Much has happened in the last two days. On Sunday, some of our church people met here at my house to hear our pastor preach the word.  And yesterday morning, one of our beloved pastors went to be with the Lord.

Some weeks ago ago, I said to my pastor that if Jesus could teach/preach outside, then so could he.  So this past week, he came and said that we would have church on Sunday morning at ten o'clock at my house.  I asked him how many were coming and he told me that he didn't know. Well, lo and behold, there were about seventeen including a few children. It was so awesome to sing praises to the Lord along with  the pastor while he played the guitar. Of course, everybody was wearing their masks, and using the gel to wash their hands when they came through the gate. I didn't wear mine, but I will this week. From all the research that I've done, the masks really don't do anything to protect you, they simply make people feel safer. But to make people feel more at ease, I will concede. So we all sat outside on my patio and listened to the pastor. After he finished, those that were sick were prayed for. Everybody was so happy to be "in church" again. To be able to see and talk to each other. You know, it was the Lord that said it wasn't good that Adam should be alone. He made us to be social creatures. Everybody needs their "alone" time, but we also need to be around people. And we had not been together since March 15 of this year. That's a long time. But aren't we thankful that the Lord said that He would never leave or forsake us? Even when we don't have each other, He is always with us to hear us, teach us, and love us. I thank him so much for his written word that He will use it to speak us always.

So yesterday, I heard that Pastor Miguel Montoya in Tegucigalpa went to be with the Lord. He was the pastor of CEAD church in Tegucigalpa. He had been in the hospital a couple of weeks with covid.  He will be missed by so many people. I went to his church several times and one of the first sermons that I heard after coming here was a sermon preached by his wife, Jackie. I didn't know much Spanish at all at that time, but I understood her message. I think the title was, "In Spite Of..." That's the English translation, but I've never forgotten it. The church has around 8,000 members now.  Of course it wasn't that big in 2009. But life goes on, yes? I know that the Lord has a plan for Jackie and CEAD, and it's a good plan even though we don't understand why Pastor Miguel was taken home at such an early age. He was 46, but people die at every age. Psalms 31 says that our (my) times are in the Lord's hands. And when our time is finished here, we will leave this physical world. But oh, what a world there is that is waiting for us!! To be with the Lord forever is a Christian's desire. So we will see Pastor Miguel again along with others that have gone on before us. But our greatest joy will be seeing our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Mark 9:24 Lord I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

 Well, here we are finishing eight months of lockdown. So crazy! This past week the Honduran government lifted the lockdown due to humanitarian efforts for those adversely affected by hurricane Eta. If they can lift the lockdown for that reason, why can't they discontinue it altogether?? It makes no sense. Oh, the people aren't going to be infected due to humanitarian efforts. Really? So what is really going on behind these lockdowns? People need to be thinking about what is really happening instead of being overcome by fear.

Fear is the greatest weapon of the enemy. I know that this sounds a little crazy, but watching movies is one  of my favorite pastimes. And I've noticed that whatever movie it is, when something awful is about to happen, the person becomes so fearful that they cannot act to save themselves or do whatever they need to do to master the situation whether that means to flee or stand and fight. I always ask myself, what would I do in that situation? There are many avenues to learning if we are open minded and want to understand a lot of things.

I praise the Lord Jesus Christ that I am a child of God. He tells us in 2 Tim.1:7 that he hasn't given us a spirit of fear, but love, power, and a sound mind. So why are so many Christians so fearful? Nothing can happen to us unless the Lord permits it. Read Job. Many people blame the devil for all bad things. Well, he couldn't do anything to Job without the Lord's permission. It's the same for us today. God doesn't change. He's the same today, yesterday, and forever. The Lord is always preparing us for whatever. Even now, I wonder how we will use what we are learning and going through now in the future.  The Lord has a plan for everything, and it's always a good plan. The devil maybe the god of this world as the Bible tells us, but he doesn't own the world. God does. Hallelujah!! 

And what do we do if we become afraid of something? So many places in the Bible tells us to talk to the Lord about everything. He already knows our feelings, thoughts, fears, everything. Nothing is hidden from him. He knows everything about us, even things that we don't know about ourselves. My pastor and I were talking about faith last week. The Lord said if you have faith the size of a grain of mustard seed...Pastor said what if you don't. Well, I told him that I believe we should do the same thing as the man who brought his demon possessed son to the disciples. They couldn't deliver his son. And when the Lord asked the man if he believed that he, Jesus could do it, the man replied, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. Faith is a gift of God. It isn't something that we can work up within ourselves. Ephesians 2:8.

