Submitted by Jason:
It's been about 4 weeks since our last post. This period of time has undoubtedly been an interesting stretch of our time here in Belize. On a personal level, we celebrated the one year anniversary of our arrival in Belize, Francie & my 19th wedding anniversary, our son, Joey's 14th birthday, our daughter-in-law, Asia's 22nd birthday, our 16 yr old son, Andrew's completion of an intensive 3 week discipleship course called LCI (Life Change Institute), and our oldest daughter Kayla's wedding engagement. In this time, we were also introduced to the "not so glamorous" side of the mission field with whooping cough, high fevers, staph infection and the departure of our American friends, the Reeds, who after 10 months in Belize, returned to South Carolina to regroup.
While the details of all of these circumstances and events crammed into a 4 week period of time could certainly provide enough material for an entertaining and informative look into our lives here in Belize, I would prefer to focus your attention on the ministerial side of what is developing here.
I've been continuing to lead the Men Of Honor group for our Fountain Of Life Church here in Spanish Lookout in the absence of our pastor, who has been ministering in the states for the last 5 weeks or so. I'm encouraged by the commitment level that I've seen from the "men" that have been attending the meetings to date. I'm thankful to have an opportunity to be a part of what I believe will be a major movement among the young men in Belize, particularly the Cayo district.
There is another ministry work that we've been invited to take part in that has me equally excited. A couple of American friends here, one of which has lived in a small, needy, Spanish village called Buena Vista just on the outskirts of our current hometown of Spanish Lookout, for over 5 years as the hands and feet of Christ to that village, have invited us to join them in a Saturday night outreach to the youth of that village. These men approached us with on open invitation to join them as they prayed and planned the logistics of this ministry.
Our friend who lives in Buena Vista has been purchasing, storing and administering medical supplies to this village for several years now. With many of the villagers living without their own transportation, he often gives them rides to the local hospital at all hours of the day and night, whenever the need arises. He has told me of how he has driven people to the hospital after drunken machete fights and gunfights.
He has currently put several thousands of dollars of his own money to build a modest sized cement block building with a concrete foundation on a small parcel of land, which he recently acquired, adjacent to his property and calls Casa De Esperanza (House Of Hope). His vision for this building has multiple purposes. He would like to use this building as a more sterile, clinical environment from which he could continue to medically minister to the village. He has a passion to see the drug addicts recover and hold regular support meetings here for them. He would also like to use this building as a means to separate the wide age range of youth that have attended the Sat night meetings.
For now, as we await the necessary finances to complete Casa De Esperanza, we have erected a temporary structure consisting of a wooden framed room with a tarped ceiling, screened walls and a shipping container serving as the backdrop of the structure. In our first two meetings, we had over 40 youth in attendance on each night. The space in this temporary structure is already somewhat limited and we've only just begun to evangelize Buena Vista. There has been an older demographic of youth that has been a little reluctant to come in and join us. They stand back in the shadows of the night and watch from a distance just outside of the reach of the light. With more room to minister, we're confident that we could split the meeting into age appropriate groups that would encourage the growth of this work there.
We're working with interpreters as we gain a better understanding of the Spanish language. While English is the official language of Belize, there are many small Spanish villages that comprise of Guatamalans, Hondurans, El Salvadorans, etc. spread throughout Belize. Because of this, we are learning that most of the adults, who have not been through a Belizean school where English is taught, do not have a good understanding of the English language. So, for the most part, only those who have at least been in school for a few years have a fair understanding of English.
It's been a joy thus far as we build relationships with the children, as well as the adults, in this village. The joy on the faces of these people as we minister with the word, activities and snacks speaks volumes to us about the affect that we're already having on the community there. These people are looking for love, hope and joy in a village where these things come less frequently than in most places that I've ever been to.
On one occasion, one of our ministry leaders recounted something that he saw during one of the meetings that changed his perspective on what these people are dealing with in the village. He told our ministry team during a mid-week planning meeting of how he watched a couple of the children consume the wrappers of the candy that was given to them during a snack time. He said that he watched the candy and the wrapper go into their mouths and never come back out. He was personally humbled as this event put his "needs" into perspective.
On a separate evening, one of our leaders had planned an "ice breaker" game in which he blindfolded three kids and had them taste something and afterward predict what they were tasting. He made it a bit interesting by covering the items in Hershey's chocolate syrup. One of the items was a chocolate covered pickle. When it was the boy's turn to tell us what he was eating he said that it was a chile. After the meeting, I was discussing this with another leader and he told me that the kids in this village don't even know what a pickle is. They've never eaten one before. So, the boy guessed the closest thing that he thought resembled what he was chewing.
