Regions Beyond Baptist Ministries - Honduras

March/April Prayer Letter from Mike

2011-08-08T15:47:00.001-05:00

Here is a copy of Mike's prayer letter to our supporting churches. I thought that I had already posted this, however, while typing up an update to send out, I decided to double check what we had covered already so I would not be repeating what had already been reported. It was at that moment, I realized that in all the confusion of the last few months, I had actually never posted it! Anyway, here it is now:

March/April - 2011

Dear….,

I usually address you as co-labourers, because we are certainly in this work together (I Cor. 3:9), but many of you could also be described as Paul did of Epaphroditus in Phil. 2:25. He was from the church of Philippi, sent with a mission offering for Paul, who was in a Roman prison for Christ’s sake. I call Epaphroditus one of the unsung heroes of the Faith. Paul calls him “my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.” To Paul, he fulfilled at least five roles, each one a step up in service. I appreciate it when someone calls me their brother and means it. I appreciate it more when someone will pick up “a tool” and work with me. To find someone who will “fight the good fight of faith” alongside you is rarer still. There are ever fewer willing to leave the comforts of home, family, friends, and church to become a “messenger” of good news. However, the last role is the hardest to fulfill and find, someone who is a true friend with the heart of a servant; someone who meets the needs of those in want. Epaphroditus stayed by Paul’s side, ministering to him and with him, to the point of risking his life, “nigh unto death” (vs 30). Later, Paul sent him back home with the thank you letter called Philippians in hand, to remind us, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to be ever joyful, in every situation. (Come on Christian, SMILE, your team already WON!!!) At least 16 times the idea of joy is mentioned. There is joy in suffering and in sacrificial giving of oneself and one’s goods. There is joy in knowing Christ and experiencing His resurrection power. There is joy when people in the church are in harmony. (Come on, can’t we ”just get along”? - Phil. 2:4; 4:2-5) Moreover, there is joy in knowing GOD IS ABLE to keep on supplying all our real needs “according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Phil.4:19) All this - and Heaven too!

You know some of the events of this year. The last night before we were to go home in January, Debbie’s father had a heart attack. She stayed and I went back to Honduras. He had triple by-pass surgery and is still recuperating. Her mother went in the hospital with pneumonia, slipped and broke her ankle, and now is recovering in the same room as Deb’s father.

It seems that everyone these days is facing money problems. Your missionaries are no exceptions. Fuel prices in the States are getting ridiculously high. However, to keep our vehicles traveling each week to the many different missions in which we minister we must pay the even higher Honduran fuel prices. And then, there are other expenses, such a repairs, construction materials, etc. Here are some of the things that we have been facing lately:

I flew back to the States in March for a mission meeting. While here, I was able to send down our F450 (Thank you again, Rhonda and Brian) as well as a much-needed small van bus. The bus cost $6,000. The transport cost to get these vehicles to Honduras was $1,700. Duty and taxes on the bus and truck cost $4,000. In addition, our “well used” F350 recently died while in service hauling sand to one of our church construction sites in the mountains. (No, we didn’t bury it… yet. It is sitting in my yard waiting on the transmission that I just bought and am now trying to get down to Honduras.) The transmission, shipping, and taxes will cost more than $1,500. In addition, today over the phone, I just gave authorization to our workers in Honduras to spend several hundred dollars MORE to make repairs on another of our vehicles!

We just finished building the classroom walls and bathroom (hallelujah) in the mountain community of Ojo de Agua. Now, we are ready for the roof. Moreover, in July, another church building goes up in Naranjitos. (That means materials and fuel for transporting those materials to those remote mountain communities.)

If God happens to lay it on your heart to help with any of these expenses, we would greatly appreciate it!

I am scheduled to fly back home May 5. Debbie will remain and continue to help with her parents while also taking care of her own health needs.

We thank you, our brothers (and sisters), co-labourers, fellow soldiers, messengers, and servants, for your prayers and support.

We love you,

Bro. Mike and Debbie

Our 32 Year Journey to Honduras

2011-06-23T01:55:00.002-05:00

Through the years, I have had many people ask me "What are you doing in Honduras?", "How did you know that God wanted you to be a missionary?", "How did you choose which country to go to?", etc. These questions are not so easy to answer. It is kind of like trying to answer questions like: "How do you know when you are in love?", "How do you know there is a God?", or "How do they know how fast the speed of light is? Who could go fast enough to measure it?" And when it comes to knowing what God wants from us, He may speak to people differently. (Adam - face to face, Moses - a burning bush, Mary - an angel, etc.) All I can do is share with you how God spoke to my heart and the circumstances that brought us to the country of Honduras. From the time that I felt God's call at age 13, till the time we arrived in Honduras to live, has been a journey that has taken 32 years:

Both of our parents were active members of the Calvary Baptist Church of Grand Prairie, TX, at the time of our births. For that reason, the two of us became regular church attenders at a very early age! How blessed we have been because we were raised in Christian homes and we both grew up under the ministry of Dr. Earl K. and Louise Oldham. We spent our formative years sitting under a long line of Biblical Sunday School teachers and, as teenagers, our examples and teachers were loving, fun, and uncompromising youth leaders. Many of those godly men and women who have had such a deep and abiding influence in our lives are now in the presence of the Savior Himself. However, those saints who have not yet left this earth to receive their Heavenly reward continue to teach and affect our lives as they maintain their testimony and faithfulness to the cause of Christ and His church! We do not take such a blessed and godly heritage lightly.

In 1970, immediately after high school graduation, both Mike and I began attending the Bible Baptist Seminary. Shortly thereafter, we began carpooling to college with one another to save on gas (wish we could find some of that $.25 gas now!). It was during those first few months of Bible College that we began dating and two years later, in June of 1972, we were married.

After completing four years of Bible College, we were ready to head to the mission field! However, Dr. Oldham, our pastor and the president of our college, wisely counseled us to, first, go and work in another church for a year and gain some practical experience. (I think this was his way of really saying, “You two need to grow up first!”.)

Therefore, taking his astute advice, we packed our belongings and our 6-month-old daughter, Kristy, and moved to Deer Park, TX, and the Central Baptist Church where Bro. Charles Dunn and his sweet wife, Shirley, took two “green kids” under their wings and helped to “grow us up”!

Instead of one year, we ended up staying for five. (I guess we were slow “grower-uppers”.) While there, Mike worked as the music director and general “flunky”, and we both worked in the capacity of youth directors. It was a wonderful and blessed five years… years in which we gained much practical experience in the ministry, gained much spiritual insight, gained many precious, lifelong friends, and gained an addition to our family… our son, Brandon. To this day, we continue to glean from the godly mentoring of Bro. and Mrs. Dunn and, even now, we maintain contact with many of our “kids” from our youth department. During our time there, the Lord graciously blessed our bumbling and feeble efforts to lead those young lives to love and serve our wonderful Savior. Some of those struggling teenagers of yesteryear are now serving the Lord as preachers, missionaries, teachers and grandparents! How very proud and thankful we are for the godly decisions many of them made. Even today, some nearly forty years later, we think about and pray for those of our “kids” who have strayed from the Truth and have turned their back on the Father. No matter how old we get, or how old they get, we will always love and pray for them and they will always be our “kids”!

In 1979, we went back to our home church for one year so Mike could take some additional Bible classes at the college. It was difficult to leave Central Baptist, but when God says, “Go!” you obey! During our time back at Calvary, he worked on staff for Dr. Oldham as the Visitation Minister. And after the year was up, Dr. Oldham invited Mike to stay on as a staff member, assuring him that there were further opportunities for him there. However, Mike believed God had different plans for us, so, in the summer of 1980, after he had completed his classes, we prepared to leave.

Because the call and the burden for missions was still very strong within our hearts, we thought that maybe God would allow us to go the foreign field at that time! However, God’s will and timing is not always in harmony with our own, and Mike began to feel strongly that God wanted him to pastor a church. The “missionary” in us drew us away from the Bible belt, and we began to look at areas in the United States in which Bible believing churches were scarce.

Dr. Oldham, knowing that we were searching for the place of God’s will, recommended Mike to the pulpit committee of a little church in Tacoma, WA. All I knew about Washington at that time was (1) it was on the opposite side of the United States from Texas, (2) it was bordered on two sides by the Pacific Ocean and Canada and (3) Mt. St. Helen’s had erupted a few months earlier!! I had some serious doubts about Tacoma being where God wanted us, even though further investigation revealed that about 97% of the people in Washington did not attend ANY kind of church at all! Sure, there was a spiritual need, but we had two small children! God would not call us to take them to a dangerous place so far away from home and family, would He? Of course, He wouldn’t!

Well… silly me! I should have known better than to question the Lord and His will, because after many long distance phone calls and discussions with the men of the church, they asked us to come one weekend for Mike to preach in view of a call.

When we arrived, it was cold, cloudy and raining. At the airport, the entire pulpit committee was waiting to meet us (which, for me, was a bit daunting). I’m not sure what I was expecting when we pulled into the church parking lot, but it was certainly not what met my eyes. The building had been built many, many years earlier (it qualified for the historical society… really)! The drizzling rain and dreary sky seemed to accentuate the fact that the building was a bit run down and in desperate need of a new coat of paint. In spite of that fact, it was still a charming little building with a tall steeple and a bell… like something you would see on a Christmas card.

Next to the church was the parsonage, a tiny house made about the same time as the church building except it seemed to be in much worse condition than the church. The parsonage consisted of two very small bedrooms downstairs, a somewhat spooky room in the attic and two, very, very tiny closets… for the whole house!

In addition, the church was also very much in debt, and seven months without a pastor had left them with only a hand full of people. In fact, I noted that, on a “low” Sunday in our youth department in Deer Park, we had more than twice as many teens as this little church’s entire Sunday morning “crowd”!

The next morning, Mike preached a wonderful message from Nehemiah to the small group of friendly people. Mike and I, as well as the message, were warmly received. After lunch, we spent the remainder of the time before the evening service just visiting with the people and getting to know one another. It was a day full of precious memories.

The next day, however, the ride back to the airport was no different from the trip we had taken on Saturday… cold, cloudy, foggy and dreary. Nevertheless, for Mike and me, it had been “love at first sermon”, and we had no doubt that this was exactly where God wanted us! Two weeks later, this was confirmed when the pulpit committee called and said the vote had been 100%! They wanted us to come! They wanted Mike to be their pastor! Therefore, once again, we packed up our daughter, now five years old, our three-year-old son, all our belongings and made the more than 1,600 mile journey to Tacoma, Washington.

The next fourteen years at Faith Baptist Church in Tacoma, Washington, were some of the most difficult, most fulfilling and some of the happiest years of our lives! It was a struggle and very difficult at first. However, after a time, God really began to bless! We began to see visitors in the service regularly. The youth department and bus ministry began to increase in size also. There were people being saved and baptized on a regular basis and, as the church continued to grow, the number of missionaries that our church supported began to grow as well and we were also able to increase their monthly financial assistance. After three years of homeschooling our own children, we felt the need to open a Christian school, Faith Baptist Christian Academy, the school from which both our children graduated and that two of our grandchildren now attend. In addition, God enabled us to pay off all the church’s debts and buy more land for the future.

By the end of our thirteenth year there, attendance had grown to the point that it was necessary to have two Sunday morning services. We had remained debt free and, by that time, had several thousand dollars in the building fund and land on which to build. Blueprints were drawn and we even had a groundbreaking ceremony for beginning the construction of a new auditorium! God was good, life was good, we loved our dear people and they loved us! This was the mission field to which God had called us!!! And we didn’t even have to learn another language!!! (Although it is true that, in the beginning, people in Washington had a bit of a problem understanding my Texan at times!)

The year was 1993. Our daughter, Kristy, had graduated from our Christian school the year before. She and another of our graduates, now missionary Jason Tate, had an opportunity to work for a year in bilingual Christian schools in Honduras. Mike and I felt the need to check out the Honduran families with whom they would be living and the schools where they would be working. The trip would also give us a chance to visit some of the missionaries that we had supported for years.

Therefore, it was in the spring of that year, that Mike, Kristy, Jason and I boarded a plane for Honduras. During the trip there, Mike and I talked happily about how God had blessed: 1. First, our own dependable and Godly people were filling in for us during this mission trip. 2. Two of our church’s young people were willing to leave their homes and families to serve the Lord in a foreign land. 3. We had an award winning Christian school with a growing enrollment. 4. We were seeing souls saved and added to the church almost weekly. 5. In addition, upon our return we were to begin construction on the new church building. God was so good and had so blessed us!

However, during that ten-day trip and while we were still in Honduras, Mike told me that he felt that God was calling us to Honduras. I, too, had been deeply touched and burdened by what we had seen, however, I was not convinced that God truly wanted us to leave the church we had struggled so hard and long to build! EVERYTHING we had worked and prayed for was finally happening! Surely, He did not want us to leave everything now! After all, we were over forty years old, we had a daughter who would be starting college when she returned to the States the following year, and we had a new church building to build. In addition, the thought of leaving our church family was nearly more than I could deal with!

I figured that Mike was just “carried away” with everything! We would go home, get back into ministry of the church, begin construction on the new building and start the new school year. Once we were home and back into the routine of things, he would realize that God did not really want us to leave Faith. I did believe that, because of that trip, we would definitely have a greater, deeper burden for missions! However, I was not necessarily convinced that it meant we had to leave our church! Nevertheless, I too wanted to be in the center of God’s will, so I told Mike I would be in prayer about it.

And so it was, that after ten unbelievable days in Honduras, we said our goodbyes to Jason and our 19 year old daughter, boarded an airplane and headed back home and to our church in Washington. I left Honduras with mixed emotions and a heart in turmoil and, although much of those feelings had to do with leaving Kristy and Jason in a foreign country, they were not the only cause for my unrest. I had much to think and pray about.

When we walked into our home in Tacoma, we had quite a surprise waiting for us. Our precious people had come into our home while we were gone and completely remodeled our kitchen; new floor, new cabinet tops, freshly painted cupboards and appliances, new paint and wallpaper border, ceiling fan, a new refrigerator and even a teakettle that matched it all! THAT’S the kind of loving, generous people we had! How could we ever leave the precious family that God has given us to shepherd?

We immediately got back into the work and began planning for the new school year. Meanwhile, both Mike and I were praying for God’s direction and the revelation of His perfect will for our lives. Thoughts of Honduras continually inserted themselves into everything I did… and not just because my little girl was there. Every time someone asked me about our trip, every time I looked at the pictures, all I could do was cry. Every time I walked into my beautiful kitchen, in my mind’s eye, all I could see was another kitchen that I had seen 3,000 miles away.

As we traveled down the twisting mountain road, the missionaries told us that we were going to have services in a community named Maracia. When we stopped on the side of the road, it looked as if we were out in the middle of nowhere. I saw a small adobe house at the top of a small rise. We got out of the car and followed a path up the hill to the house. “How can we have a service here?” I thought. “There is just one house! Where are the people?” We followed the missionaries around to the back of the house where there were a couple of benches that had been set up outside. Then, I noticed that there were people coming down out of the surrounding mountains, and some were bringing more benches and stools with them.

In no time at all, people were seated and ready for services. The preaching was punctuated by a crowing rooster, a mother hen with her chicks wandering around behind the preacher, and a snorting pig that was tied to a nearby tree. At that time, Mike and I did not speak Spanish and could not understand a single word. However, the look of love and adoration on the faces of the believers as they sang hymns to our Lord was unmistakable.

After the services, the missionary’s wife told me that the lady of the house wanted to show me something. I followed them into a tiny lean-to that was built onto the side of their little adobe house. It was made out of sticks and, from between the sticks, I could see through to the outside. The floor was dirt, and in the corner was a mud stove with a fire burning in it. On the wall, there hung a crude, wooden shelf, about two feet long, which held a few dented, blackened pots. With the missionary’s wife translating, this humble Honduran woman, began to share her testimony. She told me that, for many years, her husband had been a mean drunk and had not cared for nor provided for his family. Then one day, he had heard about the love of God and accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. Since his salvation, she said, he had become a different person. He had stopped drinking and began to work his fields to provide for his family. He now cared for and loved them. She had just wanted to show me the new kitchen he had built for her, one that would never have been built had it not been for Christ and the salvation of her husband. She, with such pride and tears in her eyes, had showed me her “beautiful, new” kitchen as a tribute to the Lord, His goodness and mercy, and the change that only He could have made in her husband’s life and in their family.

That humble little woman in Honduras was just as proud of her new kitchen as I was of mine. However, those few minutes in that tiny kitchen made of sticks and mud seemed to rob me of the joy that I should have felt for my own! I had so much! I was so blessed!

It seemed to me that, for most of us in the United States, the more we have, the more we want; we never seem to have enough. In Honduras, those precious people have nothing! However, when they receive Jesus as their Savior, they suddenly understand that if they have Him, they have everything!!! HE IS ALL THEY NEED!

In that moment, I realized that, although I could not change their poverty, I could tell them of Jesus Christ and His love gift of salvation! He could change their lives. He could give them so much more than any material thing I could give!

Suddenly, I knew I had an answer to my prayers and, although it did not make sense and seemed illogical, I knew in my heart that no matter how difficult it might be to leave, we could not stay! If the God of the Universe wanted us to go share His Word, to give hope and life to the people of Honduras, then how could we ever be so selfish as to stay???

The night that Mike announced to our dear church that we felt God’s call to minister in Honduras, there were many, many tears shed. The tears came not only from our precious people, but from Mike and me as well. However, after the service, we learned that God had been preparing their hearts as well! Many came to us and, through their tears, told us that they were not that surprised by Mike’s announcement. They had seen how deeply the trip had affected us and, to a certain degree, had anticipated that God was moving our hearts in a different direction and to different type of ministry. Therefore, we all began to prepare ourselves for the major transition that was to come.

Mike and I decided that the prudent thing to do would be to stay through the school year and train someone to take over the administration, ordering, and other responsibilities of the Christian school. We also felt that it would be in the best interest of the church to forego the building of the new auditorium until the church had called a new pastor. We loved our sweet people too much to leave them unprepared for running a school, with an unfinished building and without a suitable man to continue the work that God had begun in that place. So, even though we all knew that we would be leaving at the end of the school year, we continued as always, except that, as a church, we were actively seeking the man that God had chosen to shepherd these people after our departure.

I was thrilled about our delay in leaving, but I have to tell you, it was very difficult at times to keep from bursting out in tears! During those months, I questioned the Lord many times! Were we doing the right thing? Was this truly His will? How could I survive leaving these people? We had shared SO MUCH during those 14 years: so many joys and blessings, so many heartaches and tears, new babies… as well as the passing of many dear saints. Our children had grown up together and we had all learned together and grown together, both numerically and spiritually. To think of leaving this place, these people, literally made my heart hurt and my chest ache! But, every time I thought that I just could not do what God was asking He, very gently and firmly, reassured my heart that Honduras was His perfect will for our lives and that He would be with us, guiding us, helping us, using us, and loving us every step of the way.

Therefore, it was in May of 1994, with the installation of their new pastor, we left Tacoma, Washington, and Faith Baptist Church. God has blessed the work there, and their new pastor has taken our beloved church to the next level. They have continued to grow and today they have, not one new building, but TWO; a beautiful new auditorium and an education building that houses the school that we started so many years ago. They also have an ever-expanding mission program that serves to reach thousands around the world. In addition, our son, after years of being gone, went back to the church in which he grew up, and has been on staff there for the last 11 years.

Three years after we said those tearful goodbyes, we arrived in Honduras to begin a new phase of our ministry. We had enjoyed our year and a half of deputation and meeting other pastors and churches. We had survived a year of learning the Spanish language in Costa Rica. Through it all, God was so good, kind, and gracious to us. He continually reassured us that we were in the center of His will and comforted us with His presence.

