Keep walking

Well today has been a great day of relaxing first with friends and then just hanging out with our girls.  I think its safe to say by all the hyperness and giggles that their love tanks are full :) Well I am totally humbled to say this but I have actually felt like giving up this week.  That doesn't exactly sound brave and courageous does it?  But that is the problem with being honest it takes us out of our comfort zones and keeps us real right?  This morning I let out a desperate cry to the Lord, concerning learning Spanish of course.  I have been so overwhelmed this week, feeling like I just do not have enough time to be where I would like to be at and I am feeling like the task is just too hard.  When I prayed this morning I simply said Lord I feel like I am drowning and I just can not do this, I need you to be my saviour and I need you to help me.  As I prayed that I clearly saw a huge body of water and it was overpowering me and I did not know how long I could hang on for.  That was earlier this morning.  Well I just came from saying good night to the girls and one of our little traditions is to sing each girl their baby song before they go to bed, (do not be deceived I can not sing, but my girls don't care) Carmela's song is by Robin Mark, What the Lord has done in me.  As I sang the words "I will rise from waters deep into the saving arms of God, I will sing salvation's song, Jesus Christ will lead me on"  totally forgetting about my prayer and picture from earlier, and I saw a different body of water but this time I was wading through it, and I wasn't over powering, and I very much knew that I was not there walking alone but God was enabling me.   I am feeling encouraged :)  it probably wont change how difficult I will find school tomorrow or how exhausted I will feel at the end of the day but I am encouraged that I do not need to drown trying to do this in my own strength.  I am so glad I picked out that song for Carmela 5 and a half years ago!

love Sandra

a fresh reminder

Our cultural theme this week at school was to talk to people and find out what their customs and traditions are in Costa Rica.  I was very saddened to hear about a lot of the religious traditions that are celebrated year round in CR.  One is a trek  that Costa Rican's make from all over the country to a certian Bascillica in Cartago,  some of them start this trek one week in advance because then come walking from very far away and then once they enter Cartago they walk on their knees to the Bascillica  (of the angels) in order to show how repentent they are and to beg for a favour for the angels.  This is repeated through out the year as every neighbourhood has a different patron saint and when it is their week they all do this similar celebration and beg that paticular saint for whatever it is they are needing, mercy, strength or healing.  I was really disturbed about this as my friend Lorena told me passionately about how her family participates in this.  I went to bed feeling discouraged thinking if only they were not blinded and realized they are children of the LIVING God they do not need to beg and show their earnestness for compassion, not to mention they are not even coming to him, they are going to angels and saints.  How much harder is their life that they do not have freedom to just share their heart like a child to their father who is always listening and always with them.  Instead they are trying to earn something that they can never earn.  They have a heavy weight over them that keeps them from seeking God because they are deceived into thinking their help comes from traditions that only serve dead people not a living God.

When I woke up the next morning I prayed and asked, how in the world do we speak into this I am not even sure how to talk about this with my friend.  AND THEN...

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 was brought to my mind.

"for though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does, the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of this world.  On the contrary they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  

No task is hopeless when it is done with divine power, only God has the power to demolish strongholds, which is what these people are living in, But by God's grace he can reveal himself to them he can break down their idols, he can open their eyes to the truth.

That is the power that we are walking in, not our own authority, how can he not pour out his power and touch lives.

I needed a good reminder!

by the way the picture is of my and my nephew Sam! He mailed himself to me!!! I love that boy.

Sandra

Trecking on!

What a blessing it is to be a part of the body of Christ.  There are so many ways we have been blessed this week and its only tuesday.   We have received two emails from ladies at Sylvan Lake Alliance who just wanted to encourage us.  Then we received a package from Rocky Mnt Alliance, who took the time to send us valentines goodies and a letter to the girls.  This week my mother in law will be speaking at a Missions night and sharing on behalf of my mom and Grandma as well.   I just read her speech, and I am amazed at how big our God is!  We haven't even the slightest clue how He is using our lives, not just us but your lives too.  We have no idea how He uses our obedience to work in the lives of our fellow brothers and sisters.  Isn't it an amazing privilege just to be apart of the journey? What an encouragement to see the body functioning as a body with all its parts moving.  Some in Costa Rica others in Sylvan Lake Alberta and another in Rocky Mnt House Alberta and still others in Calgary and Abbotsford British Columbia.  To explain what this support feels like I would say it is being LOVED.  Today Julia turns two and we will probably make some birthday pudding (don't laugh its easier than cake) and she loves it.  Nathan spoke in a special teachers chapel today and he spoke in ESPANOL.  It is truely amazing to think after just 6 months Nathan was able to inspire and exhort us from scripture passionately and with conviction.  I even heard a few AMENS!   He spoke on unity in the body of Christ and how we function like a beautiful song with many different parts, sopranos, tenors, base and melody.  No part can be replaced or think that it is more important than any other.  That is how we glorify our Father by living in humility and in harmony through the unity of the Holy Spirit. 

 Now that we are almost half way done our second trimester it feels physically and mentally tiring but we never forget the privilege that it is to be here.  What an amazing privilege to be Christ's and your representatives in Costa Rica.  

Feliz Cumpleanos Julia!

love Sandra