I'm usually a pretty easy-going guy. I don't usually lose my cool & like to "go with the flow." But sometimes I find myself looking to the next thing that's on my list. I like to look forward to events that are coming up or start planning ahead for the weekend activities. Trust me, planning is a necessity in our day & age! But...when does it reach a point that our plans & thoughts about the future, even the very near future, get in the way of what God is trying to do in our lives?
Here's my story...
It must have been Friday morning, I was sitting at the table with the boys eating breakfast. It was our usual routine before school. We usually drag the gas heater into the dining room & close the 2 doors so all of the heat stays in. I sit & have coffee while they eat breakfast & argue about the color of the milk in their cereal. You know, the things that 6 year olds & 4 year olds do. Anyway, I was checking emails, replying to Facebook messages, & chugging my coffee before I took the boys to school. It was a normal morning. My mind was racing about language class that started at 9:00, the other tutor that comes at 1:00, & the events that would take place that night on our evangelism trip to downtown. When I realized that we were going to be late for school, I jumped up out of my seat & reached to open the door of the dining room.
I've often heard the phrase, "God opens doors for us to walk through & He will also close doors if it's not His will." I'm sure you've heard the same thing or at least something similar. Well, God must have slammed this one shut! As I grabbed the door handle & swung it toward me so I could walk through, it hit one tiny part of my shoe & kicked back closed. I didn't break stride...SMACK!!! It hit so hard & loud that Laura came from the other room to find out what had happened. I've always laughed at the cartoons when they get hit on the head & see stars, but I wasn't laughing after having seen them myself! It hit just beside of my right eye between my eye & my temple. I almost staggered to the ground, but I was able to find my chair. The bad part was, all I could do was laugh!
God has a way of slowing us down. I'm not the most "in-tune" person with the Spirit, so He often uses measures like these to get my attention. But as I was in the car to & from the boys' school, I began to realize that God really was telling me to slow down. "Take time for Me. Take time for your family. Take time for yourself. Hey, moron...slow down & enjoy today!!! By the way, sorry about the blue-ish purple-ish lump on the side of your head." -God
It truly was a great reminder that I need to stop looking so far into the future. I tend to miss the current & not enjoy what is happening. It's always good to enjoy life's bumps & bruises, too. The way I see it, it's a way to learn from my mistakes. But sometimes...learning hurts!!!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
PoA Night Life
Last night I was able to take part in a street evangelism outreach. This particular outreach began at 10pm & finished around 1am. Being my first time to take part in this outreach, I was somewhat nervous & wasn't for sure what to expect. I wasn't so much nervous about being out late at night or having to talk to people on the street...this specific outreach took place in the prostitute district of our city. This was definitely a new experience for this small town boy who grew up in a "city" of 3,500 people! This was something I had never done in English, let alone Portuguese! But, I went with a heart focused on prayer for those who would do most of the talking & with a learner's attitude.
What I found after the first 10 minutes on the street were people who were trapped in a way of life that they think is impossible to get out of. I use the word "people" because they are not all "ladies" of the night. These people are prisoners of one thing...sin. They are so blinded by the fact that there is no other way to get money, affection, attention, love, etc., that this lifestyle binds them to the only thing that they know how to do.
We approached one young lady, probably no more than 18-20 years old, who refused to take a piece of candy on a paper that shared God's plan for her life. She would not even put it in her purse to read later. As we stood 100 feet from the front door of the Catholic church in that neighborhood, her words will forever be engrained into my memory: "God & sex don't mix. I'm Catholic & I pray everyday, but I can't take your paper to read. I will be fine."
Last night, the Father of Light invaded the prince of darkness. My heart broke for those who know no other way than being blinded by the father of lies. My convictions for sharing my faith with others was intensified last night. The urgency of reaching a lost city was magnified by what I saw, by what I felt, & by the overwhelming darkness that we encountered. Jesus must be shared...PERIOD.
Please, let me encourage you who read this post...share your faith with others. Let those who are blinded by the evil one know that there is a Hope that is within you. Love them, see them through the eyes of Christ, & show them how to break free from the chains of sin that bind their life.
"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." -2 Corinthians 4:3-4
What I found after the first 10 minutes on the street were people who were trapped in a way of life that they think is impossible to get out of. I use the word "people" because they are not all "ladies" of the night. These people are prisoners of one thing...sin. They are so blinded by the fact that there is no other way to get money, affection, attention, love, etc., that this lifestyle binds them to the only thing that they know how to do.
