Let me set the scene. We have not had measurable rain since October (two days in January of very brief showers). The mountains are now brown. Daily you see smoke rising from the mountains or around the lake as dry brush is burning. Everyday is sunny and in the 80’s. White clouds pop up in the afternoons, but no rain comes. And yet, spring has come. The deep lavender Jacaranda trees are in full bloom. The Plumeria are starting to blossom with their waxy yellow or pink petals. Other trees I’ve never seen before are breaking forth in gorgeous color in the midst of this dryness...
“The desert and the parched land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom;
it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.”
Isaiah 35:1-2
My mind says it is impossible that new growth can come in such times of dryness. But as we learned every year in Worship Center, “With God all things are possible.” It encourages us when we feel dried up inside due to situations beyond our control. We can cling to Jesus’ words in John 7:38, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” May it encourage you as well.
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:1-10 (NASB)
"Fear? I fear nothing. My dictionary does not contain the word fear. I believe in God and I believe that the epistle of Ephesians says we are created in Jesus Christ for a plan, which was engaged from the early beginning. No one can cut it, and when it is completed no one can continue it." -Christian Zakaria Botros in an interview with WORLD magazine regarding his ministry to Muslims (December 13/20, 2008).
You, dear Christian were created in Jesus Christ for a plan which God ordained. Because of Him, we have nothing to fear.
January 2009 - A New Year and a new President of the United States of America...and for many, new difficulties and challenges. A friend sent me the "Daily Walk" devotional for September last year. One of the focuses was on Habakkuk 3:17-19. They rephrased it into a 21st century perspective. "Even if the stock market does not rise, my boss fails to give me a raise, I lose my job, the supermarket shelves are bare, and the gas stations are closed on weekends, yet I will ..." We all can come up with a list of things that attempts to steal our joy and peace. I find myself rereading Habakkuk almost daily to remind myself about where my joy and peace comes from. "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights." May we all meditate on God's Word daily and find our strength and refreshment in Him!!
As we get back into our routines in Mexico (Harvest Language School- Level 3 for Steve, teaching at the missionary school, and volunteering at the Hope House), here are a few photos that endear us to this region of God's world:
The daily cattle drive in front of our gate. They go up the mountain in the morning and down in the late afternoon. The dry season is making it hard for many animals to find food.
When people se
ll their wares or food products, their young children are usually with them. These children are sleeping on the steps of the Catholic Church in Chapala on a Saturday afternoon. The mother had just nursed her baby, laid the baby on the coats, and then went back to selling guavas.
Carlie Post is visiting us from Michigan and is our first official visitor since we came to Mexico last May. She is fluent in Spanish and the boys at the Hope House already love her. They asked when she was coming back. Here is a picture of them playing Blokus.
