Sunday, April 17, 2011

I Sam.15:22...Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Gloria a Dios. I am so thankful that God is who he is. Today Leticia and I visited a new church with other missionaries. Oh my, it was an answered prayer. I have visited several here, but none have been where I could call home. I have prayed, Lord put me in a true Pentecostal church. One where they actually DO what your word says. James says we have to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. I want a church that practices what it preaches. I want a church that gives time for the Holy Spirit to move. I want a church that truly takes time to worship, not sing 3 or 4 songs, everybody sits down and then we are taught from some book and author other than the Bible and the Holy Spirit. I want a church where the Lord speaks to his people with messages in tongues with the interpretations thereof. I want a church that anoints the sick and believes God's word for them. Jude said "that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints." What was that faith? And what was he telling us when he used the word contend?

This morning the Pastor said to turn to James 5:13. I knew what was coming, and I could have jumped out of my seat for joy, but I held myself back. And sure enough, he started talking about healing and bless his heart, he confirmed what I've been saying. We don't have to hold on to sickness, and it doesn't matter how old you are. The rest is me saying what I feel. Jesus didn't take those stripes for nothing, but many times I feel the church counts them as nothing by the way they act. I always hear what the doctors say, but not what God says about the situation. If God can't heal you, then know for sure the doctors can't. And if it's God's will for you to be sick, then why are you going to a doctor? And it isn't God's will for us to be sick, otherwise He wouldn't have provided healing. And now I hear those infamous words, "yeah, but..." Find "yeah but" in God's word. And I was so thankful that I could get anointed for a cough I've been battling. So am I healed? Of course. Isa.53:5, James5:15, and I Pet. 2:24. It's a horrible feeling to know what God's word tells you to do, and you can't find a church that does it or doesn't take the time to let you know that if you are sick and need be prayed for that they will do it. Very sad. I wonder at times what God thinks about it all.

Now comes an exciting event. When we were all walking out of the building, one of the ushers, I thought, said I had vomit on the back of my slacks. I put my hand back there to feel, and sure enough, they were wet. However, I had not heard that familiar sound when a child vomits. Well, he was ushering me and Leticia outside to the bathrooms. The ladies were all full so he stuck me in the men's bathroom and left. One of the guys with him was wanting to hold my purse while I cleaned up. Clean up with what? No paper of any kind, no water other than what was in the toilet. So I went outside again,and he put me back in there. So I went back out the third time and said, "no entiendo" which means I don't understand rather loudly. He gave me a cup of water, and Leticia came in to wipe the stuff off with that and her tissues while the other guy took my purse. Are you getting the picture? Well, Leticia had some on her behind, too. So here we are wiping this stuff off. I smelled it, of course, while Leticia is basically saying don't do that. These people are so afraid of small stuff. Well, I'm sorry, it didn't smell like puke! In fact, it smelled like French dressing. The orange kind in the bottle. In fact, I know that's what it was. I can't believe how fast all this took place to the point that things "you know" aren't right, but at the same time they aren't registering in the brain correctly. Well, these guys got my "purse". They are surely very disappointed, because what they got was my English/Spanish parallel Bible. Maybe $4 or $5 dollars in change, if that much, my prayer cards, a tube of lipstick, a comb, a pen, a few pieces of candy, and maybe a copy of my passport. And my eyeglass case, and I just remembered I had 2 Lempiras from Honduras worth about 40 cents in my Bible. And the purse was actually the bag I carry to go shopping. So my prayer for them is that they can't get away from the Word! I pray they get so convicted that they have to get saved in order to have peace!! Wouldn't that be just like our God? So that's my exciting day so far. Of course the day isn't over yet!!!