These are just small examples of the cultural differences that we have from these beautiful people that have come to our attention in our first two meetings. I'm sure that there will be many more that will arise in the upcoming weeks, but one thing remains the same. The same Holy Spirit that moves in and through us across the whole earth has no language barrier. He has no cultural barrier. There is no division among social classes when it comes to Him.
This is why we have given ourselves away. We're called out to abandon everything. The riches of this world have nothing to offer compared to the riches of walking in the purpose for which you've been designed for by your Creator. This is why every man or woman who has ever stepped out into a strange land in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ have sacrificed in different ways. The heart of every missionary is to be about the Father's business. It's in these moments that we are able to look into someone's eyes who is experiencing the freedom that can only come from the price that Christ paid on the cross and feel every bit of our being aligned with His purpose for our existence.
Thank you in advance for prayerfully consider partnering with us and Casa De Esperanza, the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to Buena Vista, Belize. We're looking for prayer partners, financial partners and missions minded laborers to join us for short term missionary trips.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Men Of Honor
Submitted by Jason:
The pastor of our church here in Spanish Lookout, Fountain Of Life Church, has been connected with several Belizean men with a heart to change the spiritual climate of this country beginning with it's youth. These Belizean men were partnering with a ministry from Texas, Men Of Honor, to reach the "men" of Belize between the ages of 10-17. After much preparation, planning and prayer, this ministry came to Belize last weekend to launch what will be (and I emphasize prophetically, WILL BE) a move of God amongst the young men that provokes a nation to repentance.
I was privileged to be invited as a father and a leader to the three day camp. There were approximately 25 young men that took part in it, not including the other fathers and leaders that participated. The camp focused on the core values that should be the mark of a godly man such as; honesty, integrity, courage, leadership, etc... It was amazing to see how God moved in the lives of these "men" in 3 short days.
On the morning of Sunday, Sept. 8, at the camp's conclusive teaching time, there was a time of prayer in which several of the young men were filled with the Holy Spirit and all were touched by His sweet, powerful presence. The leaders and fathers prayed for each of these young men with the laying on of hands and prophetic affirmation that ended with most of these young men, and several of the adults, including myself, weeping on the concrete floor, either on their hands and knees or laying face down in reverence to God's unique, transforming presence.
The visible difference in these young men on the bus ride home compared to the spiritual climate on the bus ride to camp was priceless. No amount of money could have transformed the hearts of these young men the way that one moment in His glory had. That's the Kingdom. God put his stamp of approval on this weekend by sealing it with a fresh touch from Him that will live forever in the hearts and minds of these young men.
I believe that, with proper discipleship, the ministry of Men Of Honor has everything necessary to successfully restore godliness in manhood to Belize.
In other news, we've begun the process of fulfilling all of the governmental requirements necessary to apply for residency here. Sept 20th marks the one year anniversary of when we arrived in Belize. After this date, we can officially apply.
Please continue to pray for our safety and God's direction in our lives. Our intent is to be about the Father's business. We do not want to be distracted from giving ourselves to His perfect will for us.
As always, thanks to all who continue to stand with us in prayer as well as financially. You're greatly appreciated.
The pastor of our church here in Spanish Lookout, Fountain Of Life Church, has been connected with several Belizean men with a heart to change the spiritual climate of this country beginning with it's youth. These Belizean men were partnering with a ministry from Texas, Men Of Honor, to reach the "men" of Belize between the ages of 10-17. After much preparation, planning and prayer, this ministry came to Belize last weekend to launch what will be (and I emphasize prophetically, WILL BE) a move of God amongst the young men that provokes a nation to repentance.
I was privileged to be invited as a father and a leader to the three day camp. There were approximately 25 young men that took part in it, not including the other fathers and leaders that participated. The camp focused on the core values that should be the mark of a godly man such as; honesty, integrity, courage, leadership, etc... It was amazing to see how God moved in the lives of these "men" in 3 short days.
On the morning of Sunday, Sept. 8, at the camp's conclusive teaching time, there was a time of prayer in which several of the young men were filled with the Holy Spirit and all were touched by His sweet, powerful presence. The leaders and fathers prayed for each of these young men with the laying on of hands and prophetic affirmation that ended with most of these young men, and several of the adults, including myself, weeping on the concrete floor, either on their hands and knees or laying face down in reverence to God's unique, transforming presence.
The visible difference in these young men on the bus ride home compared to the spiritual climate on the bus ride to camp was priceless. No amount of money could have transformed the hearts of these young men the way that one moment in His glory had. That's the Kingdom. God put his stamp of approval on this weekend by sealing it with a fresh touch from Him that will live forever in the hearts and minds of these young men.
I believe that, with proper discipleship, the ministry of Men Of Honor has everything necessary to successfully restore godliness in manhood to Belize.
