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¡Bienvenidos desde Mexico! I´m at an internet cafe right now looking at a screen that is shaking with yet again, a mexican keyboard. On the keyboard the letters are the same, but the other buttons (por ejemplo ();:/, etc) are in different locations. And the shift/enter key are smaller. It is kinda fun though, because I can easily put in a ñ or à or è.

Last Friday I had the pleasure to attend a Quinceañera for the first time. A Quinceañera is a celebration held for a girl when she turns 15 years of age. Her Father presents her to the world as a lady. This event is just as large as a wedding in most cases. However this Quinceañera was a little different. Eight months ago, Ana´s father died (Ana being the girl who turned 15). Her, her mother, sister, brother, and baby brother, have had a very hard year. But not all is without joy. Her family in the past had many problems, her father was not a Christian, and her parents wouldn´t even sleep in the same room. But long story short the Lord did an amazing work in her family, and both her parents came to know the Lord. It was a little after this that her father passed away. Her mother´s testimony from this experience is that it has helped build her faith even more, remembering the zeal her husband had, even for such a short time. Ana and her family held together very well at the Quinceañera, it was neat to see the joy on her mother´s face.

Gloria, a missionary/director/wise woman at the center here asked me what has been the hardest thing to deal with in the culture shock of coming here. My answer is this: the hardest thing has not been learning the culture, or the language barrier. And I do love my mexican food, so that has not been hard either. The lack of hot water, or warm nights, were not too hard to adjust to. In reality the toughest thing, in comparison, that I have had to work through is how to work with my good friend, Caleb. And he is in agreement with this as well. And no it is not because I have all the answers and he is not submitting to me, but rather I have found myself very unwilling to learn from him, and we realized very soon, as I have mentioned before, that we both have alot of pride to deal with. And then once we have confessed that, we have had to learn how to work together, and how to rebuke one another when needed, and even more difficult, how to take rebukes from the other. I am beginning to see first-hand how the devil attempts to hinder God´s workers by stirring division. He is the accuser of the bretheren. And what better way to destroy an army than to turn it against itself? Everyone who plans to do missions, everyone college student who is going to live with 1, 3, or 12 of their buddies, every soldier of the Cross must be prepared for this attack, and address it beforehand. And do not just say "oh I´ve known so and so for my life, they are my best friend, we would never turn against each other." We mean well, but remember our hearts are wicked, the devil is cunning, and the Lord allows such tension to come, in the hopes that both sides will come out sharper in the end. "When Iron sharpens Iron, sparks fly." Be ready for the sparks, and commit your relationships, your teams, your house to the Lord. And when the sparks begin to fly, FIRST STOP and pray, humble yourself, be willing to take correction before you defend your posistion. Sparks are inevitable, but if both sides are submitted to the Lord´s guidance and are being wielded in His hands, you´ll both come out sharper, wiser, stronger: a well-tempered weapon that God will use to destroy the powers of darkness and bring forth His Kingdom.

And by the way Caleb and I are doing very well. We are both, though at times reluctantly, being sharpened and perfected by each other, for the Glory of God. Dios te bendiga!


HWLW (His Word Last Word):

"Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man."
Proverbs 3:3-4