Essential Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle

It's finally here!! I stopped posting recipes even though they were really popular because I wanted to put them all into one place. After several months of work, the compilation of all of my recipes are all in one place!! This October I am traveling with the New Life Church of Gahanna, Ohio to Uganda, Africa. I decided for a fundraiser I would finally get my cookbook written. If you ever came on a short term trip to Los Anonos, Costa Rica, you were the beneficiary of many of these recipes. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have!! You can buy the cookbook here:

http://www.lulu.com/shop/julie-herrmann/essential-recipes-for-a-healthy-lifestyle/paperback/product-21791208.html

 

 

Resurrection Power

Yesterday was not the day I wanted it to be. What  was supposed to be my first full day of rest, at home after ending my full time job, the day where Jesus and I drank smoothies by the pool and listened to David Crowder Band together, turned into a no-showed ministry appointment in Glendale and car shopping in the valley with a desperate friends who's car was totaled on Sunday.  While the morning worked itself out exactly how it was supposed to, it was not meeting my expectations. So I went over to my bestie's in North Hollywood. It was well past my lunch time and my energy tank was beyond empty.  There's this AMAZING pizzeria there called PizzaRev where we decided to go for lunch. The day was looking up.

We were walking back to the car in a plaza parking lot when I noticed a frazzled little old lady staring diffidently under the propped up hood of a very dead car. Sarah and I had been yapping as only bff's do, but upon my going unusually quiet, Sarah wondered what I was thinking about. I pointed out the lady and said I was thinking that we needed to go over and help her. As we got closer, we noticed her equally unnerved husband sitting in the driver's seat trying all sorts of buttons and gears with no success. The elderly couple reminded me SO much of my own grandparents I couldn't NOT stop to help. I asked her what was going on. She said the car just wouldn't start and she didn't know what to do. I told her we were missionaries and asked if we could pray and ask Jesus to start the engine. Her name was Rallie, and she got all excited, telling us she was a Sunday school teacher, but could prayer work for that? Sure! Of course!! We told her. We had seen it happen before. So we held hands, spoke a really quick 2 second prayer, and asked Jesus to use his resurrection power to make the car engine go. Rallie's husband, Bill, got back in the driver's seat, turned the key. VOILA!! It started purring like a kitten. Rallie's face lit up like rays of sunshine after a rain storm. "WOW!" she exclaimed, "God is SO good!! I had no idea He would do that! Do you have to have more than one person to pray like that or could I have done that by myself, too?" "Nope," we affirmed. "Anyone can pray like that at any time." We exchanged hugs and she asked if we would stay to make sure she safely got out of the parking lot, which she did.

Sarah and I made our way back to my car. I was blown away. God can move any where, any time, even when we think we're having a "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day" (an exaggeration of my day, since it really wasn't bad, just unexpected) if we are just willing to focus on what's going on around us instead of on our own situation. It's also interesting that even though Rallie was a Sunday school teacher, she had a misperception of the power of prayer and what we could pray about. I have no doubt that she is the type who prays faithfully for every single member of her family and blesses every meal.  But she had no idea Jesus could instantly answer a prayer of desperation in a parking lot.

How many times in life do we all feel like we're stuck in a parking lot with a dead battery? How many stressful situations pop up every single day that we think we need to handle on our own or try to fix when we really have no idea what the heck is wrong or even how to go about in the fixing? It is a good reminder that Jesus meets us in every parking lot and he knows how to fix any situation. All we need to do is ask.