We approached one young lady, probably no more than 18-20 years old, who refused to take a piece of candy on a paper that shared God's plan for her life. She would not even put it in her purse to read later. As we stood 100 feet from the front door of the Catholic church in that neighborhood, her words will forever be engrained into my memory: "God & sex don't mix. I'm Catholic & I pray everyday, but I can't take your paper to read. I will be fine."
Last night, the Father of Light invaded the prince of darkness. My heart broke for those who know no other way than being blinded by the father of lies. My convictions for sharing my faith with others was intensified last night. The urgency of reaching a lost city was magnified by what I saw, by what I felt, & by the overwhelming darkness that we encountered. Jesus must be shared...PERIOD.
Please, let me encourage you who read this post...share your faith with others. Let those who are blinded by the evil one know that there is a Hope that is within you. Love them, see them through the eyes of Christ, & show them how to break free from the chains of sin that bind their life.
"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." -2 Corinthians 4:3-4
Thursday, August 18, 2011
The Hard Days
It's days like these that make it hard to be away from family & friends. Early this morning, my best friend's father passed away. I used to be able to make a phone call & hop in the car to drive to see a family member or friend when they needed me. Now, over 6,000 miles away, it's an almost impossible task to get from point "A" to point "B" in time to help. These are the hard days. It's knowing that I can't hug my friend's neck, cry on each others shoulders, & give the support that I know he needs right now. These are the hard days. It's these days when I feel helpless as a friend because I can't be there for him. These are the hard days.
But there is a Friend...He's the one that sticks closer than a brother. He's the One that I know will bring peace to my friend & his family during this time of grief & loss. Blessed is the "Spirit [who] helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." - Romans 8:26
He's also the One that has promised me that "there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life." - Mark 10:29-30
It's during these hard days that my faith grows stronger because my prayer life is richer. It's during these hard days that the Spirit comforts my friend far better than I ever could have. It's during these hard days for me...that God reminds me just how little time there is on this earth to do what He has called me to do.
But there is a Friend...He's the one that sticks closer than a brother. He's the One that I know will bring peace to my friend & his family during this time of grief & loss. Blessed is the "Spirit [who] helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." - Romans 8:26
He's also the One that has promised me that "there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life." - Mark 10:29-30
It's during these hard days that my faith grows stronger because my prayer life is richer. It's during these hard days that the Spirit comforts my friend far better than I ever could have. It's during these hard days for me...that God reminds me just how little time there is on this earth to do what He has called me to do.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Can you repeat that?
So, over a week ago, Sunday the 7th, I started getting a sore throat & a runny nose. No big deal. I mean, it's been rainy, windy, cold...all the things that come with winter in Porto Alegre. I started running a fever that night & it spiked at around 102.5. Not much fun. But I took some Tylenol (yes, we have that here, it's US$11 for 20 pills, and it's pronounced "Tcheelonol) & the fever came down to about 100. This lasted for 5 days. I never could get my fever to get below 100. Well, I take that back. It did go down on Tuesday night & Wednesday to 99 & I thought for sure that I was over the worst of the cold/flu/junk that I had contracted from who knows where. On Thursday, I couldn't take it anymore. Being the MAN that I am, I tried to tough it out & not go to the doctor. This was for 2 reasons: 1.) I'm a man. Men don't go to the doctor unless they are dying. I have sense wised up & realize that it's really the MOM's who don't go to the doctor unless they are dying! Then again...mom's never get sick! 2.) I thought the doctor would just tell me to get over it because it's going around & everyone has it.
She told me I had a severe ear & throat infection. (Where I come from, this is probably known as Strep Throat.) She gave me some antibiotics & sent me on my way. The next morning, Friday, I woke up to the sound of NOTHING! My left ear was completely clogged & I couldn't hear. It sounded like I had an earplug crammed in there! It was horrible!!!
Today is Wednesday...the earplug is still in there. I broke down today & went to an ENT (Ear, Nose, & Throat Specialist). After I told her my story, she examined my outer ear by looking into it with one of those cone-shaped things...you know, the regular tool used for checking ears. THEN...she informed me that she needed to check my nasal cavities to ensure there was no internal obstruction. No problem, Doc! Yeah right. She came back with what appeared to be a firehouse that had a light & a camera on the end! I said (all of this in portuguêse, I remind you), "You're going to stick that thing where?!"