Going to church should not take the place of an intimate relationship with the Lord. We have to have that. Many people go to church as does the devil. But what happens when we can't go there? Do we keep up our relationship with the Lord? He's the one that saved us, not the church. Yes, we need to not forsake the assemblies of ourselves as the Bible says, but if it's impossible to go, what do we do? Do we have a personal relationship with the Lord or do we have religion? The two are not the same. 

So the week before last, I was talking to the Lord and telling him that I didn't have any more coffee. I had made some and froze it due the possibility of losing electricity which we did for 4 nights and 3 days and even sometimes during those 3 days. I usually have coffee in the morning and the afternoon. It was afternoon and I didn't have any. So I was talking to Him about it and said that I would make more when the electricity came back on. All is ok. A few minutes after that, I heard someone banging on my metal gate since they couldn't use the electric bell. When I opened the gate, there stood my pastor in the rain with a hot cup of coffee! I was amazed! We just laughed as we hugged each other. And of course, I told him about my conversation with the Lord. What an awesome Heavenly Father I have! He cares about every little thing in my life and yours.  And He will show His care for us in so many different ways if we believe He is who He says He is and trust Him in all and every situation. I don't have coincidences in my life. Do you?

Grace and peace from our Savior Jesus Christ!

 I've decided not to watch the news more than one time a day. Why? It makes me sick! What has happened to the people in the USA? The news is a major gossip outlet. It's all about their personal opinions. When I hear that president Trump will speak, I listen to him. I don't listen to the news reporters afterward. Why? Because I can understand the English language and what he said. The things that are said on all the talking shows are horrible. The sport teams now talking about staying in the locker rooms while the National Anthem is being played is - I don't have a word to describe it. If these people are so against the country where they were born and made all their money, why don't they go to a socialist/communistic country?   The above was written in September and I didn't finish it because I was so frustrated with the events.

Now we are at the end of October, basically. We are now in the beginning of the 8th month of lockdowns. Since yesterday was Sunday, while I was talking to the Lord, I told him that I hadn't been to church in seven months, as if he didn't know.  And a little later, I was going through the tv channels when I hit upon channel 52 called Alfa and Omega, and lo and behold, there was a group of American gospel singers singing In the Everlasting Arms. I was absolutely overjoyed!! Our God is so good all the time as the song says. And when they finished their program, everything went to Spanish including Dr. Charles Stanley's message. But I understood most so all was ok. The Lord always knows what I need and when I need it. And he always supplies as his word says. I'm so glad that I am his child. And now I'm learning the song God Is Good in Spanish. 

Not much else is happening here. I get to go out tomorrow, and I'm hoping that the post office will be  open so I can find out if Honduras is accepting international mail again especially since I rented a box here.

My daughter-in-law was just diagnosed with Covid, so I'm praying that the Lord will grant her a speedy recovery and that my son and granddaughter don't get it.

So until later, be blessed in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Ps.46:10 Be still, and know that I am God...

Today is rather a special day. It's my brother's birthday. If he were alive, we would be celebrating his 78th. However, he died five years ago, but I think of him so often. I used to call him every month and so many times we would just giggle. I remember telling him that I was calling him long distance and all we're doing is laughing and that  we needed  to be talking about something and that made us giggle even more! It makes me laugh now when I think about those times. What pleasant memories I have of him and those times.

Here we are ending our sixth month of lockdown. Who would have thought! However, now we are allowed to leave our homes every ten days instead of every two weeks because they've opened up  Saturday and Sunday. And the little taxis are now operating here in Valle. I love that since I can use one coming home while carrying groceries.  

A couple of weeks ago I went to our little post office here to see if I could receive mail, etc. Sure enough, I can. I was able to rent a mailbox. Always before, if I had mail, it would go to the PIEDAD  post office  box in Tegucigalpa. Now there is no traveling to Tegucigalpa except for "essential" workers, etc. and the post office is downtown. So having a box here will be much better when mail can once again enter the country.  Yeah, there is no international mail entering the country. Isn't that the craziest thing especially since they've opened the national and international airports? I told my son to let me know when he sends me a letter so I'll know how many days it takes to get here. The young lady at the post office told me 12-15 days. We'll see.