Zumba: Some one's gotta lead

I love Zumba. When I was in the middle of my big weight loss, I started doing Zumba at the local gym. Over the years, I have taken Zumba from all kinds of instructors. From the 60-year-old hippie who patiently instructed tentative dancers to just keep moving to the hoochie-cutter-yoga-body-dancer Brazilian model in California who flaunts as much as teaches. But regardless of teaching style, there is always a teacher. How else could you get 20 random women from all walks of life and ranges of stages of fitness to move to the rhythm of the heart and not run into each other? PS The following is pretty much how reality works:

 

 

Anyway, back to my thought. So the other night I was in a Zumba class at my local gym when said Brazilian-those-boobs-could-not-be-real-in-a-sports-bra instructor suddenly leapt off the stage and yelled for someone to take over, shouting something about too much café and not enough food. Stunned, as the thunderous pulse of a salsa blared out of the speakers, the whole class just started at each other, the swirling disco lights making even more confusion in the room. Take over? Who would take over? Some women started making up their own moves, others trying to copy but failing miserably. Other women just completely stopped moving and stared at the door, as if they couldn't move at all without a step-by-step. A few others looked as if they were trying to remember the routine, but after a minute or two just kept repeating the same 3 moves. It was not pretty.

 

And then it hit me. This is exactly how my life feels right now.  For me, the instructor represents a goal or focus in my life. There were the college years when the goal was a degree and the steps were classes, study groups, tests, and homework. There were the work years where the goal was learning my field, growing in my clinical skills, and learning how to live the life of a responsible adult. Next came the goal of living a mission-minded lifestyle, with steps of growing a community and a church, and discovering who I am and what I bring to the world. There was a brief water break before I moved out to LA where the goal became reintegrating into the North American dance. But I found I no longer knew the steps as well as I did before. They seemed foreign. I had changed. My muscles changed. My taste in music and rhythm and movement had changed. It was like the "goal" instructor of my life took a break and left me to figure it out for myself. And I think I have discovered I like not following the goals of others; I don't need to follow the steps of everyone else around me.

 

SOOOOOOOO, here's the big update. I have decided to put the 9-5 job on hold. Again.  (Although I am staying on-call at the hospital). And do what I've always known I should do: missions and ministry and a bunch of other dabblings. I am going back to Costa Rica for a few weeks in June. Not permanently, but for a much needed trip. I am going to stay in LA for now. It feels the most comfortable. I am going to write my long-awaited cook book. I will continue making and selling art. I would love to teach art and sewing and woman skills-type classes. And finally, I am educating the masses on natural health and nutrition, both through my 100 pound weight loss story and through the benefits of essential oils. I have discovered the health and wellness benefits of DoTerra essential oils and am THRILLED to share them with anyone who is willing to listen :)

 

So if you would like any of my art (featured below). Or if you would like to have me come host a class for you (you pick the topic! Art, sewing, essential oils, weight loss), let me know :) My woman skills are now available for rent.

 

 

 

The landfill

I think this is such a perfect picture for our lives in Christ. He takes the trash from the landfill in our hearts and turns it into a beautiful instrument that we can use for praise and worship. We have a choice to join in to the beautiful thing God is creating in our lives in the midst of sorrow, poverty, and pain.

Unlikely Mission Field

Yesterday was monumental. I didn't even realize it until about half way through the day. I went out to lunch after church with some new friends and we were sitting outside of a little restaurant talking natural health and essential oils when some one mentioned it was official September. Wow. September 1. Monumental. That marked to the date 6 months since I moved from Grand Rapids to California and one year to the day that I moved home from Costa Rica. Coincidence? I think not, yet this is not at ALL where I expected to be a year ago. In looking back through my prayer journal, my notes from my time in the "cave" in Michigan, and my blog, I honestly never thought I would actually be living just outside of LA.

Jessie and I one year ago to the day, Sept. 1, 2012. The passing of the torch.

Six months ago to the day, landing in California

When I moved back stateside, it was out of obedience to what I felt God was telling me. Rodney and Cindy had asked me to consider staying a third year, and I would have been happy to do so. But I had absolutely no peace about it. I knew in my heart it was time to move home, but to what I had no idea. So I made the faith step and moved back to Michigan. As most of you know, it was a difficult transition, but God gave me so much grace and favor in that season. I went through severe reverse culture shock. I am so thankful for the friends that surrounded me and helped me through. (Thanks, Tany for putting me to work cleaning bathrooms, Lynelle for the frequent coffee dates, and Sue Golder for the family dinners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You all have no idea how essential those moments were!!!).

