Insights from Bethany

You may remember that we sent Caleb and Bethany to camp in Kansas City in June.  I wrote about it a couple posts ago (just in case you missed it!).  I asked both of them to write an essay on 3 things that they learned while at camp.  I asked permission of Bethany to post her essay here.  Caleb's should be showing up on his blog soon.  I am humbled by their hearts and so thankful to the Lord for all that He taught and spoke to them while they were gone.  

ATC Camp 

      In June of 2014, my brother and I took a trip to the first camp either of us has ever been to. It was an incredible experience, and I was taught many things about and by God, but I feel like it is just slipping out of me. So I need to remind myself of what He has done in me, and bind that in my heart.

      At camp God really touched me in three areas. One is the reality of His existence. Before I went to the camp, I was doubting God. Not as in a trust issue, but a matter of whether or not He is real. I asked Him to show Himself to me at camp, and He did. I felt the Holy Spirit stir inside of me when I went up for the worship and to be prayed for. I had someone prophecy over me as well. She told me that I am strong in my faith, even though I felt like I was failing. She also said that the Lord loves me, and that I am precious to Him. I started weeping because He was speaking, through her, exactly what I had asked Him to confirm for me. 

“For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.”

Psalm 33:4 NIV

      He also showed me that He made me exactly how He wanted me. I have been having problems with liking myself. I didn’t like how I looked, but more than that I didn’t like my personality. I am quiet, and I have a lot of pride and a hard time pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I felt like no one liked me because they never talked to me. However, He showed me that what He thinks of me matters way more than what anyone else thinks of me. In fact, me wishing I am different is really me sinning against God by saying that He is not able to make me perfectly. That does not mean that He is fine with me sinning at all. It means that He shaped me with His own hands and formed my spirit with His breath. So why would I feel insecure about something that the God who spoke all of time and space into being created out of dust and His own Spirit? I seriously have no idea. And that just makes me shake with adoration for Him. 

“For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.”

Psalm 33:9 NIV

      Finally, He showed me what a gift we have in our voices. They are unique to each of us. Songs are very powerful. They can cause us to start weeping or they can make us want to jump up and dance. God created us to respond to music in a special way. When we sing and praise Him with our instruments, the powers of darkness are pushed back and we grow closer in our relationship with Him.

“Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous.”

Psalm 33:3 NIV

      Everything that the Lord has shown me has made my heart tender where it was numbed by the world before. My fear of man has been broken down, and my fear of the Lord built up. I am just praying that I will never be the same again. 

“But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.”

Psalm 33:18 NIV

Moving Forward!

Adonai International Ministries (AIM) is the ministry that our family works with in Guatemala - Don serves in the clinics and I assist them with their finances. Earlier this year, with the help of many donors, the ministry purchased land close to the current compound for the purpose of building a hospital.  These pictures were originally posted to facebook by the ministry's founder.

The owner had been a neighbor of the ministry for many years.  This is his house located on the property.  If you look past the house (and the cow), you can see the trees that form the boundary to the ministry's current property. 

Now that the land is purchased, the REAL work begins.  For security and cultural reasons, a fence will be built around the property before any construction begins.  The fence will actually be constructed with concrete as well as fencing.  Also, the gate has to be constructed out of steel by a welder.  The process is not easy or cheap but it will keep the property, equipment and soon-to-be-built structures secure.

The property will also need to have water and electricity so that construction can begin.  While this is all happening in Guatemala, the ministry is also preparing a container to be shipped to Guatemala.  

Because the hospital will need a huge amount of concrete, a 'factory' will be set up on the property.  The Lord opened the doors by even providing a cement mixer truck! Now we just have to get all the equipment, forms and materials to Guatemala. We estimate that it will take about $20,000 to ship the container and then transport it to the remote location of the ministry.  

If you are interested in helping AIM move forward with this incredible project, please go to the ministry's blog here.  

If you would like more info on the container and/or details of the costs, email us at allisonmomof4@gmail.com.  We would love to share the info with you. 

For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalm 57:10