God's Plans = SUCCESS!!

Tomorrow is a BIG day for FUSE Costa Rica and Celebration Church Costa Rica. We are going to have our first big FUSE event, a mini concert. There has been so much preparation and planning that has gone into this event, and we all know that we can to all the planning we want but in the end God's plan is the one that is going to succeed!!! This devotional was given to us as we continue to pray for God to take over and use this event to "blow-up" FUSE Costa Rica!!! 

“Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3 (NLT)

Read Psalm 37:5, Psalm 55:22, 1 Peter 5:7

We all have plans. Planning is unavoidable. We plan the time we are waking up tomorrow, and the bus we’re taking; what we want to become when we grow up and the names for our unborn children. But… How often does everything go as we planned? And even more important: How often, before planning everything in our lives, we ask for advice to the only One who truly knows what best for us?

Someone once said that if we wanted to make God laugh we only had to tell Him our plans. God’s will is perfect and He has the real concept of what’s best for us and He is willing to execute His marvelous plan in our lives if we allow Him to (James 4:13-16).

That doesn’t mean that God is waiting for us to tell Him our plans to shatter them into a million pieces; but He won’t allow that our limited human way of thought destroys us. When God changes our plan, we must remember that it happens because He loves us (John 3:16). If He sent His Son to die for us, He will also change everything that we commit to Him, because of His love for us.

We must commit not only our plans to the Lord, we must also commit to Him our thoughts, feelings, family, enemies, friends, worries, gifts, flaws, dreams, fears and expectations. And we must do it BEFORE we begin to act in order to let Him direct and supervise our every move (Proverbs 3:5). That is the key for the success of our projects: commit them to God before we even begin, since that moment, since that prayer, everything that happens will happen because He knows it’s necessary. What if it doesn’t come out as I planned? Well, we are nobody to tell God how to do things (Job 38:2-13). We have to trust that, if we committed that to God, everything came out the way that was the best for us (Romans 8:28).

So… How do we achieve success in our plans? We pray and commit everything to God as soon as possible, we trust His wisdom and His love. And we remember that the world’s concept of “success” is very different from God’s.

  

Tomorrow an activity is happening, an activity that has the potential to change the life of Celebration and Alajuelita’s youth. We have all received the invitation to join this fast to ask and show God our desire for Him to come to the concert. Matthew 18:19 says that if two of us agree concerning the same thing, He will give us His favor. Let’s pray together, pray for His favor, so that our Lord will reveal Himself, for Him to change hearts and change Alajuelita’s youth. Let’s commit this activity to God, trusting that He will take care of every single thing that happens. Let’s commit ourselves as tools for His Work and always trust and remember that God loves us in a way that is supernatural.

**Thank you Danny for sharing what God put on your heart!!

48 Hours to Live

If YOU were given 48 hours to live what would be your first thought? What would you do, where would you go?...But wait, what if you couldn't go anywhere? What if you didn't know that you were only give 48 more hours of life???

About 8 months ago I was sitting in my apartment here in Costa Rica, and I remember this night so vividly. It was probably about 7 or 8 o'clock and I received a phone call from Pastor Miguel, his voice was a little shaky, and he continued to tell me that earlier that day his wife Karina's 12 year old cousin was hit by a microbus. She was in the hospital and  was in a coma and the doctors had given her 48 hours and they were going to disconnect everything. He asked if I would get everyone together and start praying for her. My first thought was, 'can we go to the hospital and pray for her?' He said he was going to call me back if we could go. So around 10 0'clock my phone rang again, he said that if we wanted to go that he would take us, well of course we wanted to! So I Called Chaz to tell her and JD and went next door and got Brant, and Gel. He had to make 2 trips to get us all to the hospital...it didn't matter though because we ALL wanted to be there!

Once we were all at the hospital Pastor Miguel asked if we could go in to pray for Mariana. The guard told him that only one person was allowed in, since her mom was with us she was the one that went in to see her daughter. This did NOT stop us!!! We didn't have to be inside with her to pray for her, so we all got together in the ER parking lot and started praying, and man was it powerful!!! We all felt God's presence and knew that He has plans for this precious little girl. We were out there for a few hours praying, reading His word and sharing. BIG things happened that night, and when her mom came out she told us that her vital signs were going up! AMEN, PRAISE GOD!!! So we went home that evening, continuing to pray for her over the next few days.

