Rice and Beans of Life: The Giant in Front of Me

Vacation ...
hiding from reality

A beach vacation in Guanacaste, Costa Rica ... Please don't wake me, I'm enjoying this dream. The balmy breezes, the soothing sound of the waves lapping the shore, the gift of sunsets and sleeping in ... a far cry from the subzero temperatures many of you are experiencing! This 'giant' called reality feels a bit daunting. I don't want vacation to end and return to reality, I like vacation! Wait, I'm a missionary, you know, called by God, ready to teach, preach and share His love so that all may know His gift of salvation ... Well, truth be told, I like lounging on the beach, vacationing the day away with my Mighty men, not thinking about anything important ... but then, there's this giant called reality.

This morning I was challenged to think about 2018 as "the Year of the Lord's Favor" ... I've spoken much and referred often to the Lords hand of favor on us. As pastor Martin shared this morning I had the pleasant awareness that "the Year of the Lord's Favor" in Luke 4, is limitless! 2017 was an amazing year of favor on the ministry we're apart of and as we seek Him, 2018 can be even more amazing. However, with this favor comes responsibility ... As we read from Isaiah 61, it felt like a giant was standing in front of me, taunting me with those thoughts that it's much easier to "stay on vacation - spiritually"... you know, the thought that life is easier when you don't respond to The Call to: "heal the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom for the captives, release from darkness for the prisoners, to comfort all who mourn, to provide for those who grieve, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes and the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair ... to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor!"

Along with experiencing His favor is this simple fact which restores my soul ... He is much bigger than this giant taunting me! As we feel His favor resting on us, the guilt of wanting to be lazy is washed away and the burden of living a life worthy of The Call becomes this joyful, confident, expectation that all this will be for the display of His splendor! I have faith that The One who called is faithful!

Missionaries need vacation too ... His favor and forgiveness ... The giant defeated

Life on the Mountain ...

Most of the week it was life on the beach ... we rang in the New Year, snuggled into bed and 5 hours later we awoke full of excitement for our vacation! ... lazy days, Little House on the Prairie DVD's ... swimming in the pool and riding the waves in the Pacific ocean ... leaving temps in the high 80's and arriving to temps in the 50's ... back to sweatshirts, blankets on our beds and cold tile floors.

Praises

Daniella began a class for discipleship at church

Celebrating another year of life with Mati and our dear Landlords

Travel safety

Sabbath rest, vacation, relaxing
Video call with "the gang" to dream about planning a visit

Prayers

Healing from colds, sinus infections and chest colds

Daryl starts language study again this week, pray for joy and hope

Micah and Joseph back to school

Our time is HIS time, used for His glory

Finances for Vida220 outreach http://vidanetonline.org/friends-vidanet

Our four teams on outreach: Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, El Salvador