Give us our daily bread

A couple months ago I joined a Moms prayer group (yes, I know I'm not a mom...) that meets weekly to pray for the school we have most contact with, Country Day School. I have a different role than a mom at the school, obviously, but I am reaching out to their kids and they welcomed me to be part of their prayer group with open arms. Every Thursday morning we meet in the beautiful patio of the director's home and use this schedule of scripture verses to frame our prayer time. It's a great resource and I recommend it to anyone who is wanting to start a prayer group or is already in one and needs some guidance. You look at 5 different verses with 5 correlating focuses: Focus, Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication (we hone in on prayers for CDS here). We read the verse then pray as we feel led and continue with the next verse and so on. It was truly a blessing to be around these Godly, vulnerable, loving women each week and to see God working in the places we prayed for.

Today was my last meeting with these wonderful ladies. We delivered homemade cakes and thank you cards to the 5 administrators of CDS after our prayer time today. It was so beautiful to see how they received the gifts and how touched they were as we told them we had been praying for them all year. We also shared breakfast together, which we normally don't do. We broke bread together as we feasted on the Word and the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ.

Melissa made homemade bread in her bread maker...a recipe borrowed from Michelle...

Pai Li, our beautiful Malaysian friend, brings the REAL fried rice she wants us to try from a nearby restaurant...

I reflect on how in the Lord's prayer we are to pray,

"your kingdom come, 
your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  
Give us today our daily bread."
Matthew 6:10-12


Each week we gather and start with our true daily bread...the Word of God. We commune with Jesus, the Bread of Life and we are filled to the brim with His nourishment. Each week I leave FULL, ready to pour out for a days work with 2 groups of campaigners ahead of me each Thursday. 






Thursdays became my favorite day of the week: prayer meeting, campaigners during CDS lunch with a mixed group of  around 5-8 students each week, then after school campaigners with my 3 chicas. I got to lead students in seeking the real, lasting, satisfying Bread of Life as we studied the scriptures and walked through life together over the past 9 months.


Our last campaigners of the semester at CDS...

We started at the beginning of the book of John first semester and discussed a little each Thursday during lunch...we only got thru chapter 9, quality vs quantity, right! :) Next semester they will pick up right where we left off. I will miss this group a lot! Many weeks we had more kids come to campaigners (believers and non-believers) than to club! It was a really sweet time for students to break from their stressful day and think about Jesus and not physics or math or the drama going on in their lives. For the believers that came, it was a refuge and safe place to talk about their faith and grow with each other in Christ. 


I also met with Lau, Dania and Sofi each Thursday after school. We instantly clicked and become so close, so quick. Sometimes I look at them and see myself 6 years ago. I would say my time with these girls was the most meaningful part of ministry here in Costa Rica. We walked thru ups and downs of life together and learned lots about God and ourselves as we studied scripture and spent hours together every week inside and outside of campaigners. I'm going to miss hanging with these precious gals mucho!
 

Second semester we studied Kay Arthur's inductive study book of 1-3 John, Philemon and James...

I truly believe I will never know, until I get to heaven, the work God will do for His Kingdom in this world through these students. These students are world travelers and are bright lights of Christ in their dark communities. I cannot begin to imagine the places and people they will encounter in their future. It is so special to think I was part of their spiritual journey during their high school years in Costa Rica. 


I'm nothing but THANKFUL for the opportunity I had to serve and grow and be a tool for God's work through campaigners in San Jose, Costa Rica.

"I am the Living Bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this Bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh." John 6:51

Women's Retreat & so much more

Wow, it's almost been a month since my last post about service project! The past month has been full of spending time with students at club, campaigners, the mall and their homes, hangin' with my wonderful host family and making plans for this summer when I return to Texas! The past month has personally been a huge time of growth for me here in my relationship with God. Each day I'm learning more what it means to trust Him fully and to open my eyes wide for the gifts of each day He gives! Needless to say, my record of gifts is growing right along and I recently started my second journal for recording my Eucharisteos :)

Some pics from the last month of happenings...

The following 3 pics are from our YL Iron Chef Club. It was awesome! The secret ingredient was avocado. The dessert was even made with avocado icing!

My girls, Lau and Dania, and I with our "Katniss braids" :)
(I was the "host" of Iron Chef YL)

The winners... Team 1, the expert chefs!

Team 2 working hard...their food was delish!

Dinner with Dina, my mentor. Asian style!

Sydney and I playing a game at our Minute to Win It Club!

Migz and Jonathan concentrating hard to win it in a minute..

Group of friends out dancing to celebrate our Vida Joven friend's, Pan, 21st bday!

MaryPaz, Ilana, Lau and I at the Blue Valley School Family Day...love these chicas!

Making patacones with my host madre, Rossy!

Enjoying the patacones with my housemates/great amigas, Rossy, Sonia and Saray as we watch a movie on our traditional Sunday night movie night!

