Living from the Heart....

One sure way to live my life from my heart is to listen to it.

I've been caught up lately living my life by a list of unconscious "should do" instead of " want to". I've been living from the outside instead of in the deep place of my heart...where God is....passion & desire are rooted in this relationship.

I've been so busy setting up my new life since being back from Costa Rica that I feel my heart has wondered and I've lost my passion and desire and have had an empty ache that up until now was difficult to pinpoint.

Today the Lord spoke to my heart in the quiet place....."What is it you desire? It can only be found in your heart, it is the well-spring of Life...Guard Your Heart...
Streams of Living water will flow with My Love...that is what you desire. That was "I" you desire..I was whispering to your heart ....nothing you do for me, no ministry work, no good deed, can compare with simply spending time with your heart with me."

Who wouldn't want that?

As I was sweeping the floor yesterday morning, a song of praise starting coming from my lips. I love to sing and I love to sing to the Lord. There’s just something so natural about expressing our love or our hearts in song to the Lord. As I continued to sweep, a thought came into my mind. It was kind of crazy but I began to see a correlation between massage and singing. Singing and massage are both something felt internally that manifests itself outwardly. Say what? For me, singing is an outward expression of the heart & massage is an outward expression of the heart. Both singing and massage are a release and they are good for us. Who doesn’t feel better after pouring their heart out in song ? As a christian, pouring out & releasing our heart in song to the Lord is pure. As we seek to worship Him, God receives it and inhabits the praises of His people. That means God shows up! We link up with His spirit within us. His presence is felt when we praise Him! It’s like clearing away the clutter in our lives we get caught up in so that God’s glory can be seen and felt. What about Paul and Silas singing praise songs to God in prison? Those shackles came right off! As for receiving a massage, it is good for releasing stored pain in the body in physical, emotional, & spiritual ways. It clears out the toxins so that we can be better.The list is long for the health benefits. So if this be the case, why are people reluctant to sing to the Lord or to receive a massage?
My thoughts took me back to some words that had once held me prisoner. They were words like unworthiness, not good enough, insecure, self-doubt, inferiority, & loneliness. It got me thinking that maybe some of the reason some people won’t take part in the “singing” at a church service & won’t “receive” a massage had something to do with these “feeling” words. Now don’t go thinking I’m making a blanket statement. This is from my perspective and something I myself have experienced in my own life. God used massage to heal me of some emotional wounds I was carrying. It was shortly after that time I became a massage therapist.
Some think you have to be a recording artist in order to sing publically. Singing publically is something one does in front of people and people listen to that person. However, singing worship songs is entirely different. Singing worship songs is worshiping the Lord. Singing worship songs are like prayer in some ways. It’s communicating heartfelt praise to God. That is all that matters. He knows you love Him, just show it! Some people think that since they can’t sing in tune, they shouldn’t sing at all. The real truth is that that doesn’t really matter. Some might say that they just like to hear the worship music and I suppose that works for some. I believe they miss a great deal by not putting their own voice in with those who are singing….those who are singing with their voice to the Lord. There is a time to listen that is worship, but this is not that time. We are told in scripture to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. And the reason being is because singing is an expression of the heart, an expression of your spirit in adoration to God. In Ephesians 5: 19 it says to “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.” What this says to me is that when we sing to God with others , or sing to one another, the Lord strengthens us with His love, we strengthen one another too and it brings unity to the body of Christ & ultimately it shows the Lord how thankful we are to Him for everything! Are you sure you want to go on NOT singing at the worship portion at Sunday service? He wants to hear you because he wants your heart!
Now, with massage, some think that they don’t want to be touched because they don’t like to be touched. Where did this thought get into their mind? That can’t be really true. I think we all like to be touched. I’m talking about being touched in a healthy way. Massage is a healthy way to be touched. Studies show that newborns need to be touched right from birth to be healthy and to grow. We were made to be loved & to be touched. It is a human need. When Jesus walked this earth all who touched Him were healed & all who He touched were healed. (Matthew 14:36 ) Why would someone not want healing? That’s what massage is. Massage is healing. Somehow and somewhere those “feeling” words have a stronghold on them. Just maybe the person who doesn’t think they like to be touched, needs the healing touch of Jesus and then they would allow someone to touch them. That’s how it happened to me. Has anyone ever wiped your tears away? How did it make you feel? It took someone to reach out and touch your face. It took the love that is in them to express it to you. They wanted to share in your burden. Many a time I have had clients who after 5 minutes of massage have shed tears of healing because someone took the time to touch them. They also took the time to let someone in their life. They shared their burdens and were healed. Share in each other’s burdens and in this way fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 I dare you to receive a massage and see if some healing begins to take place. Whether it is physical, emotional, or spiritual, it will happen! Now, who wouldn’t want that?
The result of making a joyfully noise unto the Lord and allowing some healing with the touch of massage will replace the “feeling words” to some such as forgiveness, Love, confidence,strength, courage, an upright heart, deeper joy, genuine well-being, thankfulness & fullness of heart. Only God knows what you need. I pray that the next time the door opens for Sunday church, you will sing outloud to the Lord. I pray you will praise Him with all that is within your heart and see if God doesn’t show up with something for you. He’s already there even when we don’t feel him. I also pray that if you are reluctant to get a massage, that you will find a good christian massage therapist and go for it. You will never be the same. Do it for Him & do it for yourself, He needs you at your BEST to be your best!
Now, I repeat….who wouldn’t want that?

