Na Imagem de Deus

Baseball in Brazil?

2010-01-07T11:41:00.000-06:00

On January 18th, I will be traveling to Brazil for two weeks with one of my supporting churches. We will be going to the very city where I will eventually live and minister and I couldn't be more excited!! Last night I became aware of a need they have in their baseball outreach. I wanted to make you aware of it and give you the opportunity to help out.

First a little background……

A couple years ago I had the privilege of helping to introduce baseball to South Brazil while on a mission trip. Our team took baseball equipment and since then we've seen them establish the first baseball league in South Brazil. This league is more than just fun and teaching Brazilians how to play baseball. It's a platform for sharing Christ and scoping out new areas for church plants. Baseball is very new to South Brazil but already the ministry is expanding! I found out last night that the group has grown so much that they are pretty max'd out on baseball gloves at some practices/games. That's where you come in! If you have a glove (new or used) that you would like to give to this ministry please let me know ASAP! Our team is gathering as many gloves as we can to take with us on January 18th. Please let me know by phone, email, or a comment here as soon as possible as we leave in 11 days!!

Thanks!

amymiller12@gmail.com
515-371-0215

A New Resolution

2010-01-01T01:11:00.000-06:00

Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Psalm 39:4

According to the USA.gov (“Government Made Easy”) website, the dozen most popular New Year’s Resolutions are: lose weight, manage debt, save more, change jobs, get in shape, go back to school, drink less, stop smoking, reduce stress in general, reduce stress at work, travel, and volunteer. Any of those look familiar? Since they’re the “most popular,” they probably do.

Here’s a different approach for 2010: Instead of focusing on what’s wrong with yourself or your circumstances, resolve this year to focus on God. Instead of making resolutions, resolve to do one main thing: Make your life the subject of gentle conversation between you and God on a daily basis. That doesn’t mean in the sense of, “God, I want...I need...I wish.” Rather, “God, I want to reflect Your glory in my life more in 2010 than in 2009. I want to live today in light of the end of my life. Speak to me and empower me to be conformed, gently but surely, more into the image of Christ this year.”

That’s a prayer God will answer by replacing the weakness of our resolve with the strength of His; a resolution that will not fail.

If our lives and ministry are to count for anything today we must solemnly resolve to make time for God.

Vance Havner

Sobering New Years News

2009-12-31T11:24:00.001-06:00

Found this on Mike Potter's blog...

Susan Jacoby, the author of The Age of American Unreason and a writer for the Washington Post, is celebrating the top developments in American secularism in 2009. They are as follows:

#1: In April, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life reported that those with no religious affiliation—the unchurched–were the fastest-growing group in the American religious landscape. More than 16 percent said they belonged to no church and identified with no religious group. Jacoby responded to this development by saying, "I consider this an extremely positive development, because those who identify with no religion—whatever their beliefs or non-beliefs about the existence of a supreme being—are least likely to support religious intrusion on government and are least vulnerable to appeals from right-wing religion.”

#2: In his inaugural address, President Obama mentioned nonbelievers as a group of Americans worthy of respect. This is the first time a president, in a major address, has gone beyond the usual litany of respect for Americans of various religious faith and included Americans who reject religion.

#3: One of the first actions of the Obama administration was to overturn the Bush administration’s policies banning research on new embryonic stem cell lines.

#4: Predictions that the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 would bring about a “return to religion” proved unfounded. Church attendance spiked briefly in the first month after 9/11, after which the drop-off in churchgoing, and the rise of the unaffiliated, has continued until today.

If you’re a Christian, then these developments ought to concern you. But more than that, these developments ought to motivate you to live out your faith in 2010 with renewed vigor. There is great spiritual need right where you live. May God grant you the faith and strength to live missionally in the coming year.

Happy New Year!

Snow-toons

2009-12-17T09:41:00.006-06:00

I think these are fitting based on the fact that we are just now coming out from under 15 inches of snow and temps hovering at, or below, zero! Thanks, Kevin Graham, for giving me this laugh! Welcome to winter!!

The Manhattan Declaration

2009-11-23T16:42:00.003-06:00

This was drafted on October 20, 2009 in New York and released on November 20, 2009. Have you seen it? Have you signed it? Have you informed others about it?

