Costa Rica...UPG

     Costa Rica is on the horizon and I have promised many of you an update with prayer requests (I will attach the requests at the end of this post).   So here it is!

     It was in early 2011 when the Lord impressed on my heart a desire to reach an UPG (Unreached People Group) and to reevaluate overseas missions.  I began to question whether or not He wanted me to be the one to lead groups to Costa Rica.  He had allowed me to go to Honduras, and  across the Atlantic to Rwanda, Africa last year.  He taught me a lot on both trips; and, for that I am beyond grateful.
     Many who have gone with me on mission trips make the comment that I am "in my element." :)  The truth is that I believe it's what God created me to do so there is no credit to take on my own.  Having a missional mindset was born in me but began to die as I walked away from God at 15 years old. It seemed dead until I was 25 and surrendered  truly to following Jesus Christ.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude of how HE restored, redeemed & continues to change this child of His!
     After coming home from Africa in July 2011, my heart was burning to learn more about missions.  I had attended a conference workshop in May on missions/outreach in which they encouraged church planting.  In August, I attended another mission conference in Greenwood on UPG's (Unreached People Groups).  Both emphasized the importance of finding a local, national pastor in an area to partner with as to make more of an impact for the future.  I had asked several believers to pray that God would show us at New Covenant Church where we could go to make the most the time and resources God had given us.  It was this priority that David (my husband & pastor) wanted me to investigate while in Honduras and Africa. Personally, in both locations I was hoping and praying that God would open a door.  However, the more I tried to push the doors open, it was as though He was holding them shut on the other side.  At the time, I was having a difficult time understanding and in some ways it was painful.
     In January 2012, I began planning with my husband and the leadership of our church to back to Costa Rica.  Although, I was still 'feeling' a little apprehensive.  One day, I received a call from Todd Keeler.  He and his brother, Tim had the vision to begin trips to Costa Rica approximately 15 years ago.  During our conversation, he said that he believed Grano de Oro to be an UPG(the Christian church not fully established).  My heart immediately felt encouraged.  A few weeks later, Timothy Jones (missionary) concurred that a few weeks earlier he had laid hands on a pastor and a couple of elders who had a call to make an impact on the community.  He believed it would be a help to them in gaining respect in the community by us doing an outreach together.  WOW!!! REALLY!?! "Oh, ye of little faith!" :)))  The answer was right in front of me the whole time!  It will be amazing to see all God has in store.  In all the years that teams have gone to minister in this community, it has primarily been with the children but their families have heard and hopefully seen what the LORD has done in their kids.  It as though the Lord is saying to us, "the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest." Luke 10:2  And, at the end of the day...it's all about GOD'S design!

     It's funny, I've never viewed myself as a worrier but I believe God is helping me to examine my life a little closer in this area.  Psalm 37:8 says, "Do not fret--it only causes harm.  Hmmm...this sounds just a little serious to me.  Investigating my actions further...here are some things that cause me to fret:  relationships, my kids, other people's kids, other people (in general), physical harm, & the list could go on... hopefully, you get the picture, I worry.  This is not constant with me because I know there are times that my life seems worry free.  Worry is the opposite of trust.  It is a lack of trust.  It is an area of bondage not freedom.  It is a place of unrest.
     "It sounds easy to talk about "resting in the Lord" until the nest is upset, says Oswald Chambers."  His devotion really hit home with me today.  He says, "fretting always ends in sin.  We imagine that a little anxiety and worry are an indication of how really wise we are; it is much more an indication of how really wicked we are.  Fretting springs from a determination to get our own way.  Our Lord NEVER worried and was NEVER anxious, because He was not "out" to realize His own ideas;  He was "out" to realize God's ideas. Fretting is wicked if you are a child of God."   OUCH!  This really hurts.  Surely not wicked....surely not in my top 10 sins. :)  Really, this is how fleshly I am a part from His grace at work in my life.

   If the opposite of worry is trust & rest, the solution is to go to God & admit your lack & commit your heart to Him.  If you are overwhelmed... (as we ALL are at times), go to a brother or sister in Christ for confession & prayer.  God does not want you to feel alone or discouraged.  Today, our country celebrates a day of FREEDOM.  It cost the lives of others so that we could have this freedom.  It cost God's Son His life so that we could be free.  JESUS shed HIS blood...His perfect blood to make a way for us to live a life of freedom...free from the bondage of sin & death.  Thus, free from worry.  Your fretting not only causes harm to you, but to others.  Let's release it today to the ONE who says, "Let not your heart be troubled."  He is WHO HE says HE IS!  He's got it ALL so give it back to Him!  And, at the end of the day...you can rest.