How Majestic is Your Name.

In the last 3 weeks, I have driven through the Andes mountains to see the tallest mountain in the Americas and hiked up active volcanoes. All of creation screams the name of it's powerful Creator. No wonder Jesus said, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out" (Luke 19:40). Creation is powerful, it moves me to reflect in how grand our God is. And to think, we are the pinnacle of His creation.

Not only are we His handiwork, but He pursues us. He wants a relationship with you and me. In all our sin, He sees something worthwhile.

This isn't a really long post, but rather I wanted to show pictures from the last few weeks of His creation, His beauty. To think you could give credit for this to anyone but God is beyond me.

Mendoza

Mendoza

Back behind the clouds is Aconcagua

Mendoza

Mendoza

Volcano Agua en Guatemala

View from the top of Volcano Pacaya

Looking down into the crater of Volcano Pacaya

2014: A Year in Review

I always like to sit back and look at my year's past and see what has happened during the last 12 months. To see the tapestry the Lord is weaving, and while sometimes I see one square inch of it, it's good to know it's there nonetheless. Here I was a here ago already reflecting on 2013!

2014 was a huge year for me. Leaving home, for real. Saying lots of see-you-later's. Adjusting to people difference from myself. Living in a culture different from my own. I could continue, but I'll save that for myself. I think the main thing I heard through all of this though, is that regardless, the only constant I'll ever have, is God. Granted, I have always known that, praise Him, but His faithfulness has only been proven more and more in the roughness of this year. Don't get me wrong, there was lots of celebrating this year, but it's in the rough moments that we come to realize His faithfulness.

In the hard times of this year, the ugly times, when I just didn't see the point, He brought me back to His will and His word in John 15:16. You did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. Those are Jesus' words, and knowing that He is seated at the right hand of the Father, I take great comfort in knowing I can come to him with a n y t h i n g. Without that, I would not have made it through this year.

I briefly looked through my pictures from this year... when I say briefly, I mean it was quick, to pick for you the best representation of what meant the most in 2014, or some of the most memorable, rather. There's so much more I could say and pick from. A lot in here in not included, like my church, the teams I work with, etc, but those are also a part of my life here in Buenos Aires. But those are everyday life now, and pictures I chose are 'milestone' moments of 2014, if you will... So, starting from January to December, we begin in Virginia:

my time in Virginia for FPO was golden. i made some new friends, both field workers and not, that i know i will have for a lifetime and I'm so thankful for the time i had before leaving the states spent here. [l to r: Leanne, Emily, Carlie, Natalie, Corey, me, Clint]

moving to a city of 13 million and living in an apartment after living in a big house with your parents in a suburb of a city of 200k doesn't have any comparison... you just do it, and hope you adjust well. Well, I've loved it. BA, you're amazing.

i celebrated my 25th birthday after 1 month here and wasn't sure I'd have anyone to invite. Well, as you can see, I had 4 friends at that dinner and i'd have them all over again. Thankful for their sweet friendships. God has richly blessed me in that even still in Argentina, it's not the quantity, but the quality that matters to me.

in July I had the amazing opportunity to go to the Dominican Republic with the company. It was a great escape from the city, a time to hear from soon-to-be-president David Platt, reconnect with friends from Viriginia, and meet new friends.

in October i went to Rio, solo. It wasn't the plan, but life doesn't always go as planned, does it? It was a lesson in patience, trust, and i had a great time with the family i stayed with! Brazil is nothing like the rest of Latin America, but the people are friendly, the food is great, and the weather is HOT!

December brought my parents HERE to Argentina!! They came for Christmas and New Years and we took a trip to Mendoza in between. Here they are in front of Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in the Americas!

I hope everyone has a good New Year's Eve/Day, and that 2015 is everything they want it to be.  I hope this year is full of challenges, in a good way, that push you to be a better person. Push you to want more of Christ, drawing you closer to Him. I know personally for me this year, I've come to realize that at the age of 25, I don't want my walk with Christ to look the same as last year's, and I don't want next year's routine to be the same as this year's. I want each year to be more, to be growing more like Christ, whatever that may be. 