In 1993, we had made a ten-day visit to Honduras, but during that visit, I had no doubt that I would be returning to the United States, my home, and my friends and family. Throughout our entire time there, I did not look at Honduras as a place where I might one day live and work! Now, it was July of 1997, four years later and, as we boarded the plane for Honduras, I wondered how I would feel about my “new place of residence” when I arrived. What would I do if, when I saw Honduras for the second time, I realized that it was too much of an adjustment for me, too difficult a life-style change? What if we got there and I hated it? This thought haunted and terrified me and… I felt ashamed and worried that I might not only let the Lord down, but also all the people and churches that had made it possible for us to be there! They were counting on us! It was for this reason that I kept my thoughts to myself!

As our plane prepared to land in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, I nervously raised the window shade and looked down on the land below. I saw brown, dirt roads snaking around and through the lush green mountains that were covered with dense foliage. As we got lower and things became more distinguishable, I could make out tiny, mud-colored adobe houses scattered along side small, square patches of fields and along the snake trails. Then we began to circle over Tegucigalpa for landing. I looked at that large, sprawling city, through the small window of my airplane, and once again I was amazed that, on the steep sides of the mountains that surrounded the nation’s capital, they could cram so many thousands of houses beside and, seemingly, on top of each other! Closer to the airport, I could clearly see the dirty, brown river, the shabby city buildings and the narrow streets crowded with cars and people.

It was then, at that moment, that the feeling hit me… and the next thing I knew, I was crying! I tried not to cry, but this “gut reaction” to seeing Honduras again, was so strong! I had tried so hard to prepare myself for this moment, but the intensity of this sudden emotion so surprised and overwhelmed me that I could not keep the tears from rolling down my cheeks.

It had been in May of 1993 that we packed up or sold all our belongings and left Tacoma, our church family and our home. After that, we spent the next three years eating and sleeping in other people’s homes or in hotels and restaurants. (There were even a few occasions when we slept in our car!) For three years, we lived out of our suitcases. Our lives had become a routine of unloading, unpacking, repacking and reloading! For three long years, we had been “displaced people” with no place to call “home”!

Now, after three years of living a life that most of you could never even imagine, we were finally arriving in Honduras! It had finally come down to THIS… this moment, this time, this place and… this unexpected and shocking feeling! As I looked out the window of that airplane, three words immediately came to my heart and mind. These three words hit me with such an unanticipated and startling force that, although I did not do it, I could have shouted them out! “HOME! I’M HOME! FINALLY HOME!”

That brings us to present day, June of 2011. It has been fourteen years since that second airplane ride to Honduras! It has been fourteen of the most difficult, most challenging, most fulfilling and most wonderful years of my life! Just as I could not imagine ever leaving our precious church in Tacoma, I now cannot imagine ever leaving our dear people in the mountains of Honduras! Of course, I love, miss and worry about our parents who are getting older and have challenging health needs. In addition, I believe that no one (and I do mean NO one!) could love and miss their children and grandchildren more than I. However, Honduras is where God has called us… called ME… and it is in my blood and in my heart! And, through the years, each time I fly back to Honduras after visiting in the States, when the plane begins to descend for landing, excitement begins to tie my stomach in knots, I begin to feel the sting of tears at the back of my eyes, and my heart begins to shout those same words: “HOME! I’M HOME! FINALLY HOME!”

With God, all things are POSSIBLE...but NOT necessarily easy!

2011-03-04T09:21:00.000-06:00

THE FOLLOWING IS A REPRINT OF AN UPDATE THAT I SENT OUT LAST WEEK TO OUR SUPPORTING CHURCHES AND EMAIL MAILING LIST. SINCE THAT LETTER, TWO MORE MEN AND A THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD BOY HAVE ACCEPTED CHIRST AND WE HAVE HAD MORE PROBLEMS WITH THE REPAIRS ON OUR VEHICLES. WE ASK YOUR CONTINUED PRAYERS ON THAT SITUATION.

To begin with, I would like to apologize for two things; 1. The tardiness of this update, and 2. The possibility of me writing this in a disconnected, haphazard and clumsy manner. For over a month now, I have been trying to write an update. Many evenings, I would sit in a quiet place and try to relate all that had been happening. I would write until I could no longer keep my brain from dozing off or my eyes from closing. Then I would turn off my laptop and think, “Well, I’ve got a good start and should be able to finish this the next time I have a chance to work on it!” A few days later, I would sit before my computer and read what I had previously written so I could pick up where I left off. But each time, I discovered that two things had occurred. Many of the circumstances and facts had changed, and… someone, apparently, had hacked into my computer, accessed this file and changed and/or deleted words or… sometimes-entire sentences! My beautifully composed update now read like some bewildering, befuddled, perplexing jumble of nonsense! That had to be what had happened! Either that… or I was so tired and stressed that I wasn’t thinking as clearly as I thought and was writing like a crazy woman!

Well, once again I have deleted the two pages that I had previously written and have started over. However, with God’s help, I am determined to try to sum up all that has happened in the last two months in an intelligible form and I am sending it out… no matter how it sounds!

So…. Hang on! Here we go!

First, Mike returned to Honduras on January 13^th. He found our dear people faithfully continuing in the work of the Lord under the leadership of Jason and Arlen Stevens, and Hermanos Hotir, Leonidas and Clemente. The love and dedication of some of these precious Hondurans to the Father and His work of reaching the lost with the Gospel continues to inspire and encourage me! They are such wonderful examples of unselfish, sacrificial love! It is no wonder that I love them and miss them so!

Since his return to Honduras, Mike has had several that have accepted the Lord as their Savior. Last Sunday, February 20, he called and told me that eight men from the nearby community of Quebrada de Lajas were visiting our church and had come forward and asked Jesus to be their Savior! If I am rembering correctly, that makes a total of eleven new converts since his return, several of which have already followed the Lord in baptism. That is a good number, and we praise the Lord for each one. However, I cannot help but think that, scattered throughout those beautiful surrounding mountains, there are thousands more who have yet to hear the Gospel.

Our main church, New Hope Baptist in La Esperanza, continues to thrive and grow, so much so that Mike informs me that we must build more pews to have adequate seating. Some of those attending are from our mission in Quebrada de Lajas. It has been nearly a year now since they suddenly found themselves without a place to meet and had dwindled to just a handful of people. It was at that time that we began transporting the believers from that work to our services in La Esperanza. We hoped that attending an established church with a more mature congregation of believers might encourage them… and it seems to have worked! That handful has grown to be a group of 30 to 40 people! They are now actively helping to locate a piece of property near their homes so they might build a church in their own community. However, until that happens, we will continue to bus them to the church in La Esperanza, thus the need for more pews. In addition, many of the believers at New Hope have developed a love and a burden to reach the surrounding areas and the Lenca Indians for Christ. Each week, without fail, as our evangelistic team leaves to minister in the mission outposts in the mountains, there are anywhere from six to a dozen adults, teens and, sometimes, children who are asking if they might go along and help. It is a tremendous blessing to us when we see them developing that sense of responsibility that every Christian should have!

The Lenca people and the Catholic Church in the mountain community of Ojo de Agua seem to have finally accepted the presence of our church there. Their acquiescence, and the slow steady growth of the Calvary Baptist Church, is a great victory to the glory of God and the truth of His Word. The precious Lenca believers in that community are excited and growing in the Lord. During our absence these last few months, and under the leadership of Hermanos Leonidas and Clemente, they have been steadily at work completing the finishing touches on their church building. They are now in the process of constructing an addition that will include space for Sunday School classes and… (I’m so excited!)…even a bathroom!! (Only those who have visited and accompanied us to those works on a Sunday morning will appreciate that very necessary addition!) This humble little church in this small mountain village stands as a towering lighthouse and example to the surrounding areas.

Leaving Ojo de Agua and driving 35 to 45 minutes further, you will pass our mission in San Lorenzo and finally come to the mission in Naranjitos. It is here that we are to begin the construction of our second non-Catholic church building among the Lenca in that department (or State). Of course, since his return, Mike has been busy visiting each of our works, encouraging them and evaluating the growth and/or needs in each place. Apparently, he currently has a few concerns about the mission in Naranjitos as to whether or not they are genuinely ready to build and organize into a full-fledged church. Stateside teams are already in place and preparing to come and help with that building project later this year so, naturally, we want to make sure that the believers in Naranjitos truly understand that a church is more than just a “status symbol” for their community. Nor is it just a place where people go when they want to salve their conscience, do their “duty” to God or be entertained. It is important that they comprehend the fact that having a Bible believing, Bible teaching church in their community is a wonderful privilege. However, it is a privilege that also carries a heavy and vital responsibility. God has commanded His church to actively “be about the Father’s business”; to be witnesses, to be “light” and “salt”. Please pray that they are genuinely ready to shoulder and fulfill such an important mission.

As always, the missions in San Lorenzo and Zapatillo continue to struggle. It can be frustrating and a bit discouraging at times but, long ago, we claimed these areas for Christ and we will not quit unless the Lord Himself leads us to do so. On the other hand, there is a small village named Rodeo located in the mountains on the opposite side of La Esperanza. It is situated at the end of a road, on top of a mountain, about an hour and a half from our home. In this newest area where we have been working, interest continues to grow and, although progress is slow, we are very encouraged.

As always, where God is moving and working, Satan is fighting and trying to throw up roadblocks. This time, he is not just using “roadblocks”, but also the roads themselves to attack… our vehicles. Poor Mike! I believe he has had to have some major work done on every vehicle we own… and that is no small task! Probably to most, it would look like we are collectors of old dilapidated cars. However, those bedraggled modes of transportation look to us like God’s beautiful provision for reaching the lost in numerous areas and in various difficult terrains.

Why have so many vehicles? You must understand that, in all of the areas in which we work, no one else owns a car and, for several years, we were the only ones who had a driver’s license. For that reason, we nearly ran ourselves crazy trying to do everything ourselves! However, in recent years, Mike has paid for Hotir and Clemente to get their driver’s license so they can help alleviate some of the load. Consequently, with Mike and I, Hotir and Clemente and, now, Bro. Jason, that gives us a total of five drivers… and most of our drivers and vehicles are in constant use. Even though it is not unusual for at least one vehicle to be at the mechanic’s shop during any given week, it causes considerable problems (not to mention that it is also very expensive) when the majority of them are out of circulation! And repairs are not always easy! Many times, Mike has to go to either San Pedro Sulu or Tegucigalpa to look for car parts. That means a six-hour drive (round trip). When he arrives, he must go from car parts store to car parts store on narrow and very crowded streets to locate a place that has what he needs. (You may ask, “Why doesn’t he just call around first?”. The answer is: No Phonebooks!) Then, because you do not want to drive at night unless absolutely necessary, it also usually means at least one night in a hotel, plus meals. And after all that… you still may not find what you need! I’m telling you that it’s no easy task! Please pray for our vehicles, our mechanics, that parts can be found, and for Mike!

If you did not realize it by now, I am still in Texas. On January 12, the evening before we were to leave for Honduras, my Dad had a heart attack. They said the only thing that would save him was a heart bypass. But, because of multiple health problems that Dad has, including the fact that his only kidney was barely working at 16%, two doctors refused to do the operation. When one cardiologist finally agreed to do the operation, his nephrologist (kidney doctor) said that heart surgery would put Dad on dialysis, probably for the rest of his life… that is, if he lived through it.

Dad is alive, although still in the hospital. However, since his triple bypass on January 19, he has also dealt with MRSA (a very resistant staph infection), pneumonia (and he still has pockets of fluid in his lungs), and a yeast infection in the urinary tract. He is gradually becoming accustomed to having 3 four-hour dialysis treatments a week. Because of pain and nausea in his stomach and abdomen, he has not been able to eat since his surgery. Therefore, this week they ran additional tests to try to determine the cause for his discomfort. Thus far, they have discovered that he has two hernias. We are still waiting for the results of an upper G.I. that was administered yesterday. Our most recent concern is whether his oncologist will come to Dad to administer the treatment for his prostate cancer, or if we must have him transported to another location. Moving him from place to place is a bit difficult because, although Dad is strong enough to stand for a short period time, he is too weak to walk more than just a few small steps. But, let us suffice it to say, it is a miracle from God that he is still alive today and, his recovery, if it is God’s will for him to recover, will be a slow and difficult task.

It has been a long, exhausting, and frightening roller coaster ride, not only for Dad, but also for my Mother, my two younger sisters and I. However, I can honestly say that, we all have felt absolutely surrounded by the love, support, and prayers of family, friends and prayer warriors from, literally, around the world!

I think the following example of that fact will be a blessing to you:

A couple of weeks ago, just as I was bringing my mother home from seeing Dad, my cell phone rang. On the phone was Raúl, one of my children from Honduras. Raúl and his mother had just called to encourage me and ask about my Dad and Mother. (Now Raúl is just one of the five little boys that Mom had sponsored for several years until all the Senior Citizen’s financial problems began.) When I told him that I was with my Mother, he became very excited and, even though he knew that she knew no Spanish, asked if he could talk to her. For a few minutes, they had the most precious conversation, with Raúl speaking in Spanish and Mother in English. He told her, in Spanish, that he wished he could see her and assured her that he, his family and the entire church was praying for her and Dad. She told him, in English, how thrilled she was to finally hear his voice… even if she could not understand what he was saying. She also said that she was sorry she could no longer send money to help with school supplies but promised him that she did continue to remember them all in herprayers. Finally she said, “I don’t know what else to say except… I love you so much!” About the same time, I heard this little voice coming over the phone in Spanish that said, “Te quiero, Abuelita” or “I love you, Grandmother”. The whole exchange between the two of them touched my heart beyond words. How amazing the love of God is when it is manifested in His children! Even if they have never met face to face, cannot understand each other’s words, God’s language of love transcends earthly verbal expressions and the bond of spiritual family is strong and true! And this is all because of Christ!

Well, I have just a couple of other tidbits of news.

1. If you have sent any emails to us then you need to understand that I have not had any time to go to the internet café since my Dad took ill, therefore I have not read any of them. I'm so sorry.

2. We have lost our former internet provider in Honduras and therefore Mike is not receiving emails either. He is in the process of trying to locate another reliable provider.

3. If you need to contact Mike in Honduras by phone, they have added another number to our previous phone number. From the U.S. you would now dial: 011-504-27-83-10-20.

4. I will be in the U.S. until sometime in May. I have begun some medical treatment that will
not be completed until then.

5. Mike will be coming to the States for a mission conference in March. He will stay a week or two before returning home so that he may have a little time visiting with family.

6. The last of July and first of August we have three ministry teams coming from the States. Please be in prayer as they prepare to come and we prepare for their coming.

One last thought. I recently was walking through a department store and saw a small wall plaque for sale. The gold lettering was beautifully done in graceful strokes on mirrored glass and it was framed in a dark rich wood. It would have been beautiful hanging in any home… yet it was the words of the plaque that caught my attention. It said something like,

“With God, all things are possible –
but not necessarily easy.”

And, you know... that is so true. Nowhere in God’s Word does He promise His children that He will make us “healthy, wealthy or wise”. Actually, He says just the opposite!

“Yea, and all that will live godly
in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” II Tim. 3:12

But He also says,

…”for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor
forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5

And also…

“God [is] our refuge and strength, a
very present help in trouble.” Psalms 46:1

How wonderful to know that when difficult things come our way (and they will!) and when life is not easy (and it won’t be!), our Heavenly Father is there! He is in control, and I can lean on Him and trust Him.

Thank you all for your prayers, your patience and your support.

God bless and Maranatha!

A Broken Shovel And An Old Used Purse.... FOR CHRISTMAS???

2010-12-21T22:48:00.004-06:00

Our two children are “long grown”. Our son, Brandon, turned thirty-four last month and our daughter, Kristy, will be thirty-seven in February. But if you were to ask either one to tell you about their favorite Christmas when they were growing up, they would both tell you about the very same Christmas… and strangely enough, that was the year that Brandon received a broken shovel and Kristy received an old purse from the Salvation Army store! Maybe I should explain.

That particular year was extremely difficult for us financially. I don’t remember why, because Mike and I have never been frivolous with our money. Nevertheless, for whatever reason, money was very tight that year and we were really struggling to make ends meet.

Sometimes it seemed that God would wait until the last possible moment to take care of a necessity, but during that time, just as always, He provided for our needs. We never missed a meal and we were usually able to pay the bills on time. But, we certainly never had any extra money!

As it got closer and closer to the holidays, I began to fret a bit. We were just not sure how we were going to provide Christmas for our children that year. I knew God would continue to provide for our “needs”… but I was not sure whether He considered Christmas presents for our children a real “need”.

Anyway, that year, Kristy was nearly twelve years old and Brandon had just turned nine. They were both old enough to understand that, sometimes, life is not always what we want it to be and we don’t always get what we want. They already understood that things were “tight” and we just did not have any extra money. So, when we explained the situation to them and told them that Christmas was going to be pretty meager, they took it with grace and acceptance. (You see, from the time that they had been old enough to understand, we had emphasized that, although it was fun to get presents at Christmas, the celebration is really all about Jesus Christ and His birth. Nevertheless, of course, kids ARE kids, and a preachers’ or missionaries’ children are no different from yours!)

We told them that we were all going to give each other a different type of gift that year. Each of us was going to think of something special that we could do as a gift for someone (like wash the dishes, rake leaves or make the bed for the other person for a week. etc.). They were to make a coupon or coupons, put them in a decorated envelope and put it under the tree. On the other hand, if they wanted, they could write out a promise (like “I promise you will never have to tell me to clean my room, or take out the trash, etc. because I will make sure it’s always done on time.”). They were told to think about it, pray about it and try to “give a gift” that the other person would really like.

Now, Kristy and Brandon understood this idea perfectly because we had given “birthday gifts” to Jesus in the same way. When they were very young, we helped them to think of something, wrote it for them, etc. When we had opened all our gifts and all that remained under the tree were our envelopes, it was a visual reminder that, even though we had given each other gifts, we were to remember that it was really Jesus’ special day and not ours. As they got older, we gave them the option of sharing what they had given Jesus or, if they had rather, they could just keep it between them and the Lord. (In addition, when they were small, I also made a birthday cake and we would light the candles and sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus.)

Nevertheless, even though we were going to do the same thing for each other this particular year, Mike and I wanted them to have something “fun” that they could open. In order for that to happen we had to be creative! We began praying and doing a lot of thinking. It was my job to come up with something for Kristy and Mike was to think of something for Brandon.

One day, as I walked down the toy aisle at the drug store, I saw a “life size” baby doll. It was a beautiful doll with the sweetest face, a soft cloth body and rubber legs, arms and head. In addition, it was only about $5.00! Well, as I paid for that doll at the counter, I just prayed that I would not be insulting my nearly twelve-year-old daughter by giving her a baby doll for Christmas. (Back then, children were not so afraid to be children!)

As I showed the doll to Mike, I explained to him that I had some scrap material and planned to make a little doll pillow and quilt. Also, since it was about the size of a real newborn, I was going to look for second hand baby clothes at the Salvation Army Store. He thought that was a good idea and said he would go with me. He hoped to find something for Brandon… or, at the very least, get some ideas for a gift.

Every Monday at the Salvation Army, everything was half price. I was so excited as I picked out little dresses, sleepers, booties, socks and a bonnet for that little doll and, if I remember correctly, the price was no more than a quarter for each item! Then, as I excitedly went to look for Mike with my “treasures”, I saw a blue “diaper bag” in which to put all the clothes. It was really just an old purse that had seen better days that was hanging on a rack with some other old purses … but it looked like a diaper bag to me!

When I found Mike, he was equally excited, for he had found an “Indiana Jones” hat and a bullwhip! Indiana Jones was all the rage at that time and every little boy’s hero. After paying probably less than $5.00 for everything, we went home. We were excited to know that, although it was not much, we had something “fun” to put under the tree for our children!

While I secretly began working on the doll’s pillow and quilt, Mike was working on his own project in the shed. Occasionally, I could hear the whine of some machine coming from that direction. Moreover, we were not the only ones being secretive. At times, I could hear the kids talking together, low and mysterious, behind closed doors.

