Standing Out in the Crowd

So as I walk the streets of Huaraz, Peru not unlike any other day, everyone who passes by turns and stares. For most of the past few months there hasn't been much tourism and being one of the only "gringos" around I guess I thought eventually I would stand out so much. As you can see in the picture from Edgar's wedding, I stand a full head taller than Edgar who would certainly not be considered short by Peruvian standards. So yes I stand out in a crowd, being a head taller than pretty much everyone with a complexion much lighter than everyone, they can't help but turn and stare. Now most of you that know me know that it takes a lot to irritate or annoy me. Now I wouldn't say that this is irritating or annoying me, I think I would say it is a little disappointing, as if I just expected them to eventually think oh yeah it is just that "big gringo" and it wouldn't be such a big deal as I walked down the street. As I thought more about it I realized standing out in a crowd should be a good thing. As christians we should strive to stand out in a crowd. Now not necessarily because we are a head taller than everyone else, but because we are different. Different because we demonstrate God's love every chance we get. Because we love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength and all our mind. Because we love our neighbor as we love ourselves. We are to be a light in a dark world, a city on a hill. So now whenever I see them staring at me as I walk the streets, I just smile and think do I stand out only because I am a head taller or because I am different, a light in a dark place.

Prayer Requests:

1. Angel, the director for Scripture Union at Kusi, has a small lump and they are unsure yet what it is, a few options include a hernia and a tumor. He should find out for sure what it is this coming week and then will have to make arrangements for the operation. Please pray for his healing and for the financial means to do whatever is necessary.

2. I am very thankful to have 2 upcoming visits from the States. First on May 9th, David Servais will be coming, pray for his safe travels here and for ours around Peru as we travel to Machu Picchu to see one of the new seven wonders of the world. Second on June 6th, my Dad and little brother will be coming, pray also for their safe travels and for our time together here in Peru. While they are here we will be doing a workshop on carpentry for the older boys in Kusi, please pray for this time as well. We are currently seeking donations to help purchase tools which will be donated to them to use for future projects for Kusi as well as for building items to sell.

3. I am finishing up my time here in Huaraz and will be traveling the majority of my remaining 3 1/2 months here in Peru. Please pray for this time as I will be traveling a lot and translating for work teams. I am also looking for a place in Lima to use as a home base during these few months. Please pray for God's provision for this need as well.

Dios te bendiga!!!

Missions Month Video

Well it has been way too long since my last post. Things here in Peru have been going great. I have been very busy but am committed to communicating more in the future. Here is a video that I have sent to New Life with a brief update for missions month. God bless

Home for the Holidays

Thanksgiving is now a recent memory and I am sure you remembered again all the things for which you are thankful, most importantly the gracious free gift of salvation that has been offered to us all through Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection. You can also give thanks for the wonderful opportunity that most of us will have throughout this holiday season to spend time with our family and closest friends. For most of us this includes dear loved ones who don’t know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Could there be a better time to share with our loved ones. The holidays present so many chances to do so, not only in word but in deed.

First, I suggest you continue to pray (or begin praying) for those friends and family you know need Jesus in their life. If you are like me, you have them written down on the Top Ten cards that were handed out here maybe two years ago now.(if you don't go to my church you probably don't have one) If you don’t have them written down, take the time to make a list and add them to your daily prayers. Second, pray for God to give you opportunity to share with them and to give you the courage and words to speak when that opportunity comes. Lastly, find a way to spend time with them doing more than just opening gifts and sharing a meal if possible. Invite them to come with you to any of many ministry opportunities throughout the holidays.

Ask them to come with you to the Christmas Cantata, the Christmas Drama, the Sanctuary Bells Concert, the Men’s Breakfast, or perhaps to the Young Adult or Junior or Senior High Christmas party. These are just some of the events that are going on at my church, I am sure there are many at your church as well and there are definitely even more opportunities in all of our neighborhoods. Perhaps you know of a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter where you and your family or friends could lend a hand for just an hour or two.

