Crazy Love

Our family has been in Oaxaca City this week house sitting for a family that is in the states for the month.  We have been having a refreshing time reconnecting as a family. So often it is a struggle to find a healthy balance for family life living in community as we do at the base.  We have also been using the time to be refreshed in the Lord.  I have been reading through an excellent book by Francis Chan, Crazy Love.  I highly recommend it.  If you are tired of living a "normal life" and want to be challenged to love God in a crazy way, pick it up.  I guarantee you won't be the same person when you finish it.  Chris Tomlin says about the book  "the life that Jesus calls us to is absolute craziness to the world.  Sure, it's fine and politically correct to believe in God, but to really love Him is a whole different story.  Yeah it's nice and generous to give to the needy at Christmas or after some disaster, but to sacrifice your own comfort and welfare for another may look like madness to a safe and undisturbed world.  I am challenged to the core by the pages you are about to read.  I am excited that you are diving into this much needed book.  I encourage you to face up to the convictions of Crazy Love.  I know your heart and spirit will be stirred again for your First Love."
And just so you know, I have a lot of work to do!!!  I am realizing I still hold onto so many comforts, attitudes, and securities.  I have many fears about letting go of it all and loving Jesus how the Bible describes. 
Lord help my heart be right toward you and help my life to match it. 

Mixing Mud 101

Pouring cement looks a little different here in Mexico.  I thought all you construction guys back home, especially cement guys, would like this.  The Mission Training School Students and staff helped the neighbor pour cement in her kitchen and front porch area. This is the first most of these guys have done cement work let alone mix the mud with shovels. This was a real blessing to our neighbor Epifonia.  She is the cook at the base and we love to help her out.  

Birthday Dinner

Some of our friends that we study the Bible with on Sunday nights surprised me with a birthday dinner and gift.  It was such a blessing.  We have been studying the book of John with this family and it has been great.  They are full of questions and are soaking it all in.  We have loved our time with them.  Pray their understanding expands supernaturally.  Pray also for Dave and Rhonda (part of the church planting team).  They have taken over leading the Bible Study time as their Spanish is way beyond our capabilitiies.

A Cousin for the Weekend

We had Katie Hadinger here all weekend to spend time with the girls.  Mike and Ilona were able to come up from Oaxaca City and spend their Anniversary in town at our favorite hotel, while Katie stayed with us.  We all had a great time and look forward to seeing them again soon.

BIG NEWS!!!

We have big news......Avery has joined the ranks of those who have been visited by the tooth fairy!!!  Tonight we hit a huge milestone in the life of every kindergartner.  She was a trooper and let daddy pull it right out.  What a brave little girl.

What is Going On???

WOW! What a week we are having.  Typically this is a hard time of year at the school with The Day of the Dead Holiday coming this weekend.  We typically face a lot of sickness and spiritual warfare issues.  Not this year.  God is on the move.  There has been a lot of repentance, confession, and prayer among the students.  The Holy Spirit is moving.  A result of this is some great ministry going on in town.  Several students have had impacting spiritual conversations with locals.  It is not very common to see a lot of spiritual interest and openess but God is moving. These students are bold in approaching people and quickly turning the conversation to Godly things.  Thanks for praying.  Please continue to pray for the school, students, and locals.  Especially this week while the celebration of the dead is happening. 

Harold, Karen and Kelsey: touching lives

We just wrapped up a week of outreach here with a short term team.  What a good week.  Harold, Karen and Kelsey came from our church and also a youth group from Colorado.  Half the team went to a town about 45 minutes away.  They worked with the church there doing community projects, witnessing, teaching English classes and showing family focused movies at night.  This is where Harold went.  It was a great week. The other half of the team did medical clinics.  It was fun to have Karen and Kelsey along for the trip.  They worked so hard and touched so many lives.  Kelsey helped the eye Dr. all week and Karen did medical consultations. Ask them about some stories of people they encountered, I'm sure they would love to share with you. I enjoyed having them here to be a part of being the bridge into these villages that we would otherwise not be invited into.  Thanks for giving your time and resources to come.  I hope it was impacting for you.  Oh-and my girls are glad you came and were able to bring B-day gifts from cousins and Grandmas!!