One evening, Mike asked me to come out to the shed. He was finally going to show me what he had been making for our son. When we were sure that the children had not seen us sneaking out to the shed, he quietly closed the door and held up a spear that any native Indian would have been proud to own! Among his gardening tools, he had found an old shovel that was no longer of any use because the head had rusted and broken. Mike had ground the head down into a dull point. Somewhere he had found some scraps of leather and, using long strips of it, he had wrapped part of the handle as a handhold. Close to the spear’s head, he had then added some leather fringe and a feather. I remember watching him as he stood there before me, holding that spear. He had the same excited and hopeful grin that I had seen so many times on Brandon’s face when he would come running to show me something he had done of which he was especially proud. They were so much alike. I never said anything or showed it, but I remember feeling so close to tears and then, just as now, I am not sure if it was because I knew that Brandon was going to love his spear, or if it was because the look on Mike’s face reminded me so much of our son.

On Christmas Eve, as was our custom, we lovingly placed these small tokens of love under the tree for our children. As we did so, I noticed all the envelopes that we had thoughtfully written, decorated and placed under the tree. In addition, l was surprised to see that Mike and I also had a couple of small gifts from each of the children. Wherever did they get the money to get us a gift?

Christmas morning we awoke and, as was our custom, we took our Bibles and read about the very first Christmas and the very first Christmas “Gift” to man. Then, following another of our Christmas family traditions, I sang “Born to Die”, a song that never fails to humble me and bring me to tears as I sing of the amazing love that God has for sinful, ungrateful mankind. After our time of reflecting on the greatest Gift given to man, it was time for family gifts.

I wish I could say that I remember what was in each of the envelopes, but I cannot. What I do remember, is that I was nervous. As they opened their used and homemade gifts, I was searching each of the children’s faces for any sign of disappointment or dismay. Thankfully, I saw nary a shadow! They were just as thrilled and appreciative as if we had spent hundreds of dollars on them!

Then, acting almost shy with us, they took the small gifts they had carefully wrapped and placed under the tree and handed them to Mike and me to open. I think the priceless treasures that we found inside took us both by surprise. I call them “priceless treasures” not because of the monetary value, but because each of them had taken some little something of their own, something they cherished, wrapped them and given them to their Dad and I as a gift to us. Even today, that small act of selflessness on the part of two children, two children who had just received an "old used purse and a broken shovel" for Christmas, touches my heart as few things do.

There were other Christmases, before and after this particular one, where we were able to get them what had been on their “wish list”, years when we had spent probably more than we should have. I doubt that either one of them could name even one gift from those Christmases. I know that I cannot. So why is it that this particular Christmas is remembered above all others?

I have pondered that question many times through the years and I have come to this conclusion. I believe that on that Christmas, we came close to emulating the very first Christmas. I believe it is because, we did not just give something as a gift, we gave of ourselves... and we each “sacrificed” something for the other. And why would we do that? That I can answer in one word: “LOVE”!

Isn’t that what prompted the “first Christmas” nearly 2,000 years ago?

“For God SO LOVED the world, that He GAVE His only begotten SON, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” ~John 3:16

God Almighty limited and “imprisoned” Himself, first in the womb of a virgin and later, in a human body made of flesh, blood and bone. Why would He leave the realms of Heaven and subject Himself to these limitations along with the heartaches and pain of being a human being? Because He wanted to restore the relationship between God and man and the only way that could be accomplished, would be for Him to live a sinless life, allow Himself to be taken, nailed to a cross and killed, thus paying the price for MY sins… and for yours!

Why? Why would He go to such lengths? Once again, I can answer in one word: You guessed it! “LOVE”!

THAT, my friend, was the ONLY reason He came to earth... the ONLY reason He was born... the ONLY reason He died; Because He loves us with an EVERLASTING love! (Jeremiah 31:3)

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

No matter what anyone, any “religion", or any government may say… if CHRIST had not been born there would be no CHRISTmas! But, HE WAS BORN! He was born because He loves us! He was BORN… TO DIE!

The last line of the song by the same title, that song that I sing at Christmas, says:

“Jesus, baby Jesus, with a tear of love in your eye,

Oh, Jesus, dear Jesus, for me you were born to die!”

And, my friend, He died for YOU, too!

He truly IS the reason for the season… and may we NEVER forget it!

Here is our "little girl" today with
that old blue purse that I bought
at the Salvation Army Store
24 years ago.

In July of this year, while going through some things in storage, Mike found that old "purse/diaper bag" that Kristy received on that long ago Christmas. All of those little clothes that I had so carefully chosen were still inside. Even though, we knew that she had kept the doll, we did not realize that she had also kept the "diaper bag". A couple of months later, in September, we were able to visit Kristy and her family. As we were bringing our suitcases into the house, her daddy told her that he had something for her... and then handed handed her that old blue bag. As you can see, she was thrilled! She has since shared, not only the bag and the clothes with her own three daughters, but also the story of that very special Christmas.

Please! Just GET OUT OF THE SHIP!

2010-12-09T17:43:00.012-06:00

One of the first Bible stories that I remember being taught was the story of Jesus walking on the water (John 6:17-21). Of course, I thought that was a pretty impressive thing to do… and probably a lot fun, too! Hey! Don’t laugh! You think I actually believe that YOU never had the same kind of thoughts??? Because I was raised in church and taught the Bible from the time I was old enough to learn, I don’t really remember being that surprised that He could even do such a thing. After all, I knew that Jesus was not only God’s Son, He was God, one third of the Trinity, and of course, I already understood that...

GOD ALMIGHTY CAN DO ANYTHING HE WANTS!

However, while attending Sunday school as a little girl, I later heard another account of that Bible story taken from the passage in Matthew 14:22-33. As my teacher taught from that particular passage, the she told us basically some of same things that I had learned in earlier classes.

I already knew that the disciples had been told by Jesus that they were to get into a ship and cross the Sea of Galilee to the other side where He would later meet up with them in an appointed place. And, I also remembered that, when they reached about the middle of the sea, it was pretty rough going because of a sudden storm. I knew just enough of the story that it enabled me to quietly slip into “pretend mode”.

You remember what “pretend mode” is, don’t you? Sure you do! When you were child, it’s very likely that 80 to 90% of your time was spent in “pretend mode! A child in “pretend mode” is no longer just listening to a story… they begin to see themselves as a part of the story! They pretend they are in the story and, in their mind, they try to imagine what it would be like if they were in that place, at that time, with those people and in living in the middle of those particular circumstances. While in this “pretend world,” they practically “see” the colors, “feel” the weather, and share the passion of everyone’s emotion! In that bigger than life “pretend world”, where sometimes anything is possible, they think that they can even “hear” every word of every conversation! Now you remember what “pretend mode” is, right?

As my Sunday School teacher told the story then I, in my imaginative, child-like state of “pretend mode”, could clearly “see” all of the disciples on that little ship in the middle of a wild and angry sea! And... I could see that, on that particular night ….

…The night was so utterly black that it rendered them totally sightless. Their only respite from the frightening darkness was the random, unexpected and equally blinding moments when the lightening would suddenly stab at the pitch black curtain that fell all around them. But, even those momentary flashes of light were alarming because, in those few seconds of illumination, they could see the enormous, towering, walls of water that were in constant motion all around them. Furthermore, each flash was always followed by a terrifying, bone-jarring explosion of thunder. While the wind howled around them, the waves batted the little ship back and forth, like a kitten playing with a ball of yarn. Every few moments, an enormous wave would cover the helpless ship and, like some great malevolent hand trying to forcibly drown a bitter enemy, the mighty sea would momentarily plunge the little craft into its depths. But each time, the assaulted vessel would once again explode to the surface! It nearly seemed as if the little ship had a living pair of lungs that was desperately in need of air!

The sea water plastered the disciples’ clothes to their bodies and they shivered in the gusts of cold wind. Water dripped steadily from their hair and streamed down their faces. As they grappled with the ropes and sails, they frantically clutched at any handhold they could find just to prevent themselves from being washed overboard! Nevertheless, they continually slipped and fell on the wet and wildly pitching deck of the ship. It took all their strength and their combined skills as seasoned fishermen just to keep the ship afloat and prevent it from capsizing. The roar of the wind and the crashing of the waves were nearly deafening, and it was necessary to shout at one another just to be heard above the tumult. After only a couple of hours though, their throats were sore and their voices hoarse. They were all exhausted, and weary beyond imagination. And then, just when they felt all was lost, there was another brilliant flash of lightning and... they thought they saw something through the darkness, out in the middle of the tossing waves! It was something that seemed out of place. Something out of the ordinary!

But, not one of them said a word. Some thought that they were having hallucinations that were, perhaps, caused by the tremendous strain of their present ordeal. Others thought maybe it had something to do with the salt water that was stinging their weary, bloodshot eyes! However, another brief flicker of light revealed that there really WAS something…. Except… it looked more like... like... someONE!

“Oh, my goodness! Over there! L-L-L-Look!! ” shouted a disciple, pointing past the stern of the ship into the darkness beyond. “What… or… w-W-WHO… was that??"

"I saw it, t-too! It... l-l-looked like a s-s-s-spirit!" stammered another.

And then another disciple, with his eyes as big as saucers, shared his fearful thoughts with them, "I d-don't know! B-B-But, p-p-p-perhaps it's the d-d-d-death angel coming across the wa-wa-water to t-t-take us!"

See! I told you that I had a good imagination! Now, at this particular point in the story, I was thinking that they were probably so scared that, surely…

…They could nearly hear one another’s knees knocking together! And at one point, the youngest of the disciples noticed that his legs suddenly felt as weak as wet noodles and he was certain that he was going to pass out from fright!

Then suddenly, out of the darkness, they heard a familiar voice calling to them! The voice said,

“Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”

“Hey, guys! I think I just heard…? Oh…, never mind, that’s impossible!”

“No, wait! I’m was positive that was…., Uh…, Er…, Oh well, just forget I said anything!”

“Yeah! I bet I know what you were gonna say! I bet you were gonna say that that sounded a lot like Jesus’ voice. But, that’s crazy…! Isn’t it…?”

“Well… Of course, it’s crazy! How could it be Him? But…, You know…, it DID sound a whole lot like… “

Then simutaneously, they all grew silent because, just at that moment, the mist cleared and they saw someone (someone that certainly looked like Jesus) coming toward them… and… get this…, He was walking… on.. the water!

Up to now, the story in Matthew sounded pretty much the same as the account in John. But, as the teacher continued to read the Biblical account, I heard something that I had never heard before! And this one new detail caused the whole story to take an unexpected turn! And for me, this one little difference makes this account one of the most fascinating and intriguing Bible stories in God's entire Book!

Peter is standing there on the deck, blinking and trying to wipe the salt water from his face. He squints his eyes as he tries to peer more clearly through the darkness. And then suddenly, he calls out to the figure coming toward the ship, “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water!”

See! I wasn’t the only one who thought it sounded like fun!

Well, Jesus answers Peter with one word, “Come!” And the next thing they knew, Peter, apparently without any hesitation, and with his gaze firmly glued to the God-man that was steadily walking toward them across the water, slowly climbs down out of the ship and starts toward Jesus! And, yep! You got it! He, too, is walking on the water!

WOW! I can't even begin to imagine what that was like! Peter is just a plain ol’, ordinary, common, everyday, human-type person…just like me! And he’s walking on the water!!! I’ll tell you, I was really, and I do mean REALLY, impressed!

Now, even though that was such a high point in the story, I actually hate to tell you about the next part because, for me, it kind of went downhill. In fact, I was really a bit disappointed and upset with Peter. Just in case you are unfamiliar with the rest of the story, let me fill you in on what happened next:

Well, there’s Peter, walking across the surface of the water and thinking, “Hey! This is pretty fun! I mean, it’s really cool!” Peter quickly glances back at the ship and the disciples. They are all standing stock still, like they have been frozen solid in mid-motion. The only common element between them was that they stood there with their mouths gaping open. “Just look at them,” thought Peter, “I’m out here walking on the water and what are they doing? They’re just standing there in that bouncing ship with their mouths hanging open! In fact, now that I think about it, they really kind of look like a bunch of fishing bobbers!” It was at that moment that Peter decides to take his eyes off of Jesus just long enough to turn and wave at those poor suckers behind him. So, with that last thought, and a big cheesy grin on his face, he turns toward them. Just as he starts to raise his arm to wave at them, there is a tremendous gust of wind that nearly knocks him over and, at the same time, an unexpected swell of water splashes over the top of his sandals. Suddenly, Peter remembers that they are in the middle of a raging storm! He stops, looks around, and quickly takes notice that, in spite of the amazing things that he is doing, the waves are still rolling and tossing all around him and… they are just as enormous as ever!

Peter is immediately seized by fear! And then, unexpectedly, he begins to have a conversation with himself!

I know! I KNOW! And you’re right! This sounds pretty weird but, who knows, maybe Peter was in shock or something?

“What on earth am I doing!! I must be crazy!! How on earth could I even entertain the thought that I could ever walk on water? Why, I’m not even a very good swimmer! And I’m sure not Jesus… I’m just…. Peter! Plain ol’ Peter, a simple fisherman, an ordinary man!! And... Duh! Ordinary men can’t walk on water!!! And, just why can’t they, Peter? “Why?” WHY?? I’ll TELL you why! BECAUSE IT’S IMPOSSIBLE! THAT’S WHY, YOU BIG DUMMY!”

And, just at that moment, when Peter’s conversation with himself ended, he started to sink!

At first, Peter is thinking, “I’M GONNA DIE! RIGHT NOW, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT... RIGHT HERE, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA OF GALILEE... AND... IN THE STINKIN’ MIDDLE OF THIS STINKIN’ STORM!! YEP! THIS IS IT, ALRIGHT!! I’M... GONNA... DIE!!!”

And then, it hit him! He didn’t want to die, at least not right then, and certainly not in that way! And, all of a sudden, he knew what he had to do! There was only one Person who could help him, who could save him! So… in a panicky, high pitched, squeaky voice (kind of like a little girl’s!) Peter screams, “Lord! Save me!”

Immediately, Jesus calmly reached out, took him by the hand, and pulled him up out of the water. He looked at Peter, sighed, and then slowly shook His head. “Pete, you were doin’ so good! Then, you had to go and get all proud and too big for your britches! You just had to make sure the guys were watching you, huh? And, sure enough, when you looked back to make sure that everybody saw what "good ol’ Pete" was doing, you quit watching me! And as soon as you took your eyes off of me, you noticed the storm again… and, after you noticed the storm, you got scared and just couldn’t seem to get your focus back on me! Man, Pete! Sometimes, I just don’t get you! Didn’t you understand that the only reason you could walk on the water was because you had your eyes on me? You were able to do what no human being has ever done… or will ever do… ONLY because your focus was absolutely, completely and TOTALLY on ME! Why, Pete? Why did you have to start looking around? Why did you start doubting? You should have NEVER taken your eyes off of ME!”

Then, Jesus released a slow, deep sigh and, with sadness in His voice, He quietly said, “Well, come along, Pete. I guess we better get you back to the ship, then.” And, holding Peter’s hand, just like you would hold the hand of a frightened little boy, Jesus led him back to the ship and helped him into the boat.

Well, there you go. That’s exactly how it happened! Well, almost exactly! Okay! OKAY!! I guess you could say that that’s how it happened in the “gospel according to Debbie”! Oh, Al -RIGHT!! What I really mean is…, that’s how I PICTURED it happening… at least, when I was little! I told you I had a vivid imagination! (But I bet I was pretty close!)

Since that time, I’ve taught that story from the Bible to children and teens many times, and I’ve heard many sermons on it. Almost without exception, the point is brought out that Peter did great… until he took his eyes off the Lord. When he did that, he committed a major “boo boo”! And I agree, wholeheartedly! I know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that as long as Jesus is our focus, and as long as we trust Him, He will allow us to do things and overcome things that would, otherwise, seem absolutely “impossible”!

But unfortunately, like Peter, sometimes we become more concerned about whether or not anyone is noticing “just how wonderful we are”. Or.. we want to make sure that they can see “what amazing things we are doing for the Lord”. And, on occasion, we just desire for our peers to acknowledge “what a great ministry we have built”!

Then, there is the flip side of the coin. That is when we begin to focus on the storm. When all we can see is the storm, we become fearful and full of worry. We begin to think that there is no possible solution to our particular problem. And, if we are not careful, we will allow it to take over our life. That is when the difficult circumstances or the problematic people seem to consume our every thought, influence all our decisions, and dominate complete conversations. They begin to affect our attitude, our outlook, and sometimes, even our personality! And, if we are not careful, they will eventually destroy us.

My friend, if the storm has the center of our attention, then we will fail to see the Master of the storm... even if He is standing right in front of us, waiting for us to call out to Him! It is essential that we keep our eyes on the Lord and stay focused on the promises of His Word. Because it is then, and only then, that instead of being under the circumstances, we can stay on top and not sink into despair. This is a great lesson that each each of us needs to heed! However, I believe it is not the only lesson to be learned from this story.

Have you ever thought about the fact that, although Peter messed up a bit and got his eyes off the Lord, he is still the only human being that has ever walked on water!! No other human, living or dead, past, present or future has, or will, have that distinction!

Not even the famous magician, Chris Angel, who has performed the illusion of walking on the water!

*To see this illusion performed click here:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x12g7w_chris-angel_fun

*To see how this illusion was done click here:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2698952/criss_angels_walking_on_water_how_its_done/

And what can we say about the other disciples that were present during that story? Well…, Uh…, I really don’t know! What can we say? Let’s see... Well, I guess we could surmise that they were standing in the boat, thinking to themselves, “My, oh my! The stress must have been just too much for him! Poor old Pete has flipped his lid!” Or..., we might conclude that... the other disciples were just too chicken to ever try anything like that! Do you think it could be that they were content to just "sit back" and watch Peter “do his own thing”? Or perhaps, after really giving it some thought, we might deduce that the others obviously felt very safe and comfortable in the ship and just didn’t want to chance getting out! After all, it was Jesus who told them to get in the ship to begin with. (Matthew 14:22) So, accordingly, we could come to the conclusion that... maybe they were “just being obedient.”

But, you know? Even though he was rebuked by Jesus for doubting and losing his focus, I can’t help but believe that Jesus was very pleased and extremely proud of Peter! After all, he was the only one who had enough faith to get out of the boat! You see, Peter knew, that with Jesus, anything was possible! And remember, it was Jesus who told Peter to, “Come!”

So, while Peter was out strolling on the water with Jesus, the other disciples were…, well... all we really know for sure is, they were just “standing there in the ship, bobbing around in the water”! (and... probably... with their mouths hanging open!) Hmm, that doesn’t sound very dynamic or exciting, does it?

I wonder if maybe one or two of them were thinking, “MAN! Why couldn't I have been the one to try that?”

And so...
I believe that the other lesson we can learn from this story is this:
If you want God to use you to do something “fantastic” or seemingly “impossible”, if you really want to make a difference, both here and in eternity, and, if it is your sincere desire to do something great for God, then you’ve got to be willing to leave your “safety” and “comfort zone” and just “get out of the ship!” As a follower of Christ, you can not, and must not, be content with just “going with the flow” or “bobbing along” with everyone else! My friend, if Jesus calls you and tells you to “Come”, and if you obey His call, you may have do the very thing that seems, to the rest of the world, a bit “crazy, illogical or impossible”! And, I’m sorry to have to tell you, but nearly 100% of the time, that means that you will have to crawl out of a perfectly good, water-tight ship and lower yourself into the cold, wet, stormy sea!

Yes, it is true that it can be scary and, even downright dangerous at times. There might even come a time when you feel yourself sinking and think that you will possibly drown! But... Jesus is always right there; ready to hold out a hand to you when you call on Him! And the bottom line is, unless you get out of the ship, you will never know what it is like to “walk on water”!

If you are a Christian, a born again believer, there is an even higher reason, a purpose if you will, that Jesus even allowed you to “board His ship” to begin with. Furthermore, it is imperative that you understand this purpose, and that you fully comprehend the vital importance and sense of urgency that I feel when I say to you, that ...

...Jesus wants you to “get out of the ship”!

In fact, He’s begging you to

PLEASE! Just...

GET OUT OF THE SHIP!

The following video clip does a great job of illustrating the motive for this pressing and urgent plea!

WOULD YOU TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO WATCH IT?