During my processing time, I wrote out a list of the 4 directions I was open to trying. Number one was obviously staying in Grand Rapids, finding a job, and settling back into the life I had been living pre-Rica. This was the option I really, really, really wanted. Number two was moving to an adjoining mid-western state where I had a network of friends or family, finding a job, and settling back into life as I knew it. Number three was literally selling everything I owned and moving back on the mission field to Costa Rica. All in. No looking back. For life. I told God if He didn't give me work by Christmas that was the option I was going with by default. Number four, which was actually just an addendum tacked on the bottom to fill out the rest of the paper literally said, "Move to LA with Sarah to do ministry and go all crazy." Seriously? I still can't believe I actually wrote that, but it's there in black and white. Must have been the altitude change. Note to self, in the future when writing things out to put before the Lord, include even crazier things like, "Have rich benefactor offer to buy me a mansion to house orphans", "Allow a dealership to lend me a new sports car every month to advertise their company", and "Win the lotto, spend the money on world missions trips." Seriously. I need to start dreaming bigger with God. Still,the point was in the core of my being, I was ready to go where ever God sent me.

So I guess we all know which option was God's option. I wondered what the purpose was for me moving out here. LA is so different from Grand Rapids. Most people sojourn here hoping to realize a dream. They are desperate to make it in "The Industry". Acting, fashion, modeling, film making.  They struggle and starve to make it, to find the right connections, and break into the false reality where fame and fortune are the goals of life. And most leave shattered in less than a year after their funds run out. I am a pediatric speech therapist. I work at a child development center and spend most of my waking work hours hanging out in the ball pit with two-year-olds. What the heck am I doing here?

When I moved out here, I felt like God was bringing me into a Jeremiah 29 season. Not just verse 11, though. We get too caught up in just that verse. Have you ever read verses 1-10?  Basically God's people were taken from the promised land and exiled to Babylon, the most pagan nation, like, ever. And God told them to stay there, to build houses, set up shop, have parties, eat food, get married and have babies. To pray for the land they were inhabiting, because if it prospered, they would prosper. Because God knew the plans He had for his people. To prosper them, to give them a hope and a future. And if they prayed to God, he would hear them and listen and answer them. I totally commiserate with the Israelites. Like God was taking me from my home land and planting me squat in the middle of Babylon. Did you know that's actually what they call a major section of Hollywood? Coincidence? What do you think. I feel like God wanted the Isrealites to be a model of what Godly living looked like in the middle of the pagan nation. Like missionaries sent to model and demonstrate family, community, and upright living in a foreign country with foreign practices. Did you know that Daniel (like the whole book of Daniel) was written during this season in history? Daniel was one of those exiles taken to Babylon during the Jeremiah 29 season. He was meant to be a missional model in the royal palace of not bending to cultural norms and values. He stood out, was different, was persecuted for his faith, but ultimately had divine favor on his life and is a hero of the faith for ALL ETERNITY.
 

So basically what I'm saying is I am still a missionary. Instead of going to the countries of the world, the Lord has brought them to me, all in one place in one of the biggest melting pots of the globe. And it is one big mission field!! There are so many people here who are hungry for the things of God. I have also become highly involved in a church out here in Glendale called Expression 58 (based off of Isaiah 58). Starting next week I am going to be helping as a revival group leader in their new school of ministry. Check out their website at http://expression58.org/ to learn more about what they're about. And what I'm going to ask for is your continued prayer support. I moved back into the country, but I haven't left the mission field. I need all of your prayer cover as I continue to model community, family, and healthy living in a part of the country whose reputation precedes it. Thank you for all your support and love!!!!

The Chicken Group

By the title, you may assume this blog is about the frequent visitation of chicken that manage to fly the next door neighbor's coop and situate themselves in the oven in the back yard. You have assumed wrong. I am talking about my chicken group, or as it in reality is, my weekly women's group.

