Introducing: The Villanueva Family

The Villanuevas are Honduran missionaries that will soon be joining our team in La Ceiba. Raul will serve as a professor in the seminary.  Alma will serve as director of Puerta de Esperanza, our home for teenage moms and their babies.

About us: The Villanuevas

When God calls a family to serve Him, the family can’t go against His will. Our family was called by God to serve Him and His church and we have obediently been doing so for many years now. We are a family of five. Raul is a retired photographer, now a pastor and professor. Alma is a teacher with a heart for children and women. Oldest son Rick studies Business & Math at Bob Jones University in South Carolina. Chris studies International Business & Finances at Unitec in San Pedro Sula. And Jocsan is a senior in high school and currently taking some seminary classes at SEBCAH in Siguatepeque.

 

Rick, Raul, Alma, Chris and Jocsan

What’s exciting about moving to Ceiba?

God opened the doors for us to be part of this team before we even knew about it. We have talked with the brothers at Mission to the World and believe that we share the same vision for God’s ministry. We believe that the bible institute to train pastors and leaders is crucial for the local churches. Puerta de Esperanza touched our hearts as a family, just like the rest of the projects Mission to the World has in Honduras. We believe these projects have a great future and we are excited about growing these ministries for the glory of Christ.

Support the Villanuevas' work in La Ceiba.

Oh Be Careful Little Mouth...

...what you SAY.  Our words carry consequence, good or bad. We've sung the lyrics to, "Oh Be Careful Little Eyes" since infancy, since our days in Sunday School. We sing about guarding our eyes, ears, hands, feet, AND mouth.  It might be the last verse and the most forgotten but it ends, "Be careful little mouth what you say."  Words are important.  We are on the other side of the election and seeing the consequence of careless words, spoken and written.  I whole-hardheartedly believe the words President-elect Donald Trump and Secretary Clinton have expressed speak to their character, their heart, and their plans. Some of those words replay over and over in my head.  Their words were impressionable. Christ says, "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."  That's not so pretty, in this case.

We make it not even three verses into the first book of the Bible, Genesis, before we see the power in words.  God spoke. God spoke and the power of His words created the heavens and the earth. The power of His words gave LIFE.  Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat it's fruit."  Our words give life or they give death.  I first heard about "life giving words" back in 2003.  My sweet friend was getting married at Glen Eyrie and the wife of the president of The Navigators was giving her a "bachelorette party" of sorts.  In her wisdom, the wife shared that our words as wives, mothers, friends, coworkers, whatever our role, can build up or we can tear down. We can create life not only with our bodies (yay for babies) but we can also create life with our words.  We should weigh the words before they come out of our mouths (or fingertips for those of us typing them).  How will they be interpreted or received? What affect will the words have? Life or death?     

We will be measured by and held accountable for our words.  In Matthew 12, Jesus claims you can recognize a tree by its fruit.  He proceeds to speak about words. Words are your fruit.  He goes on to say, "I tell you, on the day of judgement people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."  That will make you think about what you say or want to stop talking altogether, yes?!?    Now hear me say, I know we are sinners saved by grace but that grace lavished on us through Christ produces obedience. And obedience to the Word means we can't praise Him one day and spew sin or lies or hatred from that same mouth the next day.  We must bring our words into subjection (1Corinthians 9:24-27). Furthermore, the book of James which could arguably be likened to a figurative punch in the gut about our speech (if you are open to the Spirit's conviction in your life), warns about the responsibility and judgement that comes with teaching.  Many look to teachers, preachers, and leaders for guidance and wisdom. And our words like a tiny rudder are able to steer a vast ship.  Let's not shipwreck all the lives on board because we had not the self control to measure our words.

So I love this but ironically the words, "shut up" are prohibited at our house. 

Proverbs 10:19-21 is the nicer way of saying many words provide many opportunities for sin.

Let us restrain our lips.     

