In the midst of the Battle...

Well, in case you were all wondering, yes we still are here studying in Costa Rica!!!  It has been a long 4 weeks for us.  After a lovely Christmas time with our family we went to Florida for 5 days to renew our visas.  Well, after one day there Sandra contracted e-coli (we found this out when we got home in CR).  It was a real rough battle for 2 long weeks as Sandra laid in bed with violent stomach cramps and was close to dehydration.  After Sandra felt better, ALL of our kids and I (Nathan) got sick with either the flu or bad colds.  While Sandra was sick the Lord had impressed upon her heart the story of Job and at a different time He had given me the same story.  We had not discussed it with each other for a few days at which time we realized God had spoken the same story to us both.  We are reminded that the struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities and the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  We are in the middle of this battle and we can sure feel it!!!  Some days we feel like we are losing but then God reminds us of Job and his response of accepting the good, the bad the ugly the easy and the difficult giving God the praise and glory through it all.  Please remain steadfast in your prayers as we fight the battle of our lives.

More Than Enough!

Good Morning!

What an amazing God we serve, I can hardly believe that less than 10 months ago we were preparing for our scouting trip to Mexico City to see if we were being called there.  Now we are in Costa Rica already into our second of three trimesters of learning Spanish!  In less then a year we have been to 4 countries, counting today! We are on our way out of the Country so that we can renew our visas.  This morning I was listening to a song called ENOUGH by Chris Tomlin and I was brought back to tears remembering three years ago, our move to Calgary.  We moved from Abbotsford to finish school in Calgary so that we could one day live our dream of being International Workers for the Christian and Missionary Alliance.   I remember moving into a small (dark and gross) basement and knowing it was exactly where were we called to be.  I remember singing the song by Chris Tomlin and dancing around our empty place with my girls and my twin sister (who also lived in Calgary) and believing in my heart that God is so good and that when you follow him with your whole heart you will always be so overcome with his faithfulness and his provision for you, that you can not help but sing and dance  and shout out your blessings.  So this morning I am listening to the same song and thinking wow! Three years ago in Calgary as I pondered the road we had just embarked on I had no clue of what was lying ahead of us, that we would be moving to Costa Rica and learning Spanish and preparing for ministry in Mexico City.  I had no idea that I would know more peace, more of God's faithfulness and more of God's protection that I could have never dreamed of or imagined!  All totally out of my comfort zone.  I remember our first days here in CR and remember feeling completely overwhelmed by culture shock crying almost every day as I processed what we were doing.  I believed in my heart that if I sowed seeds in tears I would one day reap a harvest in joy.  Today I am so full of joy! He is soooo good.  He is so much MORE THAN ENOUGH.

love Sandra