All this time in our homes. I've been thinking about what I've learned. Probably the first thing is to be still, Ps.46:10. The next is to be content 1Tim.6:8, and Phil.4:11 as Paul said and to give thanks in all things,  Eph.5:20. I've been so thankful that I don't live in an apartment. I have a house with a front and back yard. So I can go outside and walk around. Many times I've thought of how much worse this could be: no food or water in the stores, and not being able to go to the store, etc. I've also learned to be more dependent on the Lord instead of myself. I've learned that if he doesn't move, what can I do? I'm learning not to panic when I hear bad news because I've learned that he is in control of my life and he will show me what to do or not do. And when I do become fearful about something to stop and talk to him about the situation, my feelings, etc. And always his peace returns to me. That's another thing that I've learned over the years: his peace. When I don't have peace, I talk to him about whatever and he always answers by restoring his peace to me. God is so good. Never did he intend for us to be alone. His promise is to always be with us and to never forsake us regardless of what is going on in or around us. He is a good God.

In one of my many psychology classes years ago I heard that people need three things in their lives:somebody to love, something to do, and something to look forward to. I have people to love, and I look forward to to my student coming every Thursday afternoon and that also gives me something to do. You know the Lord will put us in a place to truly show us who He is and who we are! Now what does that have to do with what I first said? It's that we are so busy and hurry, hurry all the time that we truly don't count the so called little blessings that we do have. We are too busy trying to get more things or trying to do more things. I cannot find one place where the Lord told us to hurry up or to be busy doing all the time. I cannot find one place where Jesus was ever in a hurry. But the world and even the church says we have to be busy all the time. My daughter told me one time that I couldn't even watch a movie without being busy doing something like knitting, sewing, or crocheting. She was right because when I was a little girl and my grandparents got a television I was told sitting and watching it was a waste of time. So I learned to be doing something when watching TV. And I still do much of the time. Only now it's doing puzzles! It's a hard habit to break but I'm learning. Jesus showed me a long time ago that doing something with him is much different than doing something for him. If he's not in it, I don't want to be there. He also said that without him, we can do nothing. That is to say, nothing of spiritual value. And I've learned to walk to the store and downtown at a more leisurely gate instead of hurrying. It's the mind that makes our feet hurry. If we calm our minds, the body will follow. And it's so much better. I enjoy looking at all that God has created for us, and when I think of all the things that I see, I'm amazed at how awesome he truly is. We take these things for granted many times but when we stop to ponder the differences and how truly different they are, we see God in a different light. 

The Lord doesn't waste time or talent. In this time of lockdown, He has things to teach each one of us in our walk with him. And I give him thanks for what He's doing in this time even though I don't understand it all.

Grace and peace to all.

Does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave o'er the land of the free and the brave? Are we brave and free?

That song has been going through my mind for quite  a while this morning. It saddens my heart to see what is happening in the good ole US of A.  So all these people are bowing their knees to whom and for what? I've said, I'll only bow my knees to the Lord Jesus Christ. And the people of the US want these peoples knees on their necks like Mr. Floyd had his neck under that cop's knee? They'll end up just like Mr. Floyd. To whomever you bow, that will be your master. 

So I have been around black people all my life. In fact, in the really little town that I came from, there was only one black family. And everybody called them Aunt Nancy and Uncle Bill. She took care of just about every kid at one time or another in that town. I loved them. And Uncle Bill's funeral was the first funeral that I attended. I was in the third or fourth grade, and I went with my Grandma. And back then everybody kept Halloween. It was so different then. And when you wanted to go to Aunt Nancy's house, you had to stand under the street light that hung over the intersection of the street and call her name. She would recognize your voice, and tell you to come on in her yard. She had a shotgun standing next to her door. She wouldn't shoot you, but she would definitely scare you with it. Now why did she do that? Because back then most people didn't have indoor bathrooms. They had outside toilets, and some teenagers would go around town and tip them over. And every year somebody's toilet would end up in the center of town next to the train station. It makes me laugh now. However, one year my Grandpa came home for lunch and was telling my Grandma  that one of the guys that came into the elevator said that his toilet was tipped over. The only reason that he was a little upset was because his wife was in it when the boys tipped it over! Thank God that she wasn't hurt. 