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" has no clout in the Bible.  In the United States, the affect of recent words from leaders and keyboard-warriors alike has had dire consequences.  Fear has been struck in the hearts of many from words.  Anger has been aroused in many from words.  Misunderstanding from all sides has been stirred up because of words.  What is our response?  Are we quick to listen and slow to speak (James1:19) or are we the exact opposite, joining in the fight?  Our words are like a spark that can start a great fire.  I pray we choose to be bearers of grace, mercy, love, and justice with our words (and then of course, put our money where our mouth is and follow up with actions!).  That our gracious words would be like honeycomb providing sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

He Restores My Soul

This past week, the ladies of Team La Ceiba retreated into the jungle and spent time being restored in the Lord.  The theme of the retreat was "Rest: Satisfy My Thirsty Soul."  As women, our first calling as wife and mother takes a lot of energy all by itself but then adding ministry and missionary life to the hats worn can weary a girl's soul pretty quick.  The days we had together were spent in rest, sharing of our hearts, and prayer for each other.  It was relaxing and rejuvenating and I returned home refreshed and ready to serve my family, our team, and Hondurans.

We entered our rooms to find baskets full of cards, treats, and gifts from our churches, family, and friends in the States.  A deep felt thank you for sending your love.  

Oil diffusing necklaces with the theme.

I am blessed to serve alongside these lovely, God-fearing friends.  

I can say with confidence Christ met all of us where our souls sat this week.  We were encouraged to bow our lives, words, attitudes, and pain to the Lord.  We shared in earnest our struggles and laid them before the throne of God together. It is sweet to live in community and bear each others burdens. Rest was and is found in the soul-satisfying person of Christ, His promises, and His grace and mercy demonstrated towards us on the cross that is present every day.  May you be filled with the same deep seated rest! 

Home Sweet Honduras

We are back in Honduras after three weeks in the States.  It was, as always, a whirlwind but a blessing.  We spent the first week in Wellington, Florida and the remaining two weeks in Dallas, Texas.  While I have so many thoughts about the last three weeks, I will give you the highlights of God's faithfulness in list form (because we just learned yesterday in the second grade curriculum that lists can be an effective method of collecting and organizing our thoughts! Ha ha).  We saw God's hand in many ways:

-We (by "we" I mean Adam) were able to serve alongside brothers and sisters in Christ in preparation for Hurricane Matthew that eventually, by the Lord's mercy, passed by Wellington further out than was projected.

-We (this time I mean both of us) participated for the fifth time in Christ Community Church's missions conference and got to see what the Lord is doing near and far.  This church is like home. We shared the happenings in Honduras in the last year without reservation and received much encouragement.  This included the resignation of the pastor with whom we were most intimately working, which was still a fresh wound.  

-Through many a pastor and friend, God gave us a gracious reminder that ministry is hard and that we should not grow weary in doing good.  We know this but to have it affirmed was a help to keeping our eyes on Christ and the Lord's work in La Ceiba.

-As missionaries, we have learned to hold our plans loosely.  We had planned on spending our entire three weeks in Florida but God sent us to Texas.  Just before we left Honduras, a church in Texas contacted us about partnering with them.  We were excited to meet them and worship with them.  We are pleased God provided another supporting church! He is so good!        

-God provided free missionary housing (a cute little cabin) with gracious hosts and lots of room for the boys to gallivant about. The boys made themselves at home with the owners, their dogs, and the acreage with lots of climbing trees and hiding places. We had some lovely family games of baseball and hide and seek. We are always amazed by the kindness of others and how often if only we remember to ask, we will receive.  Just like we love giving our children good gifts, God does too! This was evident in the hosts' compassion and desire to bless missionaries. We made new friends!    

-We were able to see my (Michelle's) sister, brother-in-law, and nephew and spend some sweet time with them while they packed for their new adventure in Virginia.  We last visited them while on our six month furlough just after my nephew was born.  He is a mover and a shaker now and Jacob and Asher had a blast playing with their cousin!

-Adam's parents flew in for a brief visit and we enjoyed every minute of it!  The boys got some alone time with Grandma and Grandpa Cain and haven't stopped talking about it!!

-Because of the lack of (or cost of) certain medicines and supplies in La Ceiba, we completed our annual restock and it all made it back to La Ceiba.  It may seem like a little thing but we are thankful even in the little things like liquid Tylenol and Star Wars band-aids!