She told me that I wouldn't feel any pain (easy for her to say) but that it would be a little "strange." Um...ya. That was probably an understatement! The good thing is that she found no blockage. The bad thing...she sent me for a hearing test to rule out "Sudden Hearing Loss Syndrome." I tested ok, but not 100%. She then informed me that her "hunch" was right. She diagnosed me with an internal ear VIRUS. Never heard of it. She gave me some meds to help advance the flow of fluids, said that it may take a few days for my hearing to return, & told me to come back next week. So, as of tonight I'm still saying, "What did you say, Laura?"
It's been a fun week of trying to speak, hear, & learn Portuguese while I constantly hear an echo. I actually have a joke now with my language professor. She will ask me something (something that I don't know the answer to) & I will blame my incorrect response on my ear! Gotta have fun with it, right?!
However, my devotion times this past week have gone hand-in-hand with my life's events. God has been speaking to me about slowing down & "listening" to His voice. I think He has my attention now. :) Life gets so busy that we often lose track of our time alone with the Father. Ministry, language, children, spouses, careers, sports, reading, friends...all of these are great things, but if we are losing our time with God because of these great things, then we are missing the most important thing of all. These things will automatically come together if we are spending quality time, not "checklist" time, with our Creator. If I knew that Laura wouldn't slap me, I think I would "clog up" my ears more often so I could hear the Spirit speak clearly.
Jesus spent one-on-one, uninterrupted time with the Father:
"And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed." - Mark 1:35
Let's find our desolate place today so we can spend it with The Almighty One.
She told me I had a severe ear & throat infection. (Where I come from, this is probably known as Strep Throat.) She gave me some antibiotics & sent me on my way. The next morning, Friday, I woke up to the sound of NOTHING! My left ear was completely clogged & I couldn't hear. It sounded like I had an earplug crammed in there! It was horrible!!!
Today is Wednesday...the earplug is still in there. I broke down today & went to an ENT (Ear, Nose, & Throat Specialist). After I told her my story, she examined my outer ear by looking into it with one of those cone-shaped things...you know, the regular tool used for checking ears. THEN...she informed me that she needed to check my nasal cavities to ensure there was no internal obstruction. No problem, Doc! Yeah right. She came back with what appeared to be a firehouse that had a light & a camera on the end! I said (all of this in portuguêse, I remind you), "You're going to stick that thing where?!"
She told me that I wouldn't feel any pain (easy for her to say) but that it would be a little "strange." Um...ya. That was probably an understatement! The good thing is that she found no blockage. The bad thing...she sent me for a hearing test to rule out "Sudden Hearing Loss Syndrome." I tested ok, but not 100%. She then informed me that her "hunch" was right. She diagnosed me with an internal ear VIRUS. Never heard of it. She gave me some meds to help advance the flow of fluids, said that it may take a few days for my hearing to return, & told me to come back next week. So, as of tonight I'm still saying, "What did you say, Laura?"
It's been a fun week of trying to speak, hear, & learn Portuguese while I constantly hear an echo. I actually have a joke now with my language professor. She will ask me something (something that I don't know the answer to) & I will blame my incorrect response on my ear! Gotta have fun with it, right?!
However, my devotion times this past week have gone hand-in-hand with my life's events. God has been speaking to me about slowing down & "listening" to His voice. I think He has my attention now. :) Life gets so busy that we often lose track of our time alone with the Father. Ministry, language, children, spouses, careers, sports, reading, friends...all of these are great things, but if we are losing our time with God because of these great things, then we are missing the most important thing of all. These things will automatically come together if we are spending quality time, not "checklist" time, with our Creator. If I knew that Laura wouldn't slap me, I think I would "clog up" my ears more often so I could hear the Spirit speak clearly.
Jesus spent one-on-one, uninterrupted time with the Father:
"And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed." - Mark 1:35
Let's find our desolate place today so we can spend it with The Almighty One.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Call Me Crazy!
For the past 2-1/2 weeks, Laura & I have been back in full-time language learning. This involves classroom time, study time, & community time where we practice all that we have learned from the day along with previously learned materials. Our schedule is nuts!!! But...amidst the chaos of crying kids, playing taxi driver for the older 2 boys, trying to get the babá (babysitter) situated with Dristen before our class starts, SKYPE connections, books, headaches, & everything associated with this process...call me crazy, it's something I love!
