allowing God's love

Another wonderful week and another wonderful team! God once again has done AMAZING things and I wish I could write them all down but there really isn't that much room! God has changed lives, not just the lives of the Guatemalans but also the lives of the team members and he is also continuing to work in me and change me! He has taught me many things over this past week........

During the Wednesday devotions as a group, we read in Mark 10, and in verse 51 Jesus asks Bartimaeus, "What do you want me to do for you?" And since God speaks to us through His Word, the questions that He asked long ago are relevant to us today, "What do you want me to do for you?" And so my answer to this question was (and i would encourage each of you to answer this question also), "I want to allow YOUR LOVE LORD to penetrate into my whole being and I want to be completely consumed by You and help me to want to please YOU ALONE!" This is easy to say while I am away from home and away from a routine but later that week........

I really felt as though I was just going through the motions. It was Friday, the first medical clinic with this team but it was my 3rd medical clinic and I knew what to expect and what to do. But God really opened my eyes and told me NOT to just go through the motions, which is SO easy to do! He reminded me that EACH person that I encounter each day was put in my path for a reason and to show that person God's love! When God fills you, be a watering can. The purpose of a watering can is to be filled to be poured out. Be filled with God's love to be poured out unto others!

Don't just go throught the motions, ALLOW God's love to change, really change your life and be filled to be poured out and when you are empty CRY out to God! He WILL answer and fill you back up!

Working WITH Jesus Christ

Wow, the first team of the summer, here in Guate, has come and gone. What an amazing group of people! I am so glad to have met each and every one of them. The week just flew by but not without God teaching me a few things.

During the Tuesday evening devotions, that we did as a group, Dan, the missionary here, shared a quote by Oswald Chambers.

"Many are those who work FOR Christ, few are those who work WITH Christ."

Now I have heard this qote before and so I just kinda shrugged it off and really didn't pay much attention to it, wich was really stupid of me. The next day was the day that we dedicated the houses that we made and during that time we share the gospel with the family reciving the house. That day was, I think, hotter that all the other days especially for the people in the houses. At the third house we dedicated it started to rain, which does cool things off but it also makes it very hard for the pople in the houses to hear each other talking because the roofs are metal. And so when the rain started, I started praying against it, which makes sense, right? Well, the rain that we recieved that day was a very, very gentle rain (compared to the day before) and it really didn't last long, just long enough to cool us! As I was praying for the rain to stop, God just reminded me to TRUST in HIS plan and to work WITH him; to not always think that I know what is best but to trust in Him in all circumstnces!

And now a little update on the work here! Team Res. Life in Rockford just left this morning, which was very sad becasue now the base is VERY quiet. It gives me time to think about my family and to dream of the delicious and juicey taste of strawberries...Prayers would be very appreciated. Thank you so much! The next team comes of Monday! Can't wait to see what God has in store for next week!

Isaiah 41:8-16

8 “But you, Israel, my servant,
    Jacob, whom I have chosen,
    you descendants of Abraham my friend,
9 I took you from the ends of the earth,
    from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
    I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

11 “All who rage against you
    will surely be ashamed and disgraced;
those who oppose you
    will be as nothing and perish.
12 Though you search for your enemies,
    you will not find them.
Those who wage war against you
    will be as nothing at all.
13 For I am the Lord your God
    who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
    I will help you.
14 Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob,
    little Israel, do not fear,
for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord,
    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
15 “See, I will make you into a threshing sledge,
    new and sharp, with many teeth.
You will thresh the mountains and crush them,
    and reduce the hills to chaff.
16 You will winnow them, the wind will pick them up,
    and a gale will blow them away.
But you will rejoice in the Lord
    and glory in the Holy One of Israel."