-Most of all, we are blessed and thankful for people, people, people! God is a relational God and He shows His image through people! We are blessed by the familiarity of our friends and church family in Florida, by our new relationship with our brothers and sisters in Dallas, by biological family, and by a team to return to who loves us well when we are in Honduras or away.    

1 Thessalonians 5:18  in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

           

Hurricane Days

This is our fifth year participating in Christ Community Church's mission conference. Formerly known as Wellington Presbyterian, this church is located in Wellington, Florida just west of West Palm Beach. Their congregation is so dear to us as they always welcome us as part of their church body and have a real heart for missions. They are truly partners in the Gospel. 

This year, our reception has been no different but the circumstances certainly are.  Hurricane Matthew is on schedule to hit us tonight in the early morning.  If we had to choose somewhere to be in a hurricane, with these seasoned (hurricane) veterans who are like family, is where we would choose to be.  We are in good hands! And ultimately, we are in God's hands. 

We Skyped in from Costa Rica in 2012

Finally meeting the congregation face to face in 2013

Impassioned presenting in 2014

Reconnecting with friends in 2014

Sharing with the children in 2014

Construction funds presented to us in 2015

Hanging with our sweet friends in 2015

Wellington Mission Conference 2016

Storm shutters in place in 2016

Adam got to help put these up on a few houses of church members

Please pray for those whom have already been affected in the Caribbean and pray for those on the coast of Florida (like us!) that will be affected in the next few days.  Pray that we will find our rest and trust in Christ amidst circumstances that make us feel anxious and unsure. 

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Working Together

In the summer of 2007, Adam and I went with our home church to the Rakai District of Uganda to serve on a short term mission trip.  While we were there, we discussed the possibility of moving there to run an orphanage. They had a need and  after living at a foster home our first year of marriage, Adam serving as an assistant house parent to 6 teenage boys, this seemed like a task for which we were adequately equipped.  While we were discussing the possibility, Adam asked me, "If you could choose one couple from church to come with us, who would you choose?" As we daydreamed, gazing at the lush hillside, both of us declared our good friends, Mike and Ashley Troxell, whom had a heart for missions.  Adam and I knew then that we didn't have the desire to go it alone.  Our desire was to serve on a team but our perception of missions screamed something different.  We had the illusion that missions was only for those who could move to the middle of nowhere and start up ministry by their own force of will.  

Hope for Uganda in the Rakai District

 Our first and only short term trip together

We went back to Scottsdale and investigated missions until the grassroots organization collapsed and our life quickly carried on with a mortgage, a pregnancy, and a job change to working with family. We started supporting missionaries and not unexpectedly, our aforementioned friends whom we wanted to take with us to Uganda, became missionaries in Honduras.  Our church's short term trip in 2011 took Adam to Honduras and left me at home eight months pregnant caring for our rambunctious two year old.  When Adam returned, he raved not only about the great need of the Gospel in La Ceiba but also of a team working together.  God knew our desires back in 2007. Little did we know He would meet that desire of serving on a team with the one here in La Ceiba in 2013.

Team La Ceiba goals weekend

After sharing Vicente's resignation with the men of our team, the first thing Adam said when he returned was, "We're on the right team." We are so grateful that the Lord has put us on this team. We are glad for our teammates' friendship and support through the trials and the successes.  Adam and I have learned so much about living in community and the unity of believers.  We are continually amazed by how the Lord uses everyone's gifts and passions together for His glory.  This past weekend, our team in La Ceiba got together for our bi-annual planning/goal setting retreat. It started with communion and a time of worship together.  It was a joyous way to remember that we are a family in Christ working together to share His great love to Northern Honduras!

What A Mess

Vicente quit. In some small part it came as a relief.  He had been struggling for months through some personal issues and there were questions about his qualifications in leading a church. But it also hurt, deeply.  Because it meant that the sin in his life was winning. This was messy.

Then there was the church. How to lead them through this? Well the church didn’t want to see their pastor go. They like him and he likes them. The church quickly convinced Vicente to continue pastoring. Neither party wanted to deal with the sin, just ignore it. Both were willing to overlook the root issues and continue down a path that will most likely lead to destruction. My teammates and I tried to warn the church of the danger they were in. The church rejected our words and demanded their pastor. The mess got messier.