You see, I started this group over a year ago after the Lord prompted me to reach out to the women that would ALWAYS (I reiterate, ALWAYS) gather in the store to hang out. They were always in a group and they were always chattering. Of course that's how it got the name. Since it was not a structured Bible study, with no organized agenda, Rodney named it the chicken group because all we do is cluck, cluck, cluck. I specifically heard the Lord tell me to start the group but not to make it a structured Bible study. I was only supposed to facilitate the group and live life alongside these women, as each week they shared their struggles, hardships, joys, and sorrows, and listen carefully to what was and was not being said in order to strategically teach them about how God meets them in the every day. 

I bought each of the women a little chicken figurine on our last day

Over the past year, I have gained their trust (maybe a little too much...the questions they ask could make even a trucker blush, but they know I will always answer them from a Biblical perspective or find the answer. That I will never condemn or judge them for their curiosity or lack of knowledge. That God really does have the best answers to ALL of our questions, regardless of how odd, weird, or inappropriate they are!!!). (As a side note,only one of the 8 women actually attends church, while the others have history in the Catholic and Pentecostal church but have not been attending for years). We have celebrated birthdays and Christmas, saw marriages fail, marriages renewed, hospitalizations, family members die, and new babies born. I have learned what it means to live in an impoverished community through their eyes and conversation. We have laughed, cried, and prayed together. The Lord has opened doors into their lives, too, to speak truth and life into their hearts. I feel like I have learned so much from them and hope I have done well to plant seeds into their lives, too.

What I have taken away from hosting the chicken group is this: Some times we don't need to have an agenda with people. We don't need to force feed them "spirituality" or "religion". Or march in trying to change people. We can NEVER change people. It is only the Holy Spirit who can bring change. Investing in their lives by just being a presence in their lives was so much more valuable and meaningful, both to them and to me. The language of love and friendship speaks in words that are so much bolder and powerful. And when the Holy Spirit is invited each week, even when to the outside it looks like "nothing was accomplished", He is at work, moving and speaking into their lives, sowing seeds that will grow at the right time.

My encouragement to you is this: Find the broken, the lost, those rejected by the church, whatever group of people God places next to you in your own neighborhood, and get to know them. Start a friendship. Start a chicken group: a place where people can be themselves without fear of judgment or condemnation by the body of Christ. Live alongside them through birthdays, Christmases, births, deaths, marriages, loss, gain, joys and sorrows. Speak the language of love and friendship. Be the Jesus this word needs. Invite the Holy Spirit to go with you and ask Him to do the talking. It will change you (and maybe them, too ;) 

(As a side note, just over a month ago two of the women started to come to church out of curiosity...and have been encouraged in their faith in the Lord.)

Passing the mantle

 

















I love walking around Los Anonos. These days there are always men hauling rocks to the river, women hanging laundry in the morning sun, and dog poop all over the alleys to avoid. Of course my favorite part of walking around Los Anonos are the children. I have become a bit like the Pied Piper of Hamlin. All I have to do is head down any one of the paths to toward the river and a multitude of children come flocking me, yelling my name. And asking what I have in my bag. See, I almost always have my bag with me. Teams call it my Mary Poppins bag. It's one of those bottomless pit type bags where things go in and suddenly disappear. Inside are all the essentials a girl could need: hand sanitizer, band aids, keys, umbrella, chap stick, sharpies, pens, toilet paper, toilet seat covers, sunscreen, camera with fully charged batteries, etc., etc. Evey item has come in handy over the past two years for episodes of team member work accidents, unexpected rain storms, and sketchy city bathrooms. 

The best essentials, though, are the tricket things I carry: silly band bracelets, rings, dinosaur figurines, marbles, stickers, glow sticks, bubbles, etc., etc. The kids always ask if I have something for them. And I almost always do. They get so much joy out of such little things. (Note the bag in each of these pictures. In fact, when I look back at most of my pictures, any time you see that characteristic yellow strap, that's the bag!!)

  ✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼

And it came about when the Lord was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “ Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “ As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel... Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “ As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho...Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” And he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on...