My host parents celebrated their 5th wedding anniversary April 20th! I couldn't ask for better host parents! We got them an Inka Grill gift card. So THANKFUL for them.

Last weekend I had the awesome opportunity to go to the Women's Retreat with my church, International Baptist Church, along with women from other parts of Costa Rica and the U.S. There were about 180 women gathered at the hotel/resort, Los Lagos that overlooked the beautiful Volcano Arenal for an incredible weekend of fun and fellowship. The resort had natural hot and cold spring pools, a butterfly garden, ant farm, crocodile and frog exhibits and a trail to view the volcano from an observatory deck. Not to mention awesome food and a weekend with amazing weather! The speaker for the weekend was Debbie Bryson from California. It wasn't just a fun and adventurous weekend in a beautiful place, but full of learning  and growth in God. I have no doubt everyone that came was impacted by God's presence in huge ways.

 The view from outside my hotel room of Volcano Arenal...stunning!

Group of us at the observatory deck (it's hard to see bc of the lighting, but the volcano is behind us!)

 These nests are homes to the Oro Medallion bird. They were so loud and colorful!

 Maybe my favorite part of the resort, the butterfly garden!

Ant Farm! These guys are strong and so fascinating.

 Odd shaped flower plants...God got so creative in CR!

One of the hot spring pools at the resort. It was an odd feeling flying off the slide into a pool of hot water!

This was the view of moon where I was the night of the Super Moon. There were lots of clouds but there was this huge ring around the moon...so neat!

Breakfast with my girls, Lindsey and Ali :)

 This guy decided to join us for breakfast that morning!

Ali and I in the hot spring pool on the last day! So relaxing!

SO MANY GIFTS from this weekend, but I'd have to say the biggest gift to me was what God revealed to me thru the teaching and my alone time in the Word. I thought I'd share it with you in hopes it will also encourage your heart, where ever you may be!

Both passages the speaker spoke about were passages I have looked at lots during my time here in CR. Even though I've read them thoroughly already, I gleaned some new, profound understandings within them this weekend. God is just way deeper than we can ever imagine!

Mark 4:35-41 This is the story where Jesus takes His disciples on a boat to cross the sea of Galilee and a huge storm comes and Jesus is sleeping, meanwhile the disciples are freaking out. We were comparing this story to having "storms" in our lives.
v. 35-- Jesus says "Let us go over to the other side." --a promise...Jesus knows they will make it thru the coming storm.
v.36-- They left the multitude, obeyed Jesus in going and other boats followed...obeying Jesus will lead to storms...and there are always others in and around your storm seeing how you react to it.
v. 37-38-- storm happens and Jesus is sleeping (he was tired!) yet He was WITH them; they woke Him (they had to seek HIM in the storm!) and asked "Do You not care that we are perishing?"...ouch... this questioning of Jesus reveals their lack of TRUST in their Lord and FEAR of dying.
v. 39-- Jesus calms the storm and declares stillness... it's the storms within us that need calming more than anything, right? Jesus only can grant that perfect peace regardless of circumstance.
v. 40-- Jesus asks, "why are you so FEARFUL, do you still have no faith?"...Jesus calls them out....they have no reason to fear...Jesus is there and in control!
v. 41-- they feared more and questioned who Jesus was... are we looking for Jesus to show up in our storms? and to calm them?
As I pondered the "storms" of my life, I realized coming to CR has been one of the biggest "storms" I've gone through. Leaving all you know and love to a foreign place with foreign people, food and places is NOT easy. He took me away from the multitude in Houston of my big community and ministry, and He came with me. Storms hit. He spoke and calmed me, calmed them. Met with me. Revealed my mistrust and proved His faithfulness. He is taking me to the other side. He is perfecting my character in the storms and forcing me to persevere and to learn what trusting Him really means.
We have NO reason to fear in (or out) of the storms in our lives, if we truly TRUST our faithful God.
I share this with you to encourage you to look to Christ, not your circumstances. He offers peace when everything else seems chaotic. Even if your situation seems hopeless, remember God is ALWAYS faithful and there is no fear in His Love.

John 15:1-5 we, the branches, abiding in the vine, Jesus. This chapter of John has become one of those "life chapters" for me and was really on my heart before I came to CR. I have learned lots thru scripture and experience what is means to abide in Christ the past several months. Of course God would use this passage to make sense of my time here as I reflected more on it at the retreat!

v. 1-- Jesus is the VINE..all nutrients flow thru it to the branches (us). The Father is the Vinedresser...His role is to take care of the plant.

