Far As the Curse is Found

Lluvia loves the Christmas traditions we have in the States. Lluvia loves any reason to celebrate. That’s probably why there is always Christmas music seeping out of our apartment and into the hallway. I enjoy life much more since I married her.

But if we left it up to the radio, Christmas would be lacking something. While we enjoy all Christmas music, much of it lacks the beauty and depth of the carols and Christmas hymns. There is something so beautiful about a Savior. Something so necessary – especially now. There is so much pain and panic; there are so many trials and tears.
Contrast that to what it says in the hymn, Joy to the World:

No more let sins and sorrows grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found

God has sufficient power to undue this mess we’ve gotten ourselves into. If we let Him, He will do it in our own lives. He will do it someday in all creation. We don’t have to look far to find the curse. If we look to Him in humility, we’ll find complete renewal and respite.

May you find the renewal and respite that you need in Him, “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 ESV)
It is the desire of Lluvia and I to share this message of the hope of Christmas with as many people as we can. We are currently preparing to do so in Buenos Aires, Argentina. If you would like to support what God is doing around the world, could you prayerfully consider printing and filling out the card at the link below? Or, if you would like to just give a specific Christmas gift you can do that as well, by specifying in writing that it is a special gift for Christmas. You will have to click on the image, save it, then print it out. It will then have to be mailed in to the address provided on the card. Thank you!

Reason to Rejoice

One of the things I love about my daughter is that every morning she wakes up smiling at us. It doesn’t matter if she’s tired or teething, she finds reason to rejoice in a new day. And looking at her, it makes it hard for me not to rejoice as well.

I hope this rejoicing is something that is always characteristic of Sophie. As a father, I certainly want to do everything to make sure that she has ample reason to rejoice always. But there are things that are outside the realm of my control. Indeed there are a great many things outside the realm of control of each of us!

Much of what we feel when we see the circumstances surrounding us is panic. The future that we are walking into is uncertain at best; many would say grim. What are we to do? What should our response be?

David was a man plagued by enemies and trials. Many times his life was in danger. All of these situations taught him where to go. In Psalm 39:7 he said, “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” (ESV) He knew that he would find no other sure refuge in times of uncertainty than in His God. And likewise we have no other place to go than to wait upon our loving God. He is loving, He is all-powerful, and He can handle whatever it is that keeps us up at night.

Likewise Paul was a man who had his share of hardship. He was wrongfully jailed several times and ended up a martyr. Yet from his cell he said, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:11-13, ESV) If God was strengthening Paul in prison, He is more than able to strengthen us in our present circumstances. We, like Paul, can be content. And more than that, we can rejoice. Paul, in this same letter states:  “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” (Phil 4:4, ESV) This man in prison isn’t just suggesting that we rejoice, he is commanding it. It is scripture.

If we can just keep our eyes on Jesus, wait and hope in Him, and rejoice in all of our blessings (they are many, if we stop to think about them), we, like Paul, can be content and rest easy in the fact that God has everything under control.

In a World Between Worlds

Oftentimes I’ve thought about how privileged I am to be in a world between worlds – to be someone who can move with some ease between two countries, two cultures, and to a certain extent, two realities. I am often surprised, and sometimes taken off guard, by the values that clash between these two places that I now call home. If I’m not mindful of the transition that takes place when I get on and off the plane it can even lead to painful experiences as people don’t know how to interpret what I do, or I forget to interpret what they do in the context of their own culture. An example of this would be the “personal space” issue. In Mexico it just doesn’t exist. And while it is sometimes something that can be a point of tension for me (me being somewhat introverted), when I get to the U.S. it sometimes takes me awhile to figure out why the person I care deeply about keeps moving away from me. All the while I keep moving closer!

Related to this issue is an article I just read that speaks about third culture kids (TCK’s). (Article: MIN WEIN INTA?)These are children who are born to expatriate parents, but live in another culture. Not fully fitting into neither their parents’ culture nor their host culture, they have their own culture. This leads to identity issues. As I think about my daughter I realize that the issue will be different and maybe even more complicated by the fact that she will have two cultures at home as well. Does this make her a fourth culture kid? I have often times thought of Sophie and how “well-rounded” or “well-adjusted” she is going to be. But, according to this article these may be merely whimsical thoughts!

As I think of the responsibility that I have as a parent to help Sophie through this issue, I truly hope that God gives me much wisdom. I would love to find answers to the problem this poses and plan to pick missionaries’ minds on the issue.