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-20T07:56:00.003-06:00

Since my family is having our Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow I can officially say "Happy Thanksgiving"!!

May your stuffing be tasty,
May your turkey be plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious,
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

How He Loves - Jesus Culture

2009-11-07T12:52:00.001-06:00

I love Crowder but I really love this version of "How He Loves"...

How He Loves

2009-11-05T10:08:00.001-06:00

Awesome song.........

Awesome video...........

Watch it!

What do you treasure?

2009-10-31T13:43:00.000-05:00

Sonda-me, Senhor (Search me, Lord)

2009-10-07T19:56:00.002-05:00

I thought I would share with you my favorite Brazilian worship song. The translation is below. It's called "Sonda-Me" by Aline Barros.

Search me, Lord
And know me
Break my heart
Transform me, conform me to Your word
And fill me until in me
You are all they see
Then use me, Lord
Use me

Like a lighthouse light in the dark,
Like a bridge over the waters,
Like a shelter in the desert,
Like an arrow that hits the target
I want to be used in any way that pleases you at any time at any place,
Here is my life,
Use me Lord,
Use me

Search me
Break me
Transform me
Fill me
And use me

Remembering

2009-09-11T10:29:00.001-05:00

Matthew 5:4, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

Today marks the 8th anniversary of the September 11th tragedy. We all remember where we were that day and the feelings we felt as we saw the horrible events transpire. I recall the outpouring of love, faith, and prayers that occurred throughout the country in the days and weeks afterward. It seemed that in our darkest moment as a country, we stood together as never before and jointly lifted our prayers, asking God for His divine comfort and help.

Unfortunately, human nature sets in over time and most of us, at least those not directly affected by the events on 9/11, get back to our normal lives. We pray a little less, we rely on ourselves more and more, and we neglect to love others well with each passing day. I encourage you to spend a few minutes thinking about how this is true in your life, and identify what actions you should take to change the trend.

There are thousands of people, however, who have not gotten back to “normal” life pre-9/11. Nor will they ever. These people lost a mom, a dad, their spouse, a friend, a son or daughter, an employee, a beloved church member.

Today, as the Body of Christ, let’s call to God on behalf of those who endured loss and must bear the pain of 9/11. Let’s pray as Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus:

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:16-19

Grace International School

2009-09-01T08:58:00.000-05:00

I received this letter from some friends who are serving in Chiang Mai, Thailand at this school. They are asking us to get the word out and to join them in prayer for Grace International School. Thanks!

Grace International School in Chiang Mai, Thailand offers affordable, high quality education to the children of Christian workers in Southeast Asia. Grace has served more than 1,500 students from more than 20 countries in its ten years of existence. The ministry of Grace enables hundreds of missionaries to minister in SE Asia. . But now, the future of the school is at a crossroads and we need your help.

A recent lawsuit brought against Grace International School has jeopardized the future use of the current school facilities. This suit was filed by a neighborhood association legally recognized by the government, charging that GIS had purchased the current property and facilities illegally. When Grace purchased the property, all papers were properly filed in government offices and the title deeds were legally transferred to the school. All proper due diligence was taken to ensure the legality of the purchase. But, under a recent consumer protection law, the association claimed the property should be given to them.

In August, 2009, the court ruled against Grace International School, requiring the school to:

1. Abandon the facility and turn the land deeds over to the association,
2. Return the facilities to their original condition, and;
3. Pay a fine in excess of $140,000.

Grace will appeal this decision and is working to pursue a just resolution in this case. Should the appeals courts not rule in our favor, GIS will be forced to vacate the facilities in the next year. It is therefore vitally urgent that the school get a new facility. Grace prayerfully asks that you consider how you might contribute financially, and also help to spread the word to others who might support the ministry of the school. GIS must raise on the order of 10 million dollars to purchase property and build a new campus.

Please pray for Grace International School as they are in the appeals process. Pray for a just resolution and for God to raise up many people to partner with Grace to raise the funds for new property. May God’s will for this very strategic school prevail.

If you sense God prompting you to help Grace International School, you may visit their Education Foundation website where you can find ways to help them raise money and/or to personally donate funds.