I love the fact that we once again have a schedule. Well, I guess we call it a schedule! :) I love the fact that I have a reason to get out of bed EARLY again so I can start my day in the Word before I take the boys to school. I love the fact that we can once again remember the phrases that had started to slip from our feeble memories after only a few short weeks! I love the fact that I get to spend class time with just my wife (and a tutor of course). But hey, it's the fact that we get to be together to learn the language that we have both grown to love. Let me step back one tiny step...the language that we have both grown to appreciate the difficulty of. :) And yes, we do love it! Laura may say otherwise, but deep down she would confess that her heart belongs in Brazil & to it's native tongue.
Yep, call me crazy, but learning another language is really cool. It's not easy...but it's really rewarding when the person on the street is FINALLY able to understand what you are saying. It's awesome when at the butcher's counter he hands you the meat that you asked for & not a plastic bag. It's a great feeling when you know the difference between a lady, an apple, & pasta (moça, maçã, & massa). Get all those mixed up & you might have a moça mixing your massa with green maçãs! Yikes!!!
All of this to say...it's fun & enjoyable for me to know that God has given me the energy, knowledge, & courage to learn this tough language. It's not the easiest of things to try to practice language with a complete stranger, especially when I know there is a GOOD chance of me calling him something that he's not or fumbling for words when trying to speak. I used to laugh at our language teachers in Ribeirão Preto. I would ask them if I sounded like a 3 year old when I tried to speak to them.
Me: T----h-------e-------T-he----
Them: Dee, it's the word, "The."
Ok, so it's not THAT bad! But it sure seems like it sometimes! God has taught me humility in a world where it's not cool to be an "outsider." Far too often, I get discouraged thinking about the future & how I will ever be able to clearly communicate with these people I have grown to love. But God is constantly reminding me that my strength lies in Him & that He is in control of my tongue. His timing is perfect. His words are perfect.
"Rely on Me & My words, Dee. Don't try this alone."
How amazing will it be when we see those "from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb...crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'" -Revelation 7:9-10
I love the fact that we once again have a schedule. Well, I guess we call it a schedule! :) I love the fact that I have a reason to get out of bed EARLY again so I can start my day in the Word before I take the boys to school. I love the fact that we can once again remember the phrases that had started to slip from our feeble memories after only a few short weeks! I love the fact that I get to spend class time with just my wife (and a tutor of course). But hey, it's the fact that we get to be together to learn the language that we have both grown to love. Let me step back one tiny step...the language that we have both grown to appreciate the difficulty of. :) And yes, we do love it! Laura may say otherwise, but deep down she would confess that her heart belongs in Brazil & to it's native tongue.
Yep, call me crazy, but learning another language is really cool. It's not easy...but it's really rewarding when the person on the street is FINALLY able to understand what you are saying. It's awesome when at the butcher's counter he hands you the meat that you asked for & not a plastic bag. It's a great feeling when you know the difference between a lady, an apple, & pasta (moça, maçã, & massa). Get all those mixed up & you might have a moça mixing your massa with green maçãs! Yikes!!!
All of this to say...it's fun & enjoyable for me to know that God has given me the energy, knowledge, & courage to learn this tough language. It's not the easiest of things to try to practice language with a complete stranger, especially when I know there is a GOOD chance of me calling him something that he's not or fumbling for words when trying to speak. I used to laugh at our language teachers in Ribeirão Preto. I would ask them if I sounded like a 3 year old when I tried to speak to them.
Me: T----h-------e-------T-he----
Them: Dee, it's the word, "The."
Ok, so it's not THAT bad! But it sure seems like it sometimes! God has taught me humility in a world where it's not cool to be an "outsider." Far too often, I get discouraged thinking about the future & how I will ever be able to clearly communicate with these people I have grown to love. But God is constantly reminding me that my strength lies in Him & that He is in control of my tongue. His timing is perfect. His words are perfect.
"Rely on Me & My words, Dee. Don't try this alone."