In other news, we've begun the process of fulfilling all of the governmental requirements necessary to apply for residency here. Sept 20th marks the one year anniversary of when we arrived in Belize. After this date, we can officially apply.
Please continue to pray for our safety and God's direction in our lives. Our intent is to be about the Father's business. We do not want to be distracted from giving ourselves to His perfect will for us.
As always, thanks to all who continue to stand with us in prayer as well as financially. You're greatly appreciated.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Attack To The Head
Submitted by Jason;
This morning at approximately 5 am I was awakened by a pain above my left ear that I initially thought was the sting of a wasp. My sudden movement as a reaction to this had awakened my wife as well. As she shined her bedside flashlight on the side of our bed, that was so quickly vacated by me, she spotted the culprit: a scorpion about 3 inches in length. Somewhat stunned by the incident, but powered by adrenaline, I turned on the light and proceeded to terminate it's mission with one of my shoes. Francie tended to me with some Benedryl and what I believe was Tea Tree Oil and we went back to sleep.
Our morning was like many other Sunday mornings for a family of our size with much scurrying in preparation for church. We attended church and returned home to a very normal post-church service routine of feeding the crew and retreating to our own down time for the following hour or two.
During this time, I was reading some missionary blogs as the reality of what was happening settled in. I began to think about all of the experiences that we've encountered here in Belize, all of the breaking, all of the shifting, all of the spiritual warfare culminating to a sting of the head.
No, I'm not only talking about the scorpion sting on my head, but a sting to the head. Paul spoke to the church of Corinth about the head in 1 Cor 11:3 when he said, "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of every woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.".
Clearly God's plan was for Him to be the head of Christ, Christ to be the head of man and man to be the head of every woman. This plan appears to be very clearly laid out by Paul with, in my opinion, very little room for misinterpretation.
It became clear to me that this wasn't simply a random scorpion sting, but a calculated attack to the head. An attack to the head of a man who is called to be the head of a woman and family that has been called to head a specific ministry to the body of Christ here in Belize.
I find it to be no coincidence that this attack came only hours after I posted this to Facebook, "Rev 12:17 (KJV) 17And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Followers of Christ would be glad to be considered a part of "the remnant" and having "the testimony of Jesus Christ". However, not many are signing up for warring with the dragon and keeping the commandments of God. Make a stand for Christ today and don't turn back."
The devil desires to ruin the plans that the Lord has for us. He comes at us from many angles. This time, a direct attack on the head.
Please pray for our protection and that we don't become distracted from the work for which we've been sent. We're overcoming battles and tearing down strongholds as we gain strength and momentum daily towards recognizing strategies for fulfilling His calling in our lives.
This morning at approximately 5 am I was awakened by a pain above my left ear that I initially thought was the sting of a wasp. My sudden movement as a reaction to this had awakened my wife as well. As she shined her bedside flashlight on the side of our bed, that was so quickly vacated by me, she spotted the culprit: a scorpion about 3 inches in length. Somewhat stunned by the incident, but powered by adrenaline, I turned on the light and proceeded to terminate it's mission with one of my shoes. Francie tended to me with some Benedryl and what I believe was Tea Tree Oil and we went back to sleep.
Our morning was like many other Sunday mornings for a family of our size with much scurrying in preparation for church. We attended church and returned home to a very normal post-church service routine of feeding the crew and retreating to our own down time for the following hour or two.
During this time, I was reading some missionary blogs as the reality of what was happening settled in. I began to think about all of the experiences that we've encountered here in Belize, all of the breaking, all of the shifting, all of the spiritual warfare culminating to a sting of the head.
No, I'm not only talking about the scorpion sting on my head, but a sting to the head. Paul spoke to the church of Corinth about the head in 1 Cor 11:3 when he said, "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of every woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.".
Clearly God's plan was for Him to be the head of Christ, Christ to be the head of man and man to be the head of every woman. This plan appears to be very clearly laid out by Paul with, in my opinion, very little room for misinterpretation.
It became clear to me that this wasn't simply a random scorpion sting, but a calculated attack to the head. An attack to the head of a man who is called to be the head of a woman and family that has been called to head a specific ministry to the body of Christ here in Belize.
I find it to be no coincidence that this attack came only hours after I posted this to Facebook, "Rev 12:17 (KJV) 17And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Followers of Christ would be glad to be considered a part of "the remnant" and having "the testimony of Jesus Christ". However, not many are signing up for warring with the dragon and keeping the commandments of God. Make a stand for Christ today and don't turn back."
The devil desires to ruin the plans that the Lord has for us. He comes at us from many angles. This time, a direct attack on the head.