I went to school with black kids. I lived in Pensacola, Florida for part of my fifth grade. One day my mom and I went to town to a restaurant for lunch. I couldn't understand why black people would get off the walk for us and they had different water fountains than we did. Neither did they eat in the same restaurant with us. When I asked my mom about this, she explained the segregation, etc. It literally hurt my heart. I couldn't even imagine such a thing. I thought about Aunt Nancy, and if she couldn't have come in with me to eat, I think that I might have caused a ruckus of some kind to be sure! How sad and shameful.

When I volunteered in a correctional facility for boys thirteen to eighteen years old, there were black and white kids. And do you know who showed the most respect for the workers there? The black kids. Some of the guards were black and they were fantastic fellows. I prayed for those kids and the guards if I knew there was some kind of problem affecting them. I helped in the special education classroom. And when I left there after three years, I had more farewell cards than I could count that were addressed "To Mom".  So my only really bad experience was with a back person was a fellow that was teaching a class at the university that had to do with the black culture. I signed up for the class because I thought it might help me know more about the black culture especially with the guys at the correctional facility. Boy, was I wrong about that. It was a small class and maybe there were three or four of us that were white. Well, after introductions, the teacher started singing this little ditty that was comparing the shades of black people, and it wasn't very nice. Talk about racism towards your own race!! When he finished, he was standing in front of me and told me that this is what I sang and taught my kids. I looked him straight in the eye and told him that I had never heard that song before. That was the first time ever, and that he must have taught it to his children because I had been around black people all my life and had never heard it. He never said much to me after that. Don't be accusing me of the things that you are doing. That class didn't help me at all, but it did show me for the first time in my life, the racism among the black people. What a shame!

I guess people, even Christians, don't admit that God created all the different peoples and their languages and that he loves them all. Jesus Christ died for every person ever born. And it's interesting that preachers don't talk about Moses marrying an Ethiopian lady. Miriam and Aaron didn't like it at all, especially Miriam. People need to read how the Lord dealt with that situation. He told the Israelites not to marry outside of the Israelite nation due to the gods that the other nations served. It had nothing to do with skin color. He knew that the wives and husbands would turn his people away from him.

So do we judge a person by the color of his skin or by his character? 

So what is to happen to our country? Will that star spangled banner yet wave over the land of the brave and free? Will we be a land of the brave and the free? Since when do we bow before those who stand against our constitution and the godly values that this flag stands for? When we give into the things that are against what our country stands for, we will lose the freedom that many of our citizens died to protect. But at the same time, as a whole, the US has turned it's back on the God that created this country to be a light to the world. And He is no respecter of persons or countries. Remember what happened to Israel when they turned their backs on God. If we, the people of the US, do not turn back to God, we too will be forsaken. There are blessings from the Lord to those that serve and obey him and curses to those who don't. He gave promises to both groups. Read Deuteronomy 28. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is a God of love, mercy, and forgiveness. And He will not force anyone to accept him. He will not go against a person's will. Our eternal life is in our own hands. 

Ps.128:6 Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children...

It's a new day that the Lord has made! On Saturday, I received the news that my new great-granddaughter made her entrance into our family. Yeah! She's a few days early, but all is well. She's beautiful! So I have seen my children's children's children! Of course, not all are of age to do so at this time. So there are more to come at a later date. Praise the Lord for all.

So we are entering our fifth month of lockdown. I wish they would open it back up to one day a week instead of one day every two weeks! So crazy! I haven't been to the physical church for this same amount of time. One day, it will be back. Until then, I just keep up my communication with the Lord and naturally, I still read his word everyday first thing of the morning. He has a plan for each of us and I remind myself everyday to give him thanks for all things as he said to do. Thank the Lord that I have learned that my life and the things that happen to me are in his hands and not mine. He has the control and I just have to remember that. 

I'm thankful that Becky can now drive up here to visit me. When this all first started she wasn't allowed to do that. And of course, the buses from here to anywhere are not running. So her visit helps keep me "sane".  And my pastor and his wife usually come for a visit every two weeks on their day out.   And I try to stop by their house on my day out for a short visit. 

So what am I learning? More patience and trust in the Lord. I'm thankful that I live in a house with front and back yards and not in an apartment. I need space! I've thought several times about a jail cell.  There's not much space in one of those! So I have a lot to be thankful for because things could be a lot worse. I thank the Lord that they are not.

