Everyone Who Calls...

This day at the House of Restoration started like any other day. Courtney and I went to the house at 2:30 Thursday to teach a lesson out of the 12 step book we have been using. When we got there I saw Maria.

Last week after the lesson she spent some time with me talking about a dream she had that had really frightened her. We talked about the fact that God can give peace in even the worst of circumstances. We talked about what it meant to be a child of God. She told me she did not have that kind of relationship with God, but that she desperately wanted one. She then prayed to receive Christ as her Savior. I was a little skeptical about if she really understood the commitment she had made. She is a quiet lady and she rarely participates in the Bible studies we have. I found out that she did not know how to read or write and I found 2 of the ladies at the house who told me they would be willing to read the Bible with her during the week. I left the house praying that during the week she would stay strong in the faith as so many of the women face great temptation after they make a profession of faith.

Towards the end of the lesson this week I looked outside to the front porch and saw Maria talking with her son and his girlfriend. As the lesson concluded I went outside to tell Maria the "homework" for the week and I noticed tears in her eyes. I sensed that she wanted to ask me something, but I also felt like I was intruding at the same time. I walked back inside, but said for her to let me know if she wanted to talk to me about anything when she was done visiting with her family.

During this time I learned that there had been a baptismal service on Saturday and Maria and a few of the other ladies had been baptized. I was so happy to hear this news as it is a real profession of faith here in a Catholic country. As I was discussing this with some of the ladies we saw that Maria, her son, and the girlfriend were all crying outside loudly. When I inquired, "¿Qué pasó?" I was told that Maria's son and his girlfriend had just prayed with Maria to receive Christ. They were tears of joy! We gathered all 3 of them in the house and one of the other ladies, Angie, prayed over all three of them. What a beautiful thing to behold. I was so happy to see that Maria had not only embraced the Lord as her savior, but had on her first opportunity shared this joy with her son and his girlfriend.

When I first prayed with Maria I had been skeptical that she understood fully the commitment she had made. God has taught me a lesson that there is no room for cynicism when we share the gospel. Our job is merely to be the vessel that He chooses to use in the moment and then let God be God. He is the one who should convict, affirm, and change hearts. Salvation is a sovereign work of grace from God.

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13

Lessons Learned

A couple of weeks ago we had Cade's 3rd birthday party at Parque La Paz. We were thankful for the beautiful weather that we had that day as the rainy season has started and it is difficult to tell sometimes if the rain will start early or late in the day. Our friends the Bredbenners, Murphrees, Gillens, Constantes and Woods were there to celebrate with us. The kids enjoyed playing in the park and riding horses.

We had originally invited many people to come to the party, but several were unable to attend at the last minute, so we had several Thomas the Tank Engine cupcakes left over that I had made. Something we have noticed here in this culture is that strangers are not afraid to come up and ask for something they want. This was exactly the case as a girl who looked to be about 5 or 6 years old came up to me and pointed at one of the cupcakes I had on a plate. I realized that she wanted one, and although I still thought it strange, I gave her one anyone because of her boldness. Less than a minute later, her little sister came with her and she too pointed to one of the sugary treats. I gave her one, but this time I was getting a little put out, after all, it was a birthday party for my son and I really didn't feel like being the hostess to every child in the park that day. (There were well over 20 at the time!)

The next day I was running and listening to my daily 2 chapters in the New Testament on my ipod. As it would be, that day the verses I heard were from chapter 11 of Luke.

5-6 Then he said, "Imagine what would happen if you went to a friend in the middle of the night and said, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread. An old friend traveling through just showed up, and I don't have a thing on hand.'
7 "The friend answers from his bed, 'Don't bother me. The door's locked; my children are all down for the night; I can't get up to give you anything.'
8 "But let me tell you, even if he won't get up because he's a friend, if you stand your ground, because of your boldness he will get you what you need.
9 "Here's what I'm saying: Ask and you'll get; Seek and you'll find; Knock and the door will open.
10-13 "Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your little boy asks for a serving of fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? If your little girl asks for an egg, do you trick her with a spider? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing—you're at least decent to your own children. And don't you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask him?"

Luke 11:5-13 from The Message

Wow, it hit me like a ton of bricks! Isn't that exactly what that little girl did? In boldness she asked for something she did not have, and because of that she received, but so many times I sit and suffer in silence over a situation in my life because my pride refuses to let me acknowledge that I need help. All I really need to do is in boldness ask the Lord for those things I need; peace, courage, strength, compassion, self-control, love...and would He too not give them to me when I am a beloved child of His? How many times do we walk around in despair or pain when if we will only diligently ask God to bring us through it, He gladly will.

I am so glad that day a little Tica girl asked me for a cupcake. I think I was the one who really received a reward that day.

For Mom

This morning at 5am I awoke to the sound of fireworks. I remembered that today was suppose to be my day to sleep in as it is Mother's Day in the US. Here, however, it is not Mother's Day. They celebrate that special day in August. I wondered to myself where these fireworks were coming from and why. They were a little sporadic, but just frequent (and loud) enough to keep me from going back to sleep. Ken went out to investigate and asked a neighbor where they could be coming from. The neighbor nonchalantly said probably neighboring Zapote was having a fiesta. At 5 in the morning????!!!???? Are they crazy? When do they sleep? Then I remembered that the feria (farmer's market) starts at 5am in Zapote. I guess it was supposed to be our wakeup call to come to the feria.

Well, since it was Mother's Day, Ken told me to enjoy myself and go back to sleep after the fireworks stopped. As I snoozed off and on, Ken and the kids made me a big breakfast with pancakes, eggs and turkey bacon. The kids had each made me cards with little coupons like "Good for one free back massage" and "good for one free bed making" and others. I am excited to use my wonderful gifts!

Most of all I am thankful to God for giving me such a wonderful family. It is such a blessing to have a family that loves me. Thank you Lord for Mother's Day and thank you Lord for mothers!

Wings

Yesterday we celebrated the 3rd birthday of our little man, Caedmon Samuel Nelson. I know some of you know the history behind his name, but for those who do not, I would like to tell you the story.
Cædmon was a simple farm laborer who became an Anglo- Saxon poet. How did this happen?
Cædmon was a herdsman and during joyous gatherings the herdsmen joined together and sang songs. When Cædmon’s turn to sing approached he quickly got up to avoid embarrassment, for he knew no songs and did not know how to sing. One night Cædmon went to the stable to sleep with the animals, and in a vivid dream he saw an unknown man who asked him to sing about The First Creation. He obeyed and used words which he had never heard before. The verse he wrote was full of praise for God and his creation, this verse was called "Cædmon’s Hymn"
He was thought to be glorified and honored with a divine gift. This gift was given to him by God; he received the “art of poetry.” He was welcomed in the community and later became a monk. He composed poems based on the first book of the Bible and also the New Testament. This all came from an uneducated man that merely wanted to serve God with the gift he had been given.
It is our prayer that our precious son, Caedmon, will serve God too with the wonderful gifts he has been given. We love you Cade.

What a Day That Will Be

Last week we completed our second trimester and decided to go on a trip to Puntarenas to stay at the beach and have some fun. Our friends the Woods came with us for the trip. We had a wonderful and relaxing time and are now ready for our last trimester as the rainy season appears to have started back today!