Please pray for our protection and that we don't become distracted from the work for which we've been sent. We're overcoming battles and tearing down strongholds as we gain strength and momentum daily towards recognizing strategies for fulfilling His calling in our lives.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
In His Hands
Submitted by Jason
When we started blogging about our journey into the mission field, we had our own set of ideas about what this new season would, or should, look like. Stepping out of our comfortable lives and into an extremely uncertain and unpredictable future required a measure of faith that the Lord had provided us with.
From the beginning of this blog, my intent was to be as transparent as possible in documenting our lives and how we recognize the leading of the Lord and his hand upon our daily lives. However, I've quickly concluded that such transparency in a forum as public as this could be, in some areas, detrimental to the very cause for which we've been sent. I'm simply not at liberty to share all of the things that the Lord is doing in our lives at this time. Just know that there is much more going on in our lives and the lives of those around us than I'm able to share at this time.
In early June, my father-in-law came to visit us here in Belize for a total of 4 weeks. He currently lives in Arizona and, to my knowledge, this has been his first trip out of the US since he spent time in Germany as a member of the US military in the 60's, with the exception of the occasional day trip into Mexico via Nogales, Az.
He flew into Belize City on a full sized jet and connected onto a smaller plane destined for a small airstrip in Placencia, Bz. There, we picked him up and spent one week in the Caribbean coastal town of Placencia at Surfside Escapes. It was our joy to see him enjoying swimming in the Caribbean, sitting on the dock, trying Belizean cuisine and playing with his grandchildren, whom he had feared that he'd never see again when we left the states.
The other 3 weeks that he was visiting with us was spent in our current hometown of Spanish Lookout. Here, he met many of the Mennonite people that have embraced us so dearly. His life was forever changed by the fabric of the people here and the conversations that he was a part of.
With him, we visited the Belize Zoo, the capital city of Belmopan, the Springfield Fruit nursery and the Cayo marketplace, to name a few. He was humbled by the living conditions of some of the local Belizeans. On several occasions, as we were driving through some of the poorer sections of the country, he said that he only wished that he had a video camera to document what he was seeing so that he could take it back to the states with him. He was certain that if he shared such a video with the "poor" back home, that they would really see a new level of poverty that they've never known.
It's been about 4 weeks since he returned to the states. Just yesterday, Francie was skyping with him and he said that he was already saving his money for a return visit.
In late July, my 13 yr old son, Joey's appendix had ruptured and needed emergency surgery to remove it. The procedure was done by, from what we have heard, the best surgeon that Belize has to offer. It was told to us that this doctor had performed a surgery on an assistant to the Prime Minister of Belize. We're grateful that the surgery, which has significantly changed our financial position, was successful and without complications.
Currently, one of our main goals along the way to a sustained presence in Belize is in the Lord's hands. Before the surgery, we were on pace, financially, to apply for and, upon approval, pay the necessary fees to obtain residency here in Sept. which would allow me to seek employment without the need of a, difficult to obtain, temporary work permit.
From the very moment that Joey's condition was diagnosed, I'm sure that Francie and I both knew that such a surgical procedure would jeopardize our ability to accomplish this as planned. However, we never once doubted whether the Lord was able to provide us with the necessary means at the appropriate time.
Honestly, I wrestled with whether to share our financial position with anyone or just quietly trust the Lord for provision. As I sought the Lord regarding this during our 5 day stay in the hospital, I was reading my bible, I came across Paul's letter to the church at Phillipi. Paul found himself in a seemingly similar situation when he wrote this;
"How grateful I am, and how I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know
you have always been concerned for me, but for a while you didn't have the chance to help me
Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or
little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of
living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I
can to everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need. But even so, you
have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. As you know, you Philippians were
the only ones who gave me financial help when I brought you the Good News and then
traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you
sent me help more than once. I don't say this because I want a gift from you. What I want is for
you to receive a well-earned reward because of your kindness."
Phillippians 4:10-17 NLT
I came to this conclusion after reading this and studying the context surrounding these passages in particular;
God knows my heart. He knows that I would have just as obediently refrained from mentioning our needs as I would to share them. If Paul, the author of nearly two-thirds of the New Testament, inspired by the Holy Ghost, unashamedly prefaced his needs by stating his contentment in any and all situations, which is exactly where I find myself, so should I.
Paul obviously learned how to be content in all things. If he "learned" this, then I believe that it would be safe to assume that this "learning" was greatly aided by circumstances and events in his life that took him through seasons of "plenty" as well as seasons of "little". I believe that it would be equally safe to assume that his personal witness of "well-earned reward(s)" in the lives of those who contributed to his needs encouraged his belief that he desired their gifts more for their sakes than for his.
This is the current state that Francie and I find ourselves in. Our trust for provision is, and has been, completely in the Lord. We trust that the Lord will complete His work in us. We've placed our lives completely in His hands for a testimony of His goodness. So, whether He brings us through a season of little as He molds us, or whether He moves on the hearts of many to "receive a well-earned reward" by giving financially into the work for that which we were sent, our devotion and our hope is in Him alone.