How amazing will it be when we see those "from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb...crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'" -Revelation 7:9-10
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Ordinary
If I were to describe myself in a few words, I would probably tell people about some of my qualities. You know...hit the "highlights" of who I am. People generally like to share the good things about themselves. We like to talk about certain goals we have accomplished on life's road. For example, someone might start by talking about how they graduated with a MBA, are now the CEO of the company, drive a brand new car, live in a huge house by the lake, & how their kids are the greatest athletes on the face of the earth. These are all great things, huh?! I mean...don't get me wrong, if God has blessed you with these great things then that truly is something to talk about! However, if we are referring to these things as something that we feel that we have done on our own, OR if we choose to tell others about these great things to prove our self-worth...then it's not giving the glory to the One who deserves the glory.
God has really been convicting my heart lately about who deserves the glory. It's really easy to say, "Look at me! I'm a MISSIONARY! I live in a foreign country with my wife & 3 kids. We are just doing what God has called us to do here in Brazil." Even though all of that is true, it's easy to say it with the wrong emphasis & attitude. It is easy to "brag" to someone about leaving everything behind in the States to follow God's call. But...that's not right. It's no different than the person in the States bragging about all of the material possessions & great career that they have.
What I'm attempting to say is this: God is showing me that no matter what my socioeconomic status, no matter what country I live in, no matter what kind of house, apartment, shack, or box I call home, no matter how much money I make per month, no matter anything...He deserves the glory. It's easy to get caught up in the "look at me" mode of life & forget that He asks ALL of us to give the Father the glory for the things He has done.
I'm reading a book about the disciples & how they were just ordinary men. It's encouraging to know that the Creator of the world calls ordinary men to serve His purpose. I'm not a person who is of great political influence or who comes from a great line of pastors & teachers. I don't even have a Master's Degree. I'm just Dee. I'm an ordinary guy, a previous lumber salesman, whom God chose to send to Brazil to share the glory of His Son. Wow...now that's humbling.
Growing up I always had BIG dreams. I wanted to be a major league baseball player, build a nice house, drive a nice car, have a lot of money, & live a happy life filled with lots of things. God has granted a lot of those dreams, but he has also shown me that it's a good thing to be ordinary. He calls ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Just look at the 12 Apostles in the Bible. They turned the world upside down! My new dreams are to make much of His name, to live a life filled by the Holy Spirit, & to give ALL honor & glory to the Savior of the world.
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." - Galatians 2:20
God has really been convicting my heart lately about who deserves the glory. It's really easy to say, "Look at me! I'm a MISSIONARY! I live in a foreign country with my wife & 3 kids. We are just doing what God has called us to do here in Brazil." Even though all of that is true, it's easy to say it with the wrong emphasis & attitude. It is easy to "brag" to someone about leaving everything behind in the States to follow God's call. But...that's not right. It's no different than the person in the States bragging about all of the material possessions & great career that they have.
What I'm attempting to say is this: God is showing me that no matter what my socioeconomic status, no matter what country I live in, no matter what kind of house, apartment, shack, or box I call home, no matter how much money I make per month, no matter anything...He deserves the glory. It's easy to get caught up in the "look at me" mode of life & forget that He asks ALL of us to give the Father the glory for the things He has done.
I'm reading a book about the disciples & how they were just ordinary men. It's encouraging to know that the Creator of the world calls ordinary men to serve His purpose. I'm not a person who is of great political influence or who comes from a great line of pastors & teachers. I don't even have a Master's Degree. I'm just Dee. I'm an ordinary guy, a previous lumber salesman, whom God chose to send to Brazil to share the glory of His Son. Wow...now that's humbling.
Growing up I always had BIG dreams. I wanted to be a major league baseball player, build a nice house, drive a nice car, have a lot of money, & live a happy life filled with lots of things. God has granted a lot of those dreams, but he has also shown me that it's a good thing to be ordinary. He calls ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Just look at the 12 Apostles in the Bible. They turned the world upside down! My new dreams are to make much of His name, to live a life filled by the Holy Spirit, & to give ALL honor & glory to the Savior of the world.
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." - Galatians 2:20
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Crazy Days Ahead
Our past few days have been kind of crazy, but we wouldn't have it any other way, right? :) We usually start the day with me taking Camden & Tanner to school. They start at 7:50am, so it's early mornings for us! Funny story...
Tanner & I were still in the car after Camden had already gone into school (his class starts 10 minutes before Tanner's) when Tanner began telling me a story about a spider that they have in his class. Assuming he means a "pet spider," I started asking questions because he told me that he didn't really like it.