 Two days passed, the initial 48 hours, and it was a Monday. I talked with Pastor Miguel and he said that the doctors were going to give her 2 more days because her vitals were still rising....Many people were praying for this precious little girl!...Those days also passed and the doctors said that they were going to give her more time. They said she was going to be in the hospital for at least 6 months, and that she wouldn't ever be able to walk, and might not even be able to talk because of extensive brain damage. Well we all know that doctors don't have the last say. God's plans are BIGGER, He is our ultimate healer and only He knows what's going to happen.

Months passed, we continued praying for Mariana...One day, about 5 months later, Pastor Miguel tells me that Mariana is going home from the hospital!!! Wow, now that's amazing news!!! A few more months passed and just a few weeks ago I was standing in the back of church on Sunday morning, worshiping and I felt God's presence so strongly, I happened to look towards the door and saw a lady and a gentleman pushing a wheelchair in the church. Even thought I had never met or seen her before, I immediately I knew that it was Mariana sitting in that wheelchair. Through out the service I would glance over at her and she had the biggest, brightest smile on her face. Then after service I asked Karina if that was her, and as I guessed it sure was!  I went over to talk to her. The smile on her face could have lit up the whole church. She was so happy and just loved to talk to everyone. As we were all talking, with the help of her dad, she stood up out of her wheelchair and took a few steps, what an amazing sight!!! Talk about a MIRACLE!!! Just a few months back the doctors said she wouldn't be able to do that...but like I said before, God is the ultimate healer and His plans are BIGGER!!!! Nothing is going to stop her, she has such a big heart and God has big plans for her!!!

Let's all remember that when we have a rough day or two! And will you all keep Mariana and her family in your prayers, for continued healing and that God continues to provide financially for their needs.

Jehovah-Jireh our Provider

Trying to find over 200 children definitely took a lot of time. We spent many days walking around neighborhoods asking families, neighbors, and kids if they recognized any of the children that were on our list. Each day passed and with the help of families and neighbors we found more and more each day. It was getting down to the wire and just a few days before the distribution days we still had a list of about 25 kids we needed to find. On this list there were a hand full of kids that the only information we had were their names and uniform sizes. It’s a little hard to find someone with out a phone number or directions to their house, but we continued searching.

There was one little girl we were looking for, she was one of the ones that we had very little information on. We kept asking the kids and families we were finding but no one knew where she lived. This was one of the last days we had to find her. We came across 2 ladies walking down the street and asked them about her, they didn’t know but they did tell us that the school was open for cleaning and the director was there so we could go ask her. That’s exactly where we went. I think we had about 7 or 8 left at this point and with the help of the director and 2 other teachers they were able to tell us where all but 2 of them lived. Praise Jesus!!  

So we went back out and went to these houses. As we walked up to where they told us one of the girls lived there were 2 boys sitting outside, we asked if she lived there and if their mom was home. They initially told us that their mom wasn’t home, and then another boy came out of the house and told us their mom was home but she was sick. Then a little girl came out and said “mi mama esta enferma pero puede entrar”, my mom is sick but you can come in. The house was pretty empty; the only thing in this main room was an old table with 4 chairs, a fridge, sink and small gas stove. Ana Lorena, their mom was sitting at the table. I went over to talk to her and explain why we were there; that the English teacher had given us her name and told us that their family would probably need help with school supplies/uniforms this year.  As I was explaining our sponsorship program to her tears began to run down her face. I asked her if she understood what I was saying, just to make sure my Spanish was correct. She started telling me that just a few days before she was praying, asking God what she was going to do and how she was going to be able to send her kids to school. She has 5 biological children and adopted 2 others whose parents left when they were babies.  She gets 40,000 colones ($80)/month for child support and there are times where she has to decide weather to use it on food or rent. God definitely lead us to her house, we ended up having 2 of the 4 kids that needed to go to school on our list. She was so grateful. We told her that we could take the names of her other 2 girls and continue looking for sponsors for them but that we couldn’t make any promises.  BUT…the next day staff got together again to do some more work and prepare for day 1 of distribution. When I got to casa azul I was SUPER excited, I was able to call Ana-Lorena back and let her know that we had sponsors for her other children.  What a blessing it was to be able to make that phone call.

