Hey, sorry I havnt written much yet. It has been busy here getting everything ready for the summer. Like I said, I have been working on the work trailers, rebuilding the insides. I am hoping that this new system will keep everything organized , and make things easier for the captains this summer. We will see though, it is Mexico, haha. I have been going out to LTP, (Land of the Promise), several times, we have been building a new dorm out there, and are going to move Moniteil de amor there when it is finished. Mda is a smaller childrens home B2B serves, but they are split up into 3 different homes. By moving them here they can bring all the kids together!! The building is looking great, but still needs alot of work before we move the kids in at the end of June. I remebered to bring my camera today! I was a big fan of the color choice! We have been working on electrical stuff, and will begin pulling wire tomorrow! I have been working on putting in the boxes, and getting them set up for pulling string. most of the holes were set up for a single plug, but now they are wanting to put in doubles, so its been fun put a sludge hammer to the wall to make the holes bigger. although after about the 15th one your arm is ready to fall off. I am excited though to be finally pulling wire and getting things all hooked up!!
Yesterday ten of us went to Chipitine. It is up in the mountains, and all natural canyons. We went repelling down some of the canyons and did several jumps. It was amazing!! Juan, one of the house parents, is a great climber as well as Antonio and Saul, staff, and they were our experts to say the least haha. We were the only people there. We drove up the mountain then, hiked into the canyon. Did a bunch of jumps, some natural water slides, and repelling. The last repel, was down a water fall. This thing was just under 100 meters high. So roughly about 325 feet high. I almost peed my pants. The view was just soo beautiful, but I was freaked out a bit haha. We did the repel in 2 stages because the ropes we had weren’t long enough, which was good because I need a break after the first. The second, repel was 150 feet. The first 50 feet was on the rocks, and the last 100 feet was all free repel. yes free, in the air, nothing but the rope. Then about 15 feet above the water, the rope ends, and you plunge into the canyon water. Scary at first, but absolutely amazing!! I don’t have a water proof camera, but I am trying to get some pictures from some of the other guys, and will show you. It was soo beautiful; God did a great job creating it!!!! Tomorrow I am headed back to LTP for the day, and then Jim and I are going to Douglas to hang out with the kids, and talk about designs for a new dorm there!!
Who is your source? Do you know him, or do you think you know him. I have been thinking and praying about how I use God as my source. Do I just use him for information, or just to pray with, or ask things for? Or have I been using him to guide my life? Have I been using the life he gave use through his son Jesus to live my life, or just read about, and go on with my life? God teachers us so much, and all of it is in this main source of information, that we call the Bible. The first time I actually sat down and read my Bible was about 6 years ago. I was just turning 18. So how did I know about the Gospel? How did I know about and believe in my Faith. I grew up in the church, and my parents taught me. They learned and read about it from there parents and so on. But the truth, and the presence of that personal relationship with Christ came, when I came back to the Source. My Bible. Unless you Read and understand the source, you will never know the full truth. Jesus says, "I am the way the Truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my father as well." John 14:6 Also in Chapter 14, Jesus tells us about the Spirit. "If you love me, you will obey what I command. and I will ask the Father, and he will give you a counselor to be with you forever- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that am in the Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. If anyone loves me, he will obey my teachings. My father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not Love me will not obey my teachings. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. All this I have spoken while I am still here with you, But the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid. You have heard me say I am going away and I am coming back to you. If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, but the world must learn that I love the Father and I do exactly what my Father has commanded me. Come now let us Go!" Jesus talking to his disciples about the coming of the kingdom and the Spirit of God.
So as this summer begins, I am thinking about the Spirit. Who is my source? Who is the source of the kids we serve. Am I listing to the truth? The real source? Or something that looks like the truth? Am I believing in the true bread of the Life, the one who came down from heaven, and gave life to the world? Or am I believing in my own earthy, material goods? There are too many sources out there, and nothing to back them up to. Too many people saying many things. Lots of churches preaching other gospels. (Galations 1) Who is the true source? The truth is that Jesus came down, and died for our sins, not just so that we may be free from sin, but so that we may live in him, and through him. He is the source, the bread we eat, the earth we walk on, the love we share, the times we've had. He is everything, because he lives in us, and he wants us to live and love each and every day and each and everyone, just as he loves us.
The trouble? So when the going gets tough. Do we trust our source? Or do we blame our source? Why is it that we ask God for things or to help us through something, but we blame him when things go wrong, or don’t go our way? See what we don’t understand is that for God, who has everything mapped out, and knows each of our lives,.. He doesn’t create the trouble. What we see as trouble, is probably just part of our life that God has created for us. That doesn’t mean it won’t be hard. But trusting in God to get us through it, and praising him when we do get through it, is what it’s all about. Half the time when you’re late, or sitting in traffic, you’re like, "God just get me through this, or make these cars moves faster. What we don’t realize is that God is working through that. Trust Him; you never know what he may be saving you from??
This summer we have had a lot of groups cancel, not just because of Violence, but because of the cost of fuel prices and plane tickets. At the staff retreat last week, Jeff Greir talked about God sending the Elite. This summer may be small in numbers, but the truth is that God has hand picked each and everyone that is to come down this summer. That in looking at the Bad, loss of groups, we forget sometimes to see the good, the Elite. Now that’s not to say that because you are not here that you are not a part of God's plan. For God is in control of every situation. He has your day planned far better than you could ever imagine to have your day planned. There is a time and place for each of you, and that place is right now, in the presence of the Lord. He is sending us the elite, to help us make his name known among the orphan child, but he is also calling you to spread the word as well. By sending the elite, he has not only called upon the people to travel to Monterrey, but on to you to teach, and learn from the true source, and live your Life as Christ has called us. You are the Elite! He has called you!!!! Will you go?
One last thing is that I stated we tend to blame God when things don’t go our way. What we don’t realize is that it’s not our way to begin with. It never was and will be. "He is the way." When trouble comes, it’s because that is what is to come. It’s in that time that we see it as trouble, and we trust in the one who created us. We trust in the source. Because after all, our Source did say that "In this world you will have trouble.......But Take Heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
Who is your Source????
LTP Pictures