Me: Is it big?
Tanner: Um...yes.
Me: What color is it?
Tanner: Well, mostly black.
Me: Is it hairy? (Thinking that it may be a tarantula.)
Tanner: Yes! Like Camden!
My big gulp of coffee ALMOST covered the entire windshield! Hilarious!
The next part of our morning continues when our babysitter, Thafni, comes to watch Dristen while Laura & I have Portuguese class in the dining room via SKYPE. Dristen has been doing pretty well adjusting to being with her, but he gets mad because he knows that we are still in the house & he can't get to us. It's become our "event" to watch his face when she rings the doorbell. He freezes & looks at both of us like, "Dude...you've GOT to be kidding me! Her again?!"
He only cries for a minute, then we hear him laughing & running in the next room while he is saying Portuguese words to her. (Tchau=Bye, Opa=Uh-oh, Beijos=Kisses)
I go back to pick Camden & Tanner up from school by noon or just after. They only go for half a day here in Brazil. This allows me to be back home by 1:00 pm for our next language class with our new tutor, Grace, here in Porto Alegre. Hey, at least the day goes by fast!!!
I'm not even including our time in the community to practice what we have learned. But, it's all going well for us. Crazy...but going well.
We had a team meeting yesterday with our colleagues here in PoA. We discussed spiritual gifts & strengths that God has given to each of our 6 team members. We have a well-balanced team with gifts that will compliment each other in our group. I'm excited to see how God orchestrates these instruments to be able to play the symphony that He is conducting! It will be beautiful! I've only requested of Him to not make me the flute...it's a girlie instrument. :)
Please continue to pray for us & our team. We attended a celebration service last night at a new church plant in a restaurant. It's amazing how God is working there & how we are "getting in" on it.
I pray that we all catch God's vision & plan for every people, tribe, nation, & tongue to know the saving power of Jesus. Let us always "seek the things that are above" & "set our minds" on them, "not on things that are on earth." -Colossians 3:1-2
Tanner & I were still in the car after Camden had already gone into school (his class starts 10 minutes before Tanner's) when Tanner began telling me a story about a spider that they have in his class. Assuming he means a "pet spider," I started asking questions because he told me that he didn't really like it.
Me: Is it big?
Tanner: Um...yes.
Me: What color is it?
Tanner: Well, mostly black.
Me: Is it hairy? (Thinking that it may be a tarantula.)
Tanner: Yes! Like Camden!
My big gulp of coffee ALMOST covered the entire windshield! Hilarious!
The next part of our morning continues when our babysitter, Thafni, comes to watch Dristen while Laura & I have Portuguese class in the dining room via SKYPE. Dristen has been doing pretty well adjusting to being with her, but he gets mad because he knows that we are still in the house & he can't get to us. It's become our "event" to watch his face when she rings the doorbell. He freezes & looks at both of us like, "Dude...you've GOT to be kidding me! Her again?!"
He only cries for a minute, then we hear him laughing & running in the next room while he is saying Portuguese words to her. (Tchau=Bye, Opa=Uh-oh, Beijos=Kisses)
I go back to pick Camden & Tanner up from school by noon or just after. They only go for half a day here in Brazil. This allows me to be back home by 1:00 pm for our next language class with our new tutor, Grace, here in Porto Alegre. Hey, at least the day goes by fast!!!
I'm not even including our time in the community to practice what we have learned. But, it's all going well for us. Crazy...but going well.
We had a team meeting yesterday with our colleagues here in PoA. We discussed spiritual gifts & strengths that God has given to each of our 6 team members. We have a well-balanced team with gifts that will compliment each other in our group. I'm excited to see how God orchestrates these instruments to be able to play the symphony that He is conducting! It will be beautiful! I've only requested of Him to not make me the flute...it's a girlie instrument. :)
Please continue to pray for us & our team. We attended a celebration service last night at a new church plant in a restaurant. It's amazing how God is working there & how we are "getting in" on it.