Grace International Education Foundation
www.gracefndn.com
6009W. Parker Rd., Suite 149 PMB 153
Plano, TX 75093-8121 USA

Memorizing

2009-08-14T11:26:00.003-05:00

So I think I bit off more than I could chew in my desire to memorize an entire book of the Bible. At least right now. I still want to work on memorizing Ephesians...but maybe a chapter a month was a bit lofty for me. And that's ok. I still want to memorize because Martin Luther said, "He who loses sight of the Word of God, falls into despair." Recently I have committed Psalm 138:8 and Psalm 57:2 to memory. They have become, as my friend says, my "anchor" verses. And today I am memorizing Proverbs 4:23, " Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." NLT

What have you memorized lately?

What Is Your Life Worth To You?

2009-08-10T09:25:00.003-05:00

“But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God." - Acts 20:24

If TV cameras had existed in the first century AD, they would have swarmed all over the mob scene described in Acts 19. An angry crowd had gathered in Ephesus to clamor for the head of Paul. For he had “persuaded many people that handmade gods [weren’t] really gods at all” (v.26).

The metal workers of Ephesus made a good living by selling images of Artemis, who was also known as Diana. And the whole city took Paul’s “irreverent” theology rather personally. But the bold apostle didn’t see the crazed crowd as menacing; he saw it as a mission field. In verses 30 and 31 we read that Paul actually tried to appear before the people. He was stopped by friends who cared for him.

Why would Paul want to speak to that senseless horde? Look ahead to Acts 20. Once again, we see Paul plunging into a dangerous situation (vv.22-23). He said, “Jail and suffering lie ahead.” But he added triumphantly, “My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God” (v.24).

Paul’s disregard for his own life was tied securely to his knowledge that he would continue running his race until it was over. Whether he crossed the finish line that day in Ephesus, or finished the race in Jerusalem, it mattered little to him. The mob was an audience to whom he could give the gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ.

Paul wasn’t afraid of the rule of the mob, because Jesus reigned in his heart. Are you willing to give the gospel of the grace of God to even one individual today?

Simplified Missional Living

2009-08-06T16:09:00.001-05:00

Jonathan Dodson from "The Resurgence" has offered some helpful words on what he calls "Simplified Missional Living." Maybe living with purpose is just as simple as doing things on purpose. See what you think...

Eat with Non-Christians
We all eat three meals a day. Why not make a habit of sharing one of those meals with a non-Christian or with a family of non-Christians? Go to lunch with a co-worker, not by yourself. Invite the neighbors over for family dinner. If it’s too much work to cook a big dinner, just order pizza and put the focus on conversation. When you go out for a meal, invite a non-Christian friend. Or take your family to family-style restaurants where you can sit at the table with strangers and strike up conversations. Have cookouts and invite Christians and non-Christians. Flee the Christian subculture.

Walk, Don’t Drive
If you live in a walkable area, make a practice of getting out and walking around your neighborhood, apartment complex, or campus. Instead of driving to the mailbox or convenience store, walk to get mail or groceries. Be deliberate in your walk. Say hello to people you don’t know. Strike up conversations. Attract attention by walking the dog, carrying along a 6-pack to share, bringing the kids. Make friends. Get out of your house! Last night I spent an hour outside gardening with my family. We had good conversations with about four of our neighbors. Take interest in your neighbors. Ask questions. Engage. Pray as you go. Save some gas, the planet, and some people.

Be a Regular
Instead of hopping all over the city for gas, groceries, haircuts, eating out, and coffee, go to the same places at the same times. Get to know the staff. Smile. Ask questions. Be a regular. I have friends at coffee shops all over the city. My friends at Starbucks donate a ton of leftover pastries to our church 2-3 times a week. We use them for church gatherings and occasionally give them to the homeless. Build relationships. Be a regular.

Hobby with Non-Christians
Pick a hobby that you can share. Get out and do something you enjoy with others. Try city league sports or local rowing and cycling teams. Share your hobby by teaching lessons, such as sewing, piano, knitting, or tennis lessons. Be prayerful. Be intentional. Be winsome. Have fun. Be yourself.

Talk to Your Co-workers
How hard is that? Take your breaks with intentionality. Go out with your team or task force after work. Show interest in your co-workers. Pick four and pray for them. Form moms’ groups in your neighborhood and don’t make them exclusively non-Christian. Schedule play dates with the neighbors’ kids. Work on mission.

