See you soon Nica.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
....packing my bags...
I am currently stuffing my life into 2 bags and a carry-on.
See you soon Nica.
See you soon Nica.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
take a look around
"Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing." Isaiah 40:26
We ought to be steadily reminded and encouraged of his great love for us from all that we see. It is clearly evident in the Bible that God created the world to reflect his story for us. The gospel is displayed continuously throughout creation! Jesus taught the gospel in parables with earthly examples about harvesting crops, mercy rising like the sun, flowers blooming and many many others. He had endless creative power when presenting His message of life and the gospel, and he used examples from things that we see all around us. He created this world to reflect Himself. Psalm 19 says that the heavens declare his glory...day after day they pour forth speech, night after night they reveal knowledge! He created this world to reflect Himself. When we stand at the grand canyon and see the massive cuts in the earth stretch farther than our eyes can see, we think of Him and how endless and deep and long and unending his love is for us! The sun rises in the morning and so does his mercy for us (Lamentations 3:23).
His reflection in His creation continues far beyond landscapes and picturesque sunrises. He created in us the many facets of his personality. We were created in His image (Genesis 1:27), so that we might reflect His love to each other. Every good thing you see in your neighbor is a reflection of the one who created you and knows you better than you know yourself.
I have been praying recently that God would uproot the distorted images I have of Him in my mind. I want to see God for who he is, not what I have made Him out to be. If He is a father to the fatherless and a shelter from the storm and our stay and our hope and the ultimate encourager that the Bible says He is, I want to see Him as that. I want to pray to and trust in a God that I truly embrace as a friend, a father and a companion. Through answering my prayer, He has opened my eyes to see His character, love, encouragement, and faithfulness being directly fulfilled by people in my life. His unwavering and unconditional love to me is displayed through his children here on earth. If the whole world was created for His glory, and it reflects His glory, then so do we. We are his love and compassion to each other here on earth.
Lets embrace each other as Christ does us. Love and encourage each other along the way, just as He continuously pursues us.
He loves us regardless of what we've done, and despite what we will do. He doesn't credit His love to us based on what we will become for him someday in the future. This is the kind of love we all seek on earth, because it is the Love that we were created for!
Show your friends and neighbors that unconditional, unwavering, committed, lay down your life kind of love; we will be so positively affected that we will be left with no other options but to surrender daily to what He has been pursuing us with since before we were born. Unending like the heavens and deeper than the oceans is His love for us. Take a look around and embrace what He has done for you. He has displayed himself in all of creation, in the world and in each other.
We ought to be steadily reminded and encouraged of his great love for us from all that we see. It is clearly evident in the Bible that God created the world to reflect his story for us. The gospel is displayed continuously throughout creation! Jesus taught the gospel in parables with earthly examples about harvesting crops, mercy rising like the sun, flowers blooming and many many others. He had endless creative power when presenting His message of life and the gospel, and he used examples from things that we see all around us. He created this world to reflect Himself. Psalm 19 says that the heavens declare his glory...day after day they pour forth speech, night after night they reveal knowledge! He created this world to reflect Himself. When we stand at the grand canyon and see the massive cuts in the earth stretch farther than our eyes can see, we think of Him and how endless and deep and long and unending his love is for us! The sun rises in the morning and so does his mercy for us (Lamentations 3:23).
His reflection in His creation continues far beyond landscapes and picturesque sunrises. He created in us the many facets of his personality. We were created in His image (Genesis 1:27), so that we might reflect His love to each other. Every good thing you see in your neighbor is a reflection of the one who created you and knows you better than you know yourself.
I have been praying recently that God would uproot the distorted images I have of Him in my mind. I want to see God for who he is, not what I have made Him out to be. If He is a father to the fatherless and a shelter from the storm and our stay and our hope and the ultimate encourager that the Bible says He is, I want to see Him as that. I want to pray to and trust in a God that I truly embrace as a friend, a father and a companion. Through answering my prayer, He has opened my eyes to see His character, love, encouragement, and faithfulness being directly fulfilled by people in my life. His unwavering and unconditional love to me is displayed through his children here on earth. If the whole world was created for His glory, and it reflects His glory, then so do we. We are his love and compassion to each other here on earth.