Glistening in the Son

Hebrews 4:13
Your Grace is like the ocean tide
Bringing up things to the shore
That are now easily seen.
For just a moment I see them
Asking for your forgiveness,
You alone know my heart
I feel your Love for me
Then, just as quickly as they came ashore,
You washed them Away-
Never to be seen again.

Some were large and some were small-
Just like the shells that drifted to shore
All carried forward
Touched by the Son
Glistening in the Sonshine
For our eyes to See
And yet....your love covers them ALL
Each in Turn
Disappearing completely
Visible no more.

Dear Lord God,
Thank you for always
Drawing us toward holiness.
We believe in your Love
That will never Let Go...
Psalm 32:1 & 103:12

4th Pastor's conference

Just got home last night from the conference. I'm so grateful and blessed! I'm actually recuperating, reflecting, & just chillin at home today. The worship led by Rebecca quickly centered our focus in praise. Her voice and gentle & loving spirit does that so well! The teaching from Stuart & Jill Bricoe brought God's spirit, his presence of love, peace & understanding. I hung on every word Jill Briscoe spoke. It was as if she was talking directly to me. She talked about seeking wisdom and passing it on. She also touched my heart deeply when she talked about missing and worrying about her children and grandchildren as well as the balance of ministry and marriage in the ways the Lord had spoke to her and sustained her. What wisdom she imparted to us all. Stuart chose to speak on 2 Corinthians for the answers on "Sustainability in Ministry." It also happens to contain my favorite verses of scripture! We all have our favorite verses, right?(2 Cor. 4:16-18)
It was evident that the pastors and their wives were renewed in God's strength and in His power with alot of refreshment. Along with the excursions and massage, it nourished the whole person by challenging them physically as they explored God's beautiful creation, and massage to foster healing, relaxation, forgiveness and learning to be good to themselves. New friends were made & relationships restored. God is amazing in the work he does when God's people come together seeking His truth. This conference was different than the other 3 because it was all in English. Wow! To be apart of this ministry of helping Pastors and their spouses to get away from their daily lives to hear from God in a deliberate way by pulling them aside and loving them is far more valuable than I had ever known. These conferences help them in more ways then we know for sure. During the testimony time it was shared what the conference meant to them and how it will help them serve God with their whole heart, mind, & strength. What we do know is that their churches will be strengthened and with that strengthening, they will take that strength out to their community and the community will be strengthened and the community will grow because God is in it!
Like a stack of dominoes....you touch the first one and all will be touched right on down the line!
Thank you Lord for your Touch in our lives to serve you. Thank you Lord for your presence in and through these servants our yours. My prayer is that this conference will live out in ways beyond what I could dream of....ultimately saving the lives of many for your kingdom. Thank you for enriching our lives and thank you for the brothers and sisters of Christ laboring in your love.

In the quiet place

Wind of Change

"Feel that wind going by? I give it direction. It has a purpose. I give it purpose. It can't be seen quite yet, for the winds of change are producing something marvelous along it's path. Just ride it & feel it's affects. Before long, everything will settle into place."