IT COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE…

In fact…

IT COULD EVEN HELP YOU EFFECT THE CHANGE
OF SOMEONE ELSES LIFE …

…POSSIBLY…

EVEN SOMEONE YOU LOVE!

All This... AND HEAVEN, TOO!!!

2010-11-19T18:12:00.002-06:00

Since there are no trees in Honduras that change colors in the Fall, we had forgotten just how fantastic Autumn is in the U.S. As we made our 10,000 mile trip visiting our supporting churches, we were overwhelmed with the beauty! It was not unusual for us to pull to the side of the road to take pictures… sometimes of only one particularly breathtaking tree! I just wanted to share some of those pictures with you. Someone, once said, “Just think, we get all this… and Heaven too!”

Well, I can’t even begin to imagine how wonderful Heaven will be! So, turn on your speakers and enjoy the sights and sounds! God bless!

Photo album created with Smilebox

So... What’s Next?

2010-11-16T15:24:00.007-06:00

After more than 10,000 miles, 23 states, and 38 churches, we have made full circle and are once again back in Grand Prairie, Texas! Mike will now begin checking on the best way to ship a truck down to Honduras, and as soon as those arrangements are made, we, too, plan to head that way!

Last Tuesday, Mike saw his doctor and, once again, had his cancer checked. Within a couple of hours after arriving, we had received the good news! The sonogram and the MRI both attested to the fact that his cancer is shrinking once again and, since the last of July, it has gone from 14 x 15 mm to 6 x 8 mm and has minimal blood flow! So now we are free to go home and he will not need to be checked again for six months! And so, it was with great relief and thankful and excited hearts, we pulled out of the parking garage in New York City and immediately headed in the direction of Texas!

The very next night, we were in a church in Roanoke, Virginia, and by Thursday evening, we had passed through Memphis, Tennessee, and crossed the border into Mississippi before stopping for the night. Then, on Friday evening, after about eight hours of traveling, we arrived in Grand Prairie, very tired, but also very happy that we can now begin the arrangements to go home!

On Wednesday, while we were in Virginia, I received a text message from a dear friend, Cheryl Moore. We had met the Moore’s while attending language school in Costa Rica back in 1996. Before coming to Costa Rica, her husband, Greg, had served as a pastor in Mississippi for several years. It had been during a mission trip to Honduras that they had felt the call of God and surrendered to return as missionaries. Like us, they were in Costa Rica to learn Spanish. During that year, Cheryl and I shared several classes. And, because our lives had so many similarities, we felt a real bond with this family. In the course of that year, I babysat for them a few times and also fell in love with their five children. And later, while serving as missionaries in Honduras, our friendship deepened and continued to grow. Many times, when it was necessary to go to Tegucigalpa for some reason, we stayed with them in their home.

Greg and Cheryl Moore with their son,
Daniel. Greg has a minitry of teaching
pastors in nine different countries.

Greg and Cheryl faithfully served with Baptist Medical and Dental Missions for about eight years, working in and around the Tegucigalpa area. Then, I think it was around 2005, Greg felt led to begin his own ministry of training pastors. They left Honduras, moved back to the States, and Mississippi became their base of operations for this new phase of their ministry. Now, Greg travels extensively, training pastors in nine different countries!

When they left Honduras, we felt a great loss, and although we tried to stay in contact with one another as much as possible, we had not seen each other for many years. However, this past Thursday night while passing through Mississippi, we met them at a restaurant close to the hotel where we were staying. What a joy it was to see them and two of their children! Both of the boys, Timothy and Daniel, are now grown men, handsome as ever and proudly serving in the armed forces. Daniel, the elder of the two, is also the father of two precious little girls. (Please, remember to hold him up in prayer, for in January, he will once again deploy to Iraq.) We found out that their oldest daughter, Hillary, is getting married this week and moving to Japan, and Caitlin and Stephanie are both in college. Although the girls couldn’t make it, Cheryl had pictures of them all. It was hard to believe that the three beautiful young women in the photos were the same three little girls that I had babysat 14 years earlier!!

Seeing the Moore’s would have been a tremendous blessing, in itself. But, when you add to this the prior and numerous “providential” visits that we have had on this trip with other “long lost” relatives and friends, it’s easy to see that, it has obviously been one of those “God things” all along! For example, a month earlier, God made it possible for us to visit with another sweet couple with whom we had lost contact since our language school days!

For those who have never tried to do so, you need to understand that learning to speak a new language (especially if you are past your teenage years and closer to middle age!) can, in itself, be very stressful. However, let us factor a few other elements into that equation. Let’s say you are also: 1.)living in a foreign country, 2.) living in a new culture, 3.) living among people who think and act differently than what you are accustomed, 4.) living in a place where much of the food, including the fruits and vegetables, are new and strange, 5.) must now take a bus, a taxi, or walk wherever you go because you no longer have a car, 6.) reduced to feeling like a toddler in an adult body as you, once again, try to learn the words for simple commands and body parts, 7.) are totally surrounded by people who speak a language which you don’t yet understand! Now, when you put all of these elements together, the whole process can be VERY daunting, frustrating and nerve-racking. And this was our situation! It was quite some time before we could even go into a store by ourselves and ask for a pack of gum! (I have often said that, for me, it would have been easier to have given birth to three sets of twins... ALL in ONE YEAR... than to learning to speak Spanish!). So, while in Costa Rica learning Spanish, when time permitted, it was a real “tension breaker” to get together with friends, forget about Spanish for a while, and just have some fun.

Jim and Melissa Roe with their
two beautiful daughters,
Jerusha and Kimmy.
The Roe's love and ministry is
among the people of Cuba.

Probably, of all the wonderful people we met during that year (and we did meet some really wonderful people!), we spent more time with one particular couple than all the others. Jim and Melissa Roe was a young couple that had come from First Baptist Church in Milford, Ohio. They were always such fun and we so enjoyed getting together with them, simply relaxing, laughing and enjoying each other’s company! But, after graduation from language school, we eventually lost track of them, too. However, last month, while we were in Ohio, we were able to contact them and spend a couple of hours together. Even though they had no children when we were studying Spanish, they now have two beautiful little girls, Jerusha and Kimmy, whom they have adopted. Since graduation from language school, they have faithfully been serving the Lord, traveling back and forth to Cuba. They have a wonderful ministry among the Cuban people, not only reaching the lost, but also discipling and training those new believers in Christ!

As I am typing this, I realize that, even though my body is tired and I am anxious to get home, I am also a bit sad that our journey is over and this chapter of our adventure is coming to a close. Every day of this trip, there was probably a story I could have shared with you, and perhaps, should have shared! Stories about the places we’ve been, the things we’ve seen, and the people with whom we have come in contact!

I could have told you more about this great land that we have traveled and its amazing beauty, how it has thrilled and awed us at every bend in the road. I wish I had tried to convey to you the towering splendor of Mt. Rainer and the magnificent beauty of the rugged peaks of the Grand Tetons Mountains. And, as we crossed the desert in a nice air-conditioned car on our way to visit a church in Las Vegas, I should have shared with you the overwhelming impression of hopeless desperation that slowly crept over me as I looked out over that hot, empty desert and I tried to imagine what it would have been like to make that long, monotonous, mind-numbing journey in a slow covered wagon with no way to escape the scorching heat and choking dust. I wish I had talked more about that awesome spectacle that is called the Grand Canyon, with its breathtaking beauty and ever changing colors; and, how its sheer, incalculable proportions have the power to make you aware of just how small and insignificant you really are. Why didn’t I take a moment to relate to you the amazing endurance story of the monumental Sequoia trees and their history of survival? I wish, now, that I had shared with you the tremendous lessons we learned from these massive trees as we read about them; things that, if incorporated into our own lives, could help us in our daily struggle as Christians. And then, there were the times when Mike and I were absolutely speechless at the inexpressible beauty of the fall leaves with their indescribable colors, colors so brilliant and beautiful that they cannot be duplicated by any artist on a paint palette. But, although I’m sure I would have failed, I should have tried to put it into words and shared it with you.

Neither could I tell you about everyone with whom we came in contact who has meant so much to us. There were just not enough hours in a day to recognize each relative, each friend, and each and every dear Christian that generously and unselfishly gave a gift or shared a meal, shared their home, their heart, or their resources. Nevertheless, I should have tried to communicate more about how each and every one of them has blessed us, and continue to bless us, and how they have touched our hearts. I wonder, if I had tried, could I have made them, and you, aware of the fact that, because of their love and generosity, their lives have become intertwined in the fabric of our own, and now, they have become a part of us, part of who and what we are.

I should have passed on to you, that we have learned that each church and every pastor has had their own unique experiences. If they were free to share those with us, from each one we would gain some valuable spiritual insights that could help us in our Christian walk. At some point, they have ALL, without exception, gone through terrible struggles and deep sorrows. Each one has been subjected to low times and high times, battles and blessings, times of defeat and times of victory. They have all felt the sting of Satan’s onslaughts and the cruelty of wagging, lying tongues. Yet, they have also experienced the indwelling and enabling power of God Almighty. We have seen a few (very few) that have wearied to the point that they have fallen by the wayside. Nevertheless, there are others who, though they may have stumbled and fell, allowed the Lord to pick them up and carry them until they were strong enough to walk again. There are SO MANY great pastors who, along with their faithful wives, have stood firm on God’s Word and continued to faithfully follow Him year after year. It is on the faces of those champions for the King, that you can see an inner “peace that passeth all understanding” and, it is in their eyes that you will see that twinkle of “joy unspeakable and full of glory” that only the Lord can give! It is not often, but occasionally, we have seen those that have become bitter but, praise the Lord, most have become better and stronger, more determined! More than any other time in our lives, Mike and I are aware of how blessed we really are to have known, and called our friends, so many of these truly great men of God.

As I said, I am thrilled that Mike is doing well and overjoyed that we can now go home. However, this 10,000 mile journey has been quite an adventure, and now that is drawing to a close, I actually feel a bit melancholy.

“So”, you may ask, “what’s next?”

My reply: “Only the Lord knows. But I can tell you this… Whatever it is,

it WON'T be boring! Serving the Lord NEVER is!”

Maranatha!

BELOW ARE JUST A FEW OF OUR CHRISTIAN FRIENDS AND HEROES:

PASTOR ROY MAPLE and wife, LANA
are true heroes of the faith and tremendous
examples, not only to Mike and I but,
to anyone who needs someone
to whom they can look for guidance!
Standing true to the Word of God,
they have faithfully served in
Lancaster, Ohio, for many years!

BRO. OSCAR PERRY and BETTY,
his his dear wife, have been long
time friends. They are both great
models of unselfish service and
dedication to the King of Kings. Even

after retirement, they willingly serve

the Lord in whatever function

they are asked or needed.

We dearly love this precious couple!

TERRY ARTHUR

is a dear friend and former

missionary to Honduras. In spite of
many trials and heartaches in her
life, Terry remains a beautiful example

of godly strength and beauty!

SHARON AND JIMMY WINTERS
are long time friends that we met
before we were married. While
Bible College students they attended
our church in Grand Prairie, TX. They
both have beautiful singing voices
that they have never ceased to use
for the Lord. Bro. Jimmy has been the
minister of music in Grace Baptist of
Middletown, Ohio, for MANY years!
Love you two!

LYNN AND SARA GORDON
are former members of our church
in Tacoma, WA. They have continued
to serve the Lord faithfully in
Middletown, Ohio. Lynn is seeking a
church to pastor and has a "pioneer"
ministry in one of the local hospitals.
We're proud to call them our friends!

MASSILLON BAPTIST COLLEGE
(This is where our son and daughter-in-law went to college.)

While at Massilon Baptist Church in Massillon, Ohio,
we met a few of the students that are attending their Bible college.
Mike spoke in their chapel service and also during one of their evening devotional times.
For me, these young people are also heroes, for they have surrenderd
to serve the Lord as pastors and missionaries and are training to that end.
They are our future spiritual leaders and the ones to whom we shall pass the torch someday.
HANG IN THERE, DEAR YOUNG PEOPLE, AND FINISH YOUR COURSE!
WE'RE PRAYING FOR YOU!
WE NEED YOU!

9,000 Miles to Get to The Doctor???

2010-11-09T22:51:00.013-06:00

Yep, that’s right! We left Texas in August to drive Mike to his doctor’s appointment! Well, three months and a little over 9,000 miles later, we made it to his doctor’s office! Yes, it’s true!! You’ve heard of people taking a “short cut” to get somewhere? Well, I guess you could say we took a “long cut”! Here’s what happened:

Last August (that was three months ago!), we left my parent’s home in Grand Prairie, Texas, to go to see Mike’s doctor for another cancer scan and an MRI. Well, we have a GPS, but …. Well,... you know how some men are! No one (or no "thing", like a GPS) can tell them anything! THEY KNOW IT ALL - AND THEY’RE NEVER WRONG! Also, some men will wander around forever, rather than stop and ask directions! Well…. My husband REALLY takes it to the extreme!!!! And sooooo ... Three months and 9,000 miles later, we finally arrived!!!

NOT!!!

(The “three months” and “9,000 miles” thing is true. Just the reason it took so long is not!)

Most of you know that last July we returned to the States for Mike to have his check up on his cancer. Unfortunately, one of the tumors had grown from 3 x 4 mm to 14 x 15 mm during the six months we were in Honduras. Because of the rapid growth, the doctor wanted to see him again in three months, instead of the usual six. Therefore, since we couldn't afford to fly to and from Honduras every three months, we’ve slowly been making our way to New York City for Mike’s appointment with Dr. Robert Bard. Along the way, we’ve been visiting some of our supporting churches and giving them an update on the ministry in Honduras. We just felt that this would be the best use of our time here. And, it’s been a wonderfully blessed and encouraging journey! Even got to visit with our kids and grandkids a bit!

But, TODAY was the day of Mike’s appointment. It took maybe 15 minutes for the doctor to do the scan, and then he called us into his office. When we walked in and sat down, he had the pictures of the current scan and the scan from July on his computer screen. “I see great improvement! Your tumor has gone from 14 x 15 mm down to 6 x 8 mm and the blood flow is minimal!” He also said that, although he wanted Mike to go ahead and get an MRI before he left, he wouldn’t need to check him again for another six months! What a relief! We felt that he was probably doing better because some of his symptoms had lessened… but we were afraid to “count our chickens before they were hatched” because you just never know exactly what God has planned.

So, want to know how we celebrated???

We left the doctor’s office, went to the parking garage across the street, paid our $48 parking fee for the two hours we were there (and... no! I’m NOT kidding this time!), got in the car and started for Texas! The sooner we get to Texas and complete our preparations to leave, the sooner we go back home! (We’ve got to figure out the cheapest way to ship a Ford 450 flatbed truck to Honduras. Got any ideas?)

We want to thank everyone who has been so faithful to pray for Mike! You will NEVER know how much we appreciate and love each of you!

Please continue to remember us in your prayers! God bless!

Just KEEP ON PEDDLING!

2010-11-08T04:01:00.006-06:00

My husband and I have been serving the Lord now for many years. We have both worked in various areas of the ministry, from janitor, bus driver, nursery worker, student convention nurse and banquet speaker. For five years, we served as youth directors, and then for fourteen years my husband was a pastor. Furthermore, during the time I was carrying out my duties as a pastor's wife, I also worked as a teacher and the Head Supervisor for our Christian School, as well as the administrator and billing accountant. And presently, we are completing our sixteenth year as missionaries to Honduras. If you like, you may add to that, forty years of teaching Sunday School, which I began right after graduation from high school in 1970, and have continued to this present day.

While our 38 years of full time ministry have, for us, been busy, exciting, rewarding and full of blessings, I would be less than honest if I did not tell you that we have also experienced our share of difficulties and heartaches. However, no difficulty in our past would begin to compare with the situation with which we have been dealing for the last two years, and the nagging uneasiness and underlying concern that has accompanied it.

These children, many of whom live
in homes with no electricity or indoor
plumbing, gave their pennies for
months to help send Bibles to Africa.
The sign they are holding says,
BIBLES FOR AFRICA
from the children of Honduras

The year 2007 had been a spectacular one, full of God’s blessings. During that year, we had two mission teams from the States come to Honduras. They were both such tremendous blessings to our people and to us personally. And I believe they received a blessing, too, and developed a new depth to their burden for missions. Also, Youth and Family Camp and our very first Vacation Bible School were well attended and everyone had great fun! But more importantly, during those two weeks, we saw many make life changing decisions for the Lord. We were overjoyed when, after many years of working in the mountain communities among the Lenca, we saw their hearts begin to soften and open toward the Gospel. Finally, we were seeing Satan’s strongholds among this forgotten people group beginning to crumble! And at the same time, in our main church in La Esperanza, many of our people, including the teens and children, were developing a real heart for missions and a burden for the lost! Between the months of January and July, we saw many decisions made and over a hundred souls come to Christ!

Later, in August of that same year, Mike went to Zambia, Africa, with our son, Brandon, and the pastor of the church where we ministered for 14 years. They began a month long crusade of witnessing, training pastors, preaching in bush churches and ultimately, speaking in a conference with a crowd of over 8,000 people. In that one month’s time, they saw over 1,200 of the African people come to know Christ as their Savior. Then, just before their departure, they had the privilege of baptizing over 120 of those believers! Mike and the team came home with the glow of Heaven about them.

Two days after Mike’s arrival back in the States, we were on the road, visiting our supporting churches and sharing what God had been doing in our lives and ministry. We felt the Lord’s presence everywhere we went and saw Him at work in every church we were privileged to be in. And, it was while visiting with our supporting churches in Alaska, we received a phone call telling us of God’s answer to a major prayer request.

For several months, we had been praying that God would help us find a better, more powerful vehicle to use in Honduras. We definitely needed God’s help with this because we knew that our need far exceeded our pocketbook! Although we weren’t exactly sure how God was going to answer this prayer, we had no doubt that, somehow, God would supply this need, just as He had always done.

A Christian businessman and his wife
donated this Ford 350 truck
to the ministry in Honduras.

However, you cannot imagine our surprise when we received a phone call telling us that someone was going to GIVE us, not one, but TWO vehicles... FREE OF CHARGE!!! One was a four-door, Ford 350, diesel. A truck with that kind of power was exactly what we needed to travel the difficult, steep mountain roads each Sunday! AND…we were also to receive, a Ford 450, flatbed truck for hauling building supplies and Mike’s well digging equipment!! We were speechless in the face of God’s miraculous provision and the generosity of His children! That year, it just seemed that every time we turned around, God kept out doing His previous blessings with something greater and even more magnificent!!!

By the end of December, we were preparing to go back to Honduras. We were missing our people terribly and “chomping at the bit” to get home and back to work. The airplane tickets were bought, and the packing was coming together nicely. All that remained was to get our routine medical checkup and then, we were heading home! But, little did we know, that at the pinnacle of our “high and dizzying mountain-top experience”, there was a roller coaster car just waiting to carry us down the other side at an alarming, heart-stopping speed and then, on to the most twisted and terrifying ride of our lives!

It was a couple of weeks later, in January of 2008, that the doctor called and told Mike he had prostate cancer. It was at that moment that, our lives, our plans, our ministry… EVERYTHING changed! It was as if we had encountered a big detour sign… and we had no idea where it was leading us… nor did we know just how many would be arriving when we got to the end of our journey.

I will admit that, after we got the news, it took a couple of weeks for me to get my “balance” and “get my feet back under me”. At first, all I could see looming in front of us, was the terrifying word “CANCER,” along with the overwhelming and numbing fear that that word carries. But gradually, I was able to think clearly again, and to put everything back into perspective. The same God Who had blessed us immeasurably, had saved so many souls, opened the doors so that we might reach the Lenca, and supplied us with TWO FREE TRUCKS…. THAT SAME GOD was still in control! He had a plan, and He was entrusting Mike and I with the job of helping to carry out and complete this divine plan of His! Besides, what was the worst thing that could happen??? Uhh, let's see... Mike would go to Heaven... and I....well,... I would have to lean entirely on the Heavenly Father for everything??? (Hmmm… Wouldn't be my first choice, but... I can sure think of a worse case scenario! In fact, I can think of several!)