Then there’s me. I knew Vicente had his issues. I’d been working with him for almost 2 and half years.  The last 8 months were especially focused on working through some of those issues. And I was giving myself far too much credit in my ability to help Vicente out of the pit he has dug.  Sure I suggested and offered resources outside of myself but he didn’t want them. And secretly, I was hopefully that I could be the driving force behind a change. If I just tried hard enough and spent enough time, I could influence him. But only the Holy Spirit can convict us of our sins. I’m messy.

And I almost forgot…then there’s God. God meets us in the mess. He is not surprised by our mess. He does not worry and fret about it like we do. He doesn’t lose it and yell at us to “shape up!” That’s because he came down to us. He got dirty himself. To clean up my mess. To clean up your mess. He didn’t have to. He had every right to punish us for what we’ve done. But he knows it’s too much for us.  That we would be absolutely obliterated by his wrath. And He loves us. Just because. Because that’s who He is. And when he cleaned up our mess He did it once and for all. It is finished. Sure there will be more messes in our lives…but He’s already taken care of those! It really is finished. And one day he’ll come to take us home where we won’t have to live in this messy world anymore. Until then we can rest in knowing that even in the mess He has us covered.

God started something in La Trejo and he has the power to do whatever He wants with it. Sin doesn’t change that. Sin has no power over God. He has conquered it. There’s no mess however big or smelly or sticky that he can’t make look and smell like roses. Christ died for us while we were yet sinners.

Vicente needs Jesus.  The church in La Trejo needs Jesus. And I need Jesus.

Thank God that he doesn’t leave things to chance.  That he doesn’t leave things to us.  He is sovereign.  He reigns over all. The best possible leader of the church still is, always has been, and always will be on his throne.  All Hail the King of Kings, Lord Jesus!

Please pray for Vicente, his wife and their 4 children.  Pray that there would be repentance, true reconciliation and lasting peace within their marriage and family.

Please pray for the church in La Trejo.  Pray the words of 1 John 1:9 over the congregation. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Please pray for us as we seek what the Lord has next for us.  Pray Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Who Can You Trust?

I blame my mom for a lot of things, the most awesome being my love of books and music.  My mom had music playing in our house during waking hours and that lady read to us four kids like it was going out of style.  She is a professional reader now and gets paid to tutor kids in reading...but I digress.  

Ministry, as of late, has left me feeling like I am crawling toward the throne of grace every day to lay my burdens at Christ's feet.  Let's just say church planting is not for the faint of heart.  Working with national pastors brings it's fair share of challenges, joys, and heartache.  We are in a time of heartache and sadness and shock.  It has just proven to be another event where we can proclaim that God is good in all seasons, that He never changes amidst our ever-changing circumstances, and we can trust that His plan is better than any plans of ours.

I posted similar sentiments of Ann Voskamp's on Facebook the other day and a sweet missionary friend on the other side of the world encouraged me with a song.  I had never heard Lauren Daigle's "Trust In You" but quickly fell in love.  Belting out a song is like a balm to my soul and there is nothing better, in my humble opinion, than truth sung by a sultry alto voice.  So like my mom, I am blasting this for myself and my family to hear on repeat.  Below are the words:  

  Letting go of every single dream
I lay each one down at your feet
Every moment of my wandering
Never changes what you see

I try to win this war
I confess, my hands are weary, I need your rest
Mighty warrior, king of the fight
No matter what I face you're by my side

When you don't move the mountains
I'm needing you to move
When you don't part the waters
I wish I could walk through
When you don't give the answers
As I cry out to you
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in you

Truth is you know what tomorrow brings
There's not a day ahead you have not seen
So let all things be my life and breath
I want what you want Lord and nothing less

When you don't move the mountains
I'm needing you to move
When you don't part the waters
I wish I could walk through
When you don't give the answers
As I cry out to you
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in you
I will trust in you

You are my strength and comfort
You are my steady hand
You are my firm foudation
The rock on which I stand
Your ways are always higher
You plans are always good
There's not a place where I'll go
You've not already stood

When you don't move the mountains
I'm needing you to move
When you don't part the waters
I wish I could walk through
When you don't give the answers
As I cry out to you
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in you

I will trust in you
I will trust in you
I will trust in you

Write Them On the Door Frames And Gateposts

In Deuteronomy 11, the Lord instructs the children of Israel to fix His words in the forefront of their minds and hearts.  He tells them to do this by talking about His word day and night with their children and by putting Scripture on the door frames and gateposts.  Philippians 4:8 hangs next to my kitchen sink for good reason. The sink is where I pass a good amount of my time.  The sink is where I think and pray.