In conclusion:
We see God's hand upon our lives, giving us direction for the purposes He has for ourselves and others. However, like the wind that moves, it can change direction at any time. God has a purpose for us each and every day. Marvel on the path He has for you today. To follow Him, be willing to change direction like the wind. You might not see clearly or understand, just be obedient to what He tells you today. Listen in the quiet place for His direction, it's there; even in the breath of wind.

Mi Casa es su Casa

I'm getting to know a few more of my neighbors. I discovered that who we have been calling Emil, is actually Badgro. He comes over everyday now and I had to set him straight not to come over too early and to knock on the door first! Yesterday his mother Carmen came over and she wanted to look around my house and she was talking up a storm. She just keeps talking as if I understand her. I could make out a word or two, but not really grasped what she was saying. I realized soon enough that she was asking if she could have a pan to make tortillas and a couple of bath towels. She quickly handed the items to Badgro to bring promptly home. Badgro and I read maps, & worked math problems on the calculator and sang some childrens songs that each of us were familiar with. I'd start the song in English and he would finish it in spanish. After we shared a cup of coffee, I asked Carmen if I could see her house. Starting on the right side of the barn was a small bathroom with a stand up shower, then 2 horse stalls side by side. Next, was a tack room and then last, but LEAST was their home. It was just a bit bigger than MY CLOSET. I was realizing their living conditions as I was looking around when Carmen insisted that she give me 2 plastic pink plates. I told her she needed them. She was not going to take "No" for an answer. I felt my heart sink and tears welled up in my eyes and I tried hard to hold them back. Little Badgro had no bed to sleep in.
Shortly after I got back home, little Rachel came over. I made a deal with her that I would pay her to clean my bathrooms. In this way, she could earn the money and save it to buy the bicylce she wants. I emptied out a bucket of dried beans I had on the refrigerator and she wrote "bicicleta" with permanent black marker on the front. When her mama Caroline came over to see her progress, she told me a bit about what has been going on in her life. We printed 5 flyers for her to post around town for childcare in her home. She was so grateful and asked me to pray for her.
I don't want to be known as the rich lady in the big house, because I'm not. I would rather the lady who has a heart like Jesus. That's what He wants....He wants them to know Him..... through me....I'm no better....I have very much to learn ...I want a heart like Jesus.

Christmas Love

We celebrated Christmas so differently this year than we ever have the past 30 years. We had no tree, no decorations, and no family. We spent the day of Christmas eve at the beach with Janene & Brian as it was their last day of "Vacation with a Purpose." I remember laying down flat on the beach in a warm embrace of peace when all of a sudden I heard just to my left fireworks going off. Here in Costa Rica fireworks go off every evening on the weekend! I was reminded that every day is simply something to celebrate. Seeing a roman candle go off in the daytime says more about celebration than filling a night sky with color. It is celebrating the savior's birth!
After we dropped off the Smales at the Lucas home, we arrived back home and gave our neighbors the gifts we got them. Little Emil's mom has come over a few times to chat and share a cup of coffee with me. I'm amazed at what you can talk about and understand speaking two different languages to one another! I was reminded that love is it's own language. It comes from the heart. What a gift friendship is. From there, we headed on over to the Lucas' for a special Christmas dinner that Angela had for all of us. It was scrumptous! & so was the wine! I was reminded that friends love no matter what.
On Christmas morning we got to talk with our children and family on skpe. What a blessing it was to see them all together without us. I never have missed a Christmas with my children before and God has provided for us a way. It may not be the same as being together, but it's all we got. I miss them so much. I am grateful for a program like skype that I get to see their faces. I don't think I want to miss another Christmas without them. Next year will be different. Later on for dinner,we got picked up by our new friends Russ & Shirley. We made a couple of new friends too! We all brought a dish and ate a great meal together. It was funny and great that we all ended up going back to our houses to get our dogs to join the Christmas celebration with us. We had just as many people as there were dogs! All the dogs got along and I was reminded that where the spirit of God is there is peace and goodwill.
Thanking God for His presence, His reminders, my husband & children, the gift of friendship with my friends both old & new, and for the babe born on Christmas Day who makes everything possible!