May your 2015 be full.

Love,

B

Tunesday Tuesday & a little something extra.

We starting singing Christmas songs at church a few Sundays ago and while a most of them are familiar to me, there are some new ones as well. I'm sharing with you one that I instantly fell in love with, called Ven a Mi Corazón O Christo. The chorus sings: 

ven a mi corazon oh Cristo (come to my heart oh Christ)
pues en el hay lugar para ti (for in it there is room for you)

 This song reminds me that regardless of the setting we find Christ in, He is available to anyone's heart at anytime if we open ourselves up to Him. 

Setting is especially important for me to remember this Christmas season as I find myself away from home on Christmas for the first time in my life and it doesn't really 'feel like Christmas'. I say that as a phrase because what does it mean to feel like Christmas anyway?? Christmas is a date on the calendar that we set aside to celebrate the arrival, the birth of our SAVIOR. The Messiah who was has come to take the sins of the world, once and for all. This is a HUGE deal. 

So why then, does this not feel like Christmas? Yes, I see Christmas trees in Apartment lobbies, and lights in window shops. Store windows have for weeks now been advertising Felices Fiestas, or Happy Holidays,  but to me this all just says commercialism. I'm looking for the meaning of Christmas here. And don't get me wrong, I have seen signs posted around the city that say JESUS ES NAVIDAD, or JESUS IS CHRISTMAS. I have seen life size nativity sets even. Is that what defines Christmas?

Personally, growing up in the midwest, I'm missing the cold temps accompanied by snow. Missing the Starbucks Christmas cups when necessary (sorry, BA, but I'm not going to get a hot drink when it's 85 outside. Try again in July with the Christmas cups please?). Missing the long drives to work because of ice covered highways. Ha, just kidding there ;) Missing a big Christmas tree with all the presents under it and all the house decorations.

But, when I realized I was missing that last one, I scared myself.

America has so trained us and wrapped our minds to associating Christmas with the Birth of Jesus AND decorations, songs, festive things. But what happens when we strip that all away and focus solely on Jesus. Afterall, without Him, this holiday would just be another day on the calendar.

the largest nativity scene I've ever seen in the heart of downtown

snowglobes without the snow? in BA they are!

shopping malls are ready for Christmas!

 

With my nose in a book....

Reading overseas is always an interesting topic. There's this thing called my iPad where I occasionally get Kindle crazy at the start of the month and buy all the $3.99 books I can find of interest to me. But, then I'm limited to only reading it in house because I don't like taking it out in public on the buses and subway. Pretty sure I've only finished one book on my iPad, ever.

Then there's the more-precious-than-gold paper books in English. I have to clarify English because that means they got here a) in my suitcase, b)were left behind by the last girls, or c) were brought as gifts by some visitors.

Lately I've read so many good books y'all my mind is so excited about it and I wanted to share with you so that this Christmas time you could snuggle up to the fire and read something of value.

A while ago, I read The Insanity of Obedience by Nik Ripken and it was on my iPad, which not lying, I struggle to get through books on there. But I could not get through this fast enough. Hearing Nik's stories about persecuted believes and their unshakable faith was an encouragement to me and without a doubt will be to you. At the moment, I am reading The Insanity of God by you guessed it, Nik Ripken, also on my iPad. This is also a good story (more his testimony). I can't give a fair assessment, but I will tell you I read the other one quicker.

Today, I also picked up a new book to take with me out the door since I was going to be on the book. I'm ashamed to say this, but I bought it over a year ago and never started it because it wasn't appealing, or thought it was going to be boring. Ready for it? Share Jesus Without Fear by William Fay. Y'all I am over halfway done with the book already! It's so good! I think it's the Bill Hybels Contagious Christian book that I couldn't finish. Anyway, Fay's book seems to be practical and is full of questions for you and leaves you with ways to get out there and SHARE!