Jesus is the Reason for the Season has basically become a secular saying in recent years at Christmas time; sadly it isn’t becoming so because everyone realizes and values the true meaning of that statement. Lets all try to do our part throughout this holiday season to help those who don’t know the real meaning of that statement. Pray, prepare, seek out opportunities, invite, and then pray some more. May God Bless you all richly during this Christmas season.

Player/Playa Don't Hate the Player Hate the Game

What is a player/playa? According to www.urbandictionary.com a Playa (player) can be male or female and by definition be good at the game they play i.e. playing men or woman to get what they want. The man or woman leads on multiple people of the oppisite sex into thinking there is a long term relationship in proccess, when in reality they are just using them for the beneficial purpose of becoming a legend. Both males and females are capable of becoming a playa whether it be through sex, making out, or just plain old hooking them into a relationship and using them for money or whatever else they might need. Keep in mind a playa does not actually have to be dating someone to be considered a player they must just have you hooked and wanting more.

Why shouldn't we hate the player and just hate the game? Well if what is meant by this saying is hate the sin, love the sinner; then obviously they are correct. "The game" is just that a sin, it really is a matter of sinful pride; as the definition says for the beneficial purpose of becoming a legend. I know many of you are saying wait a minute this doesn't happen in "Christian" circles of friends. Well thankfully I think most of the time at least it only happens to a lesser physically intimate extent, but it definitely happens.

In today’s culture and society there are so many distorted truths and misconceptions regarding men and women and how they should interact, date, when they should marry, who they should marry, and why they should get married. This concept of being a player is just one of the many issues young adults face currently. But thankfully we know that we read in Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” So we have to consider all of these things from a biblical perspective and not from a worldly false perspective.

(I have been a fan of www.boundless.org for a while now and most of the rest of this blog is excerpts from various articles from that website. Definitely worth checking out sometime if you aren’t familiar with it. Most of these articles were written for men, but I think you can figure out how they can apply to both men and women.)

Why should young adults get married? In the article Marriage: More Than Just a Lifestyle Option by Albert Mohler, Jr. he says “From a Christian perspective, marriage must never be seen as a mere human invention — an option for those who choose such a high level of commitment — for it is an arena in which God’s glory is displayed in the right ordering of the man and the woman, and their glad reception of all that marriage means, gives, and requires.” God created man and woman to be together and enabled them with the incredible gift of creating life together and it is thusly that God’s glory is displayed.

But God is sovereign and he knows who I will marry and he will provide her for me? All very true and accurate statements, but in Alex Chediak’s article Get Married Young Man he reminds us of what is taught in Scripture. “I’ve known many single guys who think, “I’m a Christian. I love God. I currently don’t have a wife. If God wants me to marry someone, He’ll make that explicitly clear. For me to get proactive in the process is to imply that I don’t trust God to make it happen. And seeking a wife seems less spiritual than taking on another ministry responsibility. After all, I’m single. I really should commit all my time to God, and not be distracted with thinking about girls.”

The problem with this line of thinking is that not every man who has the status of singleness is gifted for singleness. God requires all singles to be celibate until marriage (to abstain from sexual expression in thought and deed), but because most singles aren’t gifted for lifelong celibacy, most should seek to marry. The Scriptures say, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord” (Prov. 18:22). So the man is said to “find” a wife, and that a wife is a good thing. The favor from the Lord part shows that, yes, God is the One who ultimately gives the wife, but it is still our job as men to be proactive in the finding process.”