But, just like being on a roller coaster, although the ride is a bit scary and uncertain at times, it is also exciting, exhilarating, and a real adventure! Well, that is exactly how the last two years have been for us! And, the ride is not over yet! While I still have no idea where the tracks are taking us, I am truly learning to “go with the flow” and enjoy the ride along the way!

Now, as some of you know, we returned to the States in July of this year for Mike to have his six month checkup. When the doctor told us that he would need to see Mike again in three months instead of six, we decided that God must have wanted us to go ahead and stay stateside and make some long overdue visits to some of our supporting churches.

So, around mid August we left Texas. In the three months since then, we have traveled more than 8,500 miles and been in around 36 churches. Every single step of the way, we have seen God’s hand leading us! And at every twist and turn, we have been able to catch a glimpse of the reason why God wanted us in THAT particular place, at THAT particular time!

While on this journey, we have been blessed and encouraged by the kindness and generosity of so many of God’s people! However, we have also met a great number of hurting people. Many have gone through, or are presently going through, some extremely difficult circumstances. I believe that God has brought us together with these wounded and hurting individuals so that we might, not only be a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on for a time, but also, to do our best to encourage them, give them hope and lift them up in prayer. ( And, I might add, that we are still praying for them daily!)

In nearly every church we have visited, at least one person (but usually more) will ask me how we are doing… how are we handling things. The regularity of these questions reminded me of something that happened last year.

It was in February of 2009, and we were still in Del Rio, TX, at the Cancer Clinic. Mike was close to being finished with his cancer treatment and being released. We were so excited! We could, at long last, began making plans to go home! Then, one afternoon, Mike’s heart began beating unbelievably fast and very irregular. Finally, we got in the car and I drove him to the emergency room. That was followed by a night’s stay in the hospital and, the next morning, he was released. However, later that same day, we repeated the whole scenario! The only difference was, that this time, Mike ended up spending nearly a week in ICU while they monitored him and tried to determine what was causing his problem. So, now there was cancer AND a heart problem to deal with, plus... our trip home to Honduras was, once again, put on hold.

Three months later, in April, we were at the cardiologist’s office once again. The doctor was running some routine tests to make sure it was safe for Mike to return to Honduras. It was on this occasion, several people began to question me on how come we seemed to be handling set back, after set back and disappointment, after disappointment so well.

Well, below is a reprint of an update that I sent out during that time, addressing that very question. I pray that this little story will be as much of a help you as it has been for me.

Once upon a time, Jesus and a woman were going down the road on a bicycle built for two. The woman was in the front and Jesus was peddling along behind. It had been a pleasant trip, with smooth and easy routes and lots of beautiful things to see along the way. After a while, Jesus asked if He might sit up front and take the lead. "Sure!" the woman said, "I would like that." So, they traded seats and started down the road once again.

Well, even though she had a quite a bit of trouble seeing around His tall frame and broad shoulders, it was nice to have Someone else choose the route for a change. Things went quite well for a while, but then, the woman began to notice that she was having to peddle harder and, not only that, her leg muscles were really beginning to ache! "We sure are going up a steep incline. I wonder why He chose to take me this way? I would never have chosen such a difficult route!" Although she thought this, she said nothing.

They continued on at length and then, she noticed that they were turning off of the well traveled, paved road. "Now why are we goin this direction?" she thought. "It's obvious that very few ever travel this road... IF you can really call this narrow trail a "road!" They were making their way up a very narrow dirt road, one that was full of rocks, deep ruts and pot holes. She was being bumped and jostled with every turn of the wheels, and the strain on her muscles seemed nearly unbearable. She kept trying to see where they were headed, but it was useless, and she got no clues from the little bit of passing scenery that she could see. Finally, when she thought she could not stand it another minute, she spoke up. "This road is very steep and really rough!"

"Yes, it is a difficult road to travel," Jesus said, "But, you trust me, don't you?"

"Well, of course, I trust you," she answered breathlessly, and was that, perhaps, a slight edge of irritation He heard in her voice? She continued to huff and puff along, with sweat running down her face and her leg muscles crying out for relief.

They, very slowly and with much difficulty, continued up the steep and rocky trail for several more minutes. Then she spoke again, "But, If you don't mind me asking, are you sure you know where we're going? This way is hard and I really don't like this road very much! Besides, I'm tired, my legs hurt and, actually, I'm not having fun anymore. On top of everything else, I especially don't like it when I can't see what's ahead!"

"I know," Jesus answered, "but, you said that you trusted me. I can clearly see the way ahead, and I know exactly where we're going... so there's nothing to worry about.

You just trust me and KEEP ON PEDDLING!"

Many of you have asked how Mike's cancer is doing. Well, we are asking for your prayers, because his next scan is scheduled for November 9. That's this Tuesday. We "feel" that he is doing better because some of the symptoms and problems he was having at the time of his last checkup in July have lessened considerably. Also, his PSA is slowly (very slowly) going down. In addition to the 3-D, color doppler sonogram that Dr. Bard will do, Mike is also scheduled for an MRI. So in answer to your question... we should know exactly how he's doing by the time we leave the doctor's office on Tuesday.

Of course, we have been praying for complete healing... but we have also been praying that the Lord would have His perfect will in our lives. We learned a long time ago that, it's Not about Us! We are not here to build our kingdom... but HIS! It's ALL about Him!! We must remember, we are just tools in His hands... and, have you ever heard of "tools" telling the "hands" what to do???

If Mike gets a good report, we will PRAISE THE LORD and begin to make our plans to return home! We miss our sweet people... and, according to the calls we get from home, they miss us too. And even though the work is going on, we are still needed back in Honduras.

And... what if he doesn't get a good report? Well... we will still PRAISE THE LORD! You see, so many prayers have gone up for Mike that, no matter what happens, there can be no doubt that it is God's perfect will for our lives! And how on earth can you argue with that????

After 46 years as a Christian ,and 36 years in the ministry, I hope and pray that we have finally learned to stay focused on Him, and not on whatever difficulties we may be facing at the time. I have learned that I can safely trust in my Father's leading. And, I have also learned that, if it is in His will, He can, and will, safely carry us through any (and I DO mean ANY!) situation!

So, Dear Reader, if you are going through a difficult or painful situation or, as the little story above intimated, a "rough or steep stretch of road on the highway of life", this is my advice to you:

No matter who you are, no matter your status or situation, whether you are rich/poor, smart/illiterate, Jew/Gentile, healthy/ill, believer/non-believer, American/or not, life's "road", at best, is a continual uphill struggle, strewn with obstacles, detours, pitfalls and danger! And without Jesus Christ to guide and help you, whether you realize it or not, you are lost, and alone on a very difficult and dangerous journey that will, ultimately, end in your destruction! Furthermore, my friend, unless you accept Jesus as your personal Savior, you will always be alone, with no one to help you, and no one to show you the way! Why anyone would choose to "go it" alone, when they have a Heavenly Father that loves them and is ready and waiting to help them, is beyond me!!!

(For more information, please click the tab above entitled "How You Can KNOW You Are Going To Heaven!")

If you are a Christian... if you truly do trust Him, then, when things get rough (and they will!), just hang in there! You stand strong! No matter what others around you may do or say, don't you give up... and don't give in!

I GUARANTEE (and what's more, GOD guarantees!) that when we reach our destination,

the view from the top WILL be worth it all!

So, God bless until next time. And remember…

JUST TRUST HIM AND KEEP PEDDLING!!!!

Government 101 - FOR CHRISTIANS!

2010-10-31T16:10:00.001-05:00

Next year I will be 60 years old. I know! I KNOW! You younger ones are thinking, “Man! She’s ancient! I wonder if she knew Noah!” And those of you who are my seniors are thinking, “Oh, honey! That’s not so very old! You’ve got a way to go, yet!” To both of you, I say, “Well, you’re right! This old gray mare sure ain’t what she used to be, but hopefully, she ain’t what she’s gonna be in twenty years either!”

The point that I wanted to make though, is that although a number of things are still very similar to how they were 40 to 50 years ago, others are totally different! Through the years, in somethings (especially in the field of technology), we have made great strides, and we can readily see the tremendous improvements from their past counterparts. However, in other areas, not all the changes have been good. In fact, some are truly ghastly, shocking, and others are downright appalling!

I have heard it said that the word “change” is synonymous with “progress”. George Bernard Shaw said that, “Progress is impossible without change.” And Canadian psychotherapist and writer Nathaniel Branden said, “The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.”

The meaning of the word “awareness” is: “to have knowledge or understanding of a problem or situation”. However, along with awareness, we must also have discernment. Discernment is needed, not only to determine the reason why change is needed, but also, so that we might take into account the far reaching results of anything we do affect that change.

While I agree it is important to welcome change that leads to progress, it is essential that we fight against any change that may retard our growth and development as individuals or as a nation, or one that would lead us away from the unchangeable, unalterable laws and principles of the Word of God. As Christians, we should NEVER lend our support to ANY change, no matter how popular it is, if it is not in harmony with God’s Word. This principle is to be applied to every aspect of our lives. This would include any changes we might make that would influence or affect our laws, our government, and those whom we choose to be in leadership.

There are many, today, who say that they are God’s children and that they not only believe the Bible, but also live by its unchanging words. But sadly, I have observed that instead of standing firm and unapologetically upon the principles of God's Word, more and more are becoming chameleons, trying to blend into the background and fit into the environment of the world around them. Some of these same people have attempted to explain their position to me. They tell me that Christians (especially Baptists) are too different from the "norm", and that our “straight laced” and “unbending” doctrine turns people off. They are convinced that, to reach the lost, we must change our ways and learn to compromise. We just need to “loosen up” and try to “fit in”! (By the way, that “unbending doctrine” that they talk about is taken out of God’s unchanging Word!)

Now I consider myself a flexible person. As a missionary who lives in a third world country, I have to be flexible! If you are rigid and unbending in your cultural beliefs and habits, if you cannot adapt to their language and ways, you will not only be miserable and unhappy, you will be ineffective in reaching people for Christ. However, when it comes to Biblical principles and truths, "flexible" is not a viable word. God, Himself, put His rules in His Book and I, as a finite human being, am not at liberty to change them… no matter where I live!

Let me give you this example: Let's pretend that I had been sent to try to reach a certain remote tribe for Christ. Now this tribe lived deep in the jungle, and it was a well know fact that these people ran around naked, wore bones in both their ears and one through their nose, styled their hair with the excrement of monkeys and, worst of all, they were cannibals. I do not think that to reach them, God would have me take off all my clothes, stick bones in my ears and nose, rub monkey feces in my hair, and then, while we all sit around the campfire eating a leisurely meal of nachos made from my neighbor's children I begin to tell them about Jesus! Adopting their ungodly ways so that I might blend in and be "less offensive" would not be the way to reach them for Christ. But rather, being a living, uncompromising, loving example of God's Word and His precepts would be, in my opinion, a more effective way to reach them. I would instead, seek to show them by my attitude and lifestyle, the difference that only accepting Jesus and His teachings can make. You see, God’s Word teaches us that it is NEVER right to do wrong to accomplish right!

Now, I realize that many disagree with my views, and those who believe as I do seem to be in the minority. I also know that many will consider me an unbending, old fashioned, religious “dinosaur”. Well, that’s okay with me, because everyone has a right to their own opinion. And there is one more thing I should tell you. When I hear some of those same people chuckling and making fun of those who still "wear a tie" to church and are still trying to do the old "Baptist thing”, or I see them shaking their heads, clucking their tongues and calling us “legalistic stick in the muds”, it bothers me not in the least.

`I will say, that although I disagree with some of their practices, most of those pastors (at least the ones I know) are still doctrinally sound and are interesting speakers. But more and more, we see that these pastors eventually tend to preach a more "socially acceptable gospel" and begin neglecting to address sin and uncomfortable issues such as the doctrine of hell, the of homosexuality, abortion, premarital sex and adultery, dishonesty, modesty, lying, drunkenness, etc. For this reason, I believe they are sending a mixed message to their congregations… a message that says, “God loves you and wants to save you. Accept Him as your Savior. After that, you needn't change a thing because it doesn’t really matter to God how you live. We serve a wonderful God of love Who, after all, looks at our heart and not the outward appearance." That message is partially true. We DO serve a God of love who looks upon our heart. However, He is also a holy God and a righteous Judge, and He will hold us accountable for how we live and the choices we make. I have observed that many that come from those types of ministries, tend to live their lives as if being a Christian is nothing more than a game – something that you can put on or take off, depending on the circumstances, like a handy little “hat” or a game of “pretend”. They put it on when they, or someone they love is gravely ill and they are in need of a Divine Physician. Or, if they are faced with some serious problem over which they have no control, they suddenly remember God and turn to Him. You may be sure that they can and will quickly get their “Christian hat” on when they see the pastor knocking at their door. And on the Sundays when they do go to church, without a doubt they will be standing straight and tall, singing loudly and freely moving to the music’s beat, and there, bouncing up and down on their head, you will see that little “hat”, all dusted, polished, and tilted stylishly just so. And I am confident that, if you listen, you will hear some “praise the Lords” and “Amens” for good measure! (You see, it’s important to understand the language and know when and how to use it!)

But unfortunately, when they are around their unbelieving buddies at school or on the job, most will make sure that their bothersome little “Christian hat” is hidden far back in the darkest corner of their “junk closet”… but not so far back that they cannot grab it, dust it off and quickly put it on again the next time it’s needed.

You would think that a guilty person, who had been spared the death penalty and eternity in Hell, would have a tremendous appreciation and an undying love and loyalty toward the One who took their place. Jesus, God's own Son, was the Innocent One who exchanged His eternal robe of holy deity for the stained and filthy robe of mortal humanity and limited Himself to the frailties of man. Then, on the cross of Calvary, He willingly paid the blood price for our sin and died in our place!

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:8

But instead, many think little of the fact that they have been forgiven and redeemed and no longer need to fear death and Hell. Instead of approaching God the Father thankfully and reverently, as a blood-bought, dearly beloved child of the King, too many are inclined to treat Him more like their “sugar daddy”. Just like a spoiled child, they go to Him only if they want or need something, and they whine and complain if He asks something of them. Then, the remainder of the time, they ignore Him and His Word, living and doing exactly what they please, either oblivious or unconcerned that they are breaking the Father’s heart.

According to God’s Word, being a Christian is not just a “title”. It is a way of life! True believers are to live their lives according to His Word. Romans 12:1-2 tells us that God wants His children to be different. Those verses are very clear. They say,

“I beseech you (or beg you) therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. And be not **conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

In Titus 2:13-14, God also tells us that we are to be a peculiar people. Before you read these verses, you need to understand that the word “peculiar” means more than just “wierd" or "different”. If you look it up, you will discover that it also means “out of the ordinary, nonconforming, or uncommon”. Now, look at these verses from God’s Word.

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a *peculiar people, *(**nonconforming, out of the ordinary, uncommon) zealous of good works.”

And why does He want us to be different from the rest of the world? I Peter 2: 9 tells us why:

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a *peculiar (uncommon, special) people; (Why?) That ye should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness (“darkness” speaks of your sinful, lost, Hell-bound condition) into his marvelous light:”

Now, I said all of that just to say this:

I believe our nation is slowly being destroyed because we have too many “so called” Christians who are more concerned about whether they are perceived as being politically correct rather than being Biblically correct! At work, at school, and even at home, too many are busy trying to fit in and be accepted by non-Christians. Most are so afraid that they will be labeled as different, peculiar or weird, that they go out of their way to make sure that they dress, talk, act... and even vote, like everyone else around them. Christians should vote, not according to their political affiliation, not according to the candidate's color or sex, nor on the type of "hand out" the candidates are promising. They should not vote according to the candidate’s ethnic roots… or even their religious preferences. Bur rather, we should examine each candidate (1) according to their knowledge and understanding of our constitution, our government and our foreign policies and will work to uphold and preserve them. He should have (2) a working knowledge of our country's financial situation and economy. We need to ask ourselves if he is (3.) the kind of man (or woman) that would lead... or would he rule America? (4.) Do they genuinely care what the people of America want? (5) Would they be willing to listen to the suggestions of their fellow elected politicians and (6) put the well fair of our nation ahead of their own personal agendas? (7) Are they the kind of person who is so arrogant and self-important that they will do ANYthing to see their their “pet programs” implemented – to the point of shoving it down the throats of protesting Americans… even if it chokes them to death? And, more importantly, as Christians we must determine if they are (8) a person of integrity and honesty who (9.) relies on God’s divine help and (10) weighs each and every decision against the truths and teachings of the Word of God. After all… these are the principals upon which our country was founded!

Yes, sometimes change is good… but all change is NOT progress, all change is NOT good, and some things should NEVER change! If we, as God’s children do not start standing up and being “salt” and “light”, things WILL change… and we will NOT be happy with the result!

Life as we know it will cease to exist and….

it will be our children and grandchildren who will pay for our sins!!!

My Dear Christian Friend,

PLEASE, PRAY FOR OUR NATION…

And

VOTE!!!

And Remember Whose Name You Bear

When You Go To The Polls!

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; THEN will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” -2 Chronicles 7:14

More Than 7,000 Miles of Blessings!

2010-10-12T00:01:02.000-05:00

Since August 14, we have traveled more than 7,000 miles and changed time zones seven times. We started out in Texas and Oklahoma where they had three digit temperatures and a heat index of 115. One week later, we arrived in Chula Vista, California, where it was overcast and the temperature was a chilly 64 F. Since then, we have been through a variety of temperature and climate changes, from the hot, shimmering 108 degree heat of the desert around Las Vegas, to a hard hammering rain in Oregon. Later, in South Dakota, we shivered our way through a bone chilling temperature of 33! While spending a few days in Lowell, Michigan, one night there came a

The storm in Lowell uprooted trees
and broke large limbs.

sudden storm with high damaging winds that broke large limbs, uprooted trees and knocked out the electricity for about twelve hours. (In that storm, a large tree limb landed on the back of our car but, praise the Lord, caused no damage!) And because we sometimes cross at least three states in a single day, we have seen the temperature change as much as 30 degrees during one day’s travel! (That sometimes makes it a little difficult to know how to dress when we get up in the mornings!)

The Sequoia National Forest
Can you find the car?

We’ve enjoyed every type of scenery imaginable, from the Mojave Desert with nothing but miles of rocky sand, sagebrush and cactus, to the deep blue cool-ness of the Pacific Ocean. We took one day to stop and admire the breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon. In the magnificent Sequoia National Forest, where “normal trees” are dwarfed by those huge giants, we took a quick break from our travels to see the largest tree in the world

A view of Mt. Ranier from
Tacoma, Washington

(by volume), called the General Sherman. In the lush, green beauty of Washington State, where we lived for 14 years, we once again marveled at the towering splendor of Mt. Rainer. Then we had the pleasure of enjoying the serene beauty Canada, as well as the magnificent and rugged peaks of the Grand Tetons!

The Grand Teton Mountains
in Wyoming

Please do not think that we are just on one long, leisurely vacation, though. Actually, the contrary is true. So that our time here in the U.S. is not wasted, Mike does a great job of keeping our calendar full. It is very unusual if a Sunday service or a Wednesday night goes by and we are not scheduled to be somewhere presenting our ministry of Honduras. Thus far, we have visited dozens of churches and pastors, each time setting up our mission display, showing our DVD about what God is doing in Honduras, giving our testimony of God’s calling and enabling in our lives, answering many questions and, usually, Mike also preaches. During our time in each one of these churches, we are

Pastor Andy Coté interned
with us for 9 months in
Honduras. He now pastors
a Spanish church
in Las Vegas, NV.

meeting scores of our “spiritual family”. We are developing many new friendships, too.

Thus far, we have truly felt God's hand upon us. Everywhere we have gone, the Lord’s people have been such a tremendous encouragement and blessing to us. Many times, their love and generosity is just overwhelming! I pray that, to some extent, God has used us to be an encouragement to many of them as well.