I pray that we all catch God's vision & plan for every people, tribe, nation, & tongue to know the saving power of Jesus. Let us always "seek the things that are above" & "set our minds" on them, "not on things that are on earth." -Colossians 3:1-2
Monday, August 8, 2011
Under the weather
The house is full of sickness!!! I am blaming this on my supervisor, Jeff. (It's not really his fault, but hey, someone HAS to be blamed! HA!) I don't think any of us got any sleep last night. Poor Laura was up with Dristen who has been coughing for the past week, Camden was up with the same cough & I was on the couch...no wait, the bed...no wait the chair...no wait...you get the picture, with a fever, cough, & runny nose. It's amazing how mom's can NEVER get sick! Not sure what we would do without the only lady in the house. It would be pretty pathetic. Thanks, Laura, for always taking care of your boys.
When Camden & Tanner came home from school today, I "scheduled" individual appointments with them to talk about "life." I mean, being 6 & 4 years old carries some heavy responsibilities! Speaking Portuguese in school, new friends, new teachers, & a new schedule. So, we just had a time to talk about the likes & dislikes of their new school.
Camden told me that they played a matching game today & when he got the correct match, then all of the students would clap & cheer for him. He said that they really like the American Kid in their school. He is always talking about his new buddy Eduardo & things that they did during the day. I praise God that He has given him a good friend at school already.
Tanner told me that his favorite thing about school is the "blue room." This is the exercise room with soft, blue mats to jump & flip on. He also has made a good friend named Luca. We are going to Luca's birthday party at the end of the month. This is a big deal! This means that Tanner is already one of the group! God is faithful to hear & answer our prayers.
This past move to Porto Alegre has been tough. This is our second winter of the year! It's been trying for all of us these first few weeks. But, we rely on this verse often, "He Who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it." -1 Thes. 5:24
Please pray with me this prayer that I have prayed these past few days...Lord, let ME get out of the way so that YOU can do YOUR work, in YOUR way, with YOUR people, & do it in YOUR time.
One other prayer...please pray for my friend Ryan's daughter. She went for some tests today about a heart murmur. Pray God's will be done.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
The spiritual world...is it real?
This is an attempt to put into words some of the experiences that God is allowing me to see here in Brazil. He is teaching me daily how to walk by faith & how to rely on Him. It's a lot easier said than done!
Yesterday, I was privileged to take part in a group of churches coming together to go into the community & share the Hope that is within us with citizens of that town. Let me remind you that all of this was done in Portuguese. I mean, we are in Brazil! Let me also say, that at the end of the day (almost 10 hours total) I had one of the worst headaches of my life! There is only so much of a foreign language that a guy can take in one day, you know.
However, God rewarded us for doing as He has commanded each of us to do...share the Good News of Jesus & make disciples. We were able to see 3 Brazilians pray to receive Christ yesterday. It was awesome!
God taught me 2 things yesterday:
1. That I need more language! :)
2. We don't always recognize & confront the spiritual world.
Here in Porto Alegre, the biggest "religion" among the people is that of worshiping many gods & often making sacrifices to them daily. One of the young ladies that came to know Christ yesterday tried to find answers by praying to these gods & visiting the witchdoctors. She began to hear voices talking to her. They began to haunt her mind & she soon fell into a state of depression, even attempting suicide. We were prepared as we entered her home...praying many times on the way to her house & even before we left the vehicle. Nonetheless, we didn't know what or who was behind the door. But we did recognize Who was within us.
It's something we see very often in the Bible, yet we dismiss it in our minds because we don't know exactly how to address it. We often think of it as something that happened in "Bible Days." Trust me...it happens still. As we began to share the Gospel, I noticed many "idols" lining her shelves. A statue of Mary, some small idols, a Bible, etc. You see, the enemy wants us to believe that as long as a person has belief in something, then it's all good. At the critical time of decision for this young lady dogs began to bark, her daughter began to scream from the other room, people started yelling outside, etc.
You see, one of the other things that we often forget & don't give credit to is the One Who lives within us. The God of this world, Maker of heaven & earth, the Almighty, the Lamb, the Holy One, the Rock, my Best Friend lives within me! His power is unknown, his strength beyond words, & the ability to overcome the evil one has already been taken care of when He rose from the dead. He reigns. And He reigns in me. Words leave me right now trying to capture this thought...
I pray that I will never forget this young lady who accepted Jesus yesterday. I pray that the Lord will bring mature believers alongside her to grow her in Jesus, in His Word, & in prayer. I pray that I am able to have a part in reaping a harvest ready to come to know the Almighty One. Lord...I pray that you send laborers into Your harvest.
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