It doesn't look as pretty as the image above anymore.  The yellow is faded. The corners curled up from enduring a suffocating humidity right next to open windows.  The paper may be ugly and dishwater splattered but the words are forever true.  An instruction for what to think on is not a bad thing when your mind can lead you astray; when your mind can convince you of things that are untrue. The Lord's words posted for me to see helps me choose thoughts that are true, noble, right, pure...

Do you have verses you hold close? What are they?
     

Michelle's Top Ten

We are nearing the end of team season here in La Ceiba and I would like to share my top ten reasons that I love short term teams coming to Honduras:

10. The CONTINUAL Retelling of Stories.  Week after week, teams come and ask us the same questions. How did you become a Christian?  How did you meet your spouse?  What led you to Honduras?  What's hard? What do you love? You get the idea.  I love that we get to share God's faithfulness and give Him the glory in all the details.  I also love that my teammates tell their stories and I LOVE getting to ask visitors their stories!

9. A Family Reunion Every Week. Most of our short term teams are returning teams.  They are supporting churches and faces that we know and adore.  I love team season because we get to see our brothers and sisters in Christ again and we get to meet new ones!

 Short term and long term missionaries at the Ceiba letters

8. We Are On The Front-lines of People Getting Excited About Global Missions.  The majority of our team would tell you we are on the field today because of short term missions.  Short term missions whet our appetite for long term service.  It's fun to see our new friends discover life outside of the United States and what the Lord is doing in other countries.  It's amazing to see hearts ignited for Christ and the making of disciples in other nations.  

7. We See People Contemplating What Local Missions Could Look Like.  One of the main questions we were asked when we started sharing our calling to Honduras was, "Well, what about the people in the United States?  There are needs to be filled here."  And our answer was, "ABSOLUTELY! Thank God there are established churches in the United States that should be reaching out to their neighbor.  We are all missionaries regardless of our location and should be working where the Lord has called us. Here or abroad."  It's incredible to see people think through what they could be doing to serve in their hometowns in the good 'ol USA.

6. Short-Termers Come And Use Their Time and Talents.  From preaching, engineering, and medicine, to photography, loving on people, and the like we get to watch the Lord use people well to bless HIS ministries here.  We have encountered so many people that know their giftings and pour into Hondurans and missionaries alike!

Professional photographers used their gifts to love our team well!

5. Short Term Teams Love Our Missionary Kids Well.  This one is completely selfish.  We were putting the boys to bed the other night and the conversation revolved around "150 of our closest friends coming to see us every summer."  It might be a tongue in cheek expression but our kids really mean it.  We have so many short term teams that come and play with, chat with, and involve our kids in the work of the week.  Our kids sit down at meals with "our new friends" regardless of age or gender and make relationships that carry on over the years.  Other Christians pouring into my kids is one of my favorites as my children don't have a Sunday school to attend or even Vacation Bible School here in La Ceiba.  

Asher gets to help remove and replace an old tin roof.

  

4. Returners Help Reveal Progress.  Sometimes, we are blind to how our own children grow in front of our very eyes.  Not only physically but also emotionally and spiritually.  It's easier to look at other children whom you may not see more than a couple times a year and notice so much change.  In a similar vein, short term missionaries that return year after year help us see how the Lord is moving in La Ceiba and in our team.  Short term missionaries reveal how our team has changed and grown together. In a recent debrief, a team noted how much we laugh together, enjoy each other, and how they felt they were welcomed into it. Short term missionaries also remind us of what the construction site looked like last year!!  That now there is a seminary and offices in progress and a beautiful clinic. Returning missionaries encourage us year after year in the growth they can see.
       