Between appointments, we have been able to visit with several of our precious friends and past co-workers from our time when Mike was a stateside pastor. We also had the opportunity to join our son, Brandon*, and his sweet family in Oregon while they took a short vacation break from their ministry responsibilities at

Abigail, Josiah, Hannah and Esther
Our daughter's children

Faith Baptist in Tacoma, Washington. Later, we were able to spend nearly a week with our daughter, Kristy*, and her husband and four children who live in Idaho. We’ve even had the opportunity to have a few quick visits with other, more distant family members,* some of which we had not seen for many years! It’s been quite a journey, full of beauty, adventure, fun, fellowship and many, many blessings… and we still have another month of travel before we are done! ***(See more photos of family and friends at the end of this article.)

Our dear friend from Medford, OR,
Pastor/Evangelist Mike Gass

We have truly seen the Lord’s leading during this entire “unplanned” trip! I say “unplanned” because this trip was NOT something which Mike and I had contemplated. It was our intention to return to Honduras immediately after Mike’s check up. However, from the very beginning, it was obviously in God’s plan that we take this trip! And, although we are both older now and the long trips tend to bother our backs at times and we tire more quickly, we honestly do love even this part of being a missionary!

We led Bev and her husband, Murray,
to the Lord while in Del Rio, TX. Murray
is now in Heaven. While we were in
Surrey, British Columbia, where she
lives, Bev joined Pastor White's
church, Grace Baptist.

Generally, Mike seems to be feeling well. Being in such sweet churches and having the opportunity to “rub shoulders” with such faithful men of God, just seems to energize him! He loves sharing with them how God has blessed their mission dollars and given us souls and raised up churches and new mission works in Honduras and among the Lenca! He loves preaching the Word, and encouraging fellow believers to “stretch” their faith and to trust the Lord with their resources, their futures… their very lives. Our continual prayer is that, not only will God use us to lead sinners to repentance and salvation, but also, that He would use us to challenge those who name the Name of Christ, to look beyond themselves, to the lost world around them. Our prayer is that others would answer the call of God. That they would seek to

“make a difference” in this world… not just “make a living”!!

Gerry and Virginia Koistinen,
now living in Michigan,
were faithful members of
our church in Tacoma
for MANY years.

For the last two weeks, while visiting several of our supporting churches in the surrounding area, we have been staying in a beautiful mission apartment provided by Faith Baptist Church of Dearborn Heights, Michigan. What a tremendous blessing this has been for us! Being in one place for a while has given us a chance to catch our breath, rest a little and take care of a few things. Mike has used our time here to make some phone calls to pastors and set up a few more appointments, including the appointment with his doctor in New York where, on the 9th of November, he will have another scan and an MRI.

While Mike has been working, I certainly have not been sitting here just twiddling my thumbs! Would you like to know what I have been doing? Well… Just let me tell you!

This is NOT me!
But it's what I feel like doing!!!

Since we have been on the road, I have gotten so far behind in answering my email and writing articles for our weblog that I am just about ready to pull out my hair! I have been trying and trying (unsuccessfully, I might add) to get some stubborn and infuriating computer problems straightened out so that I can concentrate on getting our communication caught up. Just because I do a lot of work on the computer, certainly doesn’t mean I understand them!! I have a program that is supposed to download and save all my emails so that I can read and answer them while working off line. Then, when I get somewhere that has internet service, I just log on, and it automatically sends out my replies and gets the latest email. It works great… WHEN IT WORKS! But… a little over a month ago, disaster hit!!! Suddenly, none of my email was downloading…. and... it wouldn’t send any out, either!

YESSSS!!!

I worked and worked and tried everything I knew to get it up and running. Finally, after a couple of weeks, I figured out what I could do to make it once again download my email!! I was so proud of myself that I nearly broke my arm patting myself on the back!!!

However... my proud moment was certainly short lived!

It’s true!! It was downloading my email… but, all of a sudden, I realized it was downloading every single one of them....

TWO to TWELVE times!!

Because of this, at one point earlier this week, I had

OVER 2,200 EMAILS IN MY INBOX!!!

I know what you’re thinking! You’re thinking, “Well, Debbie. You shouldn’t have been so proud of yourself! Didn’t you know that ‘Pride [goeth] before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.’ (Proverbs 16:18)?” YES! YES! I KNOW!

But…..

IT WASN’T SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THIS!!!

At first, when we left Texas, I had this wonderful idea that I could do much of my work in the car! Actually, it was a great plan! I was going work off line while we traveled down the road from place to place, keeping up with my weblog and email - then, when we were somewhere that had the internet, I could send out my email and post my article onto the web site. We bought an adaptor to plug into the cigarette lighter and a doubler so I could use the computer while the Tom Tom (our GPS) was also in use. However, after the second doubler burned up, we decided that this system may not work too well. We are still trying, though, and we'll see if doubler #3 lasts! I don’t know if this particular device really is made of a better, more heavy duty quality or not. We haven’t had much of a chance to try it out. I guess we’ll find out when we hit the road once again tomorrow. Oh, yes… and then there was one more “blip” in my plan! I didn't consider that, many times, I wouldn't be able to see the monitor because the glare from the sun! Anyway, it all sounded like a good idea at the time!

You know the old saying, “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry!” Well, so much for all my “good ideas”! I would certainly appreciate your prayers for, not only enlightenment, but also for patience in this matter!!!

Contruction continues on the
New Hope Baptist Church of La Esperanza

We do thank the Lord, though, that things are going well for our dear people in Honduras. Usually Hotir, or sometimes another of our workers, calls nearly every week and keeps us updated on the happenings there. Recorded below is some of the news that we have received from home:

Jason and Arlen Stevens

First of all, Arlen and Jason, the young couple we work with that had contracted Dengue Fever, have completely recovered and are happy to be at home in La Esperanza and back to working in the ministry there. Thank you to everyone who faithfully prayed for them! Please continue to remember them in your prayers as Jason works on learning the Spanish language while also directing the many ministries scattered in the surrounding areas. Pray, also, for Arlen, as she juggles to balance her time between caring for their two boys, their home, and the ministry that God has given her. We are so very thankful and blessed to be working with this precious couple.

In spite of the continual heavy rains and the slick, muddy and sometimes dangerous roads, our workers have faithfully been braving the elements each week to minister and take the Gospel to the Lenca Indians in the mountains. Because of their burden and commitment to Christ, each and everyone of the works and missions are on-going. The services in La Esperanza, Naranjitos and Ojo de Agua have been well attended and continue to go forward. In San Lorenzo, Zapotillo and Rodéo, there is still a struggle. But, we praise the Lord for the small faithful core group of believers in each of these areas. A good number of people from Quebrada de Lajas continues to join the services at New Hope Baptist Church in La Esperanza.

Jacobo

Yessinia

Yessinia and Jacobo are still faithfully teaching my children's classes in each of our mountain works, and they are doing a fantastic job! In fact, Yessinia called me a couple of weeks ago to let me know that six of the children in Naranjitos accepted the Lord as their personal Savior!!! I praise the Lord for these two precious young adults that are willing to be used of God! I dearly love them and I’m so proud of them!

Hotir is a young man of
wisdom and character
beyond his years!

Hotir is doing a fine job of overseeing all of the building projects. Under his direction, the work to complete the construction on our main church building in La Esperanza continues to move forward. However, Hotir really needs your prayers. He is beginning to have some health problems, possibly related to the heavy load of responsibility that this godly young man has been carrying since Mike was diagnosed with cancer in January of 2008. For one so young (he is 23 years old), he has shouldered a large burden and kept a schedule that very few older and more experienced men could handle. He needs all of our prayers… for health, strength, protection, stamina and godly wisdom.

In addition, some of our church members and Bible Institute students, joining with the missionary that our main Honduran church in La Esperanza supports, have helped to open up a new area about an hour away. For, possibly, the very first time, the community of Marcala now has had at least three services where the true Gospel of Christ is being preached! Please pray for this beginning work in this new community, that hearts would be open and receptive to the Word of God and the message of salvation by grace through faith!

We are so proud of the burden that our people have for the lost of Honduras! PLEASE, pray that God would put a hedge of protection about them. That He would guard them against Satan’s snares, and that their love and commitment to the cause of Christ would continue to grow. How we thank the Lord for all the faithful workers He has given us!!

We have received calls from several of our dear people in Honduras assuring us of their prayers on our behalf, and telling us that they love us, miss us, and to please hurry home! We, too, miss them, more than they will ever know, and we are anxious to return home. However, before we can leave the States and head home, we have a couple more thousand miles to cover, several more churches to visit and Mike will have to get a good report on his cancer.

We ask for your prayers as we continue on our journey, that God will protect and give us traveling mercies, that He will use us and help us to be a blessing to those with whom we come in contact. Also pray that if it is God's will, that my husband would be healed of his cancer. In the mean time, we will continue on this latest adventure that the Lord has given us, and we will wait for our Heavenly Father to reveal to us the rest of HIS plan for our lives!

 MORE PHOTOS FORYOUR ENJOYMENT

Dakota, our grandson,
and Brandon, our son.

Our granddaughter, MaKayla, and our
daughter-in-law, Kathy.

HOW WONDERFUL IT WAS TO SEE ALL

OUR LITTLE

"MONKEYS."

(and the BIG ONES, too!)

Cosmin and Kristy, our daughter,
and their family.

My Aunt Retha, my cousin's husband,
Dan, and my cousin, Judy
live in Klamath Falls, OR.
I had not seen Judy and Dan
in over 30 years!

Stacy is Mike's cousin that
lives in Arizona. We had never
met her husband, Rus, nor their
three beautiful children. And...
I STILL didn't get a photo of Rus! :(

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~< ~~~~~~ > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How wonderful it was to meet Bev's family when
we were in Surrey, British Columbia! Eh, Bev?
I love you, Sweetie!

Our sweet friends,
James and Kathy Tate,
now live in California. They were
both a GREAT help in our
Christian School in Tacoma.

One of my dearest friends from
Texas, Ruthie, now lives in
Michigan with her new husband,
Doug.

TRUE FRIENDS

ARE A TREASURE

FROM GOD!

We have had the opportunity to visit with many dear friends we had not seen in years!

Stan and Patty Phillips
live in Michigan, too. They
are dear "old" freinds from our
Bible college days. They have
faithfully supported us as
missionaries for many years.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ < ~~~~~~ > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FAITHFUL PASTORS AND FRIENDS

Mike is seen here with a precious new friend
of ours. We had heard MANY good
reports about Pastor Steve White and
his sweet wife. Our friend, Bev,
is a member of their church in
B.C., Canada.

Faithful pastor and long time friends
from Washinton, Roy and Nancy Delia,
now have a church in Oregon.

The +'s and -'s of a Traveling Missionary

2010-09-21T03:59:00.007-05:00

We were in 34 degree weather on Saturday and today, Monday, the weather has been in the 90's! I'm never really sure how to dress when I get up... especially if we're going to be on the move. This morning we left South Dakota, had lunch with some dear friends in Iowa, and we're spending the night in Illinois! The life of the missionary can be very fast paced at times! Yes, it can be tiring, but oh so full of blessings, too!!

I really do enjoy traveling on furlough, but it does have a few negative points. 1.) It's been VERY hard to stay caught up on correspondence and keep up the articles for this weblog! 2.) Our necks and backs ache from the different beds and pillows we sleep on and also from sitting so much in the car. 3.) Because we have to eat out so much, it's very hard not to end up the size of a king sized whale!!!

It also has some positive points... MANY positive points. I'll just tell you of a couple right now since it's nearly 2 a.m., and we have another six hours of travel tomorrow before reaching our destination. 1.) We've had the opportunity to visit some of the best churches in the world and visit with some precious pastors and their wives! What an encouragement they have all been. (I hope to elaborate when I have a bit more time.) 2.) We've also had the chance to visit some dear friends (some of which are pastors, too) that we've not seen in quite a while! Words cannot express the blessing and joy that they have been to us! 3.) We've been able to spend a few days with our children and their families! That means the GRANDCHILDREN!!! THAT is a necessity for me! I have to have my children and grandchildren "fix" at least once a year!!

We hear regularly from our people in Honduras and things are going well. Our church in La Esperanza supports a missionary that has come from El Salvador to Honduras. He is a great servant of the Lord with a great burdent for the people of Honduras. Some of our people have helped him to open a new area to the Gospel. From what I understand, they had a GREAT first service. We are so very proud of the burden they have developed toward the lost among their own people. We miss them all so much and hope to return home before long and continue in the work that God has given us to do there.

I plan to write a LOT more about all of these things (and I DO have some of it down already). I will share with you what it is like to live on the road and out of a suitcase for months at a time. But, alas, now is not the time. Please forgive me. I must get to sleep.

However, here are a few pictures of our children and grandchildren (Yes! I'm a proud mom and grams!!!). This will have to do for now:

Me with our daughter's children:
Hannah, Abigail, Josiah and Esther

Our son, Brandon and his Family:
MaKayla, Dakota, his wife, Kathy

Our daughter, Kristy

Mike's Birthday

MaKayla and Dakota blow out the candle

Kristy's family (clockwise):
Her husband,Cosmin, Esther,
Josiah, Abigail and Hannah

Brandon's children,
Dakota and MaKayla

Illusions!

2010-08-23T14:18:00.004-05:00

If you have visited my weblog before, you may have noticed that, for a while, I had a… uh, a gadget… (or is it a widget?? Oh, well…) I had added a “gidget” (my new word) called “Illusion of the Day” which was made up of photos, art, or drawings that were optical illusions and each day it automatically posted a new optical illusion. I love optical illusions, and so I thought "Illusion of the Day" on my web page would be an interesting addition. I looked through dozens of the site's illusions and never saw one objectionable thing.... so, I added it to our site.

Then, few days ago, while we were traveling down the road, we got a call from our son. He was asking me about the illusion widget, where I got it, how it worked, etc. Silly me. I thought maybe he wanted to check it out or add it to his desktop or something. However, he was calling to let me know that the illusion for that day had a drawing on it that was not good at all!! (For those who may have noticed it, I’m sure you were shocked and offended.) Because we were on the road, I had to give my son directions over the phone on how to delete it. I never saw it, so I'm not exactly sure what it was, but I hate that it happened. I am so embarrassed and I would like to apologize to each of you that saw it. I thought I had checked it out well, and that it would be something fun that would add interest to our weblog… but apparently, I was mistaken. But you know, illusions are like that!

When I was in grade school, there was a boy in my class who came to school and amazed the rest of us kids with a card trick that his visiting uncle had taught him. I don’t remember now, exactly what the trick was, but what I do remember is, whatever it was that he did, we were all WOWed by it!!! We all just knew that it HAD to be real magic, because none of us thought Bobby was clever enough to pull something like that off without some "real magic"!

Well, we watched Bobby do that trick over and over all day long, but none of us could figure out how he was doing it… and he wasn’t telling! (His uncle told him that “real magicians” never revealed their secrets.) But, this boy liked me, and I used this “newly realized power over the opposite sex” to make myself the exception to his “real magicians” rule! I convinced him that, if he really liked me, he would show me how it was done! So, after school, we went around to the side of the school building where no one could see, and he explained to me how he did it.

Well, let me tell you, I was so surprised (and disappointed!) at how easy his “amazing magic” really was! I had been following him around all day, watching him do this stupid trick, and I hadn’t seen it! Now that I knew how he was doing it, it was… uh... it was… so…… It was so…… OBVIOUS!!

Suddenly, I felt dumb… and angry!! Furthermore, I’m ashamed to say, I wasn't sure if I was angrier at myself for not catching something so obviously simple, or angrier at Bobby for impressing us big time with such a stupid little trick!!

However, I have to tell you, that after that day, (of which I have since repented) I have been fascinated with all kinds of various kinds of tricks and illusions, as well as the illusionist who can make impossible things look so convincing and real!

I still love card tricks. I love to watch illusionists or “magicians”, as they are otherwise known, do their thing, whether it’s pulling coins from someone’s ear, sawing someone in half, or making an elephant seemingly disappear. I also love to rent movies with lots of “movie magic”, or computer generated graphics in them. It is astounding to me how these computer “magicians” can make their world look so believably real on the big screen! I even love how, with clothes, makeup and/or wigs, you can make someone look totally like another person!

I looked up the word “illusion” in several sources to get the official definition of the word. Here’s some of what I found:

n.) il•lu•sion (plural il•lu•sions)

1. Something with deceptive appearance: something that deceives the senses or mind, e.g. by appearing to exist when it does not or appearing to be one thing when it is, in fact, another.

2. A false idea, conception, or belief about somebody or something

3. deceptive power of appearances:the ability of appearances to deceive the mind andsenses, or the capacityof the mind andsenses to bedeceived by appearances

Another dictionary said:

n.) The word basically refers to something which deceives by producing a fake or misleading impression of reality.

We encounter illusions every day without giving them much thought. For example, the moon gives the illusion of shining brightly to light our way in the night, but that is a "fake or misleading impression". The "reality" is that the moon has no light of its own and really doesn't shine at all! What we see at night is the light from the sun reflecting on the surface of the moon! A crescent moon is seen when the earth gets between the moon and the sun and limits that reflection. Although I'm certain we all know this fact, still, we make misleading statements such as, "Wow, the moon is sure shining brightly tonight!"
Did you know that God’s Word has many stories where people were deceived by a fake or misleading impression of reality or, in other words, an “illusion”? Let me give you a couple of examples. This initial example is a story involving the very first “illusionist” and an example of how he works.

Example one: In Genesis 1 and 2, we have the amazing, but TOTALLY TRUE and FACTUAL account, of how God made our unfathomable universe, our wonderful world, and every single living thing within it! What He did was no illusion, trick, or “sleight of hand. It was a “miracle”!

Our awesome and omnipotent God didn’t need an amoeba, a germ or a speck of ANYTHING to get started, either! He created EVERYTHING from absolutely NOTHING!!! He SPOKE it ALL into existence. All, that is, except for man.

When it was time to make man, the Great Creator of the universe, knelt in the dust of the earth and using such gentleness, care and attention to detail, formed man with His own two hands! Then, He tenderly lifted the lifeless form until He held man’s face very close to His own and using His own sweet, holy breath, He softly blew into the man’s face. It was in that moment that God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Gen. 2:7) How do I know all this to be true? Because God’s Word tells me so!!! AND GOD CANNOT LIE!

God created man because, even though Scripture tells us that “God is love” (1 John 4:16), He had no one on whom He could focus that love and sadder still, no one to give Him the love He so needed and deserved!

That first man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, lived in perfect bodies in a perfect world with a perfect climate. EVERY plant and animal, fish and fowl were created for their pleasure. EVERY need was provided for them. And on top of that, God Himself was not only their Creator, but also their Father and Friend. Life was good… No, wait… Life was great!… Better than that… it was PERFECT!

Even so, then, in Genesis chapter 3, the great “illusionist”, Satan, enters the picture. He deceives them into thinking that just maybe their perfect little world isn’t so perfect after all. He gives them the illusion that God has lied to them and is keeping something from them that is even better than their perfect world. And what would that something be? It was power! He told them that God did not want them to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil because, basically, God was selfish! He told them that if they ate the fruit of that tree then they, too, could know, not only good, but also evil! He said that once they knew that, they would be as gods and that God was just trying to keep all the power for Himself. THIS was the first “great illusion”. And so… they believed Satan rather than God, ate of the fruit and sin entered the world! (Gen. 3:1-6; Romans 5:12)

Another example: The disciples and many of Jesus’ followers had Him heard talk of certain future events, namely, His resurrection and His coming Kingdom. They hated the Roman oppression, and so this was exciting news for them! They just couldn’t wait to get “on the Jesus bandwagon”! (Of course, Satan knew about these things, too.)

