Loving this Holiday Season . . .
Well, if you know me at all, then you know how very much I love this time of year. I am the person that watches Christmas movies all year round and thinks it is never too early to decorate. I do the countdowns. I play the constant Christmas music. I am that girl!
So the title for this blog / ministry update came easy to me as I thought of my attitude toward the past 2 months of life since my last update. I am loving this season! However, as I was typing it out the Lord revealed that the message that I really want to get across in this blog is the importance of Loving . . . and not just during this season.
Matthew 22:37 – 39 (NIV) 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’a]”>[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’b]”>[b]
God commands us to have an attitude of LOVE towards all people, in all situations, at all times. Every action comes out of an attitude, therefore, all of our actions should exhibit the love that we have for God and others.
So as I look back at our ministry activities, the fun and those more spiritual, I contemplate how I hope that they are all exhibiting the love that I have for my family, my team, all those that visit to serve with us for a short time, and the community that we are serving in Nicaragua. I also hope that this challenges you to look at your activities this season and into the New Year in a similar manner . . . am I coming from a place of love and is that attitude evident in my actions?
Now for the highlights (I warn you it was busy and I included lots of pics) of the past 2 months . . .
On October 15th, we were able to celebrate my son Michael’s 15th birthday! This was our first big milestone as a new family. It’s just another occasion to remind me of the Lord’s faithfulness in allowing me to become a mom.
We were blessed to have a team from Guatemala and a World Race Fusion (international) team with us for a week mid-October. Having multiple cultures represented in the group serving our community was such a testament to the community that they are loved by so many and that we are all loved by and serve the same Jesus. It also shows them that people from all cultures and backgrounds can go!
Some wonderful ladies from Crossroads Church came to REAP in late October and exhibited love in a real way to the ladies on our team, the female leaders in our community, and the community of women that we serve. They hosted a special night for us and our female leaders in the community where we were served a special meal and given gifts and pampered a bit. Little expressions of love go a long way. Then they hosted an amazing 2 day conference, where our leaders were invited to serve alongside of them, for about 80 ladies in our community that was such a blessing to them. It was such a blessing to our team to host them and to have them love on us and the ladies that we love so much.
There were a couple of really fun Christmas activities that I was privileged to host at my house in early – mid November (before Thanksgiving being the key). It was such a blessing since I was already missing my family Christmas traditions in the states.
Some great friends came over and crafted the ornaments and the angel topper for our family Christmas tree and helped us decorate our “Christmas Corner.” It meant so much to have the tree created with love by some that we have relationship with.
It was also such a blessing to my spirit to host a “Christmas Movie Night” at my house for the group of World Racers that were with us for the month of November, as well as Nathan’s parents who were visiting. They indulged my obsession 🙂
THANKSGIVING . . .
Our team was blessed to have 14 World Racers to share in Thanksgiving and all of the preparations with us as REAP hosted about 50 of us at their house for dinner. It was a great time of reminding us of all that we have to be thankful for in the personal relationship that we have with God and the personal relationships that we have with each other, visitors, and those we serve alongside in the community.
On the day after Thanksgiving, thanks to the help of the 14 World Racers and the generous donations of toys and money for the event, we were able to host a “Christmas Store” for the families that we are connected with in the community where we serve. Specific families (that participate in our discipleship studies and service programs in the community) were invited to come and shop and purchase gifts for their children at affordable prices. The looks on the faces of parents that were able to afford to purchase a nice gift for their child for Christmas was a gift to each of us all it’s own. And it was tons of fun!
We were able to close out the month of November with what I find to be one of our most exciting activities for the Kingdom . . . baptisms!
On Sunday, 11/27, four young leaders in our community who serve alongside us directly and/or with the Young Life program in the community were baptized out on the REAP property. Even more special was the family connection as it was two sisters, one with her husband, and the other alongside her boyfriend. This was such a special time because all four of them have been Christians for a time and have been serving the Lord and it was beautiful to see them take this step.
Then on Thursday, 11/30 we were able to do a baptism at the jail. It was so exciting to bear witness to the baptism of 38 prisoners, 4 of them women, whom we discipleship on a weekly basis. This was the first time that any of our women have taken part in the baptisms so that was a little extra special for my heart 🙂
I am continuing to love working with the Saturday Book Club at the Pantanal library as we continue reading “The Magician’s Nephew” from the Chronicles of Narnia series. I love prompting them on some of the symbolism and being a part of them thinking on things in a Christian light, some maybe for the first time. I am praying that continuing this series into the new year with bring opportunities to go deeper with the children because of questions prompted by these books. I am also blessed that one of the Nicaraguans that serves alongside us, Ericka, has stepped up and joined me in my efforts at the library and will actually be covering the book club for me while I am in the US in December so that the kids don’t have to miss out.
A final fun highlight was the Granada team’s 2nd Place finish in the National Kickball Tournament! Several of the women that are in the weekly discipleship classes that we do with Kickball teams, through our sports ministry, including our very own team member Caitlin, were chosen for the select team to represent Granada at this level. We were all so proud of their victory and of the sportsmanship that they showed throughout the tournament!
A few praises and prayer requests to end on . . .
- PRAISE: I safely traveled to the US on 12/7 and am currently attending our Adventures in Missions Long-term Missions Retreat in Gainesville, GA. I will also be able to travel to NC and visit with family 12/13 – 12/29! (I look forward to sharing about both these experiences in my next update!)
- PRAYER REQUEST: I would ask that you keep my husband and son in your prayers as they spend the next few weeks in Nicaragua without me, and for all of us as we spend our first Christmas apart.
- PRAISE & PRAYER REQUEST: My dad will be traveling back with me to Nicaragua on 12/29 to spend time with my family and serve alongside me some in the community. I’m so thankful that God has afforded us this opportunity! Please pray for our safe travels on that day and for favor on his time in Nicaragua.
- PRAISE: This fiscal year is starting out well as in the area of my personal financial support. Thanks so much to all of you who have been donating and that have committed to year-end donations. You make all of this possible!
- PRAYER REQUEST: We are currently beginning construction on the dormitory on the REAP property in Pantanal (more info to come in the next update) so pray for funding and for God’s wisdom in all areas of proceeding with this effort.
- PRAYER REQUEST: That I will continue to seek God’s direction and choose obedience as he shows me how to balance my roles in my family and the ministry and that all of my choices and efforts in these areas will bring glory to HIM alone.