Lets embrace each other as Christ does us. Love and encourage each other along the way, just as He continuously pursues us.
He loves us regardless of what we've done, and despite what we will do. He doesn't credit His love to us based on what we will become for him someday in the future. This is the kind of love we all seek on earth, because it is the Love that we were created for!
Show your friends and neighbors that unconditional, unwavering, committed, lay down your life kind of love; we will be so positively affected that we will be left with no other options but to surrender daily to what He has been pursuing us with since before we were born. Unending like the heavens and deeper than the oceans is His love for us. Take a look around and embrace what He has done for you. He has displayed himself in all of creation, in the world and in each other.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
2 weeks, still need strings!
If you or anyone you know wants to donate guitar strings let me know. That is the last thing we need before I go.
joey@amigosforchrist.org
joey@amigosforchrist.org
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
"...ain't you goin' to Mexico soon?"
The day after my birthday I'll be headed down to Nicaragua for good. Most of you I won't see until September when I come home for our month of fundraising. For those who are coming down to visit and join in with what's going on, I'll be getting your musty beds ready.
I have been praying a very consistent prayer for the next year. I hope you'll join with me.
Colossians 3 has been on my mind and heart for the last year and encompasses what I have been praying for the American missionaries I'll be joining as well as the Nicaraguans we'll be working with. That "...the peace of Christ will rule in our hearts...." I could stop here and have enough to dwell on for the year but the passage goes on. It continues with "...let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom." I can't think of a better place to start. One thing the Lord has confirmed in my heart through the years is the simplicity of what he has called us to do. I often end seasons of life in confusion and evaluation and am often brought back to the simple truths that saved me. That is, He is Lord and He is the only thing that satisfies. So pray with me that we would start and end our days right there. His peace ruling in our hearts is where we need to be focused before any work is done. We are worshipers before we are workers. I pray that all of us find ourselves more often in the role of Mary, sitting at Jesus' feet, seeking our Savior for satisfaction and identity. His design will bring us back to his feet whether we are willing or not. He is jealous for our attention and His glory. Let us walk with Him and surrender our hearts and lives to the satisfaction and meaning that we were created for from the start. That "...His peace would rule in our hearts…", first and foremost. Once the creator has His right place in our hearts the passage goes on to say, "...whatever you do, do it with your whole heart as though you are working for the Lord, not for men."
Father, fill our cups with the endless love and satisfaction of You. That your peace will rule in our hearts in the morning and the evening so that all we do, we do with our whole hearts, working for You.
See y'all across the border.
Joey
I have been praying a very consistent prayer for the next year. I hope you'll join with me.
Colossians 3 has been on my mind and heart for the last year and encompasses what I have been praying for the American missionaries I'll be joining as well as the Nicaraguans we'll be working with. That "...the peace of Christ will rule in our hearts...." I could stop here and have enough to dwell on for the year but the passage goes on. It continues with "...let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom." I can't think of a better place to start. One thing the Lord has confirmed in my heart through the years is the simplicity of what he has called us to do. I often end seasons of life in confusion and evaluation and am often brought back to the simple truths that saved me. That is, He is Lord and He is the only thing that satisfies. So pray with me that we would start and end our days right there. His peace ruling in our hearts is where we need to be focused before any work is done. We are worshipers before we are workers. I pray that all of us find ourselves more often in the role of Mary, sitting at Jesus' feet, seeking our Savior for satisfaction and identity. His design will bring us back to his feet whether we are willing or not. He is jealous for our attention and His glory. Let us walk with Him and surrender our hearts and lives to the satisfaction and meaning that we were created for from the start. That "...His peace would rule in our hearts…", first and foremost. Once the creator has His right place in our hearts the passage goes on to say, "...whatever you do, do it with your whole heart as though you are working for the Lord, not for men."
Father, fill our cups with the endless love and satisfaction of You. That your peace will rule in our hearts in the morning and the evening so that all we do, we do with our whole hearts, working for You.
See y'all across the border.
Joey
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