Just a Ruth waiting for a Boaz

1 Corinthians 13 The Message (MSG)

The Way of Love

¹ If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. ²If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. ^3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

   Love never gives up.
   Love cares more for others than for self.
   Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
   Love doesn't strut,
   Doesn't have a swelled head,
   Doesn't force itself on others,
   Isn't always "me first,"
   Doesn't fly off the handle,
   Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
   Doesn't revel when others grovel,
   Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
   Puts up with anything,
   Trusts God always,
   Always looks for the best,
   Never looks back,
   But keeps going to the end. 

^8-10Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
 ¹¹When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.
 ¹²We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
 ¹³But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

 1 Corintios 13 Palabra de Dios para Todos (PDT)

Déjense guiar por el amor

13 Si yo puedo hablar varios idiomas humanos e incluso idiomas de ángeles, pero no tengo amor, soy como un metal que resuena o una campanilla que repica.

² Yo puedo tener el don de profetizar y conocer todos los secretos de Dios. También puedo tener todo el conocimiento y tener una fe que mueva montañas. Pero si no tengo amor, no soy nada.
³ Puedo entregar todo lo que tengo para ayudar a los demás, hasta ofrecer mi cuerpo para que lo quemen. ^[a] Pero si no tengo amor, eso no me sirve de nada.
⁴ El amor es paciente y bondadoso.
El amor no es envidioso.
No es presumido ni orgulloso.
⁵ El amor no es descortés ni egoísta.
No se enoja fácilmente.
El amor no lleva cuenta de las ofensas.
⁶ No se alegra de la injusticia, sino de la verdad.
⁷ El amor acepta todo con paciencia.
Siempre confía.
Nunca pierde la esperanza.
Todo lo soporta.
⁸ El amor no tiene fin. Algún día, el don de profetizar cesará. El don de hablar en lenguas se acabará. El de conocimiento se terminará. ⁹ Ahora sólo en parte conocemos y profetizamos, ¹⁰ pero cuando venga lo perfecto, todo lo que es en parte se acabará.
¹¹ Cuando era niño hablaba como niño, pensaba como niño y razonaba como niño. Pero ya de adulto, dejé de comportarme como niño. ¹² Sucede lo mismo con nosotros. Ahora vemos todo como el reflejo tenue de un espejo oscuro, pero cuando llegue lo perfecto, nos veremos con Dios cara a cara. Ahora mi conocimiento es parcial, pero luego mi conocimiento será completo. Conoceré a Dios tal como él me conoce a mí.
¹³ Ahora permanecen estas tres cosas: la fe, la esperanza y el amor, pero el más grande de todos es el amor.

June prayer requests

 June is looking like a month of transition here in Anonos!! Les and Diana, who I mentioned a few months ago, moved here at the end of May. They are preparing their new house in the community to open as a discipleship school. We inaugurated the house this past Saturday night with an evening of worship. The patio where we held the worship is directly in the center of the house and open to the sky. What an amazing time of praising the Lord under a clear sky full of stars!!! Not only do we pray for more nights of singing to the Lord, we also dedicate this place learning, discipling, and fellowship. Please pray for Les and Diana that they would continue to settle in quickly so they can be an effective, integral part in what God is already doing here in Anonos (including favor in shipping their car here, finding furniture and kitchen appliances at a reduced rate, and being accepted by the church as leaders).

We are also getting ready for our two new interns, Jessie Morgan and Shannon DeCourcey, who will be moving here in the middle of June. Thrilled, excited, and expectant are just a few words to describe the arrival of these two young ladies who feel called to minister alongside of us. Join us in this excitement to see how God will use their unique gifts and talents. Pray for their transition, that they would feel welcomed here and would settle into their new routine smoothly. 

 
(Jessie and Shannon)

June also marks the beginning of our heaviest team season. Seven teams are scheduled to bless the community with their various gifts and talents. We are excited to see how God will use them! Pray for boldness and an increase in faith for teams this summer!! We want to see the kingdom of God released over Costa Rica with seeing people saved, healed, and delivered! 

Princess Club: A Royal Day in the Park

Several months ago, if you remember, I posted a princess club blog about a very generous donation from a complete stranger (here's the link to the original blog, in case you want to go back and read it: Radomivity)

So I have been ruminating ever since about how to use this sum of money. All kinds of ideas and adventures popped into my head. Here was a chance to do something extra special with my girls and show them how to be treated like royalty!!! After much though, I decided I wanted to take them to the Parque de Diversiones...it's a theme park about 15 minutes from the house, kind of like a mini 6 Flags. I know most of the girls come from families that would not have the financial resources to explore the park on their own. Man, you should have seen their faces on graduation day from the last club when I told them about going to the Parque. They were THRILLED!! Beyond thrilled. Crazy...like Mentos in a Coke bottle. 


Yesterday was the big day!! We all piled into a van and headed out! What a great day!!! Here are the highlights!!!

Praise the Lord my girls are 8 to 11 years-old!! It meant they were all tall enough 

to ride almost all of the rides!!!

 The park was such an appealing place!!!

 Long lines were worth it!!! 

The girls had a blast on the bumper cars...

 Paddle boat time!!! The girls really did a good job paddling...until the end...

 The Octopus. Also known as the brain shaker. 

We went on so many rides, my glasses just couldn't take it.

 Still looking for my prince. I heard you have to kiss a lot of frogs. No luck here, although he was a rock solid frog!!

YAY, PRINCESSES!!!!!!!!!!

I love my girls!! 

They have taught me so much and I am so proud to

see them grow and learn in their

relationship with the Lord!!!

Ana Laura and her son, Matias!! My faithful co-leader and co-heiress in Christ!!!!

 This was their favorite ride! They went on the roller coaster FIVE TIMES in a row!!! There was no line, so there was no waiting. BEST RIDE of the day!!!

 Unfortunately Julissa was the only one not tall enough to go on the big roller coaster. So she was content to ride the rocket ships FIVE TIMES in a row!!!! My girls are learning so much!! Nicol went with her!!!

Señorita Sapo goes on vacation

In honor of Jodi, Cindy´s sister, being here, we spent a few days at the beach. This huge toad got stuck on the flap to the pool filter. She had a few things to tell us about her summer vacation...This is my first attempt as a minor motion picture. Enjoy!!

The Armor of God

Remember: The armor of God is meant to be worn at all times. We are always under spiritual, often on multiple fronts at a time. The armor of God has defensive pieces that are meant to protect you during these enemy attacks. Each piece is perfectly fit to guard you heart, soul, and mind. The armor also has offensive pieces that are meant to take back ground the enemy has stolen. When wielded appropriately, we are an unstoppable force. The enemy literally quakes in seeing us coming. We have been given authority and power to wage war against the enemy AND WIN!!! We already know the outcome!! Oh, and by the way, there is no piece of armor to protect your back. Retreat is not an option.

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?

 

Quote That

“Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.”

 - Brian Gerald O’Driscoll

Michigan Map

For all of my geographically challenged friends out there, I thought I would share an official map of the US from the point of view of a Michigander....Thanks, Nikki!!!!

Modern day miracles

Just a little humor to start off the week...

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!!!