Volunteer with Non-Profits
Find a non-profit in your part of the city and take a Saturday a month to serve your city. Bring your neighbors, your friends, or your small group. Spend time with your church serving your city. Once a month. You can do it!

Participate in City Events
Instead of playing XBox, watching TV, or surfing the net, participate in city events. Go to fundraisers, festivals, cleanups, summer shows, and concerts. Participate missionally. Strike up conversation. Study the culture. Reflect on what you see and hear. Pray for the city. Love the city. Participate with the city.

Serve Your Neighbors
Help a neighbor by weeding, mowing, building a cabinet, or fixing a car. Stop by the neighborhood association or apartment office and ask if there is anything you can do to help improve things. Ask your local Police and Fire Stations if there is anything you can do to help them. Get creative. Just serve!

How's Your Heart?

2009-07-28T18:18:00.002-05:00

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

My dad recently had a heart attack and had to have open heart surgery. So I've been thinking a lot about the heart and learning a lot about how it works and how Dad's heart was blocked and what actually was going to happen during this surgery and how do they actually repair the heart when it's blocked. More than I ever thought I'd know about the heart! What I learned recently was that when CPR was taught 25 or so years ago the focus was on both chest compressions and rescue breathing.

But today, the focus is primarily on the heart. When you approach someone who has collapsed in cardiac distress, new research suggests that you should focus on chest compressions. Supposedly, there is a sufficient amount of oxygen in the blood to keep vital organs working for a time. What the body lacks more immediately is a pumping heart to circulate the blood.

When you think about it, all of life comes down to the condition of one’s heart. Over and over again the Bible stresses that a spiritually healthy heart is vital. Throughout its pages we are told to search for, serve, and love God and others with all our heart (Deuteronomy 4:29; Matthew 18:35). It tells us to hide God’s Word in our heart so we won’t sin against Him (Psalm 119:11). It warns us that a “deluded heart” is what misleads us into worshiping false gods (Isaiah 44:20). And it urges us to “guard” our heart “above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23).

While people focus on outward appearance, God “looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). He knows that the real story of our lives springs from what is inside of us. It’s not so much what we see on the surface. It’s what we can’t see below the surface that is the most important part. My problem is to not get caught up in focusing on the externals of life.

So, how's your heart?

Shout Outs

2009-07-13T09:38:00.004-05:00

Shout out today to my sweet friend, Abi, for her encouragement and for making me laugh at absolutely anything!

We’ve not known each other for too long but it feels like we’ve been friends forever. I love that. We met in Florida while at orientation for PIONEERS – God, in His Sovereignty, made us roommates! And He has cemented her in my heart forever as my sister. So much more than friendship…I love you, Sporty! Thanks for giving me Micah last night...

And special recognition today to our other roommate…and dear friend…Lisa.

It’s her birthday!! HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I wish that I could spend today with you celebrating YOU... But know you’re being thought of and prayed for. You ARE my favorite superhero...

Beloved

2009-07-02T17:05:00.013-05:00

****Disclaimer – I did not write the following post. I got it directly off the website for Tenth Avenue North. I just thought it was too good not to share.****

The disciples must have thought Jesus was crazy. Seriously. I can only imagine their faces. So confused, so perplexed, uncomfortably glancing back and forth between each other, wondering if they had misheard, wondering if someone could help them understand. Meanwhile, you got Jesus, unnerved, unfazed, just sitting there cooly, looking them dead in the eyes, asking them to marry Him. Yes, you heard me right… marry Him. With nothing more than a cup of wine, no less, the Lamb of God was proposing. So you can imagine their confusion right? “Wait. What? Come again? Jesus, you feeling alright brotha? I mean, I don’t think that I’m exactly what you’re looking for! You want to think about what you’re saying for a minute?”

Of course, we don’t see it that way, because we’re not Jewish. But they were, and they did. See it that way, I mean. “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” We hear these words and we think Communion, Eucharist, Last Supper. The disciples heard this and they’re thinking wedding bells.