Elijah took his mantle and folded it together and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven. Elisha saw it and cried out, “ My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over. 
(portions of 2 Kings 2)

 ✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼

This is a famous Biblical account of a teacher leaving his protégé not only with the knowledge and information learned over one lifetime, but with an increased measure of blessing, power, and authority. A double portion of it, to be exact. Elijah left Elisha what I talked about in a previous post: an inheritance that furthered the kingdom instead of ending in selfish retirement. 

Elijah left a mantle. In and of itself, it was just a cloak, but it essentially was the trademark of his ministry. In I Kings 19:13 Elijah is in a cave running scared from Jezebel, but he still had his mantle and wrapped his face in it as he went out to see if God was in the wind, the earthquake, the fire, or the still small voice. In I Kings 19:19, he cast his mantle on Elisha symbolizing God’s call on Elisha’s life to begin a spirit-filled ministry. Later on he used his mantle to part the waters to walk on dry ground. Ultimately it was the "inheritance" that was left to Elisha. The mantle, in effect, was a symbol of the anointing Spirit of God on Elijah's life which was passed on to Elisha to continue working for the Lord.
 

 ✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼⋰⋰✼ ⋰⋰✼ 

I am also preparing to leave. There are two new missionary girls here to walk in ministry here in the community. 

The other day I was walking with Jessie in the community, passing out trinkets to the kids as Pied Piperish as usual 

when she turned to me and very seriously said, 

"I want your bag. When you go, I want your bag." 

"Fully loaded, I assume," I asked  her just as serious.

"Yes."

 "If you are up at 4:30am to see me leave for the airport, you may have my bag. Fully loaded."

This was my Elijah moment.

This is the next season of missions in Anonos.

Expect a double portion.

Join with me in prayer for the harvest.

Jessie and me visiting the volcano, Irazú

Meet Our Church Family

The last team that we had here, from Manchester, New Hampshire, did a very unique and special project. Two of the girls on the team are aspiring photographers. So they set up a semi-professional studio in the church and took family portraits. Meet some of the people from Viña anonos!!!

This is Kliber and Randall, two of our dudes involved in the weekly skate ministry.

July (pronounced Julie) is in my Thursday women's group and she just started coming to church. She's pictured here with her daughter Argerie, and her two grand-daughters.

 Adriana and her daughter, Keylin. Adriana is married to Amilcar and has another son, Brandon, who weren't available on picture day. She works in the thrift store that is run through the church. She is a very active part of the church and is a faithful friend.

 Maruja lives in the tajo, just beyond our balcony. 

Abigail helps with the children's ministry. She lives down by the bridge in front of the casita, where the thrift store is. You may know her older brother, Dago.

 

Dunia and Valerie. Dunia is also part of my women's group. She started coming to church a few weeks ago. She is Kevin's mom and Valerie is his little sister.

Nanis and Tito are both part of our worship team.

Danny and Brenda with their three kids. Brenda is Rosa's daughter. They live up in the Mangoes.

Elidey is part of our worship team and works very closely with us at the missions house.

Hannia is Elidey's cousin. She is an integral part in our kids ministry.

Jendry, Caleb, and Tutis are all half siblings. They are involved in youth group, La Roca, and kids ministry.

Typical Sunday in Costa Rica

For those of you who are not on facebook, and have not seen my most recent posts, I thought I would give you a little taste of what Sundays are like in Costa Rica. This Sunday was...extraordinary. It was rainy and cold when we got up...so much so that I changed out of the cute dress I had on into a pair of pants with three layers of shirts and a pair of gloves. Brrrrr. No time for fashion when it's chilly here!!! I went down to the church early, like usual, to set up. Of course what greeted me in the back yard was no early morning solitude. It was, in fact, a very large chicken that could not get out. I spent the next 25 minutes chasing the thing around the backyard (it mostly hung out by the stove....yes, I noted the irony...). She ended up in the house (again, mostly in the kitchen) and then ended up under a stack of kiddie chairs. Tito fortunately came it at that moment and was able to capture the chicken and release her over the back wall. Quite the adventures in Costa Rica!! I just so happened to have my camera and documented the spontaneous moment:

And in case you wanted to see it live....here's the video........