One possible solution comes to mind even now. Perhaps Sophie, as a TCK will have the benefit of knowing exactly where she is from. Oftentimes we make the mistake of putting too much stock in our world. We grasp and hold on to our material wealth or our little piece of land or our country. We should love our country. But we shouldn’t forget where we truly come from. The Bible explains the fact that this world is not our home. We are just passing through. Hebrews highlights the fact that we are strangers and exiles here. Hebrews 11:13 (ESV) speaking of wonderful examples who have gone before us states: These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. [1] There is another verse that I love that states the case directly. Philippians 3:20 (ESV): But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. [2] Isn’t that great? If we are followers of Christ, we are first and foremost citizens of heaven, then citizens of our country. That means that the Christian from another land is more my brother than the non-Christian in my home or next door.

Our prayer for Sophie is that she will know her Savior at a young age. As a result, she will know exactly who she is and where she’s from. Hebrews again says in 11:10 (ESV): For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. [3] Let us all remember who we are, where we’re from, and where we’re going.

[1], [2], [3] The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton : Standard Bible Society, 2001

Fearfully and Wonderfully

One look at her and my heart was smitten. When my eyes first beheld her, the weight of fatherhood fell on me and tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn’t believe she was mine. She was Lluvia and she was Justin, yet she was other. This miracle is a mystery; the workmanship of God manifested before our eyes.

I look at her now, as I did then, and I think, “She is beautiful!” Every feature in miniature – a work of art. I have heard that all parents think their children beautiful. I am no exception. But when I look at Sophie, I’m not thinking of just another pretty face. When I look at her I think of the beauty of God’s creation. A work completed and whole. Every part adds to the sum of the creative expression of my Lord. Everything he did has its purpose. My little girl is fearfully and wonderfully made. I know it well. (Psalm 139)

In secret You formed her and You knitted her together. She is Yours. Use her for Your glory my God.

Religious Devotion

It is 6:20 a.m. and someone is listening to music very loudly. Every once in a while a firecracker jolts me to attention (as it did much of last night)! Our neighborhood is usually pretty calm, but today is the day that all Mexico celebrates the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Even in a culture that is ever more skeptical and postmodern, the influence that this entity wields over Mexico is incredible, and many times a stumbling block to many devotees who find it hard to leave her behind to trust only in Jesus for salvation.

Yet this devotion (that keeps them (and myself) up all night shooting off firecrackers) is a lesson to me. Not that I want to exchange my freedom in Jesus for empty religion and legalism, but I know I can do more for my God. I know I can share Him with more people, sacrifice my own desires more for the good of others, and love Him more who first loved me. My good works can gain me no better standing before Him who did everything in dying for me. But I hope that at the end of the day I've given the same amount of energy to glorifying Him with my life as others do in a misplaced devotion.

May Jesus be glorified in all we do and say and think.

Fruit Delayed

In ministry, it isn’t always easy to see fruit from your labor. I’ve heard stories about missionaries working ten years before seeing a single person dedicate their life to Christ. But it is so encouraging when God gives you a glimpse of what He is doing and you see the fruit of many prayers—prayers prayed by our support and prayer partners.

When the coffeehouse was still open, we had some friends who worked a couple doors down in an internet café. Even then we could see that their marriage was in trouble. We tried several times to share the gospel with them and invite them to church. They really didn’t seem interested at the time. We continued to pray for them. Eventually they went out of business and we lost contact with them. This was over two years ago.

Recently, Vero got in touch with Lluvia and told her that she and Chuy had separated. She related to Lluvia her desire to seek God and she acknowledged that she needed His help. She also said that she has been struggling with depression and that Chuy isn’t helping out with their children’s costs.

Please pray that God continues to use us in her life, and that He will save them and restore their marriage. Pray that God would be glorified in us.

Dysfuncion

The concept of dysfuncional families has been around for a relatively short time. Dysfuncional families themselves have been around since sin entered the world. Just look at Cain and Abel. Mexico, typically, seems to be behind the U.S. in its loss of values. They are quickly cathching up, though. As a result, dysfuncional families, while always having existed in some form, are just now on the rise.

The reality of this for us means that we are dealing with young adults that are deeply scarred and hurt. These hurts almost always lead to vice of some sort through a damaged sense of self-worth. These are hurting people who need to see that they, being made in God's image, are of priceless value. So priceless are they, in fact, that Jesus came to die on the cross for them.

I think of my wife's friend, Aurea. She is a young woman with many hidden scars. She came on a camping trip with us and it obviously impacted her. She came back to Queretaro with a lot to think about. However, she is in a somewhat destructive relationship and is really struggling to give complete control of her life over to God.

Please pray for us. Pray for wisdom as we seek to share the love of Christ in a hurting world. And please pray for those we seek to minister to.