Nicaragua, Day 3

Hola,
Wow what a day. We started out having time to read our bibles and allow God to speak to us. We met for breakfast and Luke led us in a devotion. He read from Romans 6. We prayed about our day and asked the Lord to guide us every step of the way. We had a nice breakfast which included freshly squezed orange juice, toast, eggs, ham, and fruit. Lynn and Glen drove us to the school that we would be working at starting on Sat. It has several concrete dorms and classrooms that need to be painted on the inside and out. We all gave money to purchase supplies which included about 13 gallons of paint. We also have a concrete wall that needs to be broken down around the pool. The guys will use sledge hammers to break it apart. I may get a few licks in too. We played football(soccer) with two of the students and had a great time. We found William a guitar so he could play music while we were here at the church's we visit. We planned out the rest of our time here so we can get alot done. They do not want us to work on New Years Day so they are going to take us to the beach with a few of the orphans. It is very hot here so I will be back with a tan.
Our prayer request is to continue to follow God's plan here in Nicaragua. That we all stay well and have the energy to work hard and daily. God has opened our eyes and we have heard Him speak. Be thankful for what you have and give to those who need food and shelter. It is really hard to see all of the poverty here in Nicaragua. We may not can help everyone this trip but we can pray for them that there needs will somehow be met.
We love and miss you all.
Happy New Year!!
In Christ,
Ginny

Day 2, Nicaragua

Hola amigos :]

The offical day one is coming to an end. Today was so great. God is showing us so much about his people in Nicaragua. We started the day off with a trip to the market. It was very different than anything I've ever experience. Vendors ages 4 to 84 lined the streets with their various goods. We were able to use some of the money everyone back home gave to by shoes for the local pastor and his family. Praise God! We got SEVEN pairs of shoes for only about 90 dollars! Afterwards, Luke and Pastor Manuel went and bought us pizzas for lunch. They were great, very different taste. The guys also got to share Jesus with the workers at the pizza place. They said they knew Christ already so they encouraged them to share to others who didn't. Then we went and got ice cream. Again, a different taste. It was very rich. Only a dollar for 2 big scoops. After the ice cream we came back for naps. Walking around everywhere really wears you out! Then, my personal favorite of the day; church. A three hour sevice. When we got there the people greeted us with smiles and hugs. They were so beautiful. You could just see Christ radianting through them. The church service contained singing and dancing and a wonderful message. It was a lot different than any service I've ever been to. We met so many wonderful people after the service. Like back at Shiloh, our crew we the last ones out. Broken english and spanish conversations were going on everywhere. It is so neat to talk to the people here. You'd be surprised how much you have to brush up on your spanish, and quick! We met one little girl who was so precious. She was eight and was visiting from Costa Rica. Everytime Tiffany or I would look at here she would just smile the biggest smile. I was able to talk to her in spanish and she gave me a big hug before we left. She's my best friend down here. :] We also met a young woman named Ruth. She's Pastor Manuel's daughter. She is such a Godly women. All the people we've met here are wonderful. They have next to nothing. The same thing that lines our trashcans puts a roof over their heads. You're considered rich if your house is made out of concrete walls. It's incredible and so humbling. We are blessed beyond measure. Our hope and prayer is that although these people don't have many physical thing, hopefully they have Christ. And if they don't we are praying that we can bring a clear, inspired message of the gospel.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. [Psalm 90:1-2]

That is Ruth's favorite verse. He is God. He is in control and has been since the beginning of time. Although proverty is heartbreaking here, we have to put our trust in the God of provision. Jehovah-jireh.

You can be praying for us by lifting up the people here:

Pastor Manuel and his family.
- Pray for there health and well being.
- Pray God provides food and clothing.
- Pray God one day provides him with a church building.

Pray that La Quinta, the church that we went to today.
- Pray for the people there.

Pray for the people on they streets.
- Pray God will give salvation
- Pray for a revival in the community.

Pray for the doctors and medical clincs.
- Pray for supplies.
- Pray for more doctors and nurses.

Also pray for us, that we will continue to do the work God has planned out for us. Pray we don't get bogged down in emotion and shock but we stay focused on Christ.

Hope all is well.

Dios te bendiga!

