To say that the past 7 days have been easy breezy, would be a complete lie...and since I am trying not to lie anymore I guess that won't be my starting line for this daily life intro. I sit here exhausted physically, spiritually, and emotionally. For 1 month, I have been on the front lines battling face to face with the enemy. I have bruises, injuries, thoughts but no broken bones. I have been carried each day to meet the enemy face to face and in HIS power have walked away victorious...although now I am wiped clean of any speck of energy.
Thank you for pryng for me each week...each month...each day...etc. It is because of an Almighty Gd and your pryrs that I am still here and able to write this to you! So thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Friday and Saturday of last week are still a blur to me. I thought those two days were the last of the below the belt blows I was going to receive but I should know better, now shouldn't I? Sunday, we a great day in the club. The youth in the SS class are mostly dead but HE has breathed life into several of them and I can see a spark of life in their eyes. It excites me to see them coming, listening, reading His Words, and most of all thinking -- as they are confronted with what HIS Word says and what they have believed their entire lives. Oh what a privilege to be a small part of what HE is doing! That afternoon, I received some more blows but ended the day with a long run with Brody and then some time on the rocks watching Him paint the sky with colors that cannot be described. I sat at His feet, sang praises to His Name, and drank deeply at the well of My Savior's living water...and walked away refreshed!
Monday, I started the AM fasting/pryng and preparing for the youth team to come over. They arrive, we pry together, sing together, and share what HE revealed to us in our time of fasting and pryng as a team. It was a sweet time together and it was cool to hear how HE was speaking to them...unfortunately I have felt like my hears have been plugged from hearing His voice for several weeks but thankfully HE and I had already talked about HIS plans for the team, so I just shared what HE had revealed to me before. We made a community meal, the boys played soccer, we ate, we played more games, we swam, and just enjoyed each other's company. HE has really taken this team and formed them into a family and I praise HIM for that. HE has taken babies and grown them into more mature little guys and gals walking by themselves and eating meat! It is cool! And like clockwork, Monday night I was robbed of my sleep and spent the night proclaiming Scripture over so many of my family, friends, and of course my people.
Tuesday, I met with Vnss for our weekly discipleship meeting. HE is revealing much to her if she would just slow down long enough to listen and allow HIM to move. She allows Him to start the work in her but quickly takes back the control before HE can really get to the root of the problem and remove it. We talked about the idols in her life. We talked about many other things but focused on the idols in her life and allowing HIM to tear them down out of the high places. We finished, I bought some food, ran home, and packed the car to head out to Palenque. Darlys did not call me until 3:00pm and it was pouring rain and she wanted to know if we could just go on Wednesday. Of course, I said yes and unpacked the food from the car and continued working on a video for my local club. More and more negative thoughts bombarded my mind that afternoon...I began to be physically ill, and hit my knees in pryr. I spent the rest of the evening pryng and preparing for Palenque.
Wednesday, we head out early in the AM for Palenque. Darlys was not in a good mood and so I began to pry over her and share His Truth with her the entire car ride. She is learning about spiritual warfare and how real it is in her own life. We arrive, unpack, and meet up with several different groups of people in the streets. The environment is heavy and it is difficult to breathe. The plaza is full of offerings to their idol. The village is full of people from all over who have come to worship and pour out libations. We share the gospel with several people and have several other people yell, curse, and threaten us. We meet with two women to teach His Words and they were distracted and drained as well. We pryd over them, tried to encourage them, and reminded them of the spiritual battle that we are in. We eat lunch and then head out for two more family meetings. We arrive and no one is around except some family members from out of town that we do not know. Darlys and I spent the next several hours just pryng, walking, and speaking to people as they allowed us. We head back to the house to get ready for our youth meeting that evening and it begins to pour rain. When it rains in Palenque, the people do not leave their house and generally the power goes out. We begin to pry that the rain will stop and that the youth will come. It was not in His plan for us that night. A couple of youth came by at different times throughout the night but not for the purpose to meet and study His Words. So, we decided to watch a movie on my computer with the couple who live in the house. I worked out while we watched Facing the Giants. It was good and lead to some good discussion with the couple afterwards.
Thursday, we wake up at 3:30AM to head to the plaza to begin to pry over the plaza as the festival starts later today. It was the first time I felt peaceful in the village in awhile and not to mention it was cooler. His presence was there amongst us as we cried out to Him, sat at His Feet, and worshipped Him. Darlys and I continued to pry as we walked through the village until the sun came up. We headed back to rest for awhile before the women came for the Word study. We had a good time in His Word but three of the women were falling asleep as we were studying...and they did not meet with us to pry in the early morning. More and more distractions came to the door of the house, on the street in front of the house, etc that we stopped and began to pry. HE stopped the distractions and we had a good conversation. We ate lunch and headed to meet with Dncl and Krstn. We found them in the same place as we left them, if not more hostile. There was lots of anger in the people this week but as we talked, pryd, and studied HE released them from their anger and we saw a glimpse of the old Dncl and Krstn. We headed back to the house to meet up with a young lady who asked if we would disciple her. She arrived with another youth (her boyfriend) and they persisted to be awkward until I told them that if they wanted to hang out, then to go to the other part of the room while Darlys and I studied His Words. They changed their attitudes and we had a good first conversation.They both share that they feel spiritual dead and sad. We teach them on spiritual warfare and give them Words to proclaim. We then headed down to meet with Mnl and his family. It was a good time in His Words with the family. As we walked back to the house, I had some time to talk to Darlys and see how she was processing everything.