How do I know who I should date? In another article by Albert Mohler Jr., The Girl Next Door? he includes some good advice on this topic. “So let’s say (number 1) she has to be a believer, ok, so #1, you cut out half of humanity because you are seeking a woman, so we have that clear. And then they’re supposed to be a believer, because you’re not supposed to be unequally yoked for very good Gospel reasons and now you’ve really cut the population down. And then you think, well, God’s sovereign and I’m here, and it’s meaningful that I’m here. It’s likely that she’s here. In other words, God does not say “Get on a tramp steamer, and buy a one-way ticket to a foreign continent and try to find a bride.” That’s just not what we would expect. We would expect that she’s probably here…very close by. So you think about - who are you attracted to? And I would certainly hope you are attracted. In our fallenness we learn not to trust our attractions, but we also learn that our attractions can be informative. We should pray that the Lord would lead us to be attracted to just the right one. I think this generation of young men has been scared off by the question of who to marry by a theology suggesting that something clearly supernatural is to happen for us to know we are to get married to a specific woman – when actually, it ought be the culmination of a process of just being obedient and watchful and hopeful and prayerful, and the right thing should fall into place.”

How do I find her? In his article Don’t Stay Stuck in a Friendship Scott Croft explains “The Lord has mercifully called us not to live the Christian life alone but as part of a community of believers. Single men and women can and should serve in ministry together, study the word together, and hang out together socially. They should go out together, gather around meals, watch movies. In my view, however, these activities should be done, for the most part, in groups rather than one-on-one. Men can initiate group get-togethers, and so can women. In fact, single brothers and sisters in Christ, like the rest of Christ’s body, are positively called to care for one another. Men can (and should) give women rides home rather than have them walk alone at night. Men can come over and move couches. Women can cook a meal for a group of guys in danger of developing scurvy from a near total lack of vegetables. Knock yourselves out.”

What if she doesn’t want to be pursued? In the article Pursue Her by Drew Dyck he explains that deep down all women do want to be pursued, they want their “knight in shining armor to rescue them”(to some degree or another at least). He also explains how some single men (and I would add women) feel they can better serve the church if they stay single(again with that pride thing). “First, our increasingly politically correct culture tells guys that women have equal responsibility when it comes to initiating the relationship. These days women are encouraged to be more aggressive while men risk appearing domineering if they get the ball rolling. But here’s the rub. While such political correctness is peddled in higher education and the media, it usually doesn’t apply in the real world, where women still appreciate a man with the gumption and guts to make the first move. A.J. Kiesling writes, “The world may have moved on, become hip and high-tech and politically correct, but old-fashioned values persist in our very make-up.” Part of that make-up is a desire to be pursued. The second factor is even more pervasive and hazardous to single Christian guys. An exaggerated sense of spiritual propriety can also prevent relationships from forming. I’ve met a lot of guys who seem to equate romantic passivity with spiritual superiority. God created you to be a pursuer. So next time God brings a godly woman into your life, don’t sit around twiddling your thumbs. The love of your life could be passing you by!”

Why does the man have to take all the risk? In Michael Lawrence’s article Real Men Risk Rejection he does a great job of answering this question. “Guys, the woman you marry is going to depend on you to lead her. She’s going to look to you to sacrifice your own comfort and convenience for the sake of the family. She’s going to look to you to back her up when your future teenage children, or the in-laws, come down on her. She’s going to look to you to set the pace spiritually. She’s going to look to you for leadership when hard decisions about career, or parenting, or aging parents, or any of a host of other issues arise. She’s going to look to you to set the example in admitting when you’re wrong and asking for forgiveness. In all of those situations, you’re going to feel the fear again. The fear of making a wrong decision. The fear of being exposed. The fear of being rejected. And then the only way you’ll be able to step up and lead as the man God made you to be, is if your trust is in God, not in the outcome of the conversation.

Welcome to leadership. Welcome to trusting God. Welcome to being a man. Your cards belong on the table. Your intentions and your feelings--to the extent that you can discern them and it is appropriate for you to share them--should be clear. Part of your role even at this early stage is to protect the woman of your interest from unnecessary risk and vulnerability by providing a safe context in which she can respond.”

How do I know if she is “The One”? Michael Lawrence writes in his article The One? “Instead of asking if a girl you know is the one, you should ask yourself, “Am I the sort of man a godly woman would want to marry?” If you’re not, then you’d be better off spending less time evaluating the women around you, and more time developing the character of a disciple. Start by considering the characteristics of an elder that Paul lays out in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, and work toward those.