The young man comes every Monday to cut my yard and to take care of the flowers. He's such a nice guy. His six year old son usually comes with him, but he didn't come today. Evidently he touched some kind of tree that he's allergic to and his father said he looks like a Chinaman! So funny. So that gives me another person to talk to. Thank you Lord!

I really do miss my students. One comes on her day out sometimes. I help her with her English and she helps me with my Spanish.  I do a Spanish course online, and I do well. However, it's another story when I don't have a real person to talk with in order to practice. But this too shall pass. 

Grace and peace to you all.

A house divided against itself will not stand Luke11:17

Wow! I can't believe the things I'm seeing concerning my country!! How horrible! And people bowing their knee/knees to a movement? And renouncing their color? Really? To whom you bow your knee, the same will be your master.  I will bow my knee to only one and his name is Jesus Christ.  He made me the color that I am, and  I will not renounce him nor my parents. And isn't it strange that the people that these groups are supposedly defending are the same ones destroying their communities?  Oh but it's not the peaceful protesters; it's the anarchists. Really, why aren't the peaceful ones doing something about it?  The other ones are among them and they see them. Why aren't they calling them out? And no police? Remember that the next time that you need help. There are bad people in every group. There are bad cops, teachers, preachers, parents, children, etc. Does a few make all bad? Even Jesus had a devil in his small group. 

And fear? That's the biggest tool that the devil uses. And now they want to track everybody just in case you might have or come close to someone who has the virus. Wake up people! This is called control. And speaking of control, I wrote an email to a friend the other day comparing this movement with a couple in the 60's and 70's. And guess what? They wouldn't send it. It was blacklisted! I wasn't saying anything bad. I was just comparing them. Free speech? Only if you speak their words. 

So now the world is following this movement. Hum. A house/nation divided will not stand. Good time for the enemies of the US to come in, yes? And for those that want to make this country a socialist country, what don't they move to a socialist country? They surely wouldn't have the riches that they do if they would move there. When I  asked my students to volunteer to do a problem on the whiteboard, there was always someone that would volunteer a friend. I told them, no you cannot volunteer another person. So these representatives that are calling for things that are not American, why are they not doing it first so we can see how it works?  

Paul said there would be perilous times in the last days. Well, here we are. What are we going to do? Jesus warned us that it would be so and for our hearts not to be troubled. Well, my heart was sorely troubled last night and this morning. Praise God that when I called out to him, he delivered me from all of it. We will be tried and tested. We aren't any better than the true Christians that went before us that lived in dangerous times. Jesus said that he who shall endure to the end shall be saved-Mat. 24:13.

I pray that God's children will be the light that we've been called to be.

Grace and peace.

Mat.14:22-32 Walk on water!

In the last week or so, there have been two people that have told me "to hang in there" concerning the pandemic. This statement was their parting "talk to you later." So I shared the reason that I don't like this phrase with one of them. Several years ago, I was told by my boss that I couldn't work in the district where I had been a teacher for ten years.  I was shocked beyond belief. Why? I was never given a reason or an answer to that question. In the ten years there, I had never received a bad evaluation, had no problems with parents, students, or even my coworkers. And all of a sudden, I was told that I couldn't work in that district anymore. I won't go into all the details or name people because it isn't necessary. But one morning, one of my coworkers said,"Hang in there, Beverly." I turned the corner to go to my classroom and I said to the Lord, "Lord, I don't want to hang in there. I don't want to hang by my neck, fingernails, or toenails because you die." Immediately, in my mind, I saw Peter walking on the water, and the lord said,"Walk on water." I knew exactly what he meant. Peter was doing fine until he took his eyes off the Lord. When he looked at the wind, he started to sink. He took his eyes off the Lord and began looking at the problem. Jesus said that he would NEVER leave nor forsake us. And he isn't a man that he should lie. I had no idea why the people did what they did at that time. But in the end, I went to a different district and my pay went up $6000 a year. The Lord turned what was meant to destroy me into a blessing. I liken it to the situation with Joseph and his brothers. They meant Joseph harm, but God meant him good, and the people that caused my problem lost their jobs in the end. 

