Live

He is more than we can ever truly begin to know or comprehend. And yet He, who is entirely perfect and infinitely above all else, loves every single one of us unconditionally. He doesn’t just love us when we are doing what He has asked of us. He loves us even when we are broken, filthy, rebellious and fickle. He takes great delight in our joy and success. Who is there remotely like Him? We are unable to completely understand the sacrifice that was made on the cross on our behalf. We do not deserve the gift of grace we have been so freely given. It is because of Him that we can truly live. May we boldly claim our inheritance and live fully in Him.

***

"... the joy of the Lord is my strength."

-Nehemiah 8:10

Fan Into Flame

In my previous post I shared that I believed God had called me back to Costa Rica to partake in the Children At Risk school. Instead it turns out that today, January 25th, I'm writing (to whomever reads this) from my room in the States. I don't believe I've mistaken God when it comes to participating in this school, I just don't believe January 2010 was the right time.

In a Discipleship Training School you literally live in a bubble for five months. Everything is safe. The people you are surrounded by love and long to draw closer to God and know Him personally and intimately. It's contagious. It's a flame that grows bigger and bigger. For five months it seems so crazily possible to walk side-by-side with God.

In those moments it's easy to love.

In those moments it's easy to forgive.

In those moments it's easy to be open and share what you struggle with.

In those moments it's easy to share what joy and hope you have with the perfect stranger or those who mistreat you.

In those moments life doesn't seem like a struggle that you have to greet morning after morning- it becomes a joy.

Ultimately, in those moments you know you're the perfectly beloved child of God.

I think that many people have memories of a time as the one I've described. Life was a special gift we were given. God wasn't a faraway unreachable “idea”. He was real in our lives. We felt alive, we felt we were created for purpose, the path was straight and even. I don't just want a far away memory of a time when I felt close to Him... The truth is we can still have that relationship with God and continue to grow, but we must learn to surrender to Him and fight the things that blur our vision. God never left our side, why do we sometimes live as though He has?

One reason I believe God has asked me to stay where I am is to learn how to grow, rely, and trust in Him no matter where I am. For some reason it's much easier for me to be who God has made me to be when I'm not in the USA. Now He's asking me to learn to allow myself to come out of my shell in my own family, with friends I've known my whole life, with new relationships and in my own city.

Where is it that you need to grow and what's standing in your way?

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hand. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life- not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immorality to light through the gospel. 2 Timothy 1:6-10

Children At Risk

It's taken me a while to decide what my next step after DTS should be. When I first arrived here in San Jose for my DTS, I was just following what God had spoken to me. It was hard for me to just follow, but God has really been teaching me to just trust and follow him, to not look to the right or left. Within the first couple weeks my attention was caught by a secondary school that YWAM offers called Children At Risk. This is also a 12 week school. So what is this school?

"For the first time in Central America, University of the Nation's "Children at Risk School."

Across the globe and across our mission, God is emphasizing to us the importance of caring for the 'fatherless' - a passion very near and dear to His heart. His heart breaks over the needless suffering of His little ones and He is calling His people now to commit to make children our priority.

The needs of children are overwhelming - over a billion children live in poverty and millions face abuse, disease and death every day.

Listen as God calls to us:
"seek justice, encourage the oppressed, defend the cause of the fatherless"

Again and again our Heavenly Father is showing us His heart:

"true religion is to look after orphans." (James 1:27)

"Let the little children come to me, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 19:14)

"A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation." (Psalm 68:5-6)

The Children at Risk School is taught through University of the Nations, the training arm of Youth With A Mission. The course is an overview or introductory course for people who are interested in working with children at risk. The school will be running for the first time in Costa Rica in January 2009. Students from many nations will come to the San Jose YWAM base and spend three months in the classroom learning from various teachers who are experts in their field. Through lectures, discussions, small group interactions, community life, assignments and research the students will learn in creative ways. After the three month lecture phase, students will begin a six month internship in Latin America learning from and serving people and programs that work with children." -facebook

http://is-is.facebook.com/group.php?gid=41940454622&v=info

My plan is to return for the three months of class in January and see where God leads from there. I've really come to realize how much children make up a part of who I am. In Margarita the children would flock to us every possible moment of the day. During our time there I can to realize just how much joy they bring into my life and how alive I feel when they're around. Not all come from healthy families, but my heart desires to help those children and to love those who feel alone, or might be abused, or might just need a friend.

Thanksgiving

Wow, I can not believe how quickly time flies by. As I've mentioned before there is a One Story conference happening in the base here in San Jose. Last week our DTS participated. It's such a cool way to share the gospel. We're taught how to accurately and Biblicaly take stories from the Bible and tell them in a story form. This is especially helpful in communities where there isn't yet a Bible translated. Telling stories orally is a major part of many societies. If you want to learn more check out: ywamonestory.org

Since there are many people here on the base we had our Thanksgiving a couple weeks before. It's amazing how one is able to go into a place without knowing anyone and finding a family. As a family we took time as a base to reflect on all the good things God has given us: our new base, our staff, and the personal things God has given us each individually. Fun times call for fun pictures :)

On this Thanksgiving I just encourage you to take personal time with God and give him thanks for the things he's done in your life, the things he is already doing, and the things he's going to do. He really is awesome.