Then you should ask another question: “What sort of qualities should I be looking for in a wife so that my marriage will be a picture of the relationship between Christ and the church?” If you’re not sure what those characteristics are, then spend some time reading Proverbs 31, Titus 2:3-5, 1 Peter 3:1-7 and Ephesians 5:22-33.

But I want to marry a “10”? Michael Lawrence and Scott Croft cover this topic very well in a three different articles. First in Does Attraction Matter? by Scott Croft “It’s not that attraction makes no difference, but it shouldn’t make the difference. What should make the difference? Well, the Bible talks about the characteristics of godly men and women. These are the things that the Lord Himself considers to be good attributes, or, to use a different word, “attractive.” Is your potential spouse clearly a believer in Jesus (2 Cor. 6:14)? Does she exhibit the fruit of the Spirit — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5)? Does she show clear regard and care for others? Does she show evident love for God in how she spends time and money, how she interacts with others? Men, do you believe this woman will care for you well and be a good mother and discipler to your children? Is she growing in the characteristics of biblical womanhood and what the Bible calls “true beauty” (Proverbs 31, 1 Peter 3, Titus 2)? Do you envision her being supportive of you in whatever ministry God may call you to?” Michael Lawrence gives us even more insight into this topic in his two articles first Everyone Marries a Stranger by Michael Lawrence “Men, the point of marriage is that we learn to love our wives as Christ loved the church. Yes, as Revelation 21 and Ephesians 5 tell us, one day, Christ’s bride will be perfectly beautiful, without spot or blemish, altogether lovely and loveable. But the church is not there yet. First, Christ had to commit himself to us, even to death on a cross. This is the model we’re called to follow. It’s not an easy model, but it is worth it. So your goal should not be to date a girl long enough until you’re confident marriage won’t be hard, but to date her just long enough to discern if you’re willing to love her sacrificially, and if she’s willing to respond to that kind of love.” And lastly in his article Marry True Beauty When You Find It “The Scriptures call us to develop an attraction to true beauty. 1 Peter 3:3-6 describes the beautiful wife as a woman who has a gentle and quiet spirit, born out of her faith and hope in God, and displayed in her trusting submission to her husband. Men, is the presence of this kind of beauty the driving force for your sense of attraction to your girlfriend? Or have you made romantic attraction and “chemistry” the deciding issue? Now don’t get me wrong. You should be physically attracted to the woman you marry. This is one of the ways marriage serves as a protection against sexual immorality (1 Cor. 7:3-5). But we get in trouble, both in dating and in marriage, when we make physical beauty and “chemistry” the threshold issue in the decision to commit (or remain committed) to marriage. No one lives in a perpetual state of “being in love.” But in marriage, our love is called to “always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere” (1 Cor. 13:7). If mere worldly, physical beauty is the main thing attracting our love, then our love will prove as ephemeral as that beauty. But if we have developed an attraction to true beauty, then we have nothing to fear. Marry a vibrant growing Christian woman, and you have Christ’s promise that he is committed to making her more and more beautiful, spiritually beautiful, with every passing day (Rom. 8:28; Phil. 1:6).”

How can I make myself more attractive to women? Carolyn McCulley writes about this in her article Commitment to a Church Speaks Volumes to a PotentialWife “When you see a man who’s willing to commit to a local church in a generation that commits to nothing, that doesn’t even really want to commit to marriage, you’re seeing somebody who has said, “All right. There’s something that is greater than myself; there’s a community that is greater than myself.” And you’re also seeing a man who’s willing to submit himself to other men in terms of authority. I always counsel the women around me, when they’re considering somebody they might marry, to ask themselves if this is a man who is himself accountable. If women are to practice the biblical commands to submit to and to honor and to respect our husbands, one of the greatest safeties that we will encounter is knowing that this man is himself submitted to other men.”