HIS SECOND COMING

It seems every year after Christmas, I always yearn even more for the Lord’s second coming. As Christmas day approaches, I think of the way He humbly came into the world as a baby born of an unknown virgin from Palestine. The “WORD” became human flesh and dwelt among us. His birth was only announced to a few shepherds. A few wise kings seeked him out. I think about how in the gospel of John it says that the true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. Although the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.
When the day finally comes, nothing about His second coming will be secretive. EVERYONE will see it. Jesus said that the gospel of the kingdom would be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end would come. In other words, the task of world missions will be completed and not a single person will be left out.
“At the time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:30
What a complete contrast to the way He came into the world!
The world still carries on with business the day after Christmas. The second coming of Christ will be an earth shattering event. Nothing about it will be a secret. Man will not be able to hide or pretend or ignore Him!
Are you ready?

DAY BY DAY

As I was reading the story in the gospel of Luke about the man who was asking for bread not for himself, but for someone else in need; I thought about our 2 couples Angel & Tanya Cheek & Brian & Janine Smale that have been here in Costa Rica with The Brook Ministries “Vacation with a Purpose."
This story takes place at midnight! That tells me it was a desperate situation. The man had nothing to give to his friend, so he had to leave his home to go ask someone else for bread so he could return and give it to his friend.
How many of us have bread to give someone else? How many of us have no bread to give someone else who needs it? I believe the object of when Jesus said at the end of the Lord’s prayer “Give us this day our daily bread” is not only that we may have our needs met, but that we may receive something spiritually and physically and in turn pass it on to someone else.
Many of us are willing to share the spiritual bread, but reluctant to let go of the physical bread. Some will minister spiritually, but will not be anxious to help someone temporally. Sometimes it’s easier to just pray for orphans, than it is to do something tangible to help them.
For these 2 couples, they gave of themselves in both of these ways. They gave out of the overflow of their daily bread that they received from the Lord. They have not only enjoyed God’s physical & spiritual blessings, but have had the privilege of sharing them with those less fortunate. YOU GUYS ROCK!!!!!

DAILY Pray for physical Bread…..DAILY Pray for Spiritual Bread

Growing Pains

Like any good relationship, it takes work, it takes acceptance, it takes communication down to the core, to get to the issue at hand. It takes knowledge and understanding because no two people are alike or think alike. It's like a snowflake that God has made differnt and unique like no other. It takes understanding and God's great love within us to overcome our own selfish desires and to put on his understanding and not our very own.

a servant is the least....the last shall be first and the first shall be last. To me, there is great satifaction in that. For Jesus is our example. He took on the sin of the world and yet had great understanding far beyond our own comprehesion. It was narrow focus on what the father wanted, what the father would be proud of and what the father ultimately would accomplish by having his son die on a cross for the sins of the world.
Our relationship with Christ and how we allow him to work through us is ultimately the joy of our lives. The choice is ours, the result is contentment that this physical world can not give. It means service with excellence and giving all for His glory and to show the world just how marvelous He is!
As we live each day in relationships it's in small ways our love is evident in little ways day by day. Our relationship with Christ is to be lived out daily in love. It will be manifest in our desire to offer up every "least" thing to Him, to do the smallest task faithfully, confess the "little" sins quickly, be strict with our minutes as well as our hours.
"Do you love me?" Jesus asks.
"Why of course Lord- didn't I do this great thing for you?
"But child- I am looking for something much smaller."
"Do you care about our relationship" asks the wife.
"Why of course Dear- didn't I buy you this grand house?"
"Yes my husband, I'm looking for something much smaller. I'm looking for understanding, a tender word or touch day by day"
There are smaller things that matter more at the moment. Seize those moments. Be obedient....live a life of Love

Celebrate

The last few weeks have really flown by. We've been on the move!
A few weeks ago we went with some friends to attend their church down in Jaco. The services are in English & Spanish and they have a good mix of people too. The Pastor is from the states and he started the church about 5 years ago. There is a problem of theft, drugs, and prostitution in this area. We heard 4 life changing testimonies and I was really surprised when Steve went up there. It was God's call for him to speak as well as for us to attend this service. It ended with some powerful prayer and praise.
On Friday we attended a benefit Spaghetti dinner for the English speaking church Pastor here in Atenas. His name is Bob and the money that was raised will help support his medical bills as he just got out of the hospital healing from heart surgery. The picture is his wife Marlene and the owners of Kay's Gringo Postres(Kay & Tom). The restaurant is well known by all the gringos. It was great to meet new people and connect and so wonderful for the community to get together to support Bob.

