As I shared earlier, we want to welcome Brad and Julie who brought so many gifts and talents to this evangelism team. First of all Julie was nervous about coming but after preparing her devotional for one morning she realized God has this. Julie shared how we serve a living God. What would it be like to walk with Jesus while He was on this earth? Would we follow Him or crucify Him? What do we do today? God is always there waiting on us. He is there. Are we there with Him? Do we pray like we should. He thinks about us all the time but do we think about Him like we should. He loves so much more than we can ever imagine. Brad shared how God took him right on out of his comfort zone one day out going door to door. He shared all week it came time to share the plan of salavation with someone and he would back off to let Pastor Wayne or Bobby do it. Well this one visit they were not around and so Brad got to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with someone who because of Brad's boldness and confidence in his Lord this person came to Jesus Christ. Halleiugh and praise the Lord for this one new sister in Christ. Thank you Brad for taking the plunge and being obedient to what God had called you to do this week, bring the lost to Christ. Brad's devotional was spot on for what happened to him the very next day. Brad's shared out of 2 Corinthians 12:7-10,
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
By Brad allowing God to take his weaknesses God was allowed to use Brad to glorify His Kingdom here on here. Brad shared he will get his way regardless of what we think we should do.
Julie made a special friend named Precious who was special needs and was shunned by her peers but with Julie's beautiful and warm smile she was able to befriend Precious and let her know she was loved by Jesus too.
Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?
1 Corinthians 3:16
Welcome back Richard to Honduras. This year he was so excited to bring his lovely bride Holly for her first visit to Honduras. Holly is forever grateful she was obedient to God's calling to come serve beside Richard. Holly shared God was dealing with me about coming here. She gave God all the excuses not to come. First the trip was planned for September and she was just starting up her kindergarten class for the year and she did not want to leave her babies. But then the trip got moved up to October so she said well maybe I can go. She said she did not want to be the only woman on the team and then Julie and Rebecca came on board. Holly was running out of excuses of why she could not come to Honduras. During her devotional she shared how sad it would have been if she had not come and missed out on all these many blessings God placed before her this week. Holly with her sweet soft voice shared with us "If God tells us to do something then we better just do it and do it with all our heart." Satan will give us many excuses not to do anything the Lord has called us to go and to. Holly's scripture reference for her devotional was
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
Proverbs 3:5-6
Holly was touched especially by being a teacher how the parents struggle to get their children an education down here. After sixth grade the children have to pay to continue their education. Holly shared how there was one family who they visited and the lady had cancer, the lady was Christian but the rest of her family were not Christians. The lady shared with Holly she had faith God will heal her body from the cancer. I believe if I am correct Holly shared the daughter in law had a stoke yesterday and in saying all this they all were joyful despite their hardships. The mother is working two jobs for her daughter to go to school. So with all they have going on in this home physically they are still working hard as a family to provide for their children to continue their education. Saturday morning before their last day going door to door it was Richard's turn to do devotions. His topic was on fear. He shared fear is sin. Richard has been fighting God for over twenty years about becoming a pastor. He turned God away so many times because of fear and so many other reasons. Richard became a elementary education school teacher a few years back and he had been there about two months when he got real sick and had to walk away from his classroom. He loved his children and his job but he could no longer work as a teacher. During this trial in his life God once again said I need you to be a pastor and follow me. Richard shared once he said yes to God he went home that evening to the best night of sleep he had in many years. Others fear him coming to Honduras the plane ride and other reasons. Richard made a very profound statement in saying if I go today I know where I am going, home to be with my Savior. How many of us look at life this way? If we are true followers of Christ and not of this world we will know this is just a short journey we are on and our eternal home is awaiting us.
For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Isaiah 41:13
Richard was humbled by the greetings they received by being complete strangers in this country and they were welcomed with open arms. As we were walking door to door others would come running asking if they could hear the good news of Jesus Christ and asked for prayers for their families. Richard shared how back home people do not want to be bothered with hearing about the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ. There was a lot of visits to Pulperia and how they were generous and gave us physical water and in return we gave them the living water.
but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
John 4:14
We want to welcome back Darren and this time he was blessed to bring his lovely wife Rebecca. Years ago Rebecca came with him before having their three children. But since their children are much older now they were able to return together to serve their Lord. Rebecca shared how God placed a fourteen and a half year old named Gracie into her life on the first day. She shared how she was missing her children but God placing Gracie in her life let her know her fourteen and a half year old Gracie back home was just fine. God told Rebecca I have got this now go and serve me with trust, faith and gladness. She shared confrontation with many people was not her strong hold. But her forte was a lot of one on one which is what God has given her this week. One of the church members who went out with her daily, Florencia, would always welcome her each day with a huge hug. This was encouraging for me she shared and helped me through my journey here this week. Rebecca started her morning devotion off with "Sanctuary" which pulled at my heart strings that morning. This song takes me back to when my girls were fourteen and would sing this with joyful hearts. Such fond memories we develop through serving our Lord. Rebecca talked on how sharing sometimes need to be only simple. Simple is best in some situations. Also how sometimes we get too busy serving Him and we do not spend time with Him. He needs us to be near to Him and then He will send us where we need to go for Him. So if we give God our all daily and receive a clean start daily being cleansed through and through God can do so much with us and it is what He wants us to do not what we want to do for Him. We need to do it joyfully and with gladness as it reads in Psalm 51:1-2
Darren came back to work beside Rebecca which did his heart good. It was beautiful seeing the two of them together serving their Lord. Darren and Rebecca worked a lot on the preparations for VBS along with their other team members. But to see them working side by side in one accordance with the children was Jesus and the children. Darren shared during his morning devotion how it has rained everyday since we have been here but has not rained while we were doing the work of the Lord. He did an amazing analogy of thunderstorms which we have massive ones here in Honduras. How much rain do you think one cloud will drop at any given time? Millions of drops of rain at one time comes down through a cloud. But unlike the rain God gives us his living water through His Word one drop at a time. We then in turn give out His Word in droplets maybe even a puddle or two. As time goes by puddle after puddle of living water will hopefully fill me or whoever to overflowing with the living water which will make us all whole in Christ Jesus. God's thoughts and ways are so much more powerful. God's promises will never come back void. Thank you God for your living water.
Isaiah 55:8
Darren and Rebecca were also in love with little Precious. Darren shared how all the attention little Precious was getting by Rebecca braiding her hair and how Rebecca was showing the love of Jesus to Precious and other children were seeing her get the special attention she never receives from her peers. The other children saw Jesus through the actions of Rebecca. Darren said for just a little bit Precious was a "Queen". Darren said this little one may have special needs, cannot talk or read but she sure knows how to pull on your heart strings.
These three couples exhibited an amazing testimony for all couples to go together and bring the lost to Christ. You do not have to go to another country to do this. But today we challenge all Christian couples to go and lead the lost to Christ. So thank you all for setting the examples for what being a witness for Jesus is in a Christian home.
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