3. The hugs. Affection is my love language. Enough said.

My favorite hugger in the background.

2. The Connections. We have the privilege of helping connect hearts to each other by the glue of Jesus.  We have three church plants in La Ceiba whom have three churches in the States who sponsor them.  The connections made between congregations and pastors from two countries is sweet to watch.  How they care for each other is a true picture of the body of Christ.  The relationships that grow from teams going to the same communities year after year is a blessing to Hondurans and Americans alike.

 Partnering church from the US for Vicente's church plant prayed over him and his family.

They also did a prayer walk through the community of La Trejo.  It was a huge hit!

1. Partnerships in the Gospel.  Partnership is a gift of giving and receiving. It's a reciprocal relationship in which we can shine the light of Christ together.  It means we're not receiving teams with the expectation of what they can do for us physically or financially that week.  It means receiving teams with the expectation of working side by side for the Gospel while they are in Honduras and in the United States. It means continuing to bear one another's burdens through the sharing of needs and prayers.  It means edifying and encouraging our partners and having relationships that aren't just a week out of the year.  It's continually a two way street in which we care for each other.  The partnership formed to share Christ's love together lasts into eternity and is my favorite aspect of short term team season.      

Edit: Photo credits to Halle Sexton from New City Church's short term team!  You captured so much of what I had written about!

Friday Reminder

Friday mornings at 8:30, the same face has peered through my gate for almost three years. She pushes a two-wheeled wooden cart down our cobblestone street with usually two or three children in tow. For the last 10 months, there has been an addition of an infant car seat wedged in the back right hand corner of the cart with a tiny baby girl sleeping.  By the time she has reached our neighborhood, she has pushed that cart with her dainty frame for almost a mile.  She told me a couple of years ago, she lives down by the river in a community that is an "invasion" of squatters. By "invasion," I mean land that has been taken by a group of people instead of purchased. Most riverfront property in this city is an "invasion".  She comes our direction on Friday because it is trash day in our neighborhood.

Trash is not a public service in Honduras.  Most trash is disposed of by burning.  Our trash is taken care of by a "private service." By "private service," I mean that the residents of our neighborhood pay a small fee for some men who have purchased an old, beat-up, run-down, U-haul type truck that has most likely been sent down from the United States as salvaged to come by and pick up the trash. Sometimes, they come by twice a week like they should, sometimes once a week, sometimes not at all for weeks on end.  Their absence is typical if they aren't being paid sufficiently or are on strike. And the sad trash truck has no place to lay it's head each night so it's a gamble if it gets to rest in our neighborhood. 

      The beauty parked in front of our house. 

Smells fresh in the morning when I wash dishes.

Here in Honduras, you can bet if there is no public trash service, there is definitely no public recycling program.  This leads me back to that sweet tired face I see every Friday morning.  She comes to our neighborhood to dig through everyone's trash for plastic.  She can turn the plastic in for money which acts as her income. Three years ago, she asked me if I had any plastic bottles or containers that I could spare.  From that time, I started separating our plastic out into a different bag for her so she doesn't have to dig through our trash.  It's a job I would not like to have.  In Honduras, you don't flush your toilet paper...it goes in the trash.  And all other trash is a breeding ground for maggots and pestilence.  

She sometimes through a gappy smile asks me very specific requests. Do I have women's clothing? Do I have a crib mattress? Do I have baby clothes and disposable diapers so she can deliver another babe in the hospital? She always asks so politely, seemingly without expectation or visible disappointment if I don't have said request. She is quite delighted and overly zealous in thanking me and the Lord when I can meet her requests.  She is different than most to me. While it is clear to a commoner that she is among the most physically impoverished in our city, she has a twinkle in her eye, a grin, and a grateful attitude every week that makes me confident she is rich in Christ.  I am thankful for her gentle reminder every Friday that the Lord fills us with a richness that is better than any earthly possession.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:12,19

What Are You Doing?

Once upon a time, a traveler came across three stone-cutters and asked them what they were doing.

The first replied saying that he was the most miserable person on Earth and that he has the hardest job in the world. "Every day I have to move around huge stones make a living, which is barely enough to eat." The traveler gave him a coin and continued walking.