Now lets get back to players, I think this is an area that often we either don’t want to admit when we are in this position (either being the player or being played) or we don’t realize we are or lastly we are afraid to address the topic and allow the game to go on. Scott Croft writes in his article Don’t Stay Stuck in a Friendship “To the extent that one person’s romantic feelings have been clearly articulated to the other (and were met with an unfavorable response), to continue in some no-man’s land of “good friends,” is arguably to take selfish advantage of the vulnerable party. Yes, I know, the other person is an adult who is free and responsible to walk away if he or she is so unsatisfied, but like it or not, it tends not to work that way. Hope springs eternal, whether it should or not. Just be aware that “friendship” is no more a forum to play married than a dating relationship is. If you find that you are consistently showing one of your opposite-sex Christian friends more one-on-one attention than all the others, whether in conversation or through invitations out, it’s probably time for (1) some clarification of intentions and (most likely) a change in the status of the relationship to something more overtly committed, or (2) a change in the way you interact with that person.” Michael Lawrence also writes on this topic in his article Don’t Keep Your Options Open—Commit “Should you just “settle” for the first Christian woman who comes along? No, not at all. You should be making this decision in light of the qualities held out in Scripture for a godly wife, and you should marry the godliest, most fruitful, most spiritually beautiful woman you can convince to have you. But you also need to be aware that you live in a culture that says the ultimate good in life is to always keep your options open, and that any commitment is inevitably “settling” for less than you could have tomorrow. You must reject that kind of thinking for the worldly garbage that it is. Did Jesus Christ settle for the church? No, he loved the church, and gave his life as a ransom for her (Mark 10:45).

Marriage is fundamentally a means to glorify and serve God, not by finding someone who will meet our needs and desires, but by giving ourselves to another for their good. So if you find yourself hesitating about committing to a godly, biblically-qualified woman, then ask yourself, “Are my reasons biblical, or am I just afraid that if I commit, someone better will walk around the corner after it’s too late?” Consumers are always on the lookout for something better. Christ calls us to trust Him that in finding a wife, we have found “what is good and receive favor from the Lord” (Prov. 18:22).”

Perfect Chemistry by Nevertheless

I haven’t reached perfection, but is that what she needs?

I haven’t reached the wisdom that she should always heed.

I am just a man. I haven’t died for her, but I would.

I’ll do whatever I have to.

I may not be her perfect chemistry,

but, if I can love her like you do, that’s all she needs.

I haven’t found the remedy to every tear she’ll cry,

but I’ll try to be the one who’s by her side.

I may not be her perfect chemistry,

but, if I can love her like you do, that’s all she needs

APrayer for Men Who Hope to Marry Well

Father in Heaven,

You are the merciful, loving God of the universe. You are the Giver of all good gifts. I praise you and thank you for saving me in Christ. Father, please make me a man who lives by your word and cares well for my sisters in Christ. By your spirit, help me to treat my sisters with absolute purity in friendship, in courtship and - for the one I trust you have given me - in marriage. Help me to honor all women today. Help me to move toward marriage with humility, care, courage, and purpose. Prepare me to love my wife, as Christ loves the church, tomorrow. All for your glory.
In Christ’s name, Amen.

I would die for you

As I was packing to leave for Peru, one of the things I wanted to be sure to bring with me were plenty of good books. There wasn't a lack of recommendations of books I was eager to read. As I walked through the christian bookstore searching for some of these books, I found a book that no one had recommended but obviously God wanted me to read. This book is called "I Would Die for You" by Brent and Deanna Higgins (www.amazon.com/Would-Die-You-Students-Passion/dp/0800732448). I was drawn to this book because Brent and Deanna's son BJ (Brent Jr) had served as a missionary in Peru. Three years ago tomorrow BJ, shortly after returning from his second missions trip to Peru, was taken home to be with our Heavenly Father. BJ knew what he would die for, little did he or his family know how soon God would call him to his eternal home. The book is not about BJ dying for Christ on his deathbed. While it definitely gets into the struggles of his illness upon returning from Peru, his families amazing faith through a very difficult time, the support of the community of believers, and eventually his death, it is more about BJ deciding at a very young age to die for Christ each and every day. (If you are considering missions or just considering how to live a godly life in general I would recommend this book.)