Walk on water. Keep our eyes on the Lord. Remember his words to us. So this pandemic. Hum. God's word tells us in many places to give God thanks for all things. So I can thank him for this problem because I know that he has a plan. He doesn't always tell us why he allows things to happen the way they do. We are supposed to live by faith in him. So I say thanks Lord. I've never had a time where I had nothing to do or nowhere to go, etc. I can do whatever I want today in my house or my yard. Talk about a total rest! Oh, yeah, there have been days that have been so boring! But as Paul said, learn to be content in whatever. Praise God that we have food, clothes, etc. Have people died in this? Yes, and it's difficult and very sad. But if they died in the Lord, we will see them again. That's a living hope that God's children have. And jobs? If we're children of God, he will supply us with every need including a job, Phil.4:19. We are supposed to be lights to the world, to people that don't know the Lord. How can we be, if we don't live above the problems that surround us?

Many have been beside themselves because they can't attend church services. If church services are the only thing that keeps them safe, spiritually speaking, I'm concerned for them. We, the people, are the church, not the building that we go to every week. Do we not understand that whatever is going on in our lives that Jesus is right in the middle of it with us? I don't like it when I hear Christians pray, Lord be with us. Well, where else is he? He said he would be with us even to the end of the world. Emmanuel means God with us! 

So God has a purpose for allowing this pandemic. And maybe it's meant to make people stop and think about their lives. What are they doing and what really are the important things in their lives? It's time to think about what are we doing and where are we going. I asked my 9th graders one time to think about two things:what do you believe and why do you believe it? Don't tell me but answer this for yourselves. I think that it's time that we do the same thing. And in the meantime:Learn to walk on water for God has a plan and it's a good one.

My God takes of me.

I am so totally amazed this morning. I know that the Lord is my provider, protector, healer, everything. I know that he is with me all the time even when I do dumb things. Like this last week. I broke the plastic water tube that comes up out of the ground from my water supply. I was watering my flowers, yanked to hard on the hose and the pipe broke off a couple of inches above the ground. Ugh! Now what do I do? I turned off the water. But I have to have water in my house. What to do. I had nothing to cover the broken pipe. Haha! A whiteboard marker fit perfectly in the hole. PTL! I will ask Wil to fix it after the quarantine is over. So this morning, Franklin and his little boy came to cut the grass. He hadn't been here for two weeks. He had had other things come up that he had to attend to and therefore couldn't take care of my yard. 

Probably ten or so minutes passed and who should appear at my gate?  Wil. He brought me some eggs from his hens. That really blessed me because the woman that I usually buy them from hasn't come for a couple of weeks due to the quarantine. So I showed him my pipe and asked if he could fix it after the quarantine was over. He kind of giggled when I told him how it got broken. He told me he would come tomorrow. Then he looked at it and asked me for a saw. Ok. I thought he would need to buy a connecter, but he said no. I showed him the different kinds of glue that I had and he chose one. He then asked for matches. Ok. So he squirted some glue on a rock, set it on fire, put the broken end of the pipe over the flame turning it. Ha! He put glue inside of the hot pipe and put it on the broken part of the pipe sticking out of the ground. Wa la! Totally fixed! 

I have so much admiration for this man. I've known him for 10 years. He works for the man that owns the house where I lived for seven years.  When his last son was born, he asked me what names  I liked.  I said Samuel because Samuel is my favorite prophet and my dad's middle name was Samuel. The reason this even came up was because when the baby was about two weeks old, I had asked him the baby's name and he and his wife hadn't named him yet! So they named him Jordan Samuel which doesn't sound as good in English as it does in Spanish.  So Wil is my buddy! If I have a problem with things of the house, he is always there to help me. 

And have I talked about the animal that was between my ceiling and roof? That thing kept me awake so many nights. So one afternoon, after I asked a friend of mine to tell him, he came with bananas and rat poison. Three nights later, I had an awful smell in my bedroom. That lasted for about a week. It wasn't really strong, thank the Lord, but I did sleep in my other bedroom. 

The Lord takes care of me in every situation. There's a song in Spanish that says that exact thing: Dios Cuida de Mi. His promises are real, and I praise him everyday for being my Savior. 

I hope that the people who read my blog know Him for the God that He truly is.