Nevertheless, one day, Jesus was taken prisoner by the Roman soldiers. He was falsely accused and sentenced to be crucified! After He was mocked and beaten, His followers saw the soldiers drive the nails into His hands and feet. They also saw the cross raised into the air and Jesus’ mangled body hanging between Heaven and earth. They saw the rivulets of blood running down the splintered wood of the cross and the ever widening dark stain of it soaking into the earth. They were there when He proclaimed, “It is finished!” and they heard that last ragged painful breath leave his body. Later, they saw the spear as it pierced His broken heart! Then, some of these same followers, lovingly removed Jesus' from that bloody tree and prepared His lifeless body for burial. Carefully, they laid Him in a borrowed tomb and watched as the boulder was rolled in front of the opening and sealed. With heavy hearts made their way home to wait. With each passing minute and hour that Jesus lay in that grave, their despair... and their hope, sank lower and lower, while Satan’s smug smile, spreading across his evil face, got wider and wider.

By the morning of the third day, it certainly seemed to them, that all that Jesus had said and claimed to be was nothing more than a cruel joke and all was lost. By this time, Satan’s smug smile had turned into a triumphant laugh! He had won!!! God’s Son was dead!!! The world was his!!!

But, imagine his rage when he realized that his victory was just an “illusion”… or, in other words, a “fake or misleading impression of reality”. The truth was… the resurrection story was real!! Instead of Jesus being dead and Satan victorious, Jesus was alive and Satan had been defeated! All that Jesus had said was true, sin, and the grave had been conquered. Satan had lost and Jesus, along with His plan of providing redemption for lost sinners, was victorious!!!

In our world today, so many are still being deceived by illusions! You may ask, “What do you mean by that, Debbie?”

Notice:

Of course, the list could go on and on! Nevertheless, something that is very disturbing to me is, nowadays there seem to be so many Christians seemingly deceived, or at least in denial, and there is a great illusion surrounding our world today.

I don’t think anyone who loves the Lord would disagree with me in saying that, all around us, we see things getting worse and worse. We look at the decline in our economy, the moral decline, the horrendous abortion rate, the rampant homosexual problem, incest and cruelty to children, corruption in our legal and government systems, alcohol and drug addiction, pornography addiction, etc., etc. Wrong is being touted as right and right as wrong! We could go on and on! Even “mother nature” seems to have turned against us! It seems like every week we hear of earthquakes, fires, hurricanes, volcanoes, and other extreme weather and natural disasters. .People are angry and frightened and some are beginning to feel desperate and hopeless! It certainly looks as if Christianity, God's Word, and even God Himself is losing the battle!! Nevertheless, I’m here to tell you it's not true!! IT’S AN ILLUSION!!!

God’s Word tells us that as Christians (those who have acknowledged their sin, repented, and accepted Jesus free gift of salvation) we have already won!

“But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.” 1 John 5:4

“And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, [and] over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.” Revelation 15:2

That does not mean that we should give up and give in! That just means that we should not lose hope, but continue to fight! We need to fight for Biblical principles and the truth of God’s Word and stand tall and firm upon that foundation!! And we need to fight, not for victory, but IN victory!

Like the moon, we need to reflect brightly the light of the Son! We must not allow the world get in the way and block the Son in our lives, dimming our light! The more light that we reflect of the "Son-shine", the more likely we are to lead them out of the darkness and into the "Son-light"!

Dear child of God, please, don’t believe the “illusion” that Satan has put before the world. It is a “fake or misleading impression of reality”. Read the end of The Book, my friend!

WE WIN!!!

And as my husband said yesterday morning in his sermon, “The final score is

GOD – EVERYTHING! SATAN – NOTHING!

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Romans 8:37

NOTE: Dear friend, if you are reading this and you are not sure whether or not you are on that winning side, if you are not sure if you will go to Heaven when you die, you CAN BE SURE! To learn how you can KNOW, please click on the tab above that says “How you can KNOW you’re going to Heaven” or if you will leave your info, I will be happy to personally contact you and show you what God’s Word says. PLEASE, don’t be deceived by Satan’s illusions!

New Friends, Old Friends and Robbers!

2010-08-16T22:41:00.002-05:00

Dakota on Career Day
at school

Once again, I am writing as we travel down the highway. It’s nearly 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 15 and today is our oldest grandson’s 8th birthday! Dakota is the first born of our son’s two children. It’s hard to believe that it’s been eight years since I first held him in my arms and whispered that first of many prayers, that he would accept Christ as his Savior early in life and follow in his dad’s and granddad’s footsteps by serving Him.

Well, in 2007, while we were on furlough and visiting some of our supporting churches in Alaska, Dakota called us and told us that he had asked Jesus into his heart! Some may think that that is too young, but for a child who has grown up hearing about Jesus’ great love for us every day of his life, it is not too young. That is about the same age both of our children accepted Christ as their Savior and our two oldest grandchildren were also saved around that age. Dakota has been in church since “before he was born” and continues to attend faithfully the church where his mom and dad are both on staff. (This just happens to be the church where Mike was pastor for 14 years and where our children, Kristy and Brandon, grew up.) Dakota also attends a Christian School, the same one that we started 20 something years ago and from which his dad and Aunt Kristy graduated.

Of course, I realize that all this wonderful training is no guarantee that he will grow up loving the Lord supremely and want to give his life serving God, but nevertheless, that continues to be my prayer for Dakota, as well as for the other of our five grandchildren.

It’s hard to believe that, just a week ago, we were in Las Cruces, New Mexico, sharing our ministry with the precious people of Scripture Baptist Church. Since then, so many things have happened.

Mike at the Grand Canyon

On Monday, we began our day of traveling early so that we could stop in Tombstone, Arizona, for a few hours. This was the famous western town where Wyatt Earp was lawman and also where the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was fought. After lunch, we traveled on and spent the night in the historic town of Williams, Arizona. Then, on Tuesday morning, we took a train from Williams to the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Railway provides a lot of fun and entertainment and during that 2 ½ hour ride to the Canyon we were entertained with lots of cow jokes (which I thought were “udderly” ridiculous!) and a guy with an accordion that played and sang. He even played a little harmonica music with a harmonica about an inch long. (Get it? A “little” harmonica music? Okay, okay! I hear those groans!)

Train Robbers!!

After spending some three hours or so viewing that awe inspiring canyon, we caught the return train to Williams. This time, we were serenaded by a guitar player, followed by a short delay as the train was stopped by comical and bumbling masked bandits on horseback who proceeded to board the train and “rob” us and “torture” us with more lame jokes if we had nothing of value.

After a such a wonderfully fun and relaxing day, we got in the car and drove about an hour farther to Prescott, Arizona to spend a couple of days with some dear friends that had been members of our church in Tacoma years ago. It was on our way to visit Barry and Debbie Cooney that we began to hear that strange “death rattle” on the car that was later fixed by disconnecting the front wheel drive. (Thank the Lord, it wasn’t a death rattle after all!)

Not too long after arriving in Tacoma in 1980, we had our first Vacation Bible School. Among the children that we picked up on our bus were three beautiful little girls, sisters, named Regina, Rachel and Roena. (We found out later that there was also a baby sister, named Andria.) When Bible School was over, we continued to pick them up for Sunday School and eventually their mother, Debbie, was also attending. Later, Barry came into the picture and after a time, Mike performed the marriage ceremony for Barry and Debbie. In those early years, there were many struggles for Barry and Debbie, but Debbie continued to be faithful and made sure that her four girls, as well as Barry’s two children when there, were in church. When we started our Christian school, the children were enrolled and Debbie, volunteering her time and working without pay, worked by my side in the school for many years.

Debbie & Barry Cooney

Even during the most difficult of times, she continued to trust the Lord… and oh my!... how God has blessed them and how mightily God is using the both of them! Barry, for several years now, has worked as a counselor, helping those with alcohol and drug addictions and witnessing for the Lord at every given chance. Debbie continues to work in a school setting with special needs children. They are faithfully attending a wonderful Baptist church in Prescott, where Barry serves as music director and Debbie is in charge of the nursery. (The pastor of their sweet church graciously allowed us to present the field of Honduras at their Wednesday night service.) Barry and Debbie’s love for the Lord and each other serves as a testimony of God’s mercy, love and faithfulness. To all those around them, especially their children and grandchildren, they are examples of how God honors and blesses those who put their trust in Him.

Me and my beautiful Corrie

While visiting them, we also got to see two of their children, Corrie and Bobby (they will forever be my children, too!), and meet two of their precious grandchildren. I truly believe that God has a very special plan for their beautiful daughter. I can’t wait to see where He will lead her. Hang in there, Sweetie, and keep your eyes on Him!! God is good and serving Him is ALWAYS worth it!

A big “THANK YOU” goes to Barry and Debbie for their hospitality and for being such a tremendous help and blessing to us. May the Father repay your generosity as only He can! We love you!

We left Prescott on Friday morning and it was on to Phoenix, and quick visit with Mike’s cousin, Stacey, and her family. We had seen Stacey only once since she was a little girl. Now she is a beautiful and godly young woman with a wonderful and godly husband and three precious children! It was our first time to meet Russ and the children and to be in their beautiful home. What a sweet time it was, too! We so appreciated them taking time out of their busy schedule to accommodate us and allow us time to get to know them and stay in their beautiful home. They, too, have been such a tremendous blessing and help to the work in Honduras and will share in the Heavenly rewards of those won to Christ!

Saturday morning we were off again, on our way to Chula Vista, California and the Bible Baptist Church. This precious church has supported us for 16 years, even though this is the first time we have met them face to face. Pastor RC Wetzel was raised in the same church as Mike and I under the ministry of Dr. E.K. Oldham, even though he is the same age as our parents. When Mike and I were first missionaries and trying to get enough support to go to the field, Bro. Wetzel took us on as their missionaries just on a recommendation. Since we had no other supporting church within a thousand miles of Chula Vista we have never made it that far south and west. It was SUCH A JOY to finally meet this church and their dear pastor who have so faithfully supported us for so many years! There are no words to tell them of our appreciation for what they have done over the years.

After enjoying lunch and visiting with Pastor Wetzel, his sweet wife and two of his grown daughters, we once more, with the car loaded and ready to go, took off toward Mojave, CA, to visit some other dear friends and past co-workers from our church in Tacoma!

On the Road Again!!!

2010-08-11T16:10:00.018-05:00

Car tuned up and ready to go?....Check! Video presentation and DVD player?....Check! Display?....Check! Computer?....Check! Hot and cold weather clothing?....Check! Church directory and appointment book?....Check! GPS and maps?....Check! Emergency tools?....Check, check and double check!!!! Okay, let’s load up and head out!!

Saturday, August 8, at 4:00 a.m., Mike and I got into our ’95 Jeep Grand Cherokee and left my parents home in Grand Prairie, Texas, to begin an 8,000 mile trip around the perimeter of the United States. Since Mike has to see the doctor in New York again in October, we felt that, rather than go back to Honduras and then return to the States so soon, the wisest thing would be to just stay in the States and report to some of our supporting churches. Because of ministry and health issues, it has been nearly ten years since we have visited some of them!

Being Independent Baptist missionaries, there are certain things that are required of us that are not necessarily required of other missionaries. For example, in Southern Baptist circles, after being approved, missionaries are given a salary by their convention of churches and after some training and/or language school, they can go on to their field of service. The advantage of this system is that they usually get to their appointed field fairly quickly. The disadvantage is that, many times, the missionaries and the churches that support them never meet and they may or may not ever see the faces of those who have been reached by their cooperative ministries.

Before we went to Honduras, it was necessary for us to go on “deputation”, or in other words, to make appointments and visit churches all around the country and share with them our call and burden for the people of Honduras. These churches were then given the opportunity to join us in reaching the lost and establishing churches in Honduras by supporting us with their prayers and/or monthly finances. If they decided to help us, then it was up to each church to decide how much they would or could send each month. It is also customary that, after serving a term (usually three to four years) on the foreign field, you return to the States and personally report to those supporting churches, sharing with them how their mission money is being used and what God has done. Most missionaries are usually eager to share slides or videos of their ministries and the people in their chosen field of service.

The one “negative” of getting mission funds in this way is, that it takes longer to get to your field and begin the work to which God has called you. I believe that the average time needed for most missionaries to raise their support is about two and a half to three years. I have heard of it taking up to as long as four years for some. When your heart longs to be where God has called you, doing His work, this can be a bit discouraging. But, God blessed us and we had our necessary support within about a year and a half. (I think one thing that we had working to our advantage, was the fact that we had been in full time Christian service for a little more than 20 years, 14 of which Mike had served as the pastor at Faith Baptist Church in Tacoma, WA.) Even though this way of getting support money takes more time, I believe missionaries under this system receive many more benefits and blessings, blessings which those “non-traveling” missionaries miss out.

One of the blessings for us was that we got to travel and see the United States! We have been in every state but Hawaii! Our children were older teens during this time and we looked at this as a great opportunity to visit many of the well known sites of which all four of us had studied about in history books, but had never seen them personally. We tried to take the time to visit these places that had played such an important part in the history of our nation. And as we did so, many times, I felt overwhelmed and close to tears as I thought of the struggles, the great sacrifices and lives lost to, first, give us our freedom and then, to help guarantee that future generations could live in freedom. We visited places like Gettysburg, the homes of Washington, Jefferson and Lee, our nation’s first capitol, Philadelphia, which was where the Declaration of Independence was drafted and signed. We also visited the Lincoln Memorial, Statue of Liberty, Vietnam Memorial, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, just to name a few! What a tremendous thrill and blessing this was for, not only our children, but for Mike and I, too.

And more importantly, through the years, as we have visited churches all around the nation, we have had the privilege of meeting some of the greatest and most faithful servants of God in America! Some are pastors that have preached the unsearchable riches of Christ Sunday after Sunday, year after year.… and they have preached without compromise or apology.

And it’s not just these pastors that have made a difference in our lives, but we are also speaking of many of the men and women, teens and sometimes even children, who so generously have given and who faithfully pray for us! What a joy it is to see the faces of these people who are still faithfully serving in their churches each and every time we are there! What an encouragement it is, when some dear lady hugs my neck and tells me that they are so glad finally to meet us because they have been praying daily for my husband’s health, our ministry and the people of Honduras. When we are going through some difficulty, some heartache, or just feeling a bit lonely or homesick, you better believe that God brings to mind one of these dear saint’s faces and their encouraging words. Or many times, we may get a card or letter assuring us that their church or prayer team is faithfully praying for us. I remember a little girl I met in Alaska who used all her birthday money to buy something to donate to their church’s mission closet, and the teenage girl in Washington who took a job cleaning her Aunt’s house to earn money to just so she could give it to one of our young Honduran girls to buy the school supplies she needed. Then there is the precious group of teens with their leaders from Tulsa, who came to Honduras to work and minister and made us cry with their beautiful songs of praise! There are so many precious people all over the United States that have shared their homes, meals, resources, and testimonies with us! I may not remember every name, or even every face, but their acts of kindness, their unselfish generosity and their love for the Savior, for missions, and for Mike and I will never be forgotten!!

Yes, the travel is time consuming - and living out of a suitcase for months at a time can be difficult. But, the blessing of going into so many wonderfully strong churches and meeting so many of our “family members”, our brothers and sisters in Christ, far outweighs any so called hardships we may go through.

So far, we have been in three churches in three different areas to present the ministry: Mesquite, TX; Grand Prairie, TX; and Las Cruces, New Mexico. What tremendous blessings to us all three of them were!Tonight we will be in a church in Prescott, Arizona, and Sunday in Chula Vista, California! This is just the beginning of our journey, a journey in which we will just be meeting more “family” along the way!

On another note, we have received word that Arlen and Jason Stephens are now feeling better and are in La Esperanza, thrilled to be working again among the Honduran people. The work continues there, and once again, we praise the Lord for the faithful workers He has given us.

Another praise item!!! This morning, Mike’s doctor in Arlington, TX, called him with the results of the PSA he had done a few days before leaving on this trip. You may remember that in May it was 4.9, in June 3.4 and this last one was 2.7!! Even though a PSA reading does not tell you if you have cancer or not, for Mike it is a good indicator as to which direction things are going. He will continue with his medication and we ask that you continue with your prayers! The Great Physician hears!

Also, PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR CAR! I am typing this as we travel and just in the last 20 minutes we have begun to hear a strange and unnatural rattle under the hood. Please pray that it is not a “death rattle”.

We will keep you posted as often as possible as we continue on this adventure for God!

God bless you all!!

An UP-lifting Message for You

2010-08-02T17:32:00.003-05:00

In my life, I have been blessed to have sat under the preaching of some great and godly men, some real heroes of the faith! Some had names that were well known in the broad circles of Christendom, and some were known in only in the smaller circles of their own respective “ponds”. I grew up under the powerful preaching and teaching of Dr. Earl K. Oldham. I have personally sat in services and listened to men such as B. R. Lakin, Jack Hyles, David Jerimiah, Tim Lee, Bill Rice, John R. Rice, Harvey Springer, Curtis Hudson, Lee Roberson, Adrian Rogers, Clifford Clark, J. Oswald Smith, Paul Chappell, Johnny Pope, and David Gibbs. I have also heard men, just as great and godly, but lesser known. Men such as Charles Dunn, Doug Duffett, F. E. Baughman, Claude Cravin, Dale Chambers, Bruce Hamilton, Marshall Hamilton, Mark Smith, Stan Roach, John Lividais, Rick Austin, Gary Prisk, Tom Minnick, Jim Withers, Rocky Harrill, Rick Adams, etc., etc., etc. In this list, there are so many, that there is no way I can list them all.

But, for the last 30 years I have sat under the preaching of a man that could, in my humble opinion, stand next to any and all of the above as an equal. He truly loves the Lord and His Word supremely. Nothing gives him greater joy than to impart the truth of God’s Word and the hope of salvation. He has been in full-time Christian service for thirty-six years and first began pastoring in 1980. He is also a deep thinker and a man who loves to read and study. The person of whom I am speaking is my husband, Mike. And I am not saying this just because he is my husband.

I truly LOVE to hear him preach, and yesterday the message was exceptionally powerful as he allowed God to speak through him. There was one part of his message that was especially powerful and inspiring. I thought he was reading a quote from someone, but found out afterward that it was his own words! The following is an excerpt from Mike’s message yesterday, a sermon which he entitled, “A Sure Thing!”

“I am Christian. I am a saved, born again, blood bought, repentant sinner, saved by grace through faith unto good works. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation. From a miry pit of sin I have been plucked up and my feet set up on the Rock of Ages. Because of this, I am determined, by God’s help and grace, that I WILL NOT give up, back up, let up, or shut up! But, I WILL stand up, put up, step up, pray up, show up, stay up and speak up until my Savior says, “Shut up and come up”! And I must add, that I will be glad when the Devil, his demons and all the God and Christ haters get their comeuppance! It is high time for Christians to grow up, man up, ‘fess up, and pick up where they left off serving God!”

In this day and age, we seem to see more and more people, including those who call themselves Christians, that just seem to “go with the flow” instead of standing and fighting for what they believe. This is truly sad in any circumstance, but in the Christian realm, it is not only sad, it is a sin! Let us determine in our hearts to never back down, but to stand up for Christ and all that is right, no matter what!

“ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” ~1 Corinthians 15:58

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” ~Galatians 6:9

“But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” ~1 Corinthians 15:57

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.” ~1 John 5:4

Julia Roberts! Melissa Etheridge! And... MIKE LANE???

2010-07-22T03:14:00.021-05:00

Julia Roberts

Melissa Etheridge

Mike Lane

What do these three have in common???? They are all patients of Dr. Robert Bard in New York! That's right! How do I know this? There were framed and signed thank you notes from them hanging on the wall of the examining room! Now, I don't know if they live in New York or not, but one thing's for sure: They can afford to stay there more than Mike and I! That is exactly the reason we flew to New York in the morning, had our appointment with the doctor in the afternoon, and flew back to Texas that night!

We arrived at La Guardia Airport in New York City around 1:00 p.m. and arrived at the doctor's office in Midtown Manhattan around 2:00 p.m. All it took was about 15 minutes for Mike to have the scan. Then the doctor told Mike, "I have good news and I have bad news." Well, I can tell you, that's not exactly what you want to hear when you're dealing with cancer! You would much rather hear, "I have good news and I have better news!" But... unfortunately, that wasn't to be the case this time.

The good news: The diminished blood flow to the tumor was unchanged. This is good because blood feeds cancer. The less blood flow you have the slower the growth. Because of this fact, the doctor told Mike that he would rate it as a "slow growing cancer".