Yesterday we went to our church's annual Christmas party held at a beautiful place that I heard was owned by Channel 23. We loaded up the Bushwacker and brought a few families so they could attend. It was a wonderful service with lots of praise, then we shared a good meal together and alot of the children went swimming. It warmed our hearts to see the childrens happy faces when they received their Christmas present. Pastor Oldermar passed them out to each child by name. Three church members stood up and shared their testimonies and Pastor Oldemar made a point by expressing how grateful he was for all the new people the Lord has brought to the church this year from all over the world and then he named them specifically too. They have welcomed us and made us feel apart of the family with plenty of opportunity to serve. We really like our new church family!
We've been praying to fill our next conference in January. Please pray with us as this is our first U.S. Pastors event. Steve and I have been working a little each day on our individual ministries and missionary support. I've been working on contacting the Pastor's wives from the past 3 conferences to follow up with them with another massage and to help them by providing education materials on the importance of physical renewal. I've got my first appointment scheduled today! I'm excited! Steve is going to be my driver! I'm also in the process now of building a database of health tips to pass out to their specific need & I pray for a workshop in the future for these ladies in the area of health and wellness. Please pray for wisdom,direction,& fluidity with my daily schedule for the best use of my time when I'm not serving at our conferences. I'm in process of working at a quiropractic office in town and starting my own massage business in our home to help support our living expenses and another tent-making opportunity on the horizon. God is good! Thank you for your support & prayers friends!

DOS CUMPLEANOS

Yesterday was The Brook Teams last day for spanish class for awhile. It was a memorable finish especially since we celebrated two members of the teams birthdays! That would be my love Steve and Steve and Angela's daughter Stephanie. Steve's birthday was on the first and Stephanie's is today the 3rd.
The school had the works: a pinata and a delicious birthday cake for them and afterwards we played two games that challenged us with speaking in spanish. It was alot of fun!
I feel so blessed to be apart of this great team! And I am in agreement and prayer with the director as she blessed them both by saying " I pray for continued health and many more prosperous years!" God Bless you my Love!....God Bless You Stephanie! & FELIZ CUMPLEANOS!

Giving all you have

Giving all you have.

I was reading in the book of Luke tonight about the widow’s offering and what Jesus said to His disciples about her. He made it a point to teach them something about giving. He said “ This poor widow has put in more than all the others.”
It wasn’t about the money. It was about sacrifice. Jesus saw all the wealthy people put money in the offering. It’s as if He didn’t notice the size of their offering,, but the abundance they kept for themselves after they gave to God and it’s as if He didn’t notice the size of the widow’s offering either, but He noticed that she didn’t have anything left. It was all she had to live on as Jesus said. She would starve. So, it didn’t cost the wealthy anything and for the widow it cost her everything.
How much did it cost us to give our money, our time, our service, our talent? How much did it cost us to become a missionary or to become a pastor?
We see the offering.....God sees the sacrifice

1 Thess 5:16-18 & Mom

Today I'm thankful for God's word. It brings life better than any kinda medicine! I got a triple dose this morning at church. For weeks Pastor Oldemar has been preaching from the book of 1 Thessalonians and we are coming close to the end of the book at chapter 5 verse 16-18. These verses have alot of significance for me, especially today, the 21st of November. Today is the day 11 years ago that my mother went home to be with the Lord. It is also 11 years ago today that the Lord gave me these specific scriptures as a celebration of her life and now as a rememberance of her life. These verses are ones that I remember well, for I included them in the write up obituary for the newspaper. I still remember. This morning as I listened, by heart burned inside for I felt the Holy Spirit speak to my heart as I realized what day it was after I heard the scripture. Wow!

"Be Joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

So, I'm reminded and encouraged to keep loving more and more, to stand firmly in the faith, to work with my hands, to not grieve like those with no hope, & whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him....

I'm reminded that....deep JOY is not circumstantial...it comes from constant communion with my heavenly Father...giving thanks IN ALL circumstances....that's the proof of JOY..knowing He's got the world in His Hands....The JOY is in KNOWING... The Joy is in COMMUNION

I'm also believing my mom taught me these things..by who she was and who she is.
Thank you Lord for your word and thank you Lord for my loving mother. Your word is like opening a new wrapped gift everytime.

