fully pleasing to him..."
~ Colossians 1:10a ~
We're learning a lot about prayer right now, specifically praying through Scripture and allowing the Word to guide us in seeking and asking of God. Below you will find updates in each of the main areas of work in Granada, and below those, prayer requests for each. Please feel free to pick and choose what you'd like to join in prayer over. We hope that you delight in it as we are, asking God for that which He already hopes and longs for, and pours out in abundance over us. Love you guys!
Pantanal Ministry
Pantanal's
ministry is currently focusing on training people to take care of the
earth that God has given us by doing a trash cleanup on the outskirts
of a property that El Puente just purchased. There are a few
objectives for this trash cleanup, but the main focus is to have the
community understand that God has given us the earth and, with that,
a charge to take care of this gift. The secondary objectives are to
get the property clean so the community will stop using it as a dump
which will pave the way for us to develop the property for the
Education Center. We also hope to clean an area so that we can play
soccer and use that as a way to reach youth in the surrounding
neighborhood. On the edge of the soccer field we want to build a
small shelter so that we can host our Thursday Bible study there.
Prayer Requests:
James 1:2-5 - That the leaders may
have strength through the times when the ministry is difficult
John 1:1-18 - Those who live in the
community would really come to know God in the fullness of his Glory
John 3:3-15 - That the youth would
come into a true life-changing relationship with Jesus.
Short-Term Teams and Interns
We just had three
short-term trips come through Granada. One of the trips was a medical
team that hosted four different clinics here in Granada. They also
had a ministry team that went out and focused on Pantanal,
specifically the kids in the area. This was only the second team we
have ever had do an outreach in Pantanal. They were followed up by
the next team who worked in Pantanal as well as a handful of other
ministry sites. All three teams did great work for the Kingdom. We
will be hosting our next team in June, meaning right now we are
focusing on setting up all the ministry sites so that we are ready
for the teams when they arrive.
Prayer Requests:
Colossians 1:9-14 - That the teams
would be soaking themselves in the Word as they prepare to come down
here and work for the Lord. The only way they are going to know they
are working in a manner worth of the Lord is if they are filled with
the knowledge of God's will. Pray that the Scriptures would open up
to them and they would have a clear understanding of what God wants
from them.
Ephesians 6:10-19 - Pray for the
Spiritual protection of the teams as they prepare in advance for the
work they are going to do here. Pray that they would seek God and not
be distracted by the schemes of the devil.
Romans 12:1-2 - That the teams would
have a clear mind as they pray, prepare, and come.
Romans 11:33-36 - That they would see
God's glory in this whole process!
Children's Church
We
have recently, under much salvation-working fear and trembling,
started to provide Children's Church at both services (1st
and 3rd
Sundays of each month). We are now steadily serving 60+ children as
a team of 7 teachers with 3 separate classes, ages 3-7, 8-11, and
12-15. We are learning what it means to meditate on the Word day and
night and to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9). We are also
focusing on the following scriptures to fortify us as teachers and
administrators: Deuteronomy 7:9, Ephesians 4:11-16, Psalms 32:8, and
Proverbs 22:6. We are going to begin working through the book
“Shepherding a Child's Heart” by Tedd Tripp in June. God has been
amazing at showing me what he is capable of when I trust Him to
handle such a God-sized task!
Prayer Requests:
Deuteronomy 7:9 – to KNOW
THEREFORE THAT THE LORD OUR GOD IS GOD
Joshua 1:6-9 - to be strong and
courageous in what God has commanded us to do, to meditate on His
Word day and night in order to have sound teaching and deep
encouragement,
Ephesians 4:11-16 - to be taught
sound doctrine and disciple the children as God has charged teachers
and shepherds to do, to mature them so as to not be tossed by the
winds of doctrine but as to the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ.
Psalms 32:8 & Proverbs 22:6 –
for God to instruct us and teach us in the way we should go and
counsel us with His eye upon us, and that we would then train up the
children in the way they should go, so that they would not turn from
it and would lead their country into Godliness.
Character Development
The church-wide
word for this month is Fiel, or Faithful. We are into our second
month of Faithful, and it has been a FANTASTIC kick-off for the
character development program that Bethany and I began praying about
back in October. I am so thrilled. I have learned about God's
faithfulness and my own during women's group, Jicaro, Children's
Church, personal life with finances, and among friends in the church.
It has been amazing to see God really bust this program open
throughout the church body. We will start April with Bondad,
Kindness, and I look forward to seeing God work in my heart and in
the church. Should be great!
Prayer Requests:
Deuteronomy 7:9 – to KNOW
THEREFORE THAT THE LORD OUR GOD IS GOD, THE FAITHFUL GOD WHO KEEPS
COVENANT AND STEADFAST LOVE WITH THOSE WHO LOVE HIM AND KEEP HIS
COMMANDS, TO A THOUSAND GENERATIONS.