For those whose hearts are stirred to give, information on how and where to give can be found on our home page. Thank you in advance and as always, thanks to those who continue to stand with us financially as well as in prayer.
When we started blogging about our journey into the mission field, we had our own set of ideas about what this new season would, or should, look like. Stepping out of our comfortable lives and into an extremely uncertain and unpredictable future required a measure of faith that the Lord had provided us with.
From the beginning of this blog, my intent was to be as transparent as possible in documenting our lives and how we recognize the leading of the Lord and his hand upon our daily lives. However, I've quickly concluded that such transparency in a forum as public as this could be, in some areas, detrimental to the very cause for which we've been sent. I'm simply not at liberty to share all of the things that the Lord is doing in our lives at this time. Just know that there is much more going on in our lives and the lives of those around us than I'm able to share at this time.
In early June, my father-in-law came to visit us here in Belize for a total of 4 weeks. He currently lives in Arizona and, to my knowledge, this has been his first trip out of the US since he spent time in Germany as a member of the US military in the 60's, with the exception of the occasional day trip into Mexico via Nogales, Az.
He flew into Belize City on a full sized jet and connected onto a smaller plane destined for a small airstrip in Placencia, Bz. There, we picked him up and spent one week in the Caribbean coastal town of Placencia at Surfside Escapes. It was our joy to see him enjoying swimming in the Caribbean, sitting on the dock, trying Belizean cuisine and playing with his grandchildren, whom he had feared that he'd never see again when we left the states.
The other 3 weeks that he was visiting with us was spent in our current hometown of Spanish Lookout. Here, he met many of the Mennonite people that have embraced us so dearly. His life was forever changed by the fabric of the people here and the conversations that he was a part of.
With him, we visited the Belize Zoo, the capital city of Belmopan, the Springfield Fruit nursery and the Cayo marketplace, to name a few. He was humbled by the living conditions of some of the local Belizeans. On several occasions, as we were driving through some of the poorer sections of the country, he said that he only wished that he had a video camera to document what he was seeing so that he could take it back to the states with him. He was certain that if he shared such a video with the "poor" back home, that they would really see a new level of poverty that they've never known.
It's been about 4 weeks since he returned to the states. Just yesterday, Francie was skyping with him and he said that he was already saving his money for a return visit.
In late July, my 13 yr old son, Joey's appendix had ruptured and needed emergency surgery to remove it. The procedure was done by, from what we have heard, the best surgeon that Belize has to offer. It was told to us that this doctor had performed a surgery on an assistant to the Prime Minister of Belize. We're grateful that the surgery, which has significantly changed our financial position, was successful and without complications.
Currently, one of our main goals along the way to a sustained presence in Belize is in the Lord's hands. Before the surgery, we were on pace, financially, to apply for and, upon approval, pay the necessary fees to obtain residency here in Sept. which would allow me to seek employment without the need of a, difficult to obtain, temporary work permit.
From the very moment that Joey's condition was diagnosed, I'm sure that Francie and I both knew that such a surgical procedure would jeopardize our ability to accomplish this as planned. However, we never once doubted whether the Lord was able to provide us with the necessary means at the appropriate time.
Honestly, I wrestled with whether to share our financial position with anyone or just quietly trust the Lord for provision. As I sought the Lord regarding this during our 5 day stay in the hospital, I was reading my bible, I came across Paul's letter to the church at Phillipi. Paul found himself in a seemingly similar situation when he wrote this;
"How grateful I am, and how I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know
you have always been concerned for me, but for a while you didn't have the chance to help me
Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or
little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of
living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I
can to everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need. But even so, you
have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. As you know, you Philippians were
the only ones who gave me financial help when I brought you the Good News and then
traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you
sent me help more than once. I don't say this because I want a gift from you. What I want is for
you to receive a well-earned reward because of your kindness."
Phillippians 4:10-17 NLT
I came to this conclusion after reading this and studying the context surrounding these passages in particular;
God knows my heart. He knows that I would have just as obediently refrained from mentioning our needs as I would to share them. If Paul, the author of nearly two-thirds of the New Testament, inspired by the Holy Ghost, unashamedly prefaced his needs by stating his contentment in any and all situations, which is exactly where I find myself, so should I.
Paul obviously learned how to be content in all things. If he "learned" this, then I believe that it would be safe to assume that this "learning" was greatly aided by circumstances and events in his life that took him through seasons of "plenty" as well as seasons of "little". I believe that it would be equally safe to assume that his personal witness of "well-earned reward(s)" in the lives of those who contributed to his needs encouraged his belief that he desired their gifts more for their sakes than for his.