I read the lovely Elisabeth Elliot love story Passion and Purity. I wasn't really sure what to expect from it... a bunch of love letters?? It was described to me as the long distance relationship between Elisabeth and her husband George who at one point told her he loved her but he wasn't going to marry her because he had to be a single missionary in the jungle. Well, the story is a lot better than my words, but they have a happy ending for a little while. Ever heard of the movie The End of the Spear? [Just for fun - It took Crystal 7 months to finish this book, while I read it in 3 days. Nothing against the book though...]

I almost left out a really educational book on Muslims that I got in the DR. It's called A Wind in the House of Islam. It was a summary of the Muslim to Christ movements in 9 different Eastern parts of the world, showing what methods worked best for them. It was interesting to see how, obviously, not one thing works in all parts of the world and you have to adapt to your audience. I loved reading the testimonies of the workers, the believers, and knowing how we can pray for them. If you're in to the Church, Muslim Background Believers, and generally knowing how to pray for others, I recommend this book!

I think the last of my most recent's is what Crystal called a "controversial book," lol, is A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George.  I saved this for last because it probably got the most reaction out of me but also one of the most learning books I've read in a while. Ok, so this so called controversial part was the small section on husbands/wives. Clearly, if you take two single girls and tell them that they need to make their husbands their number one human priority.... well, we're just not ready to hear that yet! We seriously thought this book was written was 1950, but it was 1997. Things like telling us to be sure to change our clothes, putting on fresh lipstick, and wearing perfume for the husband before he came home from work sounded straight from Leave it to Beaver! BUT. The farther away from this chapter I was [yes, I kept reading about motherhood, maintaining the home,  spiritual health etc.....] I couldn't stop thinking about why that chapter bothered me so much. Was it not Biblical? What did God make woman for but to be a helper to man? Yes, she has so much more potential than that, but I think in our feminist, equal opportunity society, maybe we have taken away from God's design in the family. Is that so wrong to say? Sorry future husband though if I don't bring out the fresh lipstick at your homecoming. You read that here first.

Ok, so there ends the latest of my reading list. I want to know what you've read! Tell me what's good!

Baptisms... Again!

Today I had the privilege to go to another baptism at a different church; this time I watched 4 young men testify publicly to their faith. This was my 3rd time watching baptisms here in Buenos Aires and every one has something different about it. But today's was special. Especially different, in a way I couldn't wait to get home and write about to you.

Here in Argentina, they normally save all the baptisms until the end of the year. It's not like other places where when someone wants to be dunked, they do it in weeks there after. Here, you have to let the church know months, months, in advanced so that you can do a course ahead of time. For one church it was 6 classes, for example. I can't say this is across the board at churches here, but from the people I've talked to, it's what I've gathered.

For example, today one of the boys that was baptized was my friend's younger brother. He was saved years ago when he was a youth, but did not follow with baptism, from what I understood. Then, at the end of last year he decided to be baptized but had to wait for 2014 to take this course.

Here's the especially cool part.

When each of the 4 people came out, the pastor opened the floor up to have people in the church read verses or passages of Scripture that had been placed on their hearts for that person. I'd never seen that before, but I just thought it was the neatest thing! For each person, 2 microphones were passed around the church and at least 7-10 were reading verses of encouragement, saying, "Fulana, the Lord says to you ...."

Can you imagine your baptism day if you had had brothers and sisters in the faith do that?