Since the day we visited her house it had been on my heart to go back a visit Ana Lorena and her family, and take them some food. Just this week we went back to visit her with a team from FBC Jax Beach, they wanted to bless her family with some groceries. When we got to her house we had to wait a little bit because she had to walk to the school and pick up one of her daughters. The minute I saw her turn the corner and walk down the sidewalk I saw a big, bright smile on her face! It was so nice seeing her again. She invited all 20 of us into her house and Amanda and I began to explain to her that the team had bought some food for her family. She got a little teary and told Amanda that just the night before she was not feeling well and had a little bit of beans left in the house. She started cooking them for the family and went to lay down for a little bit. Time passed and she woke up to the smell of burnt beans, the last of the food she had was burnt. She said all she could do was pray and know that God was going to provide for her and her children.  And that morning, not the week before or a day later, but that very day that she asked God to provide for her family God lead us to her house with the team and food for her family.

God is SO GOOD!!!  He knows our every need, and when we put it all in His hands He will provide exactly what we need when He knows we need it.  He is our Jehovah - Jireh , He will provide!!! 

Power of One Year

Patience is not the easiest thing to grasp; from waiting in line at the grocery store, a returned phone call from the doctor, maybe a response to an email or even bigger patiently waiting on God's timing.

Think about this for a minute...What does it take for a seed to grow, to fully mature?...

God has so many incredible things planned for us, and just over a year ago God told me the next step that I would be taking in my journey with Him. He revealed my future, where I was going to live, and He answered the question I had been asking for a long time; "What do You want me to do?" One year ago I returned from Costa Rica on a short term mission trip and it was here that God revealed that He had already started, and was going to continue preparing me to become a full time missionary! My first reaction, as it is with most things, was I want to do it NOW. Go home pack my stuff and go. Well that's not the way God works.We have to embrace patience and wait on His timing, and rarely does it line up with ours. I didn't know what God was needing me to do to prepare, my mind was just focused on getting there. God had planted the seed in my heart, it was new and needed nutrients to fully grow and develop. I needed to water it, give it light so that I can grow into what He needs me to be and what He is preparing me for. 

"Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised" 

Hebrews 6:15

I didn't know that God needed me right where I was to grow in Him, to get closer to Him, to prepare, to serve, lead and go through many tests and trials before He was going to reveal when it was time for me to go. I have been able to press into God and see many of the gifts He has given me that I never knew I had. God has prepared me to GO and be His hands and feet. I am super excited that NOW is the time, and He is sending me back to Costa Rica, my promise land!!!  But I know that I can't do it alone, I am going to need PRAYER. I want to ask that you keep me in your prayers as I continue to prepare and return to continue doing the work that God has called me to do. I am also going to need financial partners, I would love for you to prayerfully consider partnering with me. If God lays it on your heart you can find the information on the "financial support" tab in my blog. As soon as I have 75% of my monthly support committed I will be on a plane, and I can't wait to be back in Costa Rica, walking out the call that God has placed on my life!!! 

Thirty and Counting

WOW, is it really here…am I really 30 now?!?! I have been counting down to this day for 2 years… seriously!  I know, I know, most people are sad and depressed when they get older but I am super excited and can’t believe this day is finally here!!!

So let me explain a little why I am saying this…

As we get older we all have this thought, right: “what am I going to be when I grow up?” I mean, I know I did, and from the time I went to college in 2000 I have been wondering this same thing; “what do I want to do with my life?” When I was in school I can’t tell you how many times I changed my major. It went from business administration to accounting, marketing, then international business and probably a few more, I had no clue what I wanted to do. After a few years of classes I decided to take a break from school. Okay, well technically I was asked to take a break. I got suspended. But I willingly did this because in my mind “I didn’t like school anyway” So I wasn’t in school and still had no idea what I was going to do with my life.  I worked 2 jobs,  lived in a college town and you guessed it, partied a LOT! I had no focus or direction and just lived day by day with what made me “happy”...partying, drinking, drugs, working, hanging out with friends, and partying a lot… Well, after about 2 years of this I moved back to Jacksonville thinking that I was going to straighten things out. I took a few classes at the local community college, knowing that school “wasn’t for me” I was going to give it another try. In the midst of all this, I was still was trying to figure out what I wanted to do.  With no true drive or focus I quickly got back into the party scene and school was not an option any more, or I should say it wasn’t my priority… Never in all this time did I stop to think “it’s not what I want, but what does God have planned for me?!”  I kept on doin’ my thing, partying, working some and partying some more…and in September 2007 my life was “flipped upside down”! 