Time moving Be still

It's seems the dry season here in Costa Rica is upon us. The transition is happening. We are having less and less rain. It didn't rain today and yesterday it rained in the evening for about 10 minutes.
We welcomed the rain each day. It was a comfort to us because we knew to expect it. A good soaking gave water to every living thing. However, it also brought alot of damage and death.
It seems I've been in a transition for about a week now. And even though I knew to expect it, it didn't make it any easier. We've lived here In Costa Rica for 3 months and I believe the honeymoon is over and real life begins here.
I trust God to take care of our needs and the needs of the ministry, but now I'm feeling the desperation in it. In my devotional reading I reread the story of Hannah and it spoke so clearly to me. Her story is one of desperation. It is a story of transition, of breakthrough, and obedience. All these I have poured out my soul to the Lord. I have reached a place of peace. I praise God and give Him the glory. For only He can do the impossible
Dear Lord,
Help me Father, enable me to depend on you to do what I can not do. Help me to remember that you depend on me to do what I can do. Thank you Lord for your promise to fit things together in spite of our plans as you put order to our steps. All I need to see is what is in front of me. I trust you Lord, everything is totally under your control.
In the precious name of Jesus
Amen

Bicky's double Ducha de Bebé

This afternoon Steve and I were invited to our next door neighbor Bicky's double baby shower. Both her twin sons wives are both pregnant and both are expecting (boys)in December...on my birthday! See if you can figure out some of the games we played...

Scenic, Sunny, & Stormy...Solo Bueno!

Right this minute Pastor Dan and his wife Stephanie are sitting in the airport waiting on their flight to take off. It was our pleasure to serve them this week. It has been a week packed full of all kinds of adventure, times of relaxation & reflection, physical & spiritual renewal.
Yesterday, Steve and I brought them to La Paz Watergardens and took them to the Poas Volcano. Lots of towns along the way. I'm pretty sure La Paz was their favorite place. They certainly were good sports when we had to wait around 3 hours for the road to clear of a trailer accident on our way back from the San Luis Canopy tour. The morning started out with a group waterfall hike as the theme for the day was physical renewal. The massage I gave Stephanie that evening helped work out her tense muscles. I think Dan really liked the Tarzan swing and Stephanie liked the Superman Line. She said now she could imagine what it felt like to fly!
The day Steve and I took them to Herradura beach it began to rain about 30 minutes after we got there and just as we approached for lunch at Villa Calletas Resort, the rain really hit and stormed hard while the fog clouds really got thick. You couldn't see a thing! They experienced that full "Rainforest" affect. I took that as a sign that no matter what goes on around us, we can always rejoice within the storm. It was a day picked for marital renewal. Even though it rained and the spectacular view was not to be seen, the reality is, that the beauty was found in each other. They have a wonderful, beautiful and loving marriage!
They learned alot at The Britt Coffee Tour. It was funny to me that Dan had the same thoughts like me about the similarities of the process of our salvation as the process of a coffee bean. I wrote a blog about it a few weeks ago when Steve and I visited the coffee plantation here in Atenas.
I pray now for their safe arrival home. I can see their two boys wrapping their arms around Mommy and Daddy and welcoming them home. They got some trip gifts to pass out!
I pray the Lord gave them a gift here during their time here in Costa Rica that they will keep for the rest of their lives!

