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?