This is the current state that Francie and I find ourselves in. Our trust for provision is, and has been, completely in the Lord. We trust that the Lord will complete His work in us. We've placed our lives completely in His hands for a testimony of His goodness. So, whether He brings us through a season of little as He molds us, or whether He moves on the hearts of many to "receive a well-earned reward" by giving financially into the work for that which we were sent, our devotion and our hope is in Him alone.
For those whose hearts are stirred to give, information on how and where to give can be found on our home page. Thank you in advance and as always, thanks to those who continue to stand with us financially as well as in prayer.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Walk In The Spirit
Submitted by Jason:
It's been over 7 months now since we've arrived in Belize. We currently find ourselves in the middle of what would be called "the dry season" here. As the name suggests, this season lasts about 2 months in which there is little to no rainfall. The ground dries up so much that there are visible cracks in the earth just waiting to welcome "the rainy season".
As is with anyone who has walked with Christ for any considerable amount of time, there are seasons that we go through as the Lord shapes us, as much as we are willing, into what He desires for us to be. These seasons are many and various in nature. I believe that our willingness, and ability, to remain humble, loving and teachable throughout these seasons can provoke an acceleration from one season to another. Conversely, lack in these same areas can extend a season in your life longer than necessary.
In Galatians 5, Paul talks about walking in the Spirit to avoid fulfilling the lust of the flesh. He goes on to say how the flesh wars against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh. Well, that sounds easy enough, right? Just walk in the Spirit and everything will be fine. But, there is one problem. To my knowledge, Paul never teaches exactly how to walk in the Spirit. He does, however, list the fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. If we are walking in the fruit of the Spirit, then we are walking in the Spirit.
For instance, if we show a consistent pattern of walking in love, then we are walking in the Spirit. If we show a consistent pattern of walking in joy, then we are walking in the Spirit. This can, and should be, said for any and all of the fruit of the Spirit that Paul spoke of.
I believe that this is a doctrinal truth pertaining to avoiding fulfilling the "lust of the flesh", which Paul refers to as "the works of the flesh", which are; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, etc...
While all of these "works of the flesh" exist here in Belize as much as in every other nation, I would presume, the two that seem to attract my attention more than the others, for this specific country, are idolatry and witchcraft.
The population of this land, which is now Belize, has previously been dominated by the Mayans. The Mayans were, and are, an incredibly interesting group of people that learned to survive off of, and thrive from, this land for centuries. These people are widely known for their temples and alters that they've built to attempt to get closer to their gods. These temples and alters, now referred to as "ruins", are scattered throughout the beautiful landscape of Belize. There are believed to be many more ruins that remain covered than there are that have been uncovered.
To my knowledge, these ruins, as they currently exist, are no longer being used for the various ceremonies that were once customary to the Mayans. While I'm not sure if these ruins are privately owned now or owned by the government of Belize, it's a well known fact here that it was not uncommon for the natives to sacrifice people or even cut their own genitals as a form of "blood letting".
These alters still stand today and remain a major tourist attraction. People from all over the world, from every religious denomination visit these grounds in awestruck wonder of what these people were able to accomplish in a time without modern machinery. I know, I was one of them. I visited Xunantanich is Aug of 2012 during our first visit to Belize.
However, after living here for 7 months, there is a very real spiritual stronghold over this land that I believe has something to do with the blood that was routinely poured out upon it. Blood that was sacrificed to idols.
We serve a jealous God. Throughout the bible, there are accounts of people going into a new territory or land and in several cases, the first thing that the Lord instructed them to do was to tear down the alters or idols in the land. Here, not only are they still standing, but they're still being worshiped. Whether knowingly, or unknowingly, as people visit and walk around these grounds, they're walking on cursed ground.
I've not been called to, or instructed to, in any way, tear down these ruins. But, I have received the revelation of what Paul taught: If you walk in the Spirit, you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. I can live in the very land where certain "works of the flesh" are dominant, but by walking in a way that resembles the fruit of the Spirit, I position myself to avoid these "works of the flesh".
I only hope that I was able to successfully translate what the Lord revealed to me through these scriptures to you.
In other exciting news, I'm happy to announce that on March 25th, my step-son and daughter-in-law, Brendan & Asia, became the proud parents of Emery Jane McGlinchey. She was born at a Mennonite clinic in the town in which we live, Spanish Lookout.
Also, we took a 3 day trip to San Pedro, Belize. There, we enjoyed snorkeling along the reef among the barracuda, eels, nurse sharks, rays, sea turtles, etc. We drove our rented golf carts around the downtown area of San Pedro, enjoying the shops and the dining.
Lastly, but not least, our daughter, Kayla, turned 18 a few weeks ago. For her birthday, we took a day trip to swim in the inland Blue Hole and spelunk in St. Herman's Cave.
Thanks to all of you who continue to support us with prayer and partner with us financially.