There are so many things that I often think that if I went back to the states and started a church, I would take away SO much from the Latin American church. But, that's a whole other post for another night. :)

A Prayer for St. Louis & Ferguson Thoughts

Heavenly Father, you know all things. You hold all things. Nothing comes as a shock to you, and I praise you for that. I don't have to worry about anything because before the sun sets today and rises tomorrow you know what will happen. You see Ferguson and you know every person's heartache. You know every person's anger. Most of all, you love and care for them more than we now how to humanly express. As I watch from so many miles away, I ask that you send your Comforter to the city and that His presence would be felt. I know that in hard emotional times when temperatures are hot, we don't always feel or want to acknowledge you, which is why I ask that you really fill the city with your presence. And God I pray that your Church, that the body of Christ would rise up;  Would tend to the brokenhearted. I pray that there would be no blame shifting, people pointing, but the only pointing would be to your son, Jesus. He has already carried our burdens. Carry the burdens of the people now. Use this time Lord to bring glory to your name. In all things may you get the glory, and some how for this ugly, this mess we have created of and by ourselves, may you get the glory out of it. Amen.

 

I don't know all the details and I don't pretend to know all the details. I don't know both sides of the story, and unless you are Michael Brown or Darren Wilson, then neither do you. Media is powerful, isn't it? It's hard as a society for us to move on from tragic events. It's even harder when we live in a society that doesn't allow us to forget our past. We're supposed to learn from it though, aren't we? Sadly I think we say with our mouths that we're different, but our minds and actions say otherwise. When are we really going to show that skin color is nothing but a color?

While I can't understand at all the pain the blacks are relating to, I don't blame them for the anger thay have. Granted, it doesn't justify the looting and setting cars to fire, but there also isn't justification for the police force using tear gas on them, is it? As MLK Jr. once said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." Even our President said:

But I join Michael’s parents in asking anyone who protests this decision to do so peacefully. Let me repeat Michael’s father’s words:  “Hurting others or destroying property is not the answer. No matter what the grand jury decides, I do not want my son’s death to be in vain. I want it to lead to incredible change, positive change, change that makes the St. Louis region better for everyone."

We have a long way to go. The Ferguson situation only brought to light what has been oppressed for far too long. We have to work together so that for our nation, our children's sake the next generation does not grow up and live in a world of hate. Two sided.  The first photo was 40 years ago of people being doused with water from a firehose for nothing but their skin color. And below, present day, cars set abaze and tear gas in hand.

St. Louis really needs our prayers. We need each other.  Lord help us all.

The GREAT Commission.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

Yesterday was a really great day. I went to two different church services and in each of them I saw this very verse in action. I witnessed an Argentine brother be prayed over as he was sent out from our local church, and later I watched a Brazilian sister be baptized in a step of obedience and faith. 

If you know me well, you'd know I cried at both of these services watching my brother and sister do exactly as His word says. His living and active word calls people to action, and nothing brought greater joy to my heart. Nothing.  Don't you see what makes this commission so great, though?

This brother, Joaquin, is going to India for a month to work and serve with Argentine M's in the Himilayas for the month of December. I'm sure he'd love the prayers. Heading to land of idolatry and false gods, he and his team of 11 others will be traveling throughout the mountains using music and the word to minister to the people there. I'm so excited to see what this trip brings about in both his life and the lives of the people there.

My sister Julia invited me earlier this week to church and dinner afterward. Obviously I love both of those things and accepted. So, imagine my surprise when I got there and she told me she couldn't sit with me because she was being baptized. Her and 20 others were dunked last night. PRAISE GOD. When asking everyone why they wanted this, they all said, "obedience and faith," but some gave additional testimony to how Jesus had forgiven them of their sins forever. To the least of these, can I just get an amen?

As we were singing at the beginning, I was just in awe of the glory and presence of God in this great city. That He would allow me to be a part of His work at a time such as this. To watch a brother be sent out yesterday and a sister be baptized in the same day. As church was letting out they had all 20 of them on stage and were singing a song called, "Te Doy Gloria" which is a party song. It repeats this line saying, "I give you glory (x3), to you Jesus". And I just thought to myself, this is a sliver of what heaven looks like for just one person repenting.

I pray than God gets ALL the glory, NOTHING, but the glory for what is happening here in Buenos Aires. May the enemy be defeated and have no part in this city. It's all for His name's sake.