Why would I want to leave this?!?!?

I LOVE these kids!! I have seen Antoni and Keylin grow up from being toddlers to preschoolers to starting kindergarten!! I am going to miss my kiddiepoos!!!

Unexpected blessings

God moves in mysterious ways. But sometimes they seem exceptionally ordinary when we stop to pay attention. Our two new interns are here and I have been introducing them to the community. Yesterday we went out to go visiting, my usual peeps: Seidy, Don Luis, Verania, maybe Carmen, go up to the high place where you can see the whole community. As we were walking down the street Don Juan snagged my attention...yes, I caught the irony, and yes, he is called Don Juan. That's actually quite common here. He is an elderly man with diabetes that has taken part of his foot so he can't walk well. He sits in front of his house all day, every day, and in the afternoons he switches to the other side of the street to catch the best sunlight. He lives around the big bend on the main road past the third pulperia in front of the blue gate (yes, that's how we give directions here). We always wave at each other when I pass and he always calls me "little one". Today as we passed he waved me over frantically: the reading glasses I had given him a few months ago were no longer working well, did I have time to trade them for a stronger pair? In a split second conversation I asked the Lord whether I should turn around and walk all the way back to the house to drag the glasses kit down now or tell him I would come back after lunch...Census (AKA Holy Spirit) says: go back to the house now and get the glasses. It also just so happened that the egg man, also selling fruits and veggies from his truck, had stopped to sell Don Juan his daily eggs and overheard our conversation. He wanted to know if he could get a pair of reading glasses....Holy Spirit?? SURE!!!!

So the girls and I trudged all the way back up to the house, filled a bag with an assortment of prescriptions of reading glasses, and headed back out. Meanwhile Seidy is frantically texting me, wondering where we were since I told her we would be up to visit a half hour ago. I gave Don Juan his glasses and then fit the egg man for some, too. Yes, this is the same egg man we hear in our house every morning. He was really thankful and asked how much they were. I said that since they were a gift to me, they were a gift to him, which in effect is a practical way of showing the love of Jesus. He was a bit stunned. He asked if I was sure?? There was nothing I wanted in return?? Well, I paused, I told him we were headed out to visit people in the community, some of which had very little food, and if he wanted to donate some fresh produce, I would in turn gift it to some one in need. Again, he seemed a bit stunned by that. He was on the beginning of his morning run. He asked where we were going and if he could give us some later...obviously he wanted to try and sell the best that he had first. I told him where we were going but not to worry about it. If we saw him again he could donate with no obligation. I could see he was torn. He wanted to donate something, but I could tell he also wanted to make a profit.

Up to Seidy's we went, girls in tow. We spent the majority of the morning there, laughing and talking about whatevers. A good while into our conversation Jason came to the door. Jason is one of my favorite people in the community. Most people who come to work here know Jason. He is exactly my age, but looks much older from the life he's had. He also struggles with an addiction to drugs. You can tell how he's doing by how skinny he is...the skinnier the more he is depending on drugs because he uses his money to buy that instead of food. Today he looked pretty good, but hungry. I think Jason is one of Seidy's favorites, too, because she invited him right in for coffee and breakfast. Not even 5 minutes later another guy named Chino came to the door, also a struggling addict (not the Chino that normally comes to our church, another one). Seidy called him in for coffee and breakfast, too. Jason used Seidy's shower and she gave Chino a clean shirt. I turned to the girls. THIS is what the Kingdom of God looks like. It's what the church used to look like before it fell asleep. It looks like being known as the house to go to when you're hungry. That you will be welcomed in and not shunned. That you will be offered a place at the table and clean clothes to wear. That you will be give a warm embrace and called "son", which Seidy literally called both of these boys before they left to go about their day. It looks like a woman giving generously out of her poverty. It looks like a woman giving food to the hungry because there was a need, even though she and her family occasionally go hungry as well. It looks like giving freely knowing that the recipient at this point in time has no hope of being able to return the favor. Goosebumps.