The second one did not complain and was focused on his work. When the traveler asked him what he was doing, the stone-cutter replied, "I'm earning a living by doing the best job of stone-cutting in the entire county. Although the work is hard, I'm satisfied with what I do and I earn enough to feed my family." The traveler praised him, gave him a coin and went on.

When the traveler met the third stone-cutter, he noticed that the stone-cutter had sweat and dust on him but he looked happy and was singing a cheerful song. The traveler was astonished and asked, "What are you doing?" The stone-cutter looked up and with a visionary gleam in his eye and said, "Can't you see? I'm building a cathedral."

This parable of the stone-cutters is one that has been used in our last two Central American Pastors' Conferences to give perspective on building the Kingdom of God. I'm including it here today, mostly as a reminder to myself. 

Missionaries are expected to report to hundreds even thousands of people on their work (which absolutely should be expected). For many missionaries (myself included), this creates a feeling that they need to prove themselves worthy.

There is great temptation to tell you:

How hard I am working.

How good I am at my work.

How much I have accomplished.

...I...I...I.

It becomes very ME focused.

If we have true perspective on the cathedral and our work, we know that God is building His cathedral (His Kingdom). We are under-qualified for the task but privileged to be hired. How much more glory does God receive by building something so amazing using such ordinary workers?

-Adam Cain

Note: The ability to save blogs as drafts is a beautiful thing in a chaotic season of life.  I was just peeking back through some of these lonely drafts and thought my cute husband's wise words were the kind that are pertinent every day for all "professions."  Let God be the one who gets the glory in all circumstances! 

The Week My Life Changed Forever

As I sit here, sweat dripping down my temple, wondering if the (scheduled) impending day-long power outage is really going to happen tomorrow, I cannot help but smile.  You see, this is the week my life changed forever.  It's kind of humorous because I was more of a passive participant.  Five years ago, I sat at home in Phoenix with a swollen belly and an active two year old.  My husband, however, was in La Ceiba, Honduras, for the first time as a member of our church's short term missions team. His intent was to catch up with our missionary friends, Mike and Ashley Troxell, whom would soon be living and serving there.  Adam wanted to catch a vision of how we could support, serve, and pray for them better.  I teased him relentlessly about going just to see them but quietly prayed the Lord would work on my husband.  That Adam would return and tell me that the Lord had called us to overseas missions. Long story short, that's what happened.  Before Adam even left US soil, he knew the Lord was calling us to something different than our comfortable, complacent life in Arizona.

Adam and Ashley making bracelets with some boys during VBS

This new life is anything but what I expected.  It's easy to romanticize or glamorize something you long for only to be surprised by reality.  I recently read the story of how the Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land and immediately set up stones of remembrance.  Joshua told them to look upon the stones and tell their children the stories of God's faithfulness.  There are so many things in the last five years that I always want to remember.  So many happenings where I can only give God the glory for his faithfulness.  

Here's a few of our ebeneezers to satisfy your piqued curiosity:

-The Lord put us on a plane to Atlanta with a 4 week old baby and a two year old when we should have missed the plane and a training that wasn't available for another 4 months. Read about it here.

-The Lord raised one hundred percent of our support in 7 short months.  He proved to us over and over again that He had hand picked our supporters regardless of who we thought would be part of our support team.  He also taught us that it was not our presentation, our plan for ministry, or anything we did or said that raised the support.  It was Him.

-He guided us through a year of transition in our first foreign country as a family.  He guided us through a new language.  He taught us to love another culture, people, and nation.  He taught us that He is the King of Kings over all creation; the same in every language. Read about it here.

-The Lord has put a hedge around us and protected us for all these years.  It started with a burglary the day we landed in Honduras.  He taught us not to live in fear but be vigilant.  Here's our welcome to Honduras.

-He taught us that lots of His blessings come through challenges, suffering, and sacrifices.  We know Christ better through things that are hard, knowing He has experienced our temptations and pain.  My summation of 2014 is still true today.

I look back on the last five years with gratitude of how our family has changed and learned more of who Christ is and how to love others.  I look forward to what Christ has in store for the next five years.

Jacob sporting "La H" 5 years ago!