Apparently, “In those days,” when a Hebrew man decided to take for Himself a Hebrew woman, he’d go to his father and say, “Her, Dad. I want to make little rabbis with her.” So then the dad would go to her dad and they’d talk camels, or sheep, or whatever the payment was going to be, and after they’d settled on a figure, the groom would call in all his friends and family, set a table in the middle of a room, set the aforementioned girl down in front of said table, break out a cup, fill it with wine, and set it in front of her saying, “This is my covenant with you, take and drink it.” And if she did, that was her answer. With a simple gulp and swig, she was saying, “I do,” and that was it. No rings, no fancy songs or dinners, just a cup and an invitation.And oh yeah, all their relatives sitting in the room watching. I mean, talk about pressure. But yeah, that was it. Her lips to the glass was the same as saying, “I accept your life, and I give you mine in return.”

Now, If the girl said yes, “in those days,” she would then go immediately back to her home, where she would be known as, “one who was bought with a price.” It’s true. That was her name. Kind of long and tedious, and extremely hard to shout out in a game of soccer, but that was it. And with her new identity, she would go back to her town, and start preparing for the wedding. And really, she’d just start waiting for future husband to finish what he had to do and come and get her. What was he doing? Well, during the engagement, the groom’s primary responsibility was to build a mansion for him and his bride to be.

Now girls, before you get too excited, let me explain. “Mansion” in Hebrew means "apartment". And what’s even better is that this apartment was actually more like an addition, because the groom would build it onto his parents pre-existing house. Yes. You heard me correctly. Their first home would be with the in-laws. And right now, I can just imagine how many girls are thinking, “oh please don’t let me marry a Jewish boy.” It’s true though. He would build his “mansion” onto the family “insula,” which is what they would call the family dwelling.

You see, the entire family would just keep building on and building on until you had what was basically a city block, all comprised of one big bustling Jewish family. (And you thought My Big Fat Greek Wedding was bad) Crazy, but also true.

Well, as you can imagine, this process could take quite a while. I mean, it’s a house for crying out loud. Some scholars say it was six months, or even a year before the poor guy was finished. And get this, the only one who could decide if it was finished was the father. So he’d be working and working and working, and every day looking to his dad, saying, “Are we done yet?” And I can just imagine the father messing with him. Taking his time, looking it over, and then just saying, “Almost.” Could you imagine? Oh, the agony! And to top it all off, the groom and the bride weren’t even allowed to talk to each other. Nothing. Nada. Zip. They couldn’t see or speak to one another during the entire engagement, except for one outlet. The best man. He’d be the instant messenger if you will. Taking notes back and forth between the doting couple. And those moments were probably pretty funny. “Here’s your note, ‘one who was bought with a price.’ Check yes, no, or maybe.” Unbelievable.

But you know, how much more beautiful would that day be when the father finally approved? That day when the groom was finally finished, and he could gather up his homeboys, or ‘groomsmen’ as we westerners would say, and imperiously march into his fiance’s town? Oh it was sweet. And that’s just what he’d do. He’d get his bridal party together and they’d come to her house, and without any prior announcement or advanced warning, they would blow a shofar, which was a ram’s horn that served as a trumpet, and upon hearing it, the pining bride would come bustling out her front door and practically straight down the aisle, and into her beloved’s arms. The period of waiting and wanting would be over, and the two would be united at last to consummate their long-awaited union. Joy. Happiness. Little Rabbis… You know, all the good stuff.

So then, back to the dinner table with the 12. Can you sense where this is going? Jesus breaks into this marriage proposal, cup out, wine-filled, offering his covenant with them. They accept. “I do” to Jesus. Gulp, gulp. “I accept your life, and I give you mine in return.” So then, what does Jesus do? He explains how they have to spend some time apart. Naturally. Only this is going to be longer than a year. However, the best man was coming. His name? The Holy Spirit. So when Jesus leaves, off to get busy preparing a “mansion” for them, (”in my Father’s house there are many rooms”) He doesn’t leave them alone, but instead sends His own mediator, the Holy Spirit, to keep the messages going between Himself and his Beloved. Meanwhile, the bride is left behind in her town, keeping watch, day and night, not knowing the day, time or hour that the bridegroom will appear. Until finally, after a long-awaited return, and we’re talking seriously, long awaited; centuries and milleniums waited people, after this much awaited consummation, the Father alone will announce that the time has come, and Jesus will be coming back for all His faithful, all who are His bride. With a posse of angels and loud trumpet call of their own, He will take us home, to the marriage supper of the Lamb! And we will share in ever-increasing joy and intimacy with Him forever and ever. As C.S. Lewis so brilliantly articulated, “Further up and further in!”