Mat.24:7...and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in different places. Verse 6...see that you be not troubled:

Well, here we are in a pandemic, coronavirus.  How interesting. I think Jesus mentioned that in his discourse on his second coming, etc. It's interesting also to me that so many Christians are in fear. Really? It tells me that they don't know the Word very well. Of course, here in HN, not many read their Bibles.  And that's sad. If you don't know the word, how can you stand on it? Timothy tells us that God hasn't given us a spirit of fear, but love, power, and a sound mind. Hmmm. 

I told my pastor that I was standing on the promises in Psalms 91. There are more promises there than there are verses! And what if I get it? Well, then there's James 5:14-15, ah, but I couldn't do that due to the safety of others. Well, then, I'd stand on Isa. 53:5 and 1Pet.1:24. And what if I die? What if I do?  I'm going to see the one who saved me and filled me with his spirit many years ago. But then I hear the words, " Oh, Beverly, you have lived many years and you are old." Oh, yes I have, and yes I am!! There's only been one time in my life when I prayed that I would not die, and that was when my first husband died and left me with four minor children. He was 31 and I was 27.  I didn't want any other person to raise our children. And God answered my prayer.

I think because we Christians know that we have eternal life, we don't really deal with our own demise when it comes. Many are not ready to meet the Lord. Why not? We sing songs about wanting to see him, and we cannot unless we die. Interesting. I've thought about my own death and my funeral for more years that I can count. I've thought about the different things that I want or don't want at my funeral and how they would affect my kids. Most of them know what I want and what I don't want. But the Lord will help them when the time comes. I had a friend ask me last week where I was going to die. I looked at her and said, "Do I know?" And then we both started laughing.  My youngest son tells his siblings that, "Mom's going to die in Honduras." Only the Lord knows where and when unless he has revealed it to my son, and I don't think that he has.

So now we are in our homes mostly. There are very few people out in town here. My friend and I were going to go to Tegucigalpa tomorrow, but the buses have all been canceled, so that takes care of that. I enjoy the peace and quiet! I live about a city block from the highway and there's not much noise coming from that direction.  I think about all the people that are always on the go. They must be going out of their minds with what to do. Airports, schools, churches, etc. are closed here, too. One student of mine works in a hospital, and she emailed me to let me know that she was not coming to class until it was truly safe to do so. Good choice. 

I have prayed that God would use this pandemic to speak to people that don't know him, and if possible they would be saved.  And HE knows how to get their attention. 

This, too, will pass. But the world is not going to get better. In fact, it's going to get a lot worse than it is now.  Are we believing and standing on our Savior's word? Do we trust him with the plan that he has for our lives even though we don't know what it is?  I hope so, because he is our only hope.

Mat.24:6 And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars:see that your heart be not troubled...

So here we are a few days into 2020. Amazing! I remember being a kid and thinking the year 2000 would never come because it was just too far away. That goes to show how much I knew! I haven't written for a long time. That goes to show how much that I like to write. So to bring things up to date.

I spent my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving Day, with the missionaries that are here. It was really nice to see them all agin and to meet the new ones. Christmas was as usual. Not a lot happening there. And since the schools are on vacation until February, there wasn't anything happening there either. But I have spent more time learning Spanish. I've had a turnover with the students that come to my house. One of my girls that I've had for 4-5 years comes no more. She's getting ready to move to Choluteca with her family. I really do miss having her. However, the Lord has put a couple more in her place. My pastor who  knows some English is coming, and another lady who works for a German company is coming to increase her English because she's going to Germany next month for a conference. And a friend that teaches Spanish to foreign people that are here in HN for different reasons has started coming to increase her English. It's so funny because all of her foreign students can speak English.

