realize I may have just destroyed your idea of who I am.

Maybe you're wondering, "Why is he telling me all of this?" I promise this isn't a therapy session or some emotional cleansing. I'm telling you all of this because there is something else I need to tell you about me:

I have beautiful feet!

You've probably seen my feet. I am sorry about that. You may be thinking, "They're not that nice!" I'd have to agree so let me explain. Isaiah 52:7 says, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings...that publisheth salvation." You might recognize this verse as quoted by Paul in Romans 10:15. My whole life I have heard it said that missionaries are spiritual heroes. I am a missionary. I've been told I'm a spiritual hero. Scripture says I have beautiful feet. I don't feel like a spiritual hero. I don't feel like I have beautiful feet. If you've already forgotten, go back and read the first paragraph. I am just like you.

I understand why we put missionaries on pedestals, but now that I'm on one of those pedestals...there is a lot of pressure up there. I can't deny what Scripture says about us: we have beautiful feet. (I guess) So, even though I don't want to be or feel comfortable on a pedestal, I understand why we are there. David was called "a man after God's own heart." Now that is some pressure.

I'm not asking you to take missionaries off the pedestal. I'm not saying you shouldn't believe missionaries have beautiful feet. I'm not saying missionaries shouldn't be your spiritual heroes. I am asking you to remember that we are not perfect. We struggle. We hurt. We sin. (Sorry if you weren't ready for that one) We needed, and still need, Jesus Christ just as much as you do. We need to be loved. We need to be encouraged. We need to be forgiven. We need to be prayed for.

We are missionaries. We will continue to have beautiful feet. We will continue to stand on the pedestal. (Though that becomes very difficult when the stones are tossed our way) We will continue to be spiritual heroes. (But not superheroes) We will continue...

I Timothy 4:12-16-

"Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee."

We need you.

II Chronicles 11:24-28

"Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, THE CARE OF ALL THE CHURCHES."

We are missionaries.

Thank you for caring for us!