So this really challenged me to think, Am I really doing that? Am I really willing to do that? What would doing that look like? We see examples from Paul he writes in 1 Cor 15:31 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. Paul also writes in Col 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. We also see this in 1 Pet 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit. Lastly, but most importantly the words of Christ as written in Luke 9:23-26 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? 26For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels. So many of us don't realize that daily we are dying for something whether we admit it or not, something is motivating us to do many things. What do you spend your free time doing? What is it that is driving you in your daily life? Is it a desire to glorify God and enjoy him? Or is it some other false idol that we so often fail to recognize. In my own life there are and have been many of these false idols, I hope and pray that God will continue to draw me nearer to him and further from the distractions of this world. I pray this for you as well.

So now a little update on Peru. I have been here a little over a week, a day after I arrived Sandy and the children all left to return to the states. Yesterday Larry went to Lima and tonight he flies back to the states as well. Please keep them in your prayers. Specifically for the girls Lynae and Mackenzie as they adapt to a new christian school (they have been home schooled all their lives). Pray also for them as they travel to reconnect with supporting churches and seek additional support as well. Here in Peru I am starting to get a bit of a routine, there is plenty of work to be done keeping up the center here and visiting with many of the folks to whom the Rockwell's have been ministering. My biggest prayer request would be for my seminary classes. I have a feeling these will be a struggle for me. Pray that God would allow for less interruptions of the internet and that I would be able to focus during this time. Another big request is for my witness and opportunity to share the gospel with Odilio. Odilio is a friend of the Rockwell's a Peruvian who is staying at the center with me off and on to assist me. He is not a believer, but does seem to be open and seeking. He has mentioned he would like to do a bible study with me and said he is willing to go to church with me as well. Please keep Odilio in your prayers.

These are the lyrics from a song by Mercy Me entitled "I Would Die for You"

And I know that I can find You here
'Cause You promised me You'll always be there
Times like these, it's hard to see
But somehow I have a peace, You're near
And I pray that You will use my life
In whatever way Your name is glorified
Even if surrendering
Means leaving everything behind

My life has never been this clear
Now I know the reason why I'm here
You never know why You're alive
Until you know what you would die for
I would die for You

And I know I don't have much to give
But I promise You I will give You all there is
Can I possibly do less
When through Your own death I live?

No greater love is found
Than of those who lay their own lives down
As sure as I live and breathe
Now I know what it means to be free

I hope and pray you know what you would die for!

Memorial Ebenezer Young Old Somewhere in Between

In the Old Testament we see numerous references to memorials, frequently telling the people of Israel to make a memorial as a reminder of what God has done for them. In today's world we often call a funeral a Memorial Service. Many think that this is about memorializing the loved one's we have lost. For the family of Kelsey Orndorff, a seventeen year old girl who was killed in an automobile accident or for the family of Shirley Dawson, a dear dear woman of eighty-0ne years, they know what my family knew almost two years ago (when my younger brother Joe at eighteen years old was also killed in an automobile accident). These services were a Memorial as a reminder of what God has done for them. It was a time to remember those we love and grieve over the loss of them most definitely, but without a doubt the one being memorialized is God. Some might say in these difficult times, what has God done for me and my family, he took away my loved one. My family and I, much like I am sure the families of Kelsey and Shirley, still wish we had our loved ones here on this earth with us. I miss my little brother a lot, I miss his laugh, I miss playing video games or watching sports with him. I will never get to do these things with him again. There are many things I wanted to do with him I never got to do. Do these things sometimes make it hard to memorialize God and what he has done in the life, death and now eternal life of Joe or Kelsey or Shirley, absolutely. In 1 Sam we read that Samuel after defeating the Philistines at Mizpeh, made a memorial, setting a stone and calling it Ebenezer, translated to mean "stone of help." God knows it isn't easy, that is why we need the ebenezer, a reminder of his help.
Whether 81 or 17 it is always hard to lose someone you love. Whether like Shirley you knew of her battle with cancer or like with Kelsey and Joe they were taken suddenly home in an auto accident letting them go isn't easy. I have been asked by many people since Joe was taken home to be with his Saviour, "Are things getting back to normal for you?" I typically answer that question the same way, there is a new normal and we are all slowly adjusting to that normal. As we read in
Ecclesiastes 3 1For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2a time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3a time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4a time to weep, and a time to laugh;a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6a time to seek, and a time to lose;a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7a time to tear, and a time to sew;a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8a time to love, and a time to hate;a time for war, and a time for peace. 9What gain has the worker from his toil? 10I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live;
Many of us are in a new season, but God has made everything beautiful in its time and put eternity into man's heart so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. So we can adjust to the new normal, be joyful in that new normal, and do good, continue to grow in Christlike character as long as we live.

