The Spirit Of The Lord...

"It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.  He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places" (Psalm 18:32-34). Here is another update I received from my cousin down in Bachiniva...

"Thinking back on the last four months of construction I am reminded of these verses.

Everything we do is only done becuase of the Strength that we find in the Lord! It does not come from us, for we are nothing, even in our prime we are nothing but vapor! It is clear that this orphanage is being built by the strength of the Lord. Thousands of blocks were laid in three weeks. 7000 sq. ft. of cement was pured in a few weeks, the tin and windows installed in a week and now over 200 hundred sheets of sheet rocks will be up by the end of the week! Is this because we are super hard and fast workers? Or is it because we are putting something special in the bean burritos? Is it because of the American and Menonite Teams that have come down? NO it is because the Lord is with us! Jesus arms us with strength to work and makes the work perfect according to His will. He makes swift and fast like the feet of deer. He teaches our hands to make war so that we can bend that bow of bronze. HE is our strength, our might, wisdom, desire, perserverance, diligence, motivation and above all Jesus is our LOVE our GREAT and BEAUTIFUL LOVE!!!!!!! All that has been acomplished and everything that will be acomlished is because Jesus lives in us and lives through us so that His awesome and mighty name can be glorified so that more people can come to Salvation through His Preciouse Love!"

I love the timing of the Lord...I was just reading and meditating on Zechariah 4:6 "...not by might, nor by power, but by my SPIRIT says the Lord of hosts!"

200 pieces of sheet rock...!

Thank you so much for your prayers regarding Ray's trip down to Mexico.  I haven't heard the full details of how everything went...but from the few texts I got from him, seems like things went well.  We will definitely keep you posted as soon as we hear more.  We would appreciate your continual prayers as we enter into this busy month and various speaking engagements.  We feel so blessed to have the opportunity to teach/share/lead worship at various churches.  Here is our updated schedule...

• Thursday, December 6th - 24seven (high-school group of South Hill Calvary Chapel)
• Sunday, December 9th - Calvary Chapel Redmond (Redmond WA)
• Sunday, December 30th - Calvary Chapel Northwest (Bellingham WA)
• Sunday, January 6th - Calvary Chapel Cottage Grove ( Eugene OR)
• Sunday, January 13th - Calvary Chapel Monroe (Monroe WA)

Thank you so much for those prayers...we covet them and hope that we will be used by the Lord as vessels to declare His wondrous works!

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6).

Special Prayer Request...

"But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak" (Matt 10:19) From Moses, to Jeremiah, to Peter and John...God was always faithful to give them the words when they felt there were none.  What do we have to offer, what can we say, etc...and the Lord reminded them, as He does with us today...don't worry, I'll help you, I'll tell you what to say!

This has been and is currently my prayer for my friend and brother in christ, Ray Wilson, director of Black Buffalo Ministries.  He is on his way right now down to Chihuahua Mexico.  During his 4 days down there, he will be involved in a number of important meetings.  As he goes before lawyers, notary officials, the Indian affairs director, Mennonites and Lino and Lupe, I am praying that the Lord will give him what he needs to speak in the hour that he is to speak it.  Saints, I ask that you please pray for him as well...I know it would be a huge blessing to Ray.  I texted him today and asked if it would be okay to share his schedule and meetings with you all to be praying for him, and he responded, "PLEASE DO...I can use the prayer!"

It is so encouraging to know that Ray, along with his board of directors, ministry, and family, as well as all of us, want the Lord's will to be done in all of this.  No matter what that may look like...God is still awesome, still the same yesterday, today and forever, still seated on the throne and STILL wanting to and WILL do wondrous things in our lives.  Here is his schedule for you to be praying over!

• Sunday - arrives in Chiuahua (please pray for safe flight)
• Monday - meetings with Department of Indian affairs, notary and lawyer
• Tuesday - meetings with Mennonites and Lino and Lupe

Thanks again...!

Open Your Mouth Wide...

Some many exciting things have happened down in Mexico, since we have been home.  What a blessing its been to see the Lord continuing His work down there, as well as up here, during our stay.  I am anxious to get back down to Bachiniva, however, there is still a lot of work and opportunities that the Lord has for us here. He continues to faithfully provide open doors, to share about the orphanage.  He has also been faithful to “...supply all our needs according to HIS riches in glory.”  I came across this verse this morning and have been meditating on it all day... “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide and I will fill it” (Psalm 81:10).

The Lord reminded me that He will fill, pour out, satisfy, provide, as much as we will allow Him to.  If we are only open to Him on Sunday’s or Wednesday’s or during the holidays, when in need...that’s all we will get.  However, if we daily come before Him with our “mouths open wide” He WILL fill it!  And God CONTINUES to do that.

I wanted to share one of the email updates I received from my cousin, Jose, who is overseeing the work in my absence.  He has been taking pictures, leading the construction team in devotions and has really been maturing in the Lord during this time.  Here’s what he wrote...

“Last week me and my dad went to Rubio (town about 20 mins away) to get a part for the Mazda. since we were in Rubio we decided to stop and eat a delicious bowl of shrimp soup (its amazing we have to go when you’re back) so when we got all of that done we headed to Feasa (Mexican Home Depot). We needed to buy some welding sticks and other supplies. As we walked in we saw Jacob, the Menonite Pastor. We greeted each other and then Jacob tells my dad that he had been trying to call him but that he never answered. So my dad checks his phone and says says no you haven’t. Well what had happened was that Jacob had the wrong number. Jacob had been trying to contact my dad so that they could talk about when they could come down and help with orphanage. SO...after talking and getting organized we decided that monday would be a great time for them to come and help. So on monday Six Menonite brothers (Jacob the Pastor, Jacob the welder, Jacob the welders son, Tony, Jason, Abraham and Rony. Rony came yesterday only) arrived at the orphanage ready to work. And when they say work they mean work. These guys got the welder and some how made it so that two people could weld at  a time. They were hanging off the trusses welding, others were cutting and others helping us put the tin on the roof! It was pretty amazing!! I know that our team was real encouraged! Personally the Lord reminded me of the early church, of how they sold everything and lived and helped each other as a family! That was really encouraging! And what is more encouraging is that the Family doesn’t stop in Bachiniva and the Campos (where the Menonites live and work) but rather it extends to Washington, Utah, New Mexico and God willing the World. We serve an amazing GOD!

Indeed we do serve an AMAZING GOD! The pictures below show the roof insulation, tin and windows that were completed in about five days.