And people still want to insist that Christianity is no more than a religion.

I don’t know about you but in light of this information, it puts Jesus in an entirely different light. He’s no longer an ideal, or a belief system. He’s a person. And to put it more precisely, He is a groom in love with his bride. And not just any bride, but a wayward, adulterous bride. A bride who is half-hearted at best, chasing other lovers and other interests more than Him. And still, He keeps on loving. He keeps on being faithful, He keeps his promises.

In the Old Testament, He tells his prophet Hosea to marry an unfaithful woman, to show everyone the way He loves his people. (see Hosea 3) In the New, He tells us that divorce will never be an option for Him. (Phil 1:6) Over and over and over again, From Isaiah, to Ezekiel, to Ephesians, He tells us that we are not just his children, but we are his bride.Faithless though we might be, we are His, and He is ours.

And like I said before, this changes everything. It changes the way I view prayer. It changes the way I view marriage. It even changes the reasons that I obey. As Donald Miller once said, “it’s a far different thing to break a rule, than it is to cheat on a lover.” I only pray that it changes things for you.

The Art of Abiding

2009-07-01T15:03:00.000-05:00

God has been showing me what it means to truly abide in Him lately. That is going to be my lesson this year…and I’m ok with that.

Today I did some "abiding in Christ" at lunch at a small lake near where I work. Something about being near water.....I just love it. I can just feel peace settle over me.......good times. Anyway, it was a great lesson in abiding in the Word. The verse for this chapter is Job 23:12, "I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food." Wow.........I had to stop right there. I was immediately convicted b/c I don't very often treasure His word. And I can't treasure His word apart from reading it. Which is the key to abiding. My desire is to so saturate my life with the word of God. John 8:31 says, “If you abide in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine.” Someone once said that “The Word of God will stand a thousand readings and he who has gone over it most frequently is the surest of finding new wonders there.” I want to find new wonders!! I want to love simply to read the Bible – without the pressure of answering questions, just to relax and enjoy the content of the Scriptures. Then I can say with Jeremiah, “When I discovered your words I devoured them, they became for me a joy and the delight of my heart….” (Jeremiah 15:16) The devotional ended with this quote from R. A. Torrey, “We must study His words, fairly devour His words, let them sink into our thought and into our heart, keep them in our memory, obey them constantly in our life, let them shape and mold our daily life and our every act. This is really the method of abiding in Christ. It is through His words that Jesus imparts Himself to us.” Wow……..that is the cry of my heart……

Fun Facts

2009-06-26T11:13:00.001-05:00

Here are some fun facts that I came across. Happy Friday!!

You will drink about 20,000 gallons of water in your lifetime. (I’m way behind…..)

A giraffe can clean its ears with its 20 inch tongue. (Ewww….)

About 50% of Americans live within 50 miles of their birthplace. (Oh, how sweet…….)

People view 15 billion videos online every month. (Couch potatoes…….)

Summer on Uranus lasts for 21 years - but so does winter. (Which is why I never travel to Uranus in the winter…..)

A crocodile's tongue is attached to the roof of its mouth and cannot move. (They why have one? God is a funny guy…….)

Masterpiece

2009-06-11T17:26:00.002-05:00

Anticipation

2009-06-03T19:16:00.002-05:00

Our week has been pretty busy so far but we've also had ample amount of free time until today. Today no one had any more individual meetings so we had class all day. For dinner we were divided up and went home with some of the Pioneers staff members. Abi and I were in the same group and we had some fun with our people. We got back to our room around 7:30 and we going to get in the hot tub but the pool was closed when we got over there. So we stopped and picked up a movie that we're going to watch in a bit. "The Princess Bride". We kind of waiting for Lisa to get back from her dinner so she can watch it with us.

The best news that we all got this morning was that out of the 25 candidates that are here, they are going to be offering all 25 of us appointment as Pioneers missionaries! So we don't have to "fret" going into out last Candidate Committee meeting tomorrow morning! I'm so glad they told us today! Abi has been trying all day to get me to go to Asia with her. Don't worry...it's not been working! Although it would be a hoot to do ministry with her!