I was at a bar in Jax beach, having a “good ole’ time”.  I got in my car, as I usually did after a night of drinking, and began to drive home. It wasn’t but about 5 minutes later and I saw blue lights flashing in my mirror. Yep, you guessed it, I was being pulled over. So I get off my phone (of course I was on my phone), the officer walks up to my car and politely asks me to get out so he can take me to a safer place...he pulled me over on a bridge, smart right?! lol and I hesitated for about 5 seconds. Then completely wasted, I remember asking the officer “can I make a phone call” he politely said no (and probably laughed) took me to his car and we went to a parking lot where he began to have me do the field sobriety test. To my surprise I failed it, was read my rights…handcuffed and taken downtown. I could not stop thinking, “I can’t believe this is happening to me”, I am a good kid, I’ve never been in trouble before, why me, what are my parent’s going to do?!? Never did I once think, in my drunken state of mind, that God had a plan in all this madness. I was in jail for about 24 hours. When I got out it was a Saturday night, I got home and pretty much slept all day Sunday.  When I woke up late in the afternoon I remember thinking I really need to get back to church, crazy first thought hua?!? Well that’s exactly what I did. I found out that Celebration had an evening service and I was there. Seeing that I could only drive to church, work, the store and school (and we know that’s out of the question, lol) Going to church was pretty much all I could do. I was in the annex at Celebration, and at the end of the service I remember hearing “God has a plan for each and every one of us. When we surrender everything to Him, giving it ALL up he will begin a work in us”. At that very moment that is exactly what I did, I gave it ALL to God!

Now fast forward about a year… With a lot of preparation, prayers, and a huge leap of faith I went on my first mission trip to Costa Rica in October 2010. I had no idea that this trip was going to change my life forever. I knew God was going to do amazing things, but did not for one minute think that He was going to tell me what I would be doing with my life, His plan for my life…the very thing I had been trying to figure out for the past 29 years. It wasn't till' this trip that I fully realized, that at that very moment that I surrendered my life to God and made Him the LORD of everything I am, that He began preparing me for the calling He has for my life.  He told me that I am going to be sent, He is calling me to be a full time missionary for His Kingdom. And that’s just what He told me on that balcony in Costa Rica. And shortly after, when God gave me these verses in the middle of Awakening, I new it was reality:

“The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3

Ummmm, yeah I was blown away! I have realized over the last few years that it’s when we put our all into God, surrendering everything to Him, He will begin to reveal things to us and answer prayers that we never thought would get answered. I had been wondering for 29 years, trying to figure it out on my own, what I was going to do with my life. The very minute that I let God take control He began to reveal to me what HE had planned for me.  It’s no longer what I want but what does GOD want!!! I am SOOO happy to say that I will be returning to Costa Rica in just a few short months to continue serving and being the hands and feet of Christ!!!

Dear Heavenly Father,

THANK YOU for all that you have done in my life. Lord thank you for the amazing, loving family that you have given me. For breaking me down, so that I could rebuild my foundation on solid ground. Lord thank you for breaking the chains of addiction in my life so that I can fully see the potential that I can be through You.  Lord I ask that you continue to use me, stretching me daily to glorify You in all that I say and do. Prepare me Lord, to be your hands and feet in Costa Rica. I love you with ALL I am!!!!  In your Son’s PRECIOUS Name, AMEN!!! 

God is ALWAYS with us!

In the 2 ½ months that I have been here in Costa Rica I have seen God do so many amazing things! In the midst of the countless INCREDIBLE things that God is doing here, there have also been some tough moments. As difficult as it might have been, these are the times that I have pressed into His Word even more, knowing that it is in these moments that God is preparing me for something big. I feel like the past few weeks have been the hardest for me and it seems like the enemy is trying to poke his head in wherever he thinks he can; and each day I am reminded that God is in control and the enemy has NO place here! Just the other day we were visiting a home, taking some groceries to a mother and her 6 kids. Wendy, the mom, has been going through a real difficult time recently and situations are very tough for her in Nuevo Millennium where she lives and she says there is constant violence and tension between her neighbors. She didn’t have any food for her family; she was out of diapers for two of her kids and didn’t have any powdered milk for her 5 month old baby (a lot of moms use that instead of formula because it's cheaper) at the same time she is not able to work because she doesn't have anyone to watch her 6 children. So it is nearly impossible for her to maintain any source of income. When we went to visit her this week were able to bless her family with groceries and just love on here and her kids. Before we left we asked if we could pray with her, while praying she ended up telling Pastor Minor that she was ready to accept Christ in her heart!!! AMEN!!! I immediately was covered with chills and it was such a beautiful sight. Dios es BUENO!!!