-Courtney

Day 1, Nicaragua

Well we have arrived safely in Nicaragua, and we will be trying to update as much as possible in order to keep all of those worried parents updated. It was one eventful day, and I would say that everyone in the group is wore out. Especially since we have been up since 4 a.m., it was just one of those long days. But we have had a blast down here, and seeing the beautiful country. God's hand is consuming every bit of it, but no different than anywhere else. We will keep posting and updating for all who want to see what is going on. Not much happened, just a lot of travel, and now we are all about to head to bed for a good nights rest.

"But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified h by his grace as a gift,through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." Romans 3:21-26



What we need prayer for: We need prayer for strength for the coming weeks, and that when situations occur, we will realize how to handle them properly. And if confrontation occurs, we will see that it is another attempt of Satan to spoil our plan. Also for the hearts of those we will be sharing with, boldness to carry out the message, and a message that accords with Scripture.

-LP

I haven't been on here in a while, due to the undertaking of many novels. But a lot has happened in the past couple of weeks. While I have no idea who God truly is, he's revealed a little of himself to me, maybe a grain of sand worth, I am not even sure if it is that much. But through him revealing himself, we are going to Nicaragua, because I know that God desires to see His people have a relationship with him, through Jesus Christ. And hopefully, while we are there we can help some people who are in a deep state of need. But don't get me wrong, while I may be going to Nicaragua, I desire to be a missionary here in the local area. And please hold me to accountable to that. I want to bring this radical life-changing message that turned my world upside down to those all around me as well. Please pray for the team that is going to Nicaragua, but please pray for me as I am a missionary to wherever I am. Because you don't have to go overseas to be a missionary, you can do it right at home.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, in Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

So where ever we are, we are to be His witnesses, His missionaries, His evangelists. Pray for us as we go, but also pray for all those at home who are sharing with everyone they come into contact with.

Go

"And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." -Matthew 28:18-20

I think somewhere between the time that I was saved and up until these past few weeks I have never understood this passage. I always thought, wow that is powerful, but it was never life-changing for me. It wasn't until I came to Southeastern that God has began to show a little bit of light on that passage to me. Don't we always use to copt out, well that is only for missionaries, or that is only for pastors? Jesus said go, and in my mind he meant all of those who are in Christ. Now, if I am wrong please show me, but show me using God's scriptures. But wait you say, I am not called to go overseas, so be it, be a missionary in the United States, for heaven's sake be a missionary to your neighbors, to your coworkers, to your best friend.

I heard Dr. Akin say this in my Hermeneutics class the other morning, it went something along the lines of "We shouldn't wait for God to call us, we should be praying God why shouldn't I go? There are over one and a half billion people who have never heard the name of Jesus, not even once. How could we miss this statement that Jesus said that much?

The Sanctuary of God

Suffering, a theme very prevalent in today's world. We often ask "why this is happening to me?" or better yet we blame God and say "Why would a loving God let this happen to me?" We've all been there, you and me both. Now I am not trying at all to get deep theological, I am just producing thoughts that bring light to my faults. But I think when we start to ask those questions is when we lose sight on what we are on this earth forth. Number one, to worship God. You and I were made to worship. It's not about us and it never has. "In the beginning God....." That is who it is about. God.

As I was reading ESPN the Magazine this morning, Kenny Mayne, in an interview with Tim Tebow, said something along the lines of: How can a God pick and choose who lives and who doesn't? How does someone who has cancer live and beat it out while the next door patient dies from it? And Tebow responded in my mind perfectly, He stated that we are to live to fulfill God's purpose for our lives and He has a different purpose for each of us. But the main point was that we are to live for God. And that phrase is thrown around all too often of "living for God". Do your homework and really understand what it means to take up your cross and follow Jesus. Because I dare say with a clear conscience that if you aren't suffering for the cause of Christ then you may not be living for God. It isn't easy, and it isn't always fun. You will lose friends, relationships, and sometimes even family members, but then after all of that the question lies of how much of yourself are you willing to give up in order to pursue God?

And better yet, you may now ask well why do the righteous suffer while the ungodly gain? The world is filled with people who profit in everything they do, but once again we have lost sight on what is most important.


A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped.

For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek.

They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.

Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.

Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.

They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.

They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.

Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them.

And they say, "How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?"

Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.

All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.

For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.

If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,

until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.

-Psalm 73:1-17

Sola gratia

God's grace is unfathomable. When one tries to think of what He has done for us, you wonder why He would even bother, and you cannot know the cost of the Cross. I don't think that we will ever be able to understand fully what took place that day, I know that I will never. It is beyond me to comprehend that, but all I can say is praise the Lord for it, and thank you Jesus for what you did because even in my terrible, sinful, awful, disgusting, down right loathable state you still chose me. YOU still chose me. Then again, you've chose all of us disgusting creatures. Wow. Take a moment, and reflect on that if you want to make your head start to spin. But none of this is news to Him, He knows how terrible we are, but He still chooses us. Take a look at Jeremiah 1:5, where God is calling Jeremiah, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." He knows each and everyone of us before we come into existence, and He still chooses us.

"There is, however, equally great incentive to worship and love God in the thought that, for some unfathomable reason, he wants me as his friend, and desires to be my friend, and has given his Son to die for me in order to realize this purpose." -J.I. Packer

Words cannot explain what this emotion this brings, how thankful we should be of God, how much praise He deserves. And isn't it wild to think that God knows us, and we have a way to know God because He chose to know us, and He allowed that to happen. He knows me as a friend and I am always on His mind no matter what. He is always thinking of me, and loves me that much to put that much importance on me. We think that we can't stop thinking about someone when we are in a relationship with them, but multiply that by a number that is so vast we can't comprehend that and that is how much God thinks about us, and how much He loves us. He sent His Son to die in our place!!!!!!! To pay that price that we should be paying for our wickedness. I cannot even think on that. Lord give me wisdom to discern what you have done for us so that I may know you better.

Bless the Lord, O My Soul

Well I am sitting here once again in my dorm. I used to didn't be a night person, well I go through phases. I was, then I wasn't, now I am. Ha, what an awesome gift from God. I am just hoping He gives me the strength to carry on day after day. He is knitting me together, He is weaving my mind, one thread at a time to fulfill His purpose.

"O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with these things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore." -Psalm 131

So I have been working through the Psalms these past two weeks for Old Testament II. And I just can't keep up. From moments of apathy reading it trying to finish it, to moments of praise and awe of the Father. My mind, is diving in and out of itself, my heart longs to understand who God really is. Have we ever thought on God? Can we say that we know Him? Sure, we will never understand His ways, just look out into the world. How do the flowers bloom? How does the sun rise? Sure we can give scientific explanations for most of these, but then where do these explanations come from. Have we ever marveled at science? When we truly study science, worship of the Creator comes along. I want to know God. I want to experience Him with all of my being.

"The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage our attention is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God" -C.H. Spurgeon

Pilot

Well I don't know why I have really started this, but one thing is for certain, I want to get my thoughts out. I don't know exactly what all is going through my head at the moment. But one thing is for certain, God is trying to bust through. He is trying to gain the upper hand in the battle of my mind, the 17 years that I spent in this world, whil I was at enemity with God, but the only thing hindering that right now is myself. It all rests on me. God is right there waiting for me to give up. To quit fighting against Him. To let go of myself. How much of God do I really want in my life? How much of myself am I willing to get up?

Last night I was in another room and just talking to some guys about things that were going on. Not much was really said except that there aren't any words to describe what is going on in our heads. It is really overwhelming to take it all in at first. But it was good just to talk. I am no superhuman Christian nor have I ever claim to be. I am no more special than anyone else that is placed on this earth. It was by grace that God allowed me to enter into His prescence, and I do not understand why I don't do that more often, Why do I not strive for God continually with all my being, as if nothing else matters. But the question that has been eating at my flesh, eating at my mind, as a continual battle raging within me is: Do I really know God?

I don't want to ramble on these things all night, but it is just something that I want to do, with every bit of my innermost being, I want to know God. But can I...will I see that my goal is accomplished? Or will I compromise my spiritual health for my worldly satisfaction?

"...yet interest in theology, and knowledge about God, and the capacity to think clearly and talk well on Christian themes, is not at all the same thing as knowing Him." - J.I. Packer

"In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!" -Psalm 31