I've started reading through the whole Bible again. I'm now in Jeremiah. I think that many who declare that we are Christians are in the same place as was the people in Jeremiah's day. We go to church, sing, and pray but not much is changing in our own hearts. Is the Lord our first love? Do we keep his commandments? So many here do not follow the commandment of tithing, healing, etc. They want financial blessings but they don't believe the promise that God gives with the commandment. And Hondurans as a whole hate reading. I'm amazed that the things I learned as a kid and take for granted is a thing unheard of here. All of God's commands come with a blessing and a condition for receiving that blessing. But people think as long as they go to church and hear the word everything is ok. Nothing could be farther from the truth. God said if we search for him, we will surely find him. But we don't want to search. We don't want to read his word. We would rather read other books about him. We want the pastor to tell us everything and he can't. He doesn't have the time and he isn't God. God wants a personal relationship with each one of us. I'm so thankful for his presence in my life. I'm so thankful that I'm never alone and I don't have to fear what's coming today or tomorrow because he is with me and will do whatever is needed. I'm so thankful that I know he is always watching me. His word says that his eyes are upon his people all the time. My heart breaks for those that don't realize this. They may be able to quote scripture perfectly, but at the same time not have that personal relationship.
And now with the things concerning the US and Iran. Jesus said there would be wars and rumors of war, afflictions and tribulations. He also said in the same breathe-let not your hearts be troubled because all these things must come to pass. So many here have so much fear all the time about everything. And now I hear they are afraid of World War 3! If so, what are the people going to do about it? The one thing for sure that we can do about it is to make sure that we are ready to meet the Lord. Now that scares a lot of people even Christians that I've talked to. Didn't Paul say to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord? And we sings songs about wanting to see him, yes? So what is the problem?  One big problem that I see is that no one wants to think or talk about dying even though the Bible says that we all will. Of course, most don't want to die, but that doesn't change the fact that we will. I went with my pastor's wife last week to pray for an elderly woman. And bless her heart, she's ready to go home! And you think, well she's lived her life, and that's true. But Psalms says that my times are in God's hands. I can't die until he says, "Come home." And you can't either. But we need to think about these things and be ready whenever. Anyway, the US and Iran. Appeasement is not peace. It's slavery. I thank God that the Iranian general was taken out. I pray for our servicemen and if it be their time, I pray that they are ready to meet the Lord. This world will never have true, total peace until Jesus comes. And He is our peace now. He promised his people peace in whatever circumstance  we find ourselves in. He is our protection, provider, healer, counselor, ever present help, and whatever else is needed in our life. God help President Trump and his cabinet to do what needs to be done for our country and our allies. And give thanks to the Lord that He is there to help our Christian brothers and sisters that are in Iran and the other countries that are in that region. In so many places the Bible tells us to give thanks for ALL things. Do we do it?
Grace and peace!

Just a thought

The other morning as I was reading my Bible, I looked up and saw a hummingbird outside my window feeding on the flowers of an aloe vera plant. I watched him for several minutes and began to think about the creation of this little fellow. How wonderful and perfect are the creations of God. I thought about the creation of man again. How God formed him out of the dust of the ground. Can you see this man lying on the ground formed of dirt? As little girls, some of us used to make pies from mud. Perfect little images of the real thing. So here lies this perfect form of the image of God. This clod of dirt; perfect in every detail inside and out but still just a big clod of dried dirt. And then God himself breathed into the nose of this big piece of dirt. And what happened? This dirt became flesh and blood! How did that happen? When you and I make something of dirt or metal or whatever, it remains what it is. We can't breathe real life into it. Even our babies have to take their first breath whether it happens automatically or the doctor breathes into it's mouth or nose. How awesome the true God really is! So as I was thinking about all of this, AI came to my mind. Who in the world would want artificial intelligence? Even the word artificial should make us turn away. But we so much want to be God and in control that we will do whatever it takes to be like Him even though we will never be able to be so as a human being. There is only ONE God. So men are desperately trying to make things that will obey whatever they say. How vain and arrogant! Anything that man makes needs maintenance. They break down and have to be repaired. So when this AI needs to be repaired, who is going to be the repairman? I personally don't want to give control of my life to these things. And the people that are trying to develop all these things with AI don't have perfect intelligence. They have faulty understanding in a lot of things. I used to hear that two heads are better than one. That may be true in many instances, but sometimes even the two are not perfect in their thinking. Think about the times that you listened to someone else who you thought knew more than you and it turned out to be the wrong thing to do. So now we turn our own minds and bodies over to something created by imperfect men? The original sin-I want to be God: I want to be in control of my life. We are on such a dangerous path. And we are so lazy! We want everything right now. We listen to the lies of the world. There are even people in the congress that are saying the world is going to end in 10 years. Really? Well if that's the case, we better be preparing ourselves to meet the real God because we cannot remove all the pollutions that we've made in ten years. And why are these AI people not studying how to remove and prevent all these pollutions if they are so intelligent? And who is in control of the  AI?  Men that produced them? So if we accept and use this AI in whatever state it be, are we not giving control of our very lives to whoever created it?