Wendy and Maria Milagro

There are times we may not feel like God is listening to us or that He is even with us at a particular moment. In our most desperate times, when we feel the most in “darkness” or alone is when He is so clear to us on what His plan is. It is in these moments when we need to press into what God is doing, digging into His word, and opening our hearts and ears to his still small voice even more so that before. This is when we are right on track with what God is doing in our lives and the enemy is going to TRY and come in to destroy what God has planned…God is for us, so there is NO ONE that shall be against us. Negative thoughts, degrading comments, insecurities, they are all things that the enemy tries to use to distract us from the POWERFUL testimony that God is building in us daily.

As I opened my Bible the other day I was lead right to Proverbs 3:3-6, this was the third time that this particular scripture has come up in the past 2 ½ months…

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. TRUST in the Lord with your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.” Proverbs 3:3-6

As easy as it is to get distracted by the things of this world, and things of our flesh, it is just as easy to stay focused on the promise that God has for each and every one of our lives. We just need to start each day Kingdom minded, lifting our heads up and not dropping them in sadness or discouragement. God has INCREDIBLE things for each and every person, and it is up to us to keep our eyes focused on the prize, it is ALL for HIS GLORY!!!

In the difficult times, in the good times, hard days and the amazing days…There is never a moment that we should take our hearts, eyes and ears away from what God is doing in and though us. I have seen lives transformed, people healed physically and spiritually, youth come to God and much more! Never did I think that I would be teaching English as a second language, teaching Sunday school in Spanish and helping build houses. It is also not my “plans” that matter; it’s what God has planned for me that I need to continue focusing on. It has been such a blessing to be a small part of what God is doing here in Costa Rica, to be His hands and feet, sharing His love, and shining His light into the lives of those in need. Staying Kingdom minded and focused on God’s promises is not always easy, but it is ALWAYS rewarding!!! 

Wow, so I can’t believe I’ve been here in Costa Rica for a month now…boy has time just flown by and it has been and amazing first month. God totally has His hand in everything, and me moving here has opened my eyes to so much…Back tracking a little; the week leading up to me leaving felt like it was just handed to me by God. I felt like it was so smooth, spending time with close friends, family and getting on the plane with such a peace that I knew God needed me in Costa Rica at this specific time! But don’t get me wrong, it was super hard to leave my family and friends. Once I got here the smiles on everyone’s faces gave me a sense of peace and comfort, reaffirming that this is where God needs me right now.

We are nearing the end of “peak season” with 6:8 Ministries and have been super busy. There have been many homes built, children loved on, and lives touched in and through the teams and staff here. My eyes have truly been opened to the importance that everyone here has a different “role” and we all have to work together so we can function properly as a whole, as the body of Christ. We are all part of the body of Christ; we all have been given different gifts, talents, and personalities, with each one together we are an important part of His kingdom. We are a WHOLE, and when one part suffers, the entire body is affected. Together as one body we need to support, encourage and love one another in all that we say and do not just focusing on one.

“But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired…And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:18, 26-27

There was a team here from Discovery Bible Fellowship in Oklahoma that put this into a clear prospective for me. This was a team of about 25, mostly high school students and adults. One of their main goals for the week they were here was to build a house. On day one, they were taken to the site where they met Pablo and saw where they were going to build, it was a challenge. There were many obstacles that tried to get in the way and the enemy was trying hard to slow their progress. There were 3 huge bolders that had to be moved, concrete was mixed and inside the house, the slab was laid while putting up panels at the same time, and in poured down rain for a good 2 days…but I as I watched this team push through with God’s strength and awesome team work they didn’t let anything get in the way. Their laughter, teamwork and smiles just radiated God’s light in and through them and at the end of their week here Pablo’s house was built.  

                                                              

As ONE body of Christ we are here to work together, follow in His footsteps, submit to His will for our lives and it is through this that His will shall be done. We all have God given gifts that He wants us to use for the Kingdom, but it is our choice to take the initiative and do so. I am super excited to see what God continues to do in and through us here in Costa Rica.  

“He has shown all you people what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Micah 6:8