Francie and I are prayerfully considering hosting visitors in the near future. Please feel free to contact us if you're interested. For obvious reasons, we will be prayerfully selective concerning interested parties.
God bless.
It's been over 7 months now since we've arrived in Belize. We currently find ourselves in the middle of what would be called "the dry season" here. As the name suggests, this season lasts about 2 months in which there is little to no rainfall. The ground dries up so much that there are visible cracks in the earth just waiting to welcome "the rainy season".
As is with anyone who has walked with Christ for any considerable amount of time, there are seasons that we go through as the Lord shapes us, as much as we are willing, into what He desires for us to be. These seasons are many and various in nature. I believe that our willingness, and ability, to remain humble, loving and teachable throughout these seasons can provoke an acceleration from one season to another. Conversely, lack in these same areas can extend a season in your life longer than necessary.
In Galatians 5, Paul talks about walking in the Spirit to avoid fulfilling the lust of the flesh. He goes on to say how the flesh wars against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh. Well, that sounds easy enough, right? Just walk in the Spirit and everything will be fine. But, there is one problem. To my knowledge, Paul never teaches exactly how to walk in the Spirit. He does, however, list the fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. If we are walking in the fruit of the Spirit, then we are walking in the Spirit.
For instance, if we show a consistent pattern of walking in love, then we are walking in the Spirit. If we show a consistent pattern of walking in joy, then we are walking in the Spirit. This can, and should be, said for any and all of the fruit of the Spirit that Paul spoke of.
I believe that this is a doctrinal truth pertaining to avoiding fulfilling the "lust of the flesh", which Paul refers to as "the works of the flesh", which are; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, etc...
While all of these "works of the flesh" exist here in Belize as much as in every other nation, I would presume, the two that seem to attract my attention more than the others, for this specific country, are idolatry and witchcraft.
The population of this land, which is now Belize, has previously been dominated by the Mayans. The Mayans were, and are, an incredibly interesting group of people that learned to survive off of, and thrive from, this land for centuries. These people are widely known for their temples and alters that they've built to attempt to get closer to their gods. These temples and alters, now referred to as "ruins", are scattered throughout the beautiful landscape of Belize. There are believed to be many more ruins that remain covered than there are that have been uncovered.
To my knowledge, these ruins, as they currently exist, are no longer being used for the various ceremonies that were once customary to the Mayans. While I'm not sure if these ruins are privately owned now or owned by the government of Belize, it's a well known fact here that it was not uncommon for the natives to sacrifice people or even cut their own genitals as a form of "blood letting".
These alters still stand today and remain a major tourist attraction. People from all over the world, from every religious denomination visit these grounds in awestruck wonder of what these people were able to accomplish in a time without modern machinery. I know, I was one of them. I visited Xunantanich is Aug of 2012 during our first visit to Belize.
However, after living here for 7 months, there is a very real spiritual stronghold over this land that I believe has something to do with the blood that was routinely poured out upon it. Blood that was sacrificed to idols.
We serve a jealous God. Throughout the bible, there are accounts of people going into a new territory or land and in several cases, the first thing that the Lord instructed them to do was to tear down the alters or idols in the land. Here, not only are they still standing, but they're still being worshiped. Whether knowingly, or unknowingly, as people visit and walk around these grounds, they're walking on cursed ground.
I've not been called to, or instructed to, in any way, tear down these ruins. But, I have received the revelation of what Paul taught: If you walk in the Spirit, you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. I can live in the very land where certain "works of the flesh" are dominant, but by walking in a way that resembles the fruit of the Spirit, I position myself to avoid these "works of the flesh".
I only hope that I was able to successfully translate what the Lord revealed to me through these scriptures to you.
In other exciting news, I'm happy to announce that on March 25th, my step-son and daughter-in-law, Brendan & Asia, became the proud parents of Emery Jane McGlinchey. She was born at a Mennonite clinic in the town in which we live, Spanish Lookout.
Also, we took a 3 day trip to San Pedro, Belize. There, we enjoyed snorkeling along the reef among the barracuda, eels, nurse sharks, rays, sea turtles, etc. We drove our rented golf carts around the downtown area of San Pedro, enjoying the shops and the dining.
Lastly, but not least, our daughter, Kayla, turned 18 a few weeks ago. For her birthday, we took a day trip to swim in the inland Blue Hole and spelunk in St. Herman's Cave.
Thanks to all of you who continue to support us with prayer and partner with us financially.
Francie and I are prayerfully considering hosting visitors in the near future. Please feel free to contact us if you're interested. For obvious reasons, we will be prayerfully selective concerning interested parties.