Philippians 2:2 – that we would be
like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose,
Philippians 2:5, 12-13 – that we
as a body would learn to take on the attitude of Christ as we work
out our salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that it is GOD who
works in us to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Romans 12:2 – that we would no
longer be conformed to this world but would be transformed by the
renewing of our minds so that we will be able to test and approve
what God's will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.
Ephesians 4:11-16, Galatians 5:22-25
– that we would grow in maturity to attain the full measure of the
stature of Christ, and that we would bear the fruit the Spirit alive
and active within us.
theJicaro Project
Jicaro has been
growing, and so has my responsibility and reliance on God. Praise God
for that! I have been focusing more so on the character development
side of Jicaro, being more intentional to displaying a specific verse
that pertains to the Character Development word of the month
(Fiel/Faithful) and to have a guest speaker once a month to talk
about one of the 3 core matters of Jicaro (outside of raising money
for Vida Joven). The topics that we have covered/plan to cover are
money management, character development, and job preparation. Charles
shared on the first Thursday in March about budgeting (the first
segment) sharing God's way of planning for the future and honoring
Him with finances, and April holds a special mock interview segment
to set a platform for a local business owner and employee to share
employer expectations and employee expectation fulfillment. I am so
excited to see what I planned last year actually come to fruition
this year! God has been amazingly humbling in positioning me to fully
rely on Him to accomplish every Thursday and Monday of Jicaro. I am
amazed at the Joy of serving UNDER Him. He accomplishes so much!
I have also
enjoyed the relationship opportunities and challenges that have come
with working with Jicaro. Boys come and go and we attempt to manage
them well while producing quality products and maintaining order in
another language. And relationships are finally bearing fruit among
the women! It took me a long time to really grow those relationships,
but they are deepening now and really blessing me to have them.
Prayer Requests:
Philippians 2:1-11 – that I would
have the attitude of Christ, that we managers would be like-minded,
that we would have the same love, that we would be humble in our
obedience, that I would trust God to accomplish his will – HIS
PERFECT WILL – so that I will be obedient as Christ was obedient.
Hebrews 11:8 – that I would be
faithful like Abraham, to obey God even when I don't know where I'm
going.
James 1:19 – that I would be quick
to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry – throughout
ANYTHING that happens, to have patience to endure and lead with
grace.
Philippians 4:6-7 – that I would
not be anxious but would present my requests, my prayers and
petitions with thanksgiving, to God so that the peace of God will
guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:14-17 – to know God's
Word well in order to thoroughly equipped for every good work
Every Day Life.....
We have been
blessed with two lovely roommates, and it has been so good to have a
consistent household since September. We have had visitors come and
go, but we have been so blessed to be able to grow in community as we
serve alongside one another, discipling one another, building each
other up in the Word, praying together, chilling, laughing, playing,
fiesta-ing for holidays....we have been blessed. I am so thankful for
the joy and growth that has come with living in community.
We have been
facing challenges with Ingrid, our neighbor, but she is also growing
and receiving love with some victories. We pray together before each
Bible study, that she is able to behave well, respecter her teachers
and other kids, listen, sit still, etc. She has taken to copying
Scripture during Wednesday Bible studies, and that seems to be just
right for her. She is pushing back against those who show her love
and kindness, and we are learning to love unconditionally. I'm quite
convinced of God's mutual benefit project going on between us. She
has been memorizing Psalm 139:14, and I have been praying for God to
completely capture her heart and to help me deal with her out of His
love and not according to her sin, as it says God does with us in
Psalm 103:10-12. I am believing God for the miracle of her complete
salvation and turning from craving evil. I am so jealous for her to
truly know and be with God. We are concerned that she may have
ADD/ADHD as she is very flighty and has a hard time concentrating
whatsoever, and I'm sure that much of her background has not
contributed positively to her behavior, so please be in prayer. We
are attempting to help her figure out how to live with it, but we
also feel like some counseling would prove helpful as well. I am
praying for God to be the Great Counselor and to provide someone to
work this through for her.
a date with the King?... Visit Don's 365 Project for the deets... |
Prayer Requests:
Philippians 2:1-4 – that we, our
roommates, and staff would be like-minded, that in humility we would
consider others better than ourselves and that we would look not to
our own interests but to the interests of others.
Colossians 1:10-12 – Please pray
without ceasing that God would fill us with the knowledge of His
will...that we may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him
in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the
knowledge of God....that we might have great endurance and patience,
with great thanksgiving.
Romans 12:9-12 – Let our love be
sincere, that we would be devoted to one another in brotherly love,
honoring one another above ourselves, not lacking in Spiritual
fervor, serving the Lord together, joyful in hope, patient in
affliction, faithful in prayer.
Psalm 103 – for Ingrid, for God to
completely transform and heal her, for us to deal with her out of
love and to train her up in the way she should go, that her soul
would cry “Bless the LORD.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 – our wedding
verses—that we would be a cord of three strands, lifting one
another up in prayer as we slip and fall, so that we may have a good
return for our work
Ecclesiastes 9:9 – that Don would
always Enjoy Life with His Wife=)
You have no idea how much Lindy and I love you guys. Keep up His Good work.
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