Toluca, Here we come!

In a couple of hours, Mason and I will be boarding a bus and heading 6 hours (by bus!) South of Leon to Toluca, Mexico. I will speak at a youth rally and then preach Sunday morning. It's really exciting, because my Spanish was so bad back in the day that they didn't even let me LEAD A PRAYER as an AIMer :)

I've been trying to involve Mase more and more in my ministry and he's seemed to be excited and willing to participate! He's a good boy and I'm super proud of him. Please say a prayer for our travel and pray that the church is blessed and challenged by God's Word!

Happy Turkey Day!

I'm in Mexico where tomorrow will be Thursday...pretty much like every other Thursday. Usually Thanksgiving comes and goes and it's all good, but for some reason this year I'm feeling kinda missing being there with family. I did want to take a second and wish everyone a very happy holiday and express my thankfulness to you for your prayers and partnership in the Lord's work here in Leon, GTO! I'm especially thankful for my good family (extended) and my beautiful wife and children! It's an awesome thing to see God at work in our lives and ministry and to see God using our marriage and our children to bless others! I'm SUPER grateful for my salvation and my God who has showered my life with GRACE! God is so good!!!

It's that time again!

...it's almost 2010 and it's "wrap it up, shut it down, start it back up again" time! Yesterday I had the blessing of sitting down with a lady from the church and talking about her ministry and her desire for 2010. We got to talking about all there is planned til the end of the year and I realized it's gonna be a LONG end of the year with only a month to go. This weekend Mase and I will travel to Toluca to do a youth rally and preach Sunday. The following Sunday Dec. 6th, I'm in charge of worship (already in the works) for the next couple of months. Barb and I are also starting a new ministry called "manos a la obra" (hands to the work). It's a puppet and drama ministry to send the kids off to class "in style" :) The idea is to put a little something in our worship for the children too. December 5th is our local ladies day and I will be helping Barb plan and execute that day. The following Saturday Dec. 12th we will host the youth Christmas party at our house. Sunday Dec. 13th I will preach and teach adult Bible class. The following Saturday will be a special puppet event and our regular men's meeting. I didn't even list our cell group or regular studies and activities during the week! And maybe, just maybe by Christmas, we will have a moment to sit down and rest. As you can see it will be crazy busy between now and Christmas. Please say a prayer for health, strength and energy for our family!

Traveling again

I know it's only two weekends in a row, but I already miss the church :) This past weekend we were in GDL celebrating their 20th Ann. and this coming weekend I have been asked to speak at a youth rally in Toluca (my old AIM field). Mason and I will head out Friday midday to arrive a little after dark there in Toluca. We will be there til Sunday night. Barb and the girls will stay here. Please say a prayer for our travel and my girls as they stay behind in Leon. Also take a moment to lift up the church and the many changes for 2010! I'm really excited about the year to come and I have faith that God is going to work even greater among us!!!

20th Ann. in GDL

This weekend we traveled to Guadalajara (GDL) for an important celebration! We arrived Friday to help my in-laws with the last minute little details. Saturday afternoon we spent getting everything ready for the big evening. Saturday evening we gathered along with the church and other christians throughout the city to remember all the good God has done over the past 20 years in the congregation "El Colli". There were gifts, memories, pictures, good food and several different activities. I was blessed to say a few words from the Bible and challenge the church for the "next 20 years" (in Spanish...no pressure there :). After I spoke, Mase got up and read a small thank you that Barb had written and then read Joshua 24:14-15. He was the hit of the night and everyone said HE would be the preacher in 20 years :) God alone knows, but our prayer is that he grows up to be a faithful servant.

My title was "when your children ask later". I know it's kind of a long title, but the idea behind the message is that God wants us to remember the past and the good He has done, but for the purpose of trusting Him in the future and sharing our story with others. It comes out of Joshua 3 and 4 where the Israelites crossed the Jordan and God told them to take up 12 stones as a "memory altar" if you will. I think about this passage, along side Ex. 12 often. What story am I leaving for my children? Am I telling them His story and raising them to love God? Barbara and I share this pray often. In all, it was a good weekend to thank God for all He has done and to give thanks for His goodness.

"Who died and left you in charge?"

