I know it's been a while since I've updated this thing and if I were to sit and tell you all the amazing things God has done in the last 2 months or so you'd be reading a book and my fingers would fall off from some "type" of exhaustion.
Our youth group continues to grow!!!! PRAISE THE LORD! We are now at a consistent number of ~50 kids every meeting whereas before 50 was an average and we had weeks of huge attendance and weeks of very minimal attendance. I have the honor and blessing of being the worship leader for the youth group and it's been a wonderful adventure to watch God bring together our worship team and form the desire in everyone's hearts to depict an accurate view of what worshiping a true living God through song looks like.
I remember back to when I was 13 years old and at the time attending Camino Community Church my best friend Elijah approached me and asked if I would like to play the conga drums in the youth band. From there I learned to play the conga drums, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, cajon, jembe, and later piano. God started preparing me 8 years ago for this very point in my life where He would use those skills He developed in me for His glory.... and to think that at that time all Mexico meant to me was a place where good food came from. It's been the little things like that where I look back in my life and realize that if it hadn't been for God's sovereignty and putting me through His perfect plan I would be struggling to serve where I am now. Continuing on the awesomeness of God's sovereignty I've met a wonderful girl named Renae who also is a volunteer here at Door of Faith and God couldn't have crossed our paths more perfectly. It just goes to show you that when you stop running your own race and start running the race that God has laid out for you, eventually you'll look to the side and realize that God's put somebody right there to run with you. It's cool to see that when 2 years or so ago I stopped focusing on creating for myself a relationship and just focused on what God had for me and how I could glorify Him alone; He in turn provided for me an amazing relationship that Renae and I get to use to glorify Him.
My current "long term" goals are this. Finish an entire year here at Door of Faith which for me will end in May, 2011 and possibly return to the states to go to some sort of bible schooling. Then, assuming I'm married by then my wife and I would then travel Latin American countries praying and seeking God's will for our life of ministry. Right now my heart is torn between countries. I love Mexico and can see myself living here forever but for whatever reason God has pressed the country of Nicaragua hard on my heart. I've never been there, nor ever met anyone from there but still it's weighing heavy so we'll see. All I know for right now is that God is definitely calling me into the missions ministry not necessarily church planting or pastoring anywhere but directing some sort of children's ministry much like the orphanage I'm at now. What exactly that means, I'm not sure. However I am sure than in God's perfect timing He'll reveal the need and supply me with everything necessary to serve!!!
Prayers:
youth group
-continued growth (still have 100+ kids in town who aren't coming and need the word of God)
-leadership strength. Not only do we need our current leadership team to grow stronger and more unified but we are asking that God would raise up more leaders (males) with righteous hearts
Relationship
-Renae and myself. We're starting fresh and taking all the necessary steps. A wonderful Godly missionary couple and good friends Brendan and Sarah Mayer have agreed to walk with us in this journey and provide Godly counsel, wisdom and prayer.
-being above reproach. Both Renae and myself are really bad at realizing when something "looks" bad and living in a culture where everything is based on how it looks... that can be dangerous. So pray that we would be wise in our decision making and the actions of our relationship and that MOST IMPORTANTLY that God would be glorified through EVERY aspect of our relationship.
Future
-Future... I'm not worried, God's got it. But there are those who are close to me who would like me to have a more "firm" plan but God hasn't revealed that to me yet so I just don't know.
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God alone initiates salvation. He always turns toward man first and seeks him, as when God walked in the Garden (Genesis 3:8). Man does not seek God or turn to him without God first calling man to Himself (John. 6:37, 44; 1 John. 4:10,19).
ReplyDeleteSecond, God’s initiative does not exclude man’s free response, but demands it (Catechism of the Catholic Church [Catechism], nos. 154, 155, 2002; Philippians 2:12, 13). In other words, God wills that man be free to choose His grace or reject it.
Third, salvation is extended to each and every human person, not limited to just some, and one can fall away from grace (Hebrews 2:1-4; 6:4; 2 Peter 1:10; 3:9; 1 John 5:16, 17).
Furthermore, it is imperative that once one is touched by grace, he perseveres in charity lest he forfeit the free gift of salvation (Lumen Gentium [LG], no. 14). Within the confines of these principles, Catholics have sought to understand the mystery of predestination.
Though opinions and formulations have varied among Catholic theologians, with these principles left intact, there is room for legitimate speculation.
The only proper framework to understand predestination must be rooted in the notion of a communion of persons in love. Why? The nature of God as Trinity is this very kind of communion and God created man to share in that “blessed life” (cf. Catechism, no. 1).