Rice and Beans of Life: Nudges

The van broke down ...
need I say more?

You know that nudge in your Spirit? The one that says you should stop somewhere, call someone or do something 'random' ... Simply said, don't ignore His nudges! Last Saturday our van left us sit in downtown Heredia. "Why Lord? Mom and Dad are here and we need this vehicle to show them around! Why would you let something like this happen now?" Not knowing what to do, I knew who to call ... nudge ... Laura our awesome "garage girl" who is also a sweet friend. The garage was closed, she offered advice, we got the battery checked, they determined it was probably the alternator. "Uggggg, seriously God? We just had it replaced, why this week?" ... (two year old temper tantrum about to happen) ... Monday we took the van in hoping to have it back the same day ... nudge ... just be patient. Tuesday we borrowed a van from the base and went sight seeing with Mom and Dad. Driving home late in the day Daryl suggested ... nudge ... we should stop and see if the van is ready. At first I disagreed, Laura would call me when it was done and I didn't want to bother her ... nudge ... All of a sudden I realized she had been on my heart a lot this past month. I have been praying for her but also thanking God for the fact we didn't need to see her because our van was running fine! Nudge ... I agreed we should stop. We chatted about the van, vacation, life here and in the States and the boys were growing restless. I thanked her for coming to our rescue on Saturday and, in those next sacred moments, I felt Heaven touch earth. "Look Jenny, we all have troubles. Your's is with your van, mine is with ... " Standing on grease laden, holy ground, she shared her heart and the torment of life swirling around her. We cried together, prayed and all of a sudden it didn't matter that the van needed repaired. He nudged, we listened, His ways are always perfect, right, true and just! He had been placing Laura on my heart and He decided I needed to talk with her instead of just praying for her. So ... in His awesomeness, He allowed a small, easily repaired hose to come loose affecting the alternator that had just been replaced which then nudged me to connect with Laura. She's not with El Nido, you know the women I came here to minister to. She's our mechanic's daughter who knows and cares for our vehicles like her own. In His silence she is waiting to hear His voice ... she is His beloved, He has called her chosen, He is unashamed to call her His own!

He even uses van's ... He heard her cry ... Holy Spirit nudges

Praises

Spending 2 weeks with Mimi and Pop-pop

School decision made ... Jedidiah and Adam are going to a local Christian school!

Team unity ... loving each other through the intensity of ministry

Martha (El Nido) qualified to receive 'government aid' ... keep praying for her!

Daryl continues to find life in his Spirit

Joseph safely entered the teen years!

Our landlords, Fernando and Alexandra, So blessed to live here

Neighbors Daniella and Andres joined us for church

Prayers

Laura ... listen to His nudge for the details on how to pray for her

Praying for the financial possibility to send Micah and Joseph to school too

Vida220 Students as they do the Nehemiah challenge this week

To-do list for the Base completed by this weekend

Friday Oct. 27th Base Dedication

A name for the new Base ... see VidaNet FB page

More opportunity to share Father's love with neighbors

God, make our lives an example of Your love, grace and hope to the world around us

Life on the Mountain

We've been out of routine having Mimi and Pop-pop here ... Late nights, full days, the To-do list at the Base keeps growing ... hope and encouragement from lives being changed through El Nido continues to draw me to my knees ... God I need you ... Daryl's up to his ears (literally) trying to file the Base receipts by the end of the month ... and, he's up to his knees in concrete helping complete the to do list ... worshiping and getting to know the new set of Vida220 students, world changers, dying to self, glorifying God ... learning to love them with my mama's heart ... change is a constant for us, may lives continue to be changed by Fathers love as we dye to self and live or Him!