This morning was an exciting time. For a good while now, Nadia has been wanting to get baptized. This morning was the planned day. Barb and I were the 1st to arrive at 9:30 (when we are suppose to start praying) and the baptistry was dry. I wasn't too happy that whoever was in charge...wasn't. We quickly moved chairs and arranged the baptistry to began filling it with water. It takes a good hour, hour and a half to fill and that's COLD water. It takes about that long to heat water. By the time we were beginning to fill it up with water, people were arriving and as they arrived, most started to chip in and help. This was the 1st time to use the new baptistry and wouldn't you know it, it poured. I would say "leaked", but I've never seen that much water come from a "leak" :) My frustration quickly turned, because I was proud to see the AIMers and others helping get everything ready.

You may be wondering what's up with the title? Well, I have been dubbed "boss man" among other names, because when it's time to work I often start handing out assignments :) As a minister, it's really annoying when people drop the ball or when there's work to be done and everyone is just standing around watching. My point in sharing this story is to learn from the AIMers example today and get to work! You do NOT have to be "told" what to do. No one has to give you "permission" to do something for the church.

Who died? JESUS and He not only gave you the responsibility, but also the priviledge to get to work and get things done! Please don't wait for the "minister" or "elders" to tell you, you can/should serve. Jesus already died and left us the example to die to ourselves, pick up the ball and run with it! There is nothing more beautiful than a church working together for a common purpose. Remember that, rally those around you and serve the Lord. In our case, someone wanted to give their life to Christ and the work was urgent and very important. In your case it might not be as urgent, but if it's for Jesus it's ALWAYS important!!!

This morning we were challenged to share our faith. We were challenged to "go" and to "send". We have been focused on evangelism for a couple of weeks now. I wonder how many of us would never respond if asked as Ewan does, but our life seems to say this without words.

I recently stumbled across a very interesting group on youtube. Somehow they are getting up close and personal with all the great super stars of today. There were several interviews that caught my eye, but one was especially interesting. If you know anything about Snoop Dog, religion is probably not the 1st thing that comes to mind about the man. I hope you enjoy this interview and I hope it reminds us to pray for the billions of lost souls world wide...even the famous.

Look who!!

Kayson made the newspaper A. M. here in Leon on Tuesday. She was one of the handful of kids who got their picture taken on Friday at the halloween party at her school. Thanks for remembering KC in your prayers, she is very special to us!

Great day in Missions history...

...at least for our congregation. Today was our 5th annual missions Sunday. I have been excited and anticipating what God would do among us this year. We have been premoting this day for nearly 2 months in one or another. Now in comparison to some congregations, our collection is but a small fraction! In years past we have received $3,000, $3,500, $4,000 and $4,5000. This year, our current (we still have a couple of people that said they forgot to bring their funds) amount is $6,829.50 pesos (around $525 AD)!! That's a 65% increase in a CRISIS year!

I'm really proud of the congregation and their sacrifice for missions. I was thankful to have shared this day with my wife and our children! I believe this was truly a pile of rocks (Joshua 4:9) for future generations! We have challenged the church to think outside their borders and even outside the country's borders. The congregation voted and it was decided that the funds should be sent to a mission effort in India. How cool is that? A Mexican Mission church sending funds to help spread the gospel in India!!! God is good!

The Flag of India

For many more pictures Click here

A praying church

I recently received an email from Duane Jenks. He wasn't asking for a report or telling me how to "better" work in Leon. He was asking for prayer request! Friday night Oct. 30th they will be lefting us up yet again before the Lord.

Everytime I talk to my grandmother, she reminds me that EVERY Sunday Carbondale takes time to pray for their missionaries by name and remember their needs. I know that many other congregations are praying for us on a regular bases.

It's a good feeling to know we are being prayed for. We remember you often as well. This Sunday is our missions Sunday. It's a time for the congregation to look outside our doors and continue to spread of the gospel. One supporter likened it to a present day example of "the widow's mite". This year, the congregation was challenge to think BIG! For the last 4 years now we have sent funds to different parts of Mexico aiding in the start of various new congregation. This year the church decided to send the funds all the way to India! I'm so proud of the church for their mission heart and desire, even at a "young age" (in Christ) to see the needs of others in far away places for the gospel to spread! Please say a prayer, another prayer, for our missions Sunday Oct. 25th...I'm excited about the possibilities!!