Latin American Pastor Conference #2 & #3

The Brook Ministries Latin American Pastors Conferences were so good! For 6 days The Brook team arrived every morning around 5:30am and most nights we travelled back home around 8pm. We went straight to bed! The coverage of your prayers smoothed the way for the pastors and their wives to learn new ways of handling conflict within their churches. Many had never had this kind of formal training. It had been years since many of the couples had free time together and time set aside with other pastoral couples. All but one person had ever been on a canopy tour. All but one of the wives had ever had a massage before. They were so excited to actually have the time to relax, fellowship, worship, & laugh together, and unwind in such a beautiful place such as Vista del Valle Resort. The last night at "testimony time" for each conference group, was a deeply moving experience of powerful sharing,prayer and worship. As a result, the needs are known and the direction can be easily seen. Keep your eye out for the ways you can continue to help by reading Pastor Steve Lucas' blog and The Brook Newsletter.
As for my part at the conferences, I gave ever bit of my energy, my love & prayers to each woman I served. His joy, His peace, & His love that it brought to our spirit was the gift we each received. It is so real that we are more blessed when we give than when we receive.
My spanish isn't so great, but better than it was at the first Latin conference in January. I also was better supplied. I created a spanish health history form, a spanish Massage Menu, and had matching "Ministerio del Arroyo" labels on each of the massage gift bags given to each woman along with a bottled water. About half of them wanted a Hot Stone Massage. One of the ladies gave me a beautiful scarf that she got on a mission trip to Chile. On the last morning of the last conference I was given strength first thing in the morning. I was really dragging and I'd been praying that the Lord would give me strength and he did. The first lady for massage took my hands and prayed for them. It moved me and gave me encouragement, strength, & power for the rest of the day! God is so good, He always is faithfull and gives us what we ask for. I will never forget her face or the power of her prayer!
After these 3 conferences, is it so obvious that Latin American Pastors and their wives are getting what they have prayed for....God is faithful and His church here in Central America is being built up, equipped, and strengthened to reach further into some remote areas and into the 10/40 window.
I am looking forward to serving the next conference in January for U.S. Pastors and the wives!
Please don't miss the opportunity to send your Pastor and his spouse. You can't even imagine how good this will be for him and his spouse & how far reaching it really is! Pay it forward!

"Hi!" verses "Hola"

Everyday we go walking. We walk to the grocery store, we walk to the bank, we walk to the gym, we walk to church, and to any other place we need and would like to go. Steve and I realized this morning what a blessing it has been to just walk. We would be missing so much if we drove in a car everywhere. We would miss the opportunity to meet our neighbors. We would have missed the encounter with a dear woman this morning. We will be praying for her and her family. Each day we meet new people. We say "Hola!" as we pass by the neighbors that are usually outside their homes along the way into town. It's getting pretty regular that people must be saying..."There's those gringos again!" On our walk this morning to church, we happen upon a gentlemen who said "Hi!" I was taken aback. Not that the tico said "Hi" but that the word itself sounded strange! I guess that was a clue to me that I'm adjusting to the culture and the language is getting into me! LOVE it! DIOS ES BUENO!

Friends build us up!

Yesterday I was reminded how important friends are and how we need each other. We've met alot of people here in Costa Rica and have made quite a few friends. Emilio came by yesterday to chat. He is a very nice man and there is always laughter being in his presence. He made these chairs for us and he's building us a bookshelf. My husband met a friend at the gym named Russ. He's a kind hearted guy who Steve became instant friends with. He's been helping us get the bushwacker some parts. We are getting to know our friends at bible study who are Abraham & Claire, Cerca and Red along with Pastor Steve and Angela. Abraham is an outstanding teacher!He gives a jewish perspective since he is a jewish christian. This is all new stuff! Pastor Steve is very knowledgeable and with them along side of us,we are learning far more than we had ever before about God's word.
Last night we were invited to Vicky's house for a memorial service for her husband Horst who went home to the Lord on October 2nd. Abraham and Claire came to pick us up. There were alot of people at her home. We shared a few songs and shared a great meal and fellowship. Our new friends Cindy and Tom were there with their children. Cindy is a volunteer nurse at Hogar de Vida Orphanage and her husband Tom works for a mission organization called EMI. We attend Iglesia Biblica with them as well.
eThis morning was our last class in spanish. Our teacher Isabel took us to the beautiful park in Atenas.Our assignment was to ask people walking by if we could ask them some questions so we could practice our spanish. What a great experience! The people are so friendly here in Costa Rica. We will begin a new session in spanish after our conferences. I hope that Isabel will once again be our teacher. We don't want to loose what we have learned so far and want to continue our friendship with her.
When we returned home from school, we noticed Vicky was home and we rang the bell at her gate. She gave us a big hug and she shared a little bit about her family things that you wouldn't talk to a stranger about. The Lord has given us friends for strength and encouragement. I hope to be that friend to her.
I am grateful to God for all the friends He is putting in our lives. I thank God for them.
There is strength in numbers.
A threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12