I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before - I probably haven't since I've been horrible at keeping up my blog in the last 6 months or so - but I've been reading through Emotionally Healthly Spirituality by Pete Scazzero (I'm not positive I have his last name correct, but suffice it to say he's a pastor of a church in Brooklyn, New York).
Anyway, my point is that God has really used this process to develop in my a sense of intentionally taking time at points throughout my day to stop...and just be still before the Lord...and enjoy Him, for Who He is and how He's has so lovingly treated me (and all those who are united with Jesus) with forgiveness and strength and encouragement and constant love so that I can learn to love Him and follow Him wherever He leads me.
It's really an amazing experience to be able to have the privilege of spending time with the Maker and Lord of Heaven and Earth! It really is! There is a heavenly joy there that satisfies very deeply.
God is so good!
Oh, by the way, our 1st Christmas in Lima was awesome. Sara's sister came into town and we so enjoyed meeting her at the airport, then opening gifts, then eating pancakes then, of all things, going to the beach! It will be a memorable Christmas, no doubt!
27 December 2008
11 December 2008
Holidays
Wow. Thanksgiving has past and Christmas is on the way! How quick things move.
Thanksgiving was awesome even though leading up to the day itself I had a strange sense that this was nothing like what it should be. But, when the decorations went up and the people came over and the food was eaten - oh yeah, it was Thanksgiving. It ended up being one of the most delightful Thanksgivings that I can remember. It really was a blessing.
Thanks, Lord. It was unexpected in light of our first one away from family.
Christmas is on the way, as well as a transition from full time language school/tutor to ministry. I'm "chomping at the bit" as they say to get involved and yet, at the same time, I am fearful of attempting to minister in light of my level of Spanish. Clearly, this is a great case of seeking the Lord's grace and power to be at work in my huge weakness.
Thanksgiving was awesome even though leading up to the day itself I had a strange sense that this was nothing like what it should be. But, when the decorations went up and the people came over and the food was eaten - oh yeah, it was Thanksgiving. It ended up being one of the most delightful Thanksgivings that I can remember. It really was a blessing.
Thanks, Lord. It was unexpected in light of our first one away from family.
Christmas is on the way, as well as a transition from full time language school/tutor to ministry. I'm "chomping at the bit" as they say to get involved and yet, at the same time, I am fearful of attempting to minister in light of my level of Spanish. Clearly, this is a great case of seeking the Lord's grace and power to be at work in my huge weakness.
29 November 2008
11 November 2008
Immigration
So, yesterday and today Sara and I spent all day in the office of immigrations in Lima. We were waiting to finally get our "carnets." These are are permanent resident ID cards while we stay here in Peru. The process took almost 9 months, but it happened! Yeah!
Thank God for giving us patience through these two days of 5 hours of waiting in line to get these done. We could easily have given up and been mad but God graciously poured out His grace and patience into our hearts. For that, we are thankful.
And our dear brother in Christ and friend, Enrique, was instrumental in getting this to work. Wow! I can't say enough about him and his faithfulness through this whole time.
Thank God for giving us patience through these two days of 5 hours of waiting in line to get these done. We could easily have given up and been mad but God graciously poured out His grace and patience into our hearts. For that, we are thankful.
And our dear brother in Christ and friend, Enrique, was instrumental in getting this to work. Wow! I can't say enough about him and his faithfulness through this whole time.
14 October 2008
Mis Padres (My Parents)
Hey Y'all,
My parents were just in Lima, Peru (of all places) hanging out with their grandkids (and me and Sara, too, of course). It was wild and fun to have them here. At first they were a little concerned about what it would be like to stay here for 10 days. But, after that first taxi ride where they got to experience traffic in Lima and all the craziness that it entails....and they lived through it, they were fine.
We had a fantastic time reconnecting with them after last seeing them back in February before we left the States. It was a real blessing from Jesus to have them here and we are grateful to Him for allowing them to come stay with us for a bit.
They are back in the States now, safe and sound.
My parents were just in Lima, Peru (of all places) hanging out with their grandkids (and me and Sara, too, of course). It was wild and fun to have them here. At first they were a little concerned about what it would be like to stay here for 10 days. But, after that first taxi ride where they got to experience traffic in Lima and all the craziness that it entails....and they lived through it, they were fine.
We had a fantastic time reconnecting with them after last seeing them back in February before we left the States. It was a real blessing from Jesus to have them here and we are grateful to Him for allowing them to come stay with us for a bit.
They are back in the States now, safe and sound.
03 October 2008
Chesterfield Pres!
So, exciting news to report: five brothers in Christ came to Lima for several days just this past week to see what the Lord is doing and what the possibility is for them and their church, Chesterfield Pres in St. Louis, to be involved here.
It was awesome! These guys (and I know that you guys are reading this, but I'm being honest) were a real blessing to meet and spend time with. Clearly, it was something the Lord put together for them to be able to be here and spend time with us, the Lima New City mission team and some of our dear Peruvian brothers and sisters in the Lord, and to see the need that is here.
I don't know what the Lord has in mind with Chesterfield, but I, for one, am praying and hoping for the Lord to give us the priviledge of staying connected in an ongoing, meaningful way in the years to come. But, as we all know, the Lord doesn't have to listen to all of my ideas :) on the contrary, I need to shut up more often, listen and pay attention to His ideas! :) And so, I will wait on Him to see what He will say and do.
