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GOD IS ONE THE MOVE IN THE HARVEST FIELDS!

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“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
John 4:34-35 (NIV)

20160319_103959Well, if you are reading this on August 15, we should be in flight back to the U.S. Thinking back on the many trips we’ve taken during the past 7 years, I couldn’t help but to ponder the scripture above that I shared with you last Thursday. Especially in light of my cowardice concerning the ‘jungle”, I saw something I had not noticed before:

Jesus said, “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest”. I’ve always focused on the harvest when reading this verse, but because of my personal struggle with, I focused this time on the word “field”. Then I remembered that the field can be a dangerous place sometimes. Rodents, spiders, and snakes are famous for lurking around trying to steal a meal.

I remember one day when our boys were little. While in the back yard, working in our vegetable garden, I noticed a monster snake looking for a snack. We planted those beans to help feed our family during the winter season, so in my mind, that enemy was in my back yard, near my playing children, trying to steal the food right out of their mouths – with me watching! Lurking where my children played meant that devil didn’t have a chance of survival! Grabbing the garden hoe, I beat that snake to death… and then chopped him into little bitty pieces. He looked like a pile Vienna sausages when I got through with him.

As scared as I was of that monster, I didn’t give in to him. The passion of a mama to protect her children overrides temporary danger.

In John 10:9-10, Jesus said the enemy comes only to steal, kill and destroy. He wants to steal our children, kill our marriage, and destroy our family. Many of us have not recognized the enemy’s existence on our home field and have become apathetic because of it. But look around! Families are breaking apart like never before because the enemy has entered unnoticed. We can’t afford the price of apathy any longer. And we sure can’t afford the price of fear in battling that enemy.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV

Whether you’re in another country on mission, or sitting behind your desk at work, the fields around you are ripe– ready for harvest. Yes, it may feel somewhat scary or dangerous to step in to territory the enemy now occupies, but we must because time is short.

Besides, far too often we see the enemy threat much greater than it really is. Because that  ‘monster’ snake I just told you about – turned out to be a whopping 12” long. J

God has given us everything we need to share Jesus with those in our ‘field’ – our sphere of influence. Don’t let the threat of any enemy, real or imagined, keep you from entering the harvest field!

He is able you know!

Until Next Time,

Your Traveling Partner,

Brenda

For updates on this latest mission to Nicaragua check our FaceBook page – ZMI Family Ministries International.

 

Until Next time,

Your Traveling Partner,

Brenda

GOD IS ON THE MOVE IN NICARAGUA!

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“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
John 4:34-35 (NIV)
20160319_123222Well, here we go again…

If all has gone according to plan, I am in Nicaragua today with three other members of our ministry team, my husband Tom, along with Nick and Jessica Wright. Tom heads up the Men’s Ministry, and Sports Ministry part of our ministry, and Jessica and Nick head up the School of Hope Child Sponsorship Project that you’ll be hearing lots more about in the days to come. As you read this, we should be in the middle of the rural community of Solidaridad.

Who says God doesn’t have a sense of humor? Do you remember a story I shared with you years ago, in 2009, after I’d had a scare in El Salvador? It involved snakes and floods.  I confessed publically my fear of encountering snakes, especially during flooding, while on mission. While there, we experienced a volcanic eruption, an earthquake, and a tropical storm…and massive flooding was predicted.

Fear like I’ve never felt before flooded my soul. And I didn’t handle it well. Afterwards, I asked you to help keep me accountable for getting over it, and conquering that fear.

Well, I have, just a little bit. But I’m still working on it. Fact is, I don’t think about it much anymore, but there are times when it still comes to mind. Such as when I’m getting ready to head back to a country known for snakes and floods during the rainy season. And this time, it’s the rainy season in Nicaragua. And snakes there can be as big as a 12-year-old boy’s leg.

One thing I remember most of all about that story, was how I’d been a coward and wouldn’t walk down a fierce looking, overgrown path, in flip-flops, to minister in a church perched in the jungle. Or rather – common woods – as the locals would call them.  I begged to go to a city church instead, and Bob, our fearless leader, had mercy on me.  Others boldly got off the bus and courageously followed the footpath to victory. Not one of them got snake bit or washed away in a flood that day.

Defeat is what it was to me. And here we go again – to Nicaragua – in the rainy season.20160319_093643

However, sitting here in my quiet, dry office today, I choose to focus on all the Lord has done over the last seven years since that story happened. I choose to remember the grace and mercy He showered on me as I confessed such a lack of faith, asking Him for another chance…which He has given, many times over. I choose to remember how, in the Old Testament, the Israelis struggled and failed over and again with failing faith, and the price they paid for it.

Today, sitting here, I choose to focus on the fact that He has proven, time and again, that He really is able to do exceedingly, abundantly; above all we can ask or think.  He really will be with us wherever we go. He really is our strong tower and our help in times of trouble. Because He has proven it repeatedly over the last seven years!

But, that is today, sitting here in safety. And like most of us, my faith often falters and fails. So dear friends, please pray with us, that we will remember what He has done in times past, that we will remain faithful, and that He will do what He does best…bring much fruit that remains!

We’ll be there August 10-15 to break ground on the School of Hope Building Project, child sponsorship program, and to work with the Nicaragua Team in preparation for the 2017 mission trip. You can follow our trip on our FB page – ZMI Family Ministries International.

Next March, God willing, our mission will be for two weeks, involve 2 separate teams of people coming and going, who will help with:

  • Three crusades, in three different cities.
  • At least 10 Men’s, Women’s and Family Teaching conferences.
  • 10 baseball clinics.
  • Children’s Bible clubs
  • Sewing for Success project.
  • Human trafficking victims.
  • Medical and Hygiene ministry projects.
  • Shoes for Solidaridad
  • School of Hope Project

Wew! I get tired just telling about it! So, please, we need you! Please pray now about joining us on mission in 2017! Because He calls us all to the Great Commission.

Because He is on the move in great and mighty ways!

And the Fear Factor? Though there are times in our lives when we are afraid to go where God wants to send us, let’s ask Him to change us – one baby step at the time – that His mercy will see us through, and we will grow towards becoming what He created us to be.

Come with us…we’ll keep the light on for ya…

Until tomorrow,

Your Traveling Partner,

Brenda

GOD IS ON THE MOVE!

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“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NASB

hot-159386_640Every time I turn on the TV, or hear another news report about terrorism attacks, shootings, or yet another threat, I have a tendency is to wring my hands in desperation, and wonder what in the world is going on. If I’m not careful, I’ll lie awake in the middle of the night trying to solve the world’s problems!

Though heart-wrenching reports of violence and division threaten to steal our peace, I like to remember—God is not asleep, He is not silent – He is not apathetic to our cries for help. He is on the move!  Jesus said,

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NASB

Every day we have a choice. We can wring our hands, or we can choose to remember what our God has already done! In Jeremiah 33:3 (NASB) he promises:

“Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

Great and mighty things which we do not know? Yep. I get that. Last year at this time I had no idea of all the great and mighty things we’d see Him do on the mission field this year. I had no idea of all the ways we would see His hand at work this year. But we do. And His Word assures us that even though evil seems to grow each day, He will continue to move in mighty ways. In the end, He wins, and if we know and accept Him, so do we.

Remember, Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world. God will do what we cannot. The humbling fact is—He chooses to work through us. We are His hands and feet in a world without hope, a world without Him.

GOD IS ON THE MOVE, but our time is short. Look to the One who created you, and let Him show you how He wants to use you to be His hands and feet to help a hurting world! He will you know!

Blessings,

Your Traveling Partner,

Brenda