Tilaran and Monte Verde

Outreach is practically finished and we're now back in San Jose. This week we're apart of a conference called One Story. We're taught how to verbally share the gospel through story form and the such. This week is combined up of "lecture phase" and "outreach phase". It's our last whole week of DTS.

We spent about 20 days out "there". We spent time in a small town called Tilaran. This was a lot of fun because Rebeca, a girl from our team, is from this town. We were spoiled a lot by her parents. Image outreach in Fort Wayne, hmm... We were involved in a lot of the church activities here as well: youth nights, church, we were also a part of an English church service (since there are a lot of retired English speakers in this area). My favorite time was when we were involved in a service the church had in the plaza on Halloween. Even though it's not a national holiday for the locals they still celebrate, so the church had a service in the gazebo. We shared a drama and a testimony.

I think our time spent in Monte Verde was over all my favorite time. This is a small tourist town. We spent our mornings downtown sharing the love of God in any sort of form possible. Free hugs, worship, served Gallo Pinto to taxi drivers and anyone else on the street, free cookies. We were able to build relationships pretty easily. A couple people were even confused about seeing a mixed group of foreigners and Costa Ricans giving and loving. In the afternoons we had a team devotion (it rains every afternoon and is freezing) and at night were involved in the church services. I loved this time.




My Familia Rara (Weird/Strange family)that's what we call our group. I'm going to miss them soooo much.



Making cookies :)



Spending time with youth.



Almost every town we stayed in we've been spoiled by the locals. They have a true grasp on the meaning of humility. Virginia has blessed us immensely.



Serving Pinto and Hugs




Our whole team got sick :(


Students from the University we spent time with one morning



Abrazos Gratiz

Lump

Here´s a video we´ve shared with the ¨gringo¨ church service here in Tilaran and with a highschool. It´s so good i thought i´d share.

Glimpses of Costa Rica

I'm finding it hard to find time (and internet) to update my blog, so I'm going to post as many pictures as I can in this time frame (however long it is).

Outreach has been going great. Our group has been reduced to 9 students and 3 leaders. While I'm sad to see one staff, and four students leave, I know this is God's will. Our small group as become a small family.

We've spent the last two/three weeks in churches supporting the local church and reaching out to the community. We're involved in physical labor in the community, often we build relationships outside of the church, and lead a lot of services in the church. We share our testimonies, are involved in dramas, help with worship (I play guitar, Reanna sings, and when there are drums Many plays) and give teachings. This is a very stretching experience for me, but God has been faithful in helping me through all.

We've spent time with the Bribri, an indigenous people group, they have been the most hospitable people I've ever met. Everyday they showed up with fruit or food to share. They are such open people and so ready to grow in Christ. It's easy to see God working here.

We also worked in Margarita. A city built on the side of a highway. There are so many young people here. The children flocked to us everyday after school. We spent a lot of time just building relationships, playing with them, and loving on them. We took a day to hike to a waterfall and go swimming with them.

Next we head out to Tilaran and Monte Verde for twenty days. We'll be working with local churches and reaching out. We've been in San Jose for a few days to do ministry here (helping in the Salvation Army, helping physically with the new base, and taking a day off).

Pray that our group would continue to be united in God. I'm so blessed in the group of people God has placed me with. I've learned so much through them and our relationships. It's hard to know if I've learned more in my time with them than in the lecture phase. The love God gives us for one another is amazing.

Know that I'm thinking of all of you and you're in my heart.

Zephaniah 3:17 is such an awesome verse that I want to share with you all. Maybe you've heard it before, but I encourage you to really hear and understand this and accept it into your life:

"The Lord your God is with you, he is might to save. He will take great delight in yhou, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Now that is PURA VIDA!!!

Outreach Begins!

Thought I'd update everyone on what's been going on. We've officially moved into the new base, and we've officially ended the lecture phase! Whoo hoo! It's a bitter sweet moment but I'm really excited to see what God has for us now in outreach.

This week we have a four day adventure called NIKO which is a Greek word that is to overcome. As students we don't know what we'll be doing but it's the draw us closer to God and one another. We're going to Talabanca and will be in the forest for four days as students we have no idea what we'll be doing- but that's the idea. After our NIKO time we'll have two weeks outreach in Talabanca. As a team and base we've felt God has called us to have outreach here in Costa Rica. We'll be working in five different locations. I'm super excited about this time.

As a group we've really become more than just friends, but family. So I ask that you'd pray for our group that we'd listen and obey God in what He asks of us in this time!

We're Moving

YWAM San Jose is moving into a new building next weekend! This is really exciting time for this base. This building was originally for growing and processing coffee, and is now being remodeled for YWAM. It's a cool building with a lot of different levels (only two stories right now, but they hope to add two more in the years to come). The base here is beginning to take off. They are now not only having the Class DTS, Compassion DTS (which is what I'm in), but they are beginning a Soccer DTS, and an Extreme DTS. I'm so excited to see what God is going to do with YWAM in this area!!!