When God Yells Your Name

Do you ever have a week or a month where you keep getting delivered the same message? Maybe you read an excerpt from your devotional and then go to church to find the pastor giving a message on the same passage. And then, you read the next story in the cue of your children's' Bible to find it's the same Scripture. AND THEN, your Bible study studies the same thing. I always like when this happens because know I am hard headed and prone to wander. I always feel like the Lord is calling me first with a quiet whisper onto a full out beckoning, arms waving, "Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, MICHELLE, MI-CHELLE!!" And then like my own children, I go, "Oh, were you calling me?  I didn't hear you until you were yelling?" It leads me to stop and search out what the Lord has for me to learn because He has (finally) caught my attention.

I was attempting to make it an entire year without a blog post, but I crumble a month from the finish line because I saw the theme in what the Lord has been screaming to me this last year! What a year we have had. We left a year ago, today, for our 6 month Home Missionary Assignment in the United States.  (It went by way too fast and while we enjoyed the company of so many friends and family, we still didn't get a chance to see everybody!) As I reflect back on our time in the States and our time since our return to Honduras, I can't but see a consistent yet sometimes painful theme to what the Lord has been calling me to hear: the unity of the body of believers.

The UNITY of the body of Christ in the global church

As we departed Honduras a year ago, Adam and I spoke much of what the Lord taught us through His local body in La Ceiba.  Not surprisingly, a much more charismatic culture worships our same God much differently than the Western Christian in the United States. During our pre-field training, we completed a task by which we determined if theological statements were Biblical or a product of our culture.  As we've sifted through much of this in mentoring pastors and worshiping abroad, the Lord continues to press the importance of the unity of the body of believers into my heart and mind. Hondurans and Americans may be different in language, culture, how they worship and more, but as brothers and sisters in Christ we have more to be unified by than divided by. John Piper says, "We are more closely bound to our brothers and sisters in Christ in other cultures than we are to our closest unbelieving compatriot in the fatherland."  Take that in.  As a Christian, you have more in common with a Christian on the other side of the world that you've never met than you do your closest unbelieving friend in America. Your family in Christ spreads far and wide, to the ends of the earth.   

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. -Galatians 3:26-28

The UNITY of the body of Christ in the church in America

Being overseas for three years, we missed much of the happenings in our own church, in our supporting churches, and in the lives of our dear brothers and sisters in Christ in churches we had never stepped foot in. As we returned to the United States, we struggled as we saw how sin had divided more than one of our beloved congregations and created multiple strained relationships between believers. As we traveled the US during our six month stint, we heard story after story of the pain and division. This was weighty and disheartening for us as we were supposed to be recovering from service on the mission field. We shed many tears and longed for reconciliation for more than one church that we love, for many more than one or two friends that we love. It was like watching divorces happen before our very eyes. The desire to be right won out over the desire to be of one heart and one mind...that of Christ. I can easily look at denominational differences with the same eyes. We let our theology, doctrinal statements, church music, and more become something that separates us. We let those things become more important than sharing the one thing we can agree on...that Christ died for our sins and that He reigns in our hearts.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. -1 Corinthians 12:12

The UNITY of Christ between brothers and sisters

This for me is where the rubber meets the road. How do I live with other Christians on a daily basis? How do I love those Christians I work with, Christians from other missions organizations, Christians that I meet? Do I let no corrupting talk come out of my mouth? Do I edify in order to give grace? Do I overlook offenses? Do I easily forgive? Do I do good towards other Christians regardless of how I feel? Or do I get lumped into the string of sins in Romans 1? No difference is noted between gossip, slander, arrogance, and envy, malice, or murder. Sin is sin is sin. If I am divisive in any form, I do not have the heart of Christ. His heart is UNITY! The Lord has instilled in me this last year a strong desire to be unified with other believers by being like-minded by the same love, being one in Spirit and intent on one purpose. It doesn't matter your role, profession, or calling. What would loving look like being like minded, with one purpose, if we knew that's how we should be unified with every individual who loves Christ? Unbelievers would note a difference. People would be drawn to the light of Christ! We could turn the world upside down!

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. -Ephesians 4:11-13