God bless.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Who holds the future
Submitted by Jason
Well, it's been quite a while since our last post. I believe that it was late November when I last posted. There have been some potentially significant events unfolding here in our lives in the past two months. Honestly, I've been waiting for the right time to share what the Lord is doing in and through us here, but the timing is still a bit premature. I look forward to sharing more with all of you soon. In the meantime, I've decided to not allow any more time to pass before posting what I can.
Our first December in Belize was very different than any December that I can remember in my life. It was actually quite refreshing to be removed from the bombardment of materialism that has so encompassed our previous Christmas seasons. This year we had very few decorations and lights on display, fewer presents under the tree, less hustle and bustle but a greater appreciation for the things that we do have. We received a very generous holiday care package from our home church, Abundant Hope Church, in the states that lifted everyone's spirits. We celebrated Christmas with a few friends that we've met here and some friends that we've known from South Carolina.
New Year's Day was equally downplayed here, like Christmas, compared to the states. January brought us cooler weather than we expected to see here in Central America. We've enjoyed the temperatures dipping into the high 50's at night.
The church here in Spanish Lookout, Fountain Of Life, that we've been attending regularly was gaining momentum in early December. It appeared to me that the congregation and the leadership were coming into unity regarding spiritual hunger and a desire to press in, positioning the church for revival. The church was challenged to maintain that momentum through the Christmas season. Often times the extra curricular holiday schedule consumes the body of Christ and, in my opinion, this year was no different. I'm looking forward to seeing the body come together again and pursue the Lord in a way that provokes a greater measure of His presence in the church in 2013.
The house that we are renting is scheduled to be auctioned off in mid-February. We will, most likely, be looking for another place to rent by March. There is a possibility that the new owner of the property will purchase it for a rental property. In that case, we'd be able to stay here longer. We're unsure about what the future holds, but we are secure in Who holds the future.
As I mentioned in a previous post, Francie and I were dedicating some time to concentrate on strengthening our marriage. We have recently taken some tremendous strides toward that goal. Recently, we received counsel from our pastor and his wife here in Belize that was extremely helpful. Our relationship is not in jeopardy, we simply realized that there were many things that needed improvement in order for us to move forward effectively in ministry together.
Thank you in advance to all of you who take the time to pray for us as often as you remember. We have many important decisions to make in the near future as well as some important things hanging in the balance at this time.
Thank you to those who continue to stand with us financially. We consider it a high honor to receive your support and we pray that your seed multiplies and returns to you.
Well, it's been quite a while since our last post. I believe that it was late November when I last posted. There have been some potentially significant events unfolding here in our lives in the past two months. Honestly, I've been waiting for the right time to share what the Lord is doing in and through us here, but the timing is still a bit premature. I look forward to sharing more with all of you soon. In the meantime, I've decided to not allow any more time to pass before posting what I can.
Our first December in Belize was very different than any December that I can remember in my life. It was actually quite refreshing to be removed from the bombardment of materialism that has so encompassed our previous Christmas seasons. This year we had very few decorations and lights on display, fewer presents under the tree, less hustle and bustle but a greater appreciation for the things that we do have. We received a very generous holiday care package from our home church, Abundant Hope Church, in the states that lifted everyone's spirits. We celebrated Christmas with a few friends that we've met here and some friends that we've known from South Carolina.
New Year's Day was equally downplayed here, like Christmas, compared to the states. January brought us cooler weather than we expected to see here in Central America. We've enjoyed the temperatures dipping into the high 50's at night.
The church here in Spanish Lookout, Fountain Of Life, that we've been attending regularly was gaining momentum in early December. It appeared to me that the congregation and the leadership were coming into unity regarding spiritual hunger and a desire to press in, positioning the church for revival. The church was challenged to maintain that momentum through the Christmas season. Often times the extra curricular holiday schedule consumes the body of Christ and, in my opinion, this year was no different. I'm looking forward to seeing the body come together again and pursue the Lord in a way that provokes a greater measure of His presence in the church in 2013.
The house that we are renting is scheduled to be auctioned off in mid-February. We will, most likely, be looking for another place to rent by March. There is a possibility that the new owner of the property will purchase it for a rental property. In that case, we'd be able to stay here longer. We're unsure about what the future holds, but we are secure in Who holds the future.
As I mentioned in a previous post, Francie and I were dedicating some time to concentrate on strengthening our marriage. We have recently taken some tremendous strides toward that goal. Recently, we received counsel from our pastor and his wife here in Belize that was extremely helpful. Our relationship is not in jeopardy, we simply realized that there were many things that needed improvement in order for us to move forward effectively in ministry together.
Thank you in advance to all of you who take the time to pray for us as often as you remember. We have many important decisions to make in the near future as well as some important things hanging in the balance at this time.
Thank you to those who continue to stand with us financially. We consider it a high honor to receive your support and we pray that your seed multiplies and returns to you.
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