The bad news: The tumor was bigger... quite a bit bigger. Six months ago it was 3 x 4 mm. This exam it measured 14 x 15 mm.

So... the cancer is growing slowly .... but the tumor is quite a bit bigger??? Sounds a bit confusing and like a contradiction, doesn't it? We thought so too.

Here's the explanation we were given:

It's possible that, when Mike's PSA was rising while we were in Honduras, that was indicative of the tumor having more blood flow and growing at that time. When he changed his meds in June back to what he had taken a year ago and his PSA began to go down, the blood flow once again was diminished but the size of the tumor has not had time to subside yet.

The rest of the bad news: Dr. Bard needs to see Mike again in 3 months instead of the usual six. At that time, he will not only have the scan again, but also a "specialized high tech" MRI that he can get only in New York. Needless to say, that puts a damper on our plans to go home the last of August. But, as I've said before, our plans and God's plans are sometimes different! But one thing is certain! He's always right and His plans are best!

We've prayed about it and talked to our mission director and have decided it would be a better use of God's money to just stay in the U.S. until time for Mike to have his exams rather than spending it running back and forth between Honduras and the States during the next three months. So, the next week or so will be spent trying to set up appointments with some of our supporting churches that we have not seen for some time. In the mean time, we are asking people to please continue to remember Mike in your prayers.

On another note, Jason and Arlen Stevens, the missionaries that work with us, returned to Honduras with their new baby and their young son last week. After landing in Tegucigalpa, and before going to La Esperanza where we all live, they took a trip to Choluteca. Choluteca is a town located in the south east part of Honduras near the border of Nicaragua. Arlen's family lives there and they wanted to allow them to see and visit with the children before heading home. While they were there visiting family, they all received several mosquito bites.

This is the time of the year when mosquitoes are very bad in Honduras. I'm sure that most of you know that mosquitoes can carry malaria, but you may not know about another serious illness that they can carry. It's called dengue fever, also known as break bone fever. Below is a partial copy of an email that I received a few days ago from the American Embassy in Honduras:

July 14, 2010

To: All American Citizens

From: American Citizen Services Unit, Consular Section

The U.S. Embassy in Honduras informs American citizens residing in or visiting Honduras that the Honduran ministry of Health has recorded over 17,620 cases of classic dengue and 594 of the hemorrhagic type. The disease has already claimed 21 lives in the country this year, 5 more cases are under investigation. The government reported that 85% of the hemorrhagic dengue cases were reported in the capital of Tegucigalpa.

The government has initiated a massive fumigation effort in addition to public education outreach in order to contain the epidemic. Dengue fever is caused by a virus, which is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. Dengue cannot be spread directly from person to person. There is no vaccine to protect against infection and no treatment to stop an infection.

What are the classic symptoms of dengue? The principle symptoms of classic dengue fever are: high fever (starting 3-14 days after bite and lasting less than 7 days); severe headache (especially behind the eyes); joint and muscle pain (especially in the lower back); bone pain (earning the name "break-bone fever"); and rash and mild bleeding (e.g., nose or gums bleed, easy bruising). Dengue hemorrhagic fever is characterized by symptoms consistent with classic dengue, however, when the fever declines, symptoms including persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, and difficulty breathing may develop. More severe symptoms may follow.

What is the treatment for dengue? There is no medication for treatment of dengue infection. Persons who think they have dengue should use pain relievers with acetaminophen and avoid those containing any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID), such as aspirin.

Tuesday, during our layover in Washington D.C., we received a phone call informing us that both Jason and Arlen have dengue hemorrhagic fever. They are "stuck" in Tegucigalpa and staying in a hotel there. They wanted to try to make the three hour trip home because living in the hotel is getting very expensive for them, but the doctor told them they shouldn't be traveling at this time. Also, within the next couple of days, the doctors will be checking the two children for the fever. Please, remember this precious family in your prayers.

Note: Usually, mosquitos that carry malaria and dengue are found in more tropical areas where it is very hot and humid. La Esperanza is located high in the mountains at 5,500 ft. Even though we do have mosquitoes, our cooler weather helps to guard us from those dangers.

Trust His Heart

2010-07-19T22:28:00.003-05:00

Two and a half years ago, at a regular yearly checkup, it was discovered that my husband's PSA had gone up from 1.9 to 3.3. The doctor promptly ordered a biopsy of his prostate. As a result of that biopsy, Mike has battled prostate cancer since January of 2008. The more natural treatment that we felt led to use to fight this battle has seemed to work well for him. At his last checkup nearly six months ago, the doctor found that one tumor was dead and the other had diminished blood flow and it was more than 50% smaller than when he was diagnosed. Even though, during treatment, his PSA got as high as 6.9, in January of this year it was once again below 2.

With this exciting report ringing in our ears, we were given permission to go back to Honduras with the understanding that Mike would continue his meds. The doctor also suggested that he add another medicine to his regime. He was also to get monthly PSA readings and was told to return again in six months for another check up. But, while in Honduras, certain symptoms began to return and his PSA slowly began to climb. His last Honduran PSA report, which was taken the first of June, had reached 4.9.

He realized that the only thing he was doing different was the added medicine. If we've learned one thing through this experience, it is that people sometimes respond differently to different treatments or meds. He immediately stopped the new medicine and went back to his old regime and, praise the Lord, when we came back to the States the 6th of July and he had blood drawn for his latest PSA, it had dropped to 3.4!

Tomorrow, at 7:00 a.m., Mike and I will catch a plane at DFW airport and fly to New York City. We are supposed to arrive at La Guardia airport at 1:15 p.m. We will grab a cab and head to 60th Street, right off Park Avenue, in Manhattan. At 2:30 p.m. he will see Dr. Robert Bard, M.D., PC. Dr. Bard, who is a leader in clinical imaging and radiology, will examine Mike and tell us the status of his prostate cancer. Dr. Bard uses a 3-D power doppler ultrasound imaging technology which has been shown to accurately differentiate between cancerous and benign cells. When we leave his office, we will already have the results of the scan. Then we'll take a taxi back to La Guardia and, at 5:00 p.m., we will catch our return flight and arrive back at DFW around 10:00 p.m. tomorrow night.

We ask for your prayers, that God will have His perfect will in our lives. Of course, we would love to hear that God has completely healed Him of his cancer and that we can go back to Honduras and our work and the lives we had before January 2008. I won't lie to you. That is what I would like to hear in New York! But sometimes, what we want and what God wants are two different things.

Years ago, Mike and I both gave our lives to Christ. We told the Lord we would be, as Mike likes to put it, "Triple A Christians": Anything, Anywhere, Anytime! We meant it then... and we still do! Whatever it takes to bring honor and glory to His name and cause the lost to accept Him as their personal Savior, that's what we want.

Please, please don't misunderstand what I'm trying to say. I'm not trying to sound "holier than thou" or like we're "ultra righteous" or anything like that... because that certainly couldn't be farther from the truth! In fact, it's really pretty scary to say to the Lord "Whatever it takes" and truly mean it... because only He really knows "what it will take" to accomplish His will.

But you know what, in February of last year, when it seemed that Mike's treatment was finally working and we began thinking that we might be going back to Honduras soon, he ended up in ICU for a week with a 75% blocked artery in his heart. Several times through that episode I thought I was going to lose him. Even though I was trying to be strong, I began to really question what God was doing in our lives. But one night, about 2:00 a.m., after a particularly scary episode with his heart, I got in the car to head back to where we were staying in Del Rio. That night I was really having a difficult time holding myself together and felt as though I was coming apart at the seams. I started the car, only after I dried my tears and could focus again. The car radio automatically came on when the car started. It was tuned to the Christian station to which I had been listening. At first, I wasn't even paying attention to what was on the radio. I was too busy asking the Lord, "Why?" . And then, what was playing on the radio began to penetrate my thoughts. It was a song I had never heard before... and I've not heard it since, but my son later told me it is a well known song. It was the chorus of the song that caught my attention. It spoke to my heart and answered my question. It went like this:

God is to wise to be mistaken.

God is to good to be unkind.

So when you don't understand,

When you don't see His plan,

When you can't trace His hand

Trust His heart.

That was exacty what I needed to hear! That was my answer. And that, my dear friend, is the key to having peace even when it seems that your world is crashing down around you!! You see, there are still many, many things I don't understand.... and probably will never understand until I get to Heaven. But, through the years, there is one thing I have definitely learned that I can count on...

I KNOW that I can ALWAYS

TRUST MY HEAVENLY FATHER'S HEART!

And

I DO!!!

For more information about Dr. Robert Bard and 3-D power doppler ultrasound imaging technology go to WWW.CANCERSCAN.COM

Taking Care of Stateside Business

2010-07-13T17:59:00.003-05:00

Even though we are desperately missing our people in Honduras, it is always a blessing and joy to see our family and friends in the States. Since our arrival at DFW International Airport on July 6, we have not wasted anytime doing the things that need to be done so that we can be free to return home by the last of August.

During our week here, we've had a chance to get caught up on some much needed rest, visit with our parents and a couple of our sisters, spend some time with our dear friends, Robbie and Julia, and attend Sunday services at the church where Mike and I grew up and received our Biblical foundation. We've also made appointments with our doctors, received Mike's latest PSA results, and made our flight reservations to go to New York for Mike's cancer scan. If his scan goes well and he gets a good report, then we will also try to go visit our children and grandchildren in Washington and Idaho and our dear friend in Canada , Bev, who's husband went to Heaven three months ago. While in the northwest, we also hope to reschedule a couple of churches with whom we had appointments last time we were here but had to cancel when my dad became gravely ill and nearly died. Then, we hope to make it back south in time to attend the mission camp hosted by the WBF Mission Agency and Minnetonka Youth Camp in Oklahoma and return home to Honduras by the end of August. And so, as you can see, our furlough is not a "vacation", as many mistakenly think. It is a time to take care of necessities so that we may return to Honduras as soon as possible and to the work that God has given us to do!

As some of you may remember, Mike's last PSA, taken a month ago, was 4.9. This was nearly two and 1/2 points higher than the previous month! This was not good news for us. But, since our return to the States last week, Mike has already had blood drawn for his latest monthly PSA test. We received a call from the doctor's office this morning telling us that his PSA results for July is 3.4! Although this is 1/10 of a point higher than when he was diagnosed with cancer at 3.3, we are thrilled that, once again, it is going in the right direction.... DOWN! With this latest PSA in hand, we will fly to New York City next Tuesday, July 20th, for Mike to have his cancer scan with Dr. Bard.

PLEASE, WE COVET YOUR PRAYERS, that the Great Physician will touch him and continue to heal his body! Our prayer is that he will receive a good report that the cancer is either still shrinking or... completely gone! The sooner this "set back" is taken care of, the sooner we can get back to work in Honduras!

Thank you all, once again, for your interest in us and in the ministry to which God has called us. We especially appreciate those of you who support the work in Honduras with your faithful prayers and/or financial support. Each one of you will share in the blessings and rewards of each precious Honduran soul reached for Christ!

It's not a suggestion...it's a COMMAND!

We're On Our Way to the U.S.A.

2010-07-05T19:35:00.003-05:00

It's so hard to believe that we are headed back to the U.S. tomorrow. Even though we returned to Honduras last February 25, it seems like it was just yesterday and, really, neither one of us is ready to leave again! But, if all the appointments with the doctors come out okay, then we hope to return home sometime in August. Please pray to that end.

God is still answering prayers for us! As some of you know, we were very concerned about the situation in Ojo de Agua... a situation that could have been disastrous. (If your not familiar with what I'm talking about see my last two blog posts.) But, once again, when Satan was doing his best to try to destroy God's work, God took the problem and turned it into a way to help build His work!! I believe that this was a result of so many prayers going up on our behalf!

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,

to them who are the called according to [his] purpose." ~ Romans 8:28

Because of all the people in the community who stood up in our defense, and all the positive things that were said about the church and us, those who had been thinking about visiting the church decided maybe it was okay to come after all. For others, it just peaked their curiosity, and they came to see what was going on! Anyway, our attendance was not hurt at all! In fact, in my children's class alone, we had 16 visitors!!! Once again, we thank you all for your prayers and we give God all the glory for the wonderful results!

Yesterday, God answered another major concern and prayer request. Since Alex can no longer help me with the children's classes I, once again, have been teaching all four classes on Sundays. I had no one who was willing to teach during the time we are in the U.S. But yesterday, a sweet young lady that I have known since she was 15 years old, told me that she wanted to teach the children and that she could go every two weeks to the mountains! Yessinia is a precious Christian with a wonderful testimony and I am thrilled that the children will get to sit under her teaching until we return! God always supplies our needs if we will just wait on Him and trust Him!

At our main church in La Esperanza, it was a bittersweet service. My children's class had just finished a Sunday School competition based on attendance, scripture memorization and visitors. Last night was awards night. Besides the regular 1st through 3rd place winners, I also acknowledged perfect attendance and those who just missed once during the entire three month long competition. Each child received a new Bible and some "fun" stuff, too. But, when the service was over and it was time to say goodbye, I'm not ashamed to tell you that there were a few tears shed, not just by me, but by some of our sweet people, too. Even though we hope to return by the end of August, will truly miss them.

I just want to let everyone know that I may not be able to post something every week while we are in the States. We are normally not in a home that has internet, so I must make time to go to a place that has WiFi. I will, though, do my best to let everyone know what the doctor says about Mike's cancer as soon as we know something. In the mean time, we do covet your prayers!

Thank you all, once again, for taking an interest in what God is doing here in Honduras. May He abundantly bless each of you. ~ Debbie

..."the Lord stood with me,..."

2010-07-03T17:43:00.058-05:00

II Timothy 4:17 "Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and [that] all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion."

I just want to thank all of you who prayed about the situation in Ojo de Agua. Mike left for Ojo de Agua this morning at 5 a.m. was gone most of the day to their community meeting.

He said that it was amazing! Before ANYTHING negative was ever said, people in the community began to stand up and defend Mike and the church!!! They told of all the things he had done to help meet the needs of, not only individuals, but also the community with several of their projects. There were those that were not happy but, in the face of so many speaking up on the church's and our behalf, NOT ONE PERSON said anything derogatory!!! It looks as if the whole silly situation has been put to rest!

II Samuel 23:12 "But he stood in the midst of the ground, defended it, ... and the LORD wrought a great victory."

God is SO AWESOME and SO GOOD to hear and answer our prayers!!! Prayer is our most powerful weapon against Satan's attacks! May God abundantly bless each of you who remembered to pray for us and the church in Ojo de Agua!

Psalms 98:1 "O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory."

There was at least one person to

represent each family from the majority

of the families in the Community.

"But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory

through our Lord Jesus Christ."

~ I Corinthians 15:57

Please, PRAY! Because the Battle Rages On!

2010-07-02T23:00:00.004-05:00

Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]."

As some of you may recall, I mentioned several prayer requests in the last blog. One main request was for the situation concerning the church in Ojo de Agua. Any time God's work is moving forward, souls are being saved and people are hearing the truth of God's Word, Satan is mad! And right now, Satan is furious with what is happening in that small Lenca community in the mountains... and he is doing all he can to stop what God is doing there!

Seven years ago we started going to this little community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the beginning there was little interest in the message of God's love and His free gift of salvation. We were met with suspicion and skepticism. But slowly, with persistence, much prayer and much love, we began to see people opening up and listening. For a long time, we had services with basically one family in their home. But the powerful message and truth of God's Word began to chip slowly away the foundation of Satan's stronghold!

Last Sunday, in (as far as we know) the first and only non-Catholic church in all of San Francisco de Opalaca, 75-80 people gathered together in the Calvary Baptist Church of Ojo de Agua to study and learn the Word of God! God has so blessed His work there and we have seen many accept Christ as their Savior and baptized in the nearby river. Nearly every Sunday we see new faces in the congregation. We have three, very faithful believers, that walk an hour every Sunday from the community of Azaqualpa, just to attend the services there in Ojo de Agua! The people in the church there are excited and growing in the Lord. But, that is exactly why Satan is furious!

Now, you need to understand how things work in these Lenca Indian communities. Each family has their land that they live on and farm and pass down to the next generation. But, if they want to sell some of their land to someone, then the current president of that community, as well as the community's land transfer committee, must give their approval. Once you have received their approval to buy land in their village, then there is a lot of paperwork and signatures required. After all these requirements have been meet and you have all your signed paperwork in order, the land is yours to do with as you wish. When we bought the land in Ojo de Agua to build the church there we, of course, had to fulfill all these requirements.

Our problem is, that the current community president is a very strong Catholic. His priest is not happy about us being there and the fact that he and "the church" is losing some of its power and influence over the people. Because the priest wants us out of there and our church closed down, he's putting a lot of pressure on the current president. The president is claiming that we got the land without going through all the proper procedures and he wants to rescind the permission we received to build the church. He wants to close it down and claim the building for the community!

Tomorrow, there will be a community meeting and some of the people in the church got word to Mike that they thought he probably needed to be there. We are not really sure what the meeting is going to be about or what their plan is, but Mike and some of the men plan on being there. This is why we need our fellow Christians to bombard Heaven with their prayers!

This is not the first time we have had problems with the Catholics in these Lenca villages. We have been told, at different times, in different communities, that if we kept coming and preaching the Gospel, there would be serious consequences. They have threatened to puncture our tires, block the roads or bridges, or do something "more serious". Once, while Mike was receiving cancer treatments in the States, some of our "preacher boys" hiked in to a new area, showed the Jesus film, and gave the plan of salvation. Several people accepted Christ as their Savior that night. The next week, when they returned to hold services, several men with machetes met them on the trail and would not let them pass. But, it is three of those believers from that community of Azaqualpa, that faithfully walk an hour to go to the church in Ojo de Agua, and another hour to return home!

They can try to scare us and threaten us all they want. We come with the authority and power of God on our side and, also, Honduras has a constitutional freedom of religion. It is against the law for anyone to harass or threaten us with harm. If they ever tried to harm us physically they could be thrown into jail. But that fact has never stopped the Catholic priests from stirring up his parishioners and sending them out to make trouble and threaten us or their own people who want to attend our services!

In these strongly Catholic mountain villages where the Lenca live and work, Satan has had free reign for centuries. These people have never been taught God's Word. Their hearts and minds are filled with superstitions, traditions, and the lies of a false doctrine. They are unbelievably poor, most living in mud houses with dirt floors and without running water or electricity. They have no hope of ever being able to better their lives and, because of what they have been taught, very little hope and no assurance of a better after-life. They are not really recognized by their government, nor accepted by mainstream society. Even most missionaries are not interested in working with them because it's a very slow, very difficult ministry with seemingly very little return for your months and years of work. They are, basically, a forgotten and an unreached people.

But, God loves them and He has not forgotten them! He died on the cross because He loves the Lencas as much as He loves you and me! They have a right to hear, and we have the responsibility to tell them the truth of God's Word! In fact, as Christians, we are commanded to go and tell them about God's plan of salvation. We are commanded to tell them that God promises, that if we accept His forgiveness for our sins and accept His free gift of salvation, then we can KNOW that we will go to Heaven when we die! And God also promises that, if we GO and TELL them His message, He will be with us!!! And Mike and I have learned that we can take God's promises "to the bank"!!!

And you see, we love the Lenca people, too! We have claimed for Christ those mountain villages and the precious people who live and work there! We will continue to go and preach the Gospel and teach them God's Word as long as we are physically able. And when we can no longer go, our prayer is that others will have caught the vision and continue to seek them out and tell them of God's love.

We covet your prayers for the meeting on Saturday! Please, pray that the devil and his demons will be rebuked and that God will show Himself strong. Please, pray that Satan's strongholds would be torn down and that these dear people who have lived in spiritual darkness for so long would suddenly begin to see the Son in their eyes!

We are not discouraged or worried about the outcome, because we know that many of you will be praying and Jesus has promised us that "...greater is He (Jesus) that is in you, than he (Satan) that is in the world." ~1 John 4:4

And if God said it, I believe it... and that settles it!!!