Also, this was my first time in San Clemente, a town that is a 3 1/2 hour bus ride south of Lima that was severely hit by the earthquake of August 2007. There is a whole neighborhood that grew up there that is entirely made up of folks who lost EVERYTHING in the earthquake. They lost their houses and all of their possessions and many lost family, too. So, the government gave them resources to build these "shacks" or as I call them "thatch huts" to be able to have something to call a home. But, the needs are great here among them. The need for reconstruction, the need for their hearts to get the Gospel and live for His Kingdom and the need for caring for all the many, many, many children that are there. And all of this revels the need for a church to be planted there to build up the Church that Christ has begun to build there. Many new believers there in San Clemente are asking for a church to be planted among them.
So, please, pray for San Clemente and the needs there that King Jesus already knows about is and is fast at work to meet them. Then, also, pray for those believers who may need to answer Christ's call to go and work among those dear souls.
Okay, all for now.
It was awesome! These guys (and I know that you guys are reading this, but I'm being honest) were a real blessing to meet and spend time with. Clearly, it was something the Lord put together for them to be able to be here and spend time with us, the Lima New City mission team and some of our dear Peruvian brothers and sisters in the Lord, and to see the need that is here.
I don't know what the Lord has in mind with Chesterfield, but I, for one, am praying and hoping for the Lord to give us the priviledge of staying connected in an ongoing, meaningful way in the years to come. But, as we all know, the Lord doesn't have to listen to all of my ideas :) on the contrary, I need to shut up more often, listen and pay attention to His ideas! :) And so, I will wait on Him to see what He will say and do.
Also, this was my first time in San Clemente, a town that is a 3 1/2 hour bus ride south of Lima that was severely hit by the earthquake of August 2007. There is a whole neighborhood that grew up there that is entirely made up of folks who lost EVERYTHING in the earthquake. They lost their houses and all of their possessions and many lost family, too. So, the government gave them resources to build these "shacks" or as I call them "thatch huts" to be able to have something to call a home. But, the needs are great here among them. The need for reconstruction, the need for their hearts to get the Gospel and live for His Kingdom and the need for caring for all the many, many, many children that are there. And all of this revels the need for a church to be planted there to build up the Church that Christ has begun to build there. Many new believers there in San Clemente are asking for a church to be planted among them.
So, please, pray for San Clemente and the needs there that King Jesus already knows about is and is fast at work to meet them. Then, also, pray for those believers who may need to answer Christ's call to go and work among those dear souls.
Okay, all for now.
20 September 2008
Oops...I Forgot I Have A Blog :)
So, I was kindly reminded last night about this blog and how I have not written anything in a very long time (July 30th, I believe was the last entry).
I want to apologize. I have let my habit go and that makes me sad. ;(
BUT I'M BACK! So, let's get this thing started once again.
It is amazing to me that we've been here in Lima, Peru for 7 months! It's a whole new world still to me but I do feel much more settled in. Time does that, doesn't it?
The challenge for me, in addition to the normal desparately needed prayer for learning Spanish well, is beginning to get from the Lord what specifically He wants me to be involved in here. I mean, I have my ideas but as Scripture says, "Proverbs 16:9 'In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.'"
So, I need much patience but also intentionality to pursue that part of God's Kingdom that he's placed on my heart.
To this end I'll share here the verses that REALLY light a fire in my heart:
Proverbs 31:8-9
8 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy."
I was drawn to come here because I wanted to be a part of the Lord caring for those dear souls who are lost and oppressed and need to surrender their hearts as well as their needs to the Lord.
And Ezekiel 11:19-20
19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
Plus, there is the constant need for people to be shepherded in and encouraged in this reality: God does in fact have the power to change a heart - to change a life. No one is beyond hope and no believe ever needs to dispair for his/her own failures or others. God is in the business of changing the very nature of sinners. I love this story!
All for now. I'll write a little later.
Jim
I want to apologize. I have let my habit go and that makes me sad. ;(
BUT I'M BACK! So, let's get this thing started once again.
It is amazing to me that we've been here in Lima, Peru for 7 months! It's a whole new world still to me but I do feel much more settled in. Time does that, doesn't it?
The challenge for me, in addition to the normal desparately needed prayer for learning Spanish well, is beginning to get from the Lord what specifically He wants me to be involved in here. I mean, I have my ideas but as Scripture says, "Proverbs 16:9 'In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.'"
So, I need much patience but also intentionality to pursue that part of God's Kingdom that he's placed on my heart.
To this end I'll share here the verses that REALLY light a fire in my heart:
Proverbs 31:8-9
8 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy."
I was drawn to come here because I wanted to be a part of the Lord caring for those dear souls who are lost and oppressed and need to surrender their hearts as well as their needs to the Lord.
And Ezekiel 11:19-20
19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
Plus, there is the constant need for people to be shepherded in and encouraged in this reality: God does in fact have the power to change a heart - to change a life. No one is beyond hope and no believe ever needs to dispair for his/her own failures or others. God is in the business of changing the very nature of sinners. I love this story!
All for now. I'll write a little later.
Jim
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