As we walked and shared, we heard the festival beginning and the sounds of 4 families mourning the deaths of their families members from the day before. We decided to head into the plaza to buy something cold to drink, as it was SO Hot and we wanted to see what they were doing. There were people everywhere, music so loud you couldn't hear anything, drinking, drugs, their idol in the middle of the plaza, and men and women doing all kinds of things in public that should only be done in the confines of marriage. We head back to the house, eat some dinner, and wait for our next group to arrive to meet. They never show. So we pry, spend some time alone in the Word, and go to sleep.
Friday, we wake up at 3:30AM again to pry in the plaza together as today begins the blood shedding/sacrifices to the gods. We had a good group meet together to pry over the village and spend some time alone with HIM. We head back to the house, rest a little, and then Darlys and I head to Turbana. It was a good day on the farm but I was completely exhausted. I spent time with each person, listening, and trying to encourage them. I love that they let me be apart of their families...it is such a blessing! I head back to the house early because I was suppose to meet with Dls for discipleship. She ended up not showing and I spent the evening with a horrible head ache and cramps. On Saturday, I was worthless. I canceled the youth study and spent the day in bed. Dls came over later that evening for our discipleship and HE really opened her up to me! I PRAISE HIM for willingness to share some pretty hard things with me. We read Scripture and asked HIM to help us form a plan to move into a process of healing from these thing that had happened to her. It was good. And then Juancho and his family came in from Bogota to stay for the week for their vacation. I made them dinner, ate with them, and then excused myself as I still did not feel well. I was able to talk to my mom and hear all about her week in Louisiana with her cousin. It was neat to hear how HE had used Mom is some cool ways to speak His Truths and share His Love! What a blessing it is to have a Mom who is focused on His Will and His Glory! I praise HIM daily for my parents.
So that was my week, it was a great week of watching HIM work. It was a long week of mental, spiritual, and physical battles but we know WHO always wins in the end! Thanks for reading...thanks for pryng...and thanks for loving me!!
Thank you for pryng for me each week...each month...each day...etc. It is because of an Almighty Gd and your pryrs that I am still here and able to write this to you! So thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Friday and Saturday of last week are still a blur to me. I thought those two days were the last of the below the belt blows I was going to receive but I should know better, now shouldn't I? Sunday, we a great day in the club. The youth in the SS class are mostly dead but HE has breathed life into several of them and I can see a spark of life in their eyes. It excites me to see them coming, listening, reading His Words, and most of all thinking -- as they are confronted with what HIS Word says and what they have believed their entire lives. Oh what a privilege to be a small part of what HE is doing! That afternoon, I received some more blows but ended the day with a long run with Brody and then some time on the rocks watching Him paint the sky with colors that cannot be described. I sat at His feet, sang praises to His Name, and drank deeply at the well of My Savior's living water...and walked away refreshed!
Monday, I started the AM fasting/pryng and preparing for the youth team to come over. They arrive, we pry together, sing together, and share what HE revealed to us in our time of fasting and pryng as a team. It was a sweet time together and it was cool to hear how HE was speaking to them...unfortunately I have felt like my hears have been plugged from hearing His voice for several weeks but thankfully HE and I had already talked about HIS plans for the team, so I just shared what HE had revealed to me before. We made a community meal, the boys played soccer, we ate, we played more games, we swam, and just enjoyed each other's company. HE has really taken this team and formed them into a family and I praise HIM for that. HE has taken babies and grown them into more mature little guys and gals walking by themselves and eating meat! It is cool! And like clockwork, Monday night I was robbed of my sleep and spent the night proclaiming Scripture over so many of my family, friends, and of course my people.
Tuesday, I met with Vnss for our weekly discipleship meeting. HE is revealing much to her if she would just slow down long enough to listen and allow HIM to move. She allows Him to start the work in her but quickly takes back the control before HE can really get to the root of the problem and remove it. We talked about the idols in her life. We talked about many other things but focused on the idols in her life and allowing HIM to tear them down out of the high places. We finished, I bought some food, ran home, and packed the car to head out to Palenque. Darlys did not call me until 3:00pm and it was pouring rain and she wanted to know if we could just go on Wednesday. Of course, I said yes and unpacked the food from the car and continued working on a video for my local club. More and more negative thoughts bombarded my mind that afternoon...I began to be physically ill, and hit my knees in pryr. I spent the rest of the evening pryng and preparing for Palenque.