God is just amazing, like I really need to tell you that

So as I recently created this blog and named it after the Passage in Luke 5:1-11, God decided that I should really put this in to practice. So I am, it is all but official, I am going back to Peru. This time for a much longer period of time. The plan as of right now is to leave for Peru, Sunday night September 14th (yes I know that is about 2 weeks from now) and return to the states for Matt and Tori's wedding and Christmas in December, before returning to Peru for another 4-5 months.
So why I am going to Peru? Well as many of you may be aware for the last 6 years I have been going annually for 2 weeks with a missions team from my church, leading that team for the last 5 years. This time has been incredible for me each year, a time of tremendous growth and a time over the last couple of years especially where God has slowly begun to make it very clear to me his plan for my life. Two years ago I came home from Peru and was excited and eager to look into going back, feeling as if the Lord was calling me into missions full time. Shortly after returning my little brother Joe was killed in a car accident and it seemed very clear that I might have been jumping a little ahead. God wasn't quite ready for me to go yet, but he wanted me to be willing and I was and still am. Since that time God has continued to prepare me for ministry, allowing me the opportunity to serve as Missions Committee Chairman at my church, as well as building in me a desire to enroll in seminary and consider possibly pursuing the ministry full time. This desire has continued to build and is a big part of why I am going to Peru, it is still unclear where God is calling me to serve long term. It is quite clear though that he is calling me to serve and I am eager to find out where it might be. I will continue to take seminary courses throughout my time in Peru, yes they have internet there. It is my hope and prayer that while I am there God will continue to make it clear to me what his plans are for my future ministry, as we can read in Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.

So what will I be doing in Peru? This lovely family you see pictured are the Rockwell's and they have been serving with Mission to the World(MTW) in Peru for about 5 years now and were in Costa Rica before that and are in desperate need of a furlough (home mission assignment), and more importantly of a time for rest for their family. We are called to be Christlike in character and we know that we read in Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. This family of servants is in need of rest and I have the opportunity to help them get that rest. God providentially brought me in contact with this family during my last visit to Peru as I was actually trying to find another MTW family that I thought was in Huaraz (the city I will be in). It ends up the family I was looking for won't be there until sometime in 2009 and through a series of Godcidents I came to find the Rockwell's. I went and met with them only to find out that his biggest need and prayer was someone who could come and stay in Huaraz and look after the facility they live in. It is a former Wycliffe Bible Translation facility, now being used to house visiting missions teams and a Bible Institute. So I will basically be responsible for managing the facility while they are gone. I will also have the opportunity to minister to the Quechua people in villages all around Huaraz alongside Larry Rockwell during frequent visits back to Peru.

So if you have any questions, I would love to tell you more about it, although I am going to be incredibly pinched for time over the next two weeks. Please don't hesitate to call or email (probably better) or respond to this post. I would absolutely appreciate your support first and foremost through your prayers and if you so desire to support me in this financially obviously that would be appreciated as well. I am expecting a need of approximately $1,000 per month to cover the financial requirements of the trip and plan to be there for between 7-8 months which would be a total need of $8,000. If you want to contribute to this in any way I would be very thankful. Feel free to contact me for more details.

Luke 5:1-11 1 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.