Mis Pensamientos: Lo Que Estoy Aprendiendo...

It has now been two weeks since flying back from Costa Rica, and in all honesty that seems so long ago. The month down there flew by and right now my time here feels as though it is moving at a snails pace. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy the time with my family and close friends, however, I was given just a glimpse of what the fall is going to look like, and I cannot wait until I am able to return once more!

It is the sad but real truth, that more times than not it takes something big in your life for you to listen to God and make necessary changes in your life. Desafortunadamente, I was no exception and it took the two months leading up to the month trip and my time there to really wake me from my time of "slumber" with regards to my relationship with our Heavenly Father. Being in Costa Rica really showed me that I must fight for my time with the Lord, and how desperately I needed that time with Him each day! When you are immersed in a foreign culture and language it can be all consuming if you are not careful, and even when you are careful, there are days that seem to take control of you. I found that days where I did not make reading my Bible and praying a priority were days that I let Spanish and the culture get to me and be my all consuming focus. Those were also often the days that I did not do well with Spanish and found myself getting frustrated. Oh silly, silly me! =) It took a good week and a half to two weeks for me to realize this fact! And you know what? That truth hasn't changed for me here in the States! When we do not daily spend time with our Lord and Savior, we get caught up in all the activities, appointments, work, to-do lists, and even sins that fill our days. Each morning, you and I must give our day and our lives over to God, because as my pastor told me...God is the initiator and I am simply to learn and to cooperate with what He initiates, or another way to put it, God is the owner of my life and I am called to be the wise manager or steward of His property.

Also, God has been showing me how seriously He takes us living holy, righteous, and OBEDIENT lives for Him! I am learning that if I love Him as I say I do, then I am to obey Him as He asks me to. This is no easy task. I have had several things come up to where I want to go one direction and do something, but I know that God has clearly shown me that I am to go another, more difficult, direction. I know that God leads me as He does, because He desires to form us more into His image. I just don't like the fact that it hurts so much right now, but it is what is needed to turn me into a godly man of God.

Please pray for:

The Costa Rican interns' spiritual and emotional preparation for the fall, our support raising, and our health.
Safety and effectiveness as we travel to Haiti for our project trips.
For continual language learning down there for all interns!
That I daily CHOOSE to obey the Lord and seek a life of righteousness NO MATTER the costs or pain!

Finally, here are some pictures of my Tico family and my language school and classmates. I will make a point to posting pictures from this first trip on a Facebook album, just in case you would like to see more photos. Thank you again for your prayers, your support, and your love!