Tomorrow is another full day and then tomorrow night we are having ice cream sundaes! It's really weird to think that I won't see these people every day after Friday. And most of them I will never see again unless I end up working in the same part of the world that they do. Because Pioneers has such a decentralized structure of leadership and they are never in the same place at the same time. But God knows and we'll all be together one day...

Now off to "The Princess Bride" and chips and salsa!

Boa Noite, gente...(good night everyone)

Some stats and a Haiku

2009-06-01T16:18:00.002-05:00

Today has been a full day. We started the morning off by giving our testimonies one by one. Each person has 3 minutes and each couple has 6 minutes. It's so great to hear everyone's stories and how they got involved in missions and where they want to serve God. When we finished our facilitator said this is the first candidate class where's he's heard so many people say in their testimonies that they used to hate missionaries! Now they are one! It's cool how God works....

We finished the morning and early afternoon starting to get a tour of where Pioneers is working in the world. Wow.....so many unreached people groups that they are impacting. But still so much work to be done. This afternoon I had my counseling appointment now my evening is free. Except for dinner...which is in just a few minutes.

If you're the statistic type you might enjoy this:

1806+ - number of International Pioneer team members
188+ - number of Church Planting Team in the world
130+ - number of people group Pioneers is working in
84+ - number of countries Pioneers is working in

I will leave you with something I saw on a t-shirt today:

Haiku is easy
But sometimes it doesn't make sense
Refrigerator

Time Out

2009-05-31T20:53:00.002-05:00

Well, life threw a curve ball at me late Saturday night. After a great day at the beach, swimming in the ocean, grilling hamburgers and watching a couple movies on Saturday I got a call around midnight from my sister that my dad had a heart attack. I spent the next little while on the phone with her all the time wondering if I should go home. It was only a mild attack and he was conscious the whole time but it was a heart attack nonetheless and he was taken to the hospital via ambulance. They did an angiogram late last night and found that an artery on the left side of his heart was 100% blocked so they put a stint in. They also found another blockage on the other side of his heart that they would have to deal with later...

I talked to my sister, Jan, just a little but ago and originally this afternoon when we talked dad was doing pretty good. Now they can't keep his blood pressure or oxygen level stable so they are working on that. Also originally we thought he had two options for the 2nd blockage. Either another stint (probably a mediated one) or bypass surgery. With the stint he would have to be on aspirin and other blood thinning meds for the rest of his life. With the bypass it would be risky b/c of his lung disease. But today the doctor clarified that his only option probably is bypass surgery. So they will get him healthy from this round in order to do the surgery. Probably in a couple weeks....

I'm staying put for the time being and am in continual prayer for my dad. I would appreciate yours as well.

Also, today was the first day (afternoon) of COP (Candidate Orientation Program) at Pioneers and so far it's been a blast. I have two roommates, Abbi and Lisa, and we have had some fun getting to know each other this afternoon. Tomorrow is our first full day and we are looking forward to it. We've already been to the pool and hot tub tonight. They said we also could swim in the lake, and we were going to do that, but then they said, "as with any lake in Florida, it does have gators. But they won't bother you." Yeah right....maybe another time!

I've uploaded pictures of our beach day and you can see them here.

Florida - Day 1

2009-05-30T11:17:00.004-05:00

I arrived safe and sound last night after a delayed departure in Des Moines. There's nothing like getting delayed in the Des Moines airport. Nothing to do and no free internet. But I had a good time people watching. And the two families who planted themselves by me at the gate both spoke different languages...and you know how that fascinates me! Well, if you didn't now you do!

Bob and Sue picked me up and we grabbed some dinner at a steak place before heading to their house. I so love spending time with them! This morning I got up and Sue handed me a cup of coffee and I went out on the back patio to join Bob with my bible. We began to talk about ministry and Brazil and Sue eventually joined us as we continued talking. And I realized that the more I talk with them about ministry the more excited I get about the day that we'll do it together, with the Latham's, in Brazil! They live in a house on a spring-fed pond and this morning we say Blue Jay's, ducks, turtles, a crane, several gecko's and a snake. Not my favorite thing but Sue likes them and that gave me courage to actually go see it.

Now we are preparing to head to the beach at New Symrna for the afternoon. The cooler is packed with all the fixings for hamburgers and I am suntan lotioned up! I will try to upload pics tonight and tell you all about our beach barbeque day. Did I mention yet that I love being a missionary?

Até logo...(see you soon...)