Wednesday, we head out early in the AM for Palenque. Darlys was not in a good mood and so I began to pry over her and share His Truth with her the entire car ride. She is learning about spiritual warfare and how real it is in her own life. We arrive, unpack, and meet up with several different groups of people in the streets. The environment is heavy and it is difficult to breathe. The plaza is full of offerings to their idol. The village is full of people from all over who have come to worship and pour out libations. We share the gospel with several people and have several other people yell, curse, and threaten us. We meet with two women to teach His Words and they were distracted and drained as well. We pryd over them, tried to encourage them, and reminded them of the spiritual battle that we are in. We eat lunch and then head out for two more family meetings. We arrive and no one is around except some family members from out of town that we do not know. Darlys and I spent the next several hours just pryng, walking, and speaking to people as they allowed us. We head back to the house to get ready for our youth meeting that evening and it begins to pour rain. When it rains in Palenque, the people do not leave their house and generally the power goes out. We begin to pry that the rain will stop and that the youth will come. It was not in His plan for us that night. A couple of youth came by at different times throughout the night but not for the purpose to meet and study His Words. So, we decided to watch a movie on my computer with the couple who live in the house. I worked out while we watched Facing the Giants. It was good and lead to some good discussion with the couple afterwards.
Thursday, we wake up at 3:30AM to head to the plaza to begin to pry over the plaza as the festival starts later today. It was the first time I felt peaceful in the village in awhile and not to mention it was cooler. His presence was there amongst us as we cried out to Him, sat at His Feet, and worshipped Him. Darlys and I continued to pry as we walked through the village until the sun came up. We headed back to rest for awhile before the women came for the Word study. We had a good time in His Word but three of the women were falling asleep as we were studying...and they did not meet with us to pry in the early morning. More and more distractions came to the door of the house, on the street in front of the house, etc that we stopped and began to pry. HE stopped the distractions and we had a good conversation. We ate lunch and headed to meet with Dncl and Krstn. We found them in the same place as we left them, if not more hostile. There was lots of anger in the people this week but as we talked, pryd, and studied HE released them from their anger and we saw a glimpse of the old Dncl and Krstn. We headed back to the house to meet up with a young lady who asked if we would disciple her. She arrived with another youth (her boyfriend) and they persisted to be awkward until I told them that if they wanted to hang out, then to go to the other part of the room while Darlys and I studied His Words. They changed their attitudes and we had a good first conversation.They both share that they feel spiritual dead and sad. We teach them on spiritual warfare and give them Words to proclaim. We then headed down to meet with Mnl and his family. It was a good time in His Words with the family. As we walked back to the house, I had some time to talk to Darlys and see how she was processing everything.
As we walked and shared, we heard the festival beginning and the sounds of 4 families mourning the deaths of their families members from the day before. We decided to head into the plaza to buy something cold to drink, as it was SO Hot and we wanted to see what they were doing. There were people everywhere, music so loud you couldn't hear anything, drinking, drugs, their idol in the middle of the plaza, and men and women doing all kinds of things in public that should only be done in the confines of marriage. We head back to the house, eat some dinner, and wait for our next group to arrive to meet. They never show. So we pry, spend some time alone in the Word, and go to sleep.
Friday, we wake up at 3:30AM again to pry in the plaza together as today begins the blood shedding/sacrifices to the gods. We had a good group meet together to pry over the village and spend some time alone with HIM. We head back to the house, rest a little, and then Darlys and I head to Turbana. It was a good day on the farm but I was completely exhausted. I spent time with each person, listening, and trying to encourage them. I love that they let me be apart of their families...it is such a blessing! I head back to the house early because I was suppose to meet with Dls for discipleship. She ended up not showing and I spent the evening with a horrible head ache and cramps. On Saturday, I was worthless. I canceled the youth study and spent the day in bed. Dls came over later that evening for our discipleship and HE really opened her up to me! I PRAISE HIM for willingness to share some pretty hard things with me. We read Scripture and asked HIM to help us form a plan to move into a process of healing from these thing that had happened to her. It was good. And then Juancho and his family came in from Bogota to stay for the week for their vacation. I made them dinner, ate with them, and then excused myself as I still did not feel well. I was able to talk to my mom and hear all about her week in Louisiana with her cousin. It was neat to hear how HE had used Mom is some cool ways to speak His Truths and share His Love! What a blessing it is to have a Mom who is focused on His Will and His Glory! I praise HIM daily for my parents.
So that was my week, it was a great week of watching HIM work. It was a long week of mental, spiritual, and physical battles but we know WHO always wins in the end! Thanks for reading...thanks for pryng...and thanks for loving me!!
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