View from the high place

After the guys left, I invited Seidy to walk up with us to the high place. I wanted to show the girls the community from a totally different angle, and most teams never make it up there. The four of us walked deep into the area of the community known as the Mangoes. It's a series of alleyways off the main road in the Mangoes, and there are many people from both sides of the community who have never been up there. When we arrived, who was there but the egg man, selling his wears up there. I quietly heard the Holy Spirit whisper, "Don't ask about the produce. Just say hi." Ok. As we walked by, I said "HEY!!" and kept walking. I could see on his face he didn't know what to do...I could see he was still torn about giving away produce that could earn him money...But I walked no more than 5 steps when he called out to me. I turned around to see him filling a bag with papayas and mangoes. Full. Catching up with the ladies, I handed the bag to Seidy. She was surprised, yet I could see gratitude in her eyes. I explained that I KNEW the Lord was pleased with her for showing His Kingdom to Jason and Chino. This act of generosity had not gone unnoticed by the Father. She was a faithful steward of what He had given her. He wanted to return the favor in a way the guys couldn't. A blessing for a blessing. Goosebumps.

When we are diligent to pay attention, there is SO much the Holy Spirit wants to do and so many he wants to bless, often in simple, ordinary ways!! The egg man got a pair of glasses, Jason and Chino got breakfast, Seidy got fresh fruit, and I got to witness the Holy Spirit lavishing His love on His people.

20 Questions

Cindy's sister, Jodi, is in town. In honor of Jodi being in town, we went to the beach to see a little bit more of Costa Rica. At the little house we're staying at, there is a game called Table Topics. Basically it is a stack of cards with a conversation starting question on each card. We had a blast answering questions over dinner tonight. In honor of getting to know people better, here are 20 of the best, in my opinion, questions of the game. Feel free to use them as a conversation starter over your next family dinner, date night, over lunch break at the office, or as an ice breaker during your next awkward elevator ride with a complete stranger. Enjoy!!!

Who has inspired you as a mentor and why?

Who would you like to trade places with for one month?

What would you most like to ask God?

What makes you laugh the hardest?

What would you most like to do for someone else if you had the money and time?

Have you ever had an experience that lead you to believe in angels or ghosts/demons?

How would your life be different if you had no fear?
What did you get into trouble for the most when you were younger?
What remains undone that you have wanted to get done for years?
What's the most significant problem facing the world?

Which other culture would you choose to be born into?

What kind of business would you love to start?

What's the best and worst thing about being a man or a woman?

Would you choose to be the worst player on a winning team or the best player on a losing team?

Which ancestors would you most like to meet?

If you had to spend one year alone in a remote cabin, what would you spend your time doing?
If you had the means, how would you address the problem of homelessness?

Of you didn't have to worry about money, what would you do with you life?

What event in the past, present, or future would you like to witness in person?

What quality do you think is most important in marriage?

Bonus Question: When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

 

Doña Fransisca´s Tortillas

The secret to Doña Fransisca´s amazing tortillas?? Love, patience, and intelligence.

TGIFIA: Thank God it´s Friday in Anonos!!!

In continuing with my series of a week in pictures in Los Anonos, here´s what Friday is shaping up to be...

 Jaci is one of the servers at the Catholic church in Los Anonos. They feed every school aged child 6 days a week. What an amazing ministry!!!

 Keylin can finally ride her bike with no training wheels!!!

Here´s one motocycle mama....although I would feel better if they all had helmets!!!!

Such sweet princesitas (Little princesses)!!! Paola and Rachel were getting a snack.

Waiting for the school bus in the Tajo.

 One of the municipality street cleaners. Coffee break??

 

I caught this little dude hanging out a second story window 

in the Tajo. Too cute!!

 Men from the community continue the work building retention walls along the river. 

 Antoni watches his grandma make tortillas up in the Mangoes.

 Just hanging out.

 Doña Fransisca makes her famous tortillas!!!