v. 2-- branches that bear fruit HE (the Vinedresser) PRUNES. To prune is to cut off or remove. It says that this is" so that we will bear more fruit"! It's NOT punishment. God the Father holds the scissors. If we don't trust Him, we could be fooled in thinking He uses those sharp scissors for harm. But he is a GOOD Vinedresser that loves His little plants and wants to see them prosper!
 v. 4--we cannot bear fruit of ourselves, only by abiding in the vine, Jesus....our job is just to abide and the fruit making is Jesus's job!
v. 5-- apart from the Vine, we can do nothing... when we try to make fruit ourselves, apart from the vine, all we can come up with is artificial fruit. It's tasteless, fake and does nothing for you.
God revealed to me that coming to Costa Rica was in fact Him PRUNING me!  No wonder it hurt ;) He quite literally removed me from Houston in the midst of a fruitful time with lots of enjoyable community and ministry--He knew it was time for me to grow--I needed the excess in my life to be cut off. He is now bearing more fruit on my branch... more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal. 5:22 the fruit of the spirit).
The verse following the fruits of the spirit in Galatians reads, "Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (v.23) I thought I was coming to Latin America because it was a passion and desire of mine for some time and God was just fulfilling that. God has something much deeper than that to do in me. Praise Him for crucifying my flesh and bringing about something much richer!
The fruit He produces is for no other reason than to allow others to TASTE AND SEE the goodness and sweetness of who HE is--who makes up the Vine. I AM JUST THE VESSEL. I don't make the fruit, I am just to abide and hope fruit will be produced. Producing fruit is a PROCESS and goes in stages. It comes from life, it takes time.

This season in CR was just one season of production, but a BIG one, a special one, for this branch... and I have almost made it through!  

Thank you Lord for uprooting me and pruning me in Costa Rica!

 Life isn't about the happiness or comforts, it's about abiding in the Source of life. Now that's abundant and joy-filled life--when He is using your vessel to make Himself known...there is nothing like it!

~N

SP2012 El Salvador

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3

Boy, did God blow me away with the week we had in El Salvador on the Young Life Service Project! I love how HIS plan is always so much greater than ours. My heart floods with gratitude as I look back on the week we shared together. YL International in Costa Rica takes their students on a service project during their spring break instead of a summer camp, like you would in the states. We worked on building houses (and attended some ceremonies...) with Habitat for Humanity during the day and had Young Life club and cabin time in the evenings. Quite different than what I am accustomed to as a Young Life leader from Houston, Texas, but it truly played out so well. Our small group had a blast together, bonded deeply and made awesome memories. Students learned about and experienced Jesus Christ in a unique, adventurous and REAL way...just like a week long camp in the US, but in a way different setting!
Here are some pictures and gifts from the week....

2012 interns Sydney and I

 common mode of public transportation in El Salvador

 our whole crew in front of a completed Habitat for Humanity house

 eating lunch!

working hard! building walls and sifting sand

 Ella chatting with the neighborhood girl, Milagro (her name translates to "Miracle" in English)

 Diana, Ella and I hanging near Diana's house

 the volunteers getting to know the families who are beneficiaries of the houses

Yvonne and Yvette from England, training in El Salvador with 

Yo-Yo Masters of the World paid our group a visit each night at club!

 Will Hopkins from Mesa, Arizona, flew in to spend the week with us and speak at club. 

He was a great fit for our team and is an amazing story teller! 

We all enjoyed getting to know him and hearing Him tell the love story of Jesus Christ.

 walkin' streets of a town center in the district of Santa Ana

 Tebowin' it

 my work group last day at the work site with the half finished house in the background

Jessie and I working with the foreman, Orlando, to make the concrete wall

Psalm 118:29

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

There are really countless things to be thankful for this week and these are just a few...

1,459. Heat right out of the airport that feels like Houston in August.

1,462. 45 minutes in the town square to souvenir shop on our free day

1,463. our lunch place at a hotel resort that looks just like YL camp dining hal

1,466. Lots of dear time with students and it's only day 2

1,468. singing songs at club in a circle, on top of their lungs

1,469. Los Buenos and Getsemani residents and their thankfulness and love

1,470. sitting and chatting with Katalina, 11 year old neighborhood gal, talking about what we want to be when we grow up. She wants to be an engineer.

1,474. The loud sounds outside our window of Latin America all night and morning

1,475. Falling asleep chuckling at events from the day

1,479. Yvette's first time "around the world" yo-yo trick happening in club!

1,488. Dusty clothes and hair from workin'

1,485. Riddles all day long

1,486. naps during ceremonies, first row knocked out!

1,488. Daniel's favorite part of the day was singing "Lean on Me" at club

1,503. metal rod hitting Jonathan's eye by less than a cm

1,509. ice cream with a heated donut on top, and it falls in their lap it's too soft

1,514. Little Diana taking pics with our camera of her mother at the corn meal machine

1,515. Orlando, our foreman, with his 2 front missing teeth and his giddy laugh

1,517. singing "she will be loved" by Maroon 5 every morning in the bus

1,532. Goodbye hugs to those we really bonded with this week

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or imagine, according to the power that works within us, to HIM be the Glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever, Amen. 

Ephesians 3:20-21

~N