Friday past was graduation day for some. It was a day of gladness and sadness just like any graduation. Some left the following day and some will leave this week. I will miss one family in particular. Corey and I love to spar! Some people think we are arguing, but we're actually having fun. We have a good time. So Corey I will definitely miss those fun times. Tona, whom I've heard can cut you like a knife but you never know it because she does it so sweetly, I will miss you. Maggie, so quiet, and Alex, the ideal escort. You're a great family, and I pray God's blessings upon you, and that his will be performed in each of your lives as individuals and as a family. I love you guys.

And tomorrow my granddaughter has her 22nd birthday. Congrats Kelcie.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Isa.64:9...eye hath not seen nor ear heard ...things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Two more weeks and the first trimester will be over. Praise the Lord! Only three more trimesters to go. Reminds me of counting down semesters in college. So glad when one was over and excited to start the next.

So we returned from three days in Panama yesterday. We went to the city of David about 45 minutes from the Costa Rica/Panama border. David has a big Jewish population. Can't you tell by the name? It's a very nice sized city. We could walk downtown from the hotel, and that was nice. It's super hot there, and we were all happy to have air conditioners in our rooms especially at night. There is a store called Conway that is owned by Target, and the o in Conway has the Target logo. Interesting. We had to take a cab there which usually cost about $2 each way, but everybody usually chips in so it isn't quite so expensive. And the best of course was a Momentos coffee shop similar to Starbucks close to the hotel. Absolutely heavenly! Also I asked Leticia to ask one of the workers in Conway if she knew a good place to get our hair cut. Sure enough, so we went there. $4. Great! And we learned that Betsy, the young lady who cut our hair went to an Assembly of God church. God truly does direct our paths.

One thing you learn to do in Latin America is to walk. I praise God that I've always been a walker. So to walk a couple of miles is not a big deal. Therefore we walked downtown more than once to go to the store Picadilly. Talk about cheap! I bought a nice looking watch for three bucks. No, it isn't an expensive brand name, but that's ok. If it gets stolen or it quits working, I won't cry or lose much. I'm sure batteries here cost more than $3. And my old, cheap watch is about ready to die, and all the coating has worn off, so it has a bronzed look! Totally different than any other watch I've seen.

We stopped on the way back in Dominical, I hope that's the name, for lunch. The place was playing 60's and 70's music which was interesting. But then I went to take a picture of the front of the place, and there next to the sign, up in the air, was an old van like the hippies use to drive. Well, that spoke volumes. And then I learned that this place was a surfer's paradise. So we all went down to the beach. No shells, only rocks of all sizes. And sure enough there were surfers out there riding the waves. And of course the usual venders selling their wares. Then back on the bus and away we went.

But I think of the greatness and bigness of God. I look at the expanse of the ocean and the sky, and I get overwhelmed by just how great is our God. His intelligence we can't even begin to fathom. And yet He knows me, everything about me, and He loves me anyway. But as I told Ritchie, He loves the prostitute down the street, too. That's just to keep things in their proper perspective. And we can't even begin to out love Him, or out give Him. I think about the things He asked us to give up in order to go to a foreign country, and when everything is looked at from a different angle, we realize that He gives back to us a lot more than we gave up.

And it's interesting the places you call home. We were all so glad to return "home" to CINCEL. Normally, everybody tries to get away from here. Most all feels like it's kind of like being in a prison. The scenery, what scenery? There isn't anything that's really eye pleasing here. The creek (people call it a river, but it's really a tiny creek)next to our living quarters, we call peepeecaca because it smells so bad. But we were all ready to be home! And we praised God for a safe trip and for not having any problems at the borders. Speaking of the borders. You have to drive your vehicle, however large or small, through this car washing thing to wash off the bugs, dust, or whatever before entering or leaving either of the two countries! We all thought that was a little amusing and strange.

So serving God is an adventure. Sometimes it's not so much fun, but in the end it will all be worth it. The things He has planned for us if we are willing to follow him definitely includes a cross, come and die, but also to live life to the fullest. And I pray that He keeps me on that potter's wheel always in order that I may hear those precious words, well done thou good and faithful servant.