My First Week...

Here's a breakdown of what we've been up to since arriving in Bolivia! 

Wednesday- We arrived in Cochabamba.  We were exhausted from 27 hours of travel, but marveled at the beauty of the mountains with the afternoon shadows falling on the green slopes.  With lots of help we got all our bags and suitcases safely to the guesthouse.  We took a long, deep-sleep kinda' nap (best nap of my life!) and then had dinner at TGIFriday's with the Holman family.  A burger and fries?  Oh, yeah!  (Besides a Burger King, this is the only American restaurant in town.)

Thursday- We bought groceries at IC Norte and had lunch at Panchita's...a fast food place in the food court attached to the grocery store.  We had chicken strips and fries.  The kids' meals were awesome... They come in a container shaped like a rocket that held their drink.  Then on top of the drink, there is a cardboard top that they covered with fries and chicken pieces. Very clever way to contain a kid's meal!

Friday- We went to the language school I will start attending soon, and then looked at a potential home to rent. That evening at the guest house the Holman's led a couple's Bible study...all in Spanish.  We were able to meet some sweet couples from Cochabamba International Church.  Seth whispered to me what was said in English, and after the Bible study we all ate birthday cake to celebrate a woman's birthday that was there.  Let me just say it was not a birthday cake like ones I am used to eating...so, between the birthday cake and all the Spanish I had listened to, trying to interpret in my mind, I had my first moment of culture shock that evening.  "Why did I have to eat that cake?!  My head is pounding from all that Spanish.  I don't want to hear any Spanish tomorrow.  Why did we even come here?  The houses are different, the cake is different, everything is different!"  I cried myself to sleep and hoped that the next day would be different.

Saturday-Our friends doubted I would want to do anything on this day after how I felt the night before. I thought I had hidden my emotions well enough, but apparently not :-)  Anyways, we went to the fruit market and Joe told us who he buys from and recommends.  Cruz insisted that Seth buy me flowers, and we also got a few bags of fruit while there. We went home and Seth whipped up some spaghetti, and our new friend, Teo, joined us for lunch.  Teo is a young Bolivian guy who leads Kids Club, an outreach in the south part of town to some very poor children.  We decided to go to Kid's Club that afternoon to help out, but we really mostly just observed.  The location was like no place I had ever seen.  Imagine the most dusty, dry barren looking place and that's where we were. The road leading to it was lined with people trying to sell hand made bricks.  The kids first gathered in a room our missionary friends helped build last summer.  The room was made with practicality in mind...wood planks for seating allowed about 100 kids to squeeze into the room.  They just kept coming in...and with very few mom's in attendance.  Many of them barefoot or in shoes made from tires, they came wearing dust covered, worn out clothes.  One little one had long matted hair, and wore clothes my friend gave him about a year ago...he sees the boy wear it every single Saturday (and probably every day in between.) Joe told us that most of these kids won't eat all weekend except for the snack they get at Kid's Club. This day was definitely different than the day before, and I was reminded of my purpose here...not to be comfortable, but to take risks and love like Christ in a foreign land.

Sunday-We were excited to go to our church here that our friend, Joe, pastors.  The sermons are in English (with a translator for the Spanish speakers), but the worship is a mix of both Spanish and English. We met a few other missionaries and our kids made some new friends.  Afterwards,  we ate silpanchos for lunch.  It was really good, a very Bolivian meal.  That evening I experienced my very first Holman Family Movie Night.  We watched Khumba and ate a "junk food dinner."  Denise made a delicious salsa and we had chips, cookies, and Seth's Nutella bread pudding.  (be jealous ;-) )

Monday-We met with the lawyer that will help us with our visas.  She recently had a baby girl, and she held that sweet little baby as she went over the steps we were about to take to get our one-year visas.  Later, Joe took Seth to get our cell phones working.  Then, last night we were invited to have dinner at the Holman's home.  Denise placed two ginormous bowls of stir fry on the table, and between the five Powell's and the nine Holman's it was all devoured in no time.  Afterwards, the kids all played while we got some precious adult time sitting with Joe and Denise on the back balcony of their home, discussing plans for the future and talking through our transition here.

Tuesday, Today-I was invited to join Denise and another missionary wife, Rachel for lunch at a coffee shop downtown.  We had a great time, and afterwards Rachel let me see her apartment to get an idea of whether apartment living here would work for us.   Then, Denise and I walked through Casaideas...a Pier 1 type store - something I never expected to find here.  She told me there weren't any other stores like it here in Coch.  I walked up and down every aisle, admiring all the nice things...pillows, table cloths, curtains, dishes.  Seth took the kids to a huge park in walking distance from the guest house, and we picked them up on the way home.

If you are still reading this, you are probably thinking the Holman's must be some sort of angels here helping us adjust and take the necessary steps to get settled in Coch. and in Seth's role as a missionary for Ripe for Harvest.  Joe is actually the field director for Latin America with our organization, so we couldn't be in better hands.  They really are just as kind and generous as they sound...giving so much of their time and attention to help get us going.  Seth will work closely with Joe here, managing the guest house (used for short term teams, but also a business that brings in funds for ministry projects), and also working to coordinate short-term trips.  We plan to serve in our church here (CIC), with the leadership of our pastor and friend, Joe, and work to plant churches along-side his ministry here.

That's about all I can put down on paper for now.  It may not sound like we have accomplished a lot, but remember, we are on "Bolivian time."  Businesses here open late (10ish) and close from 12-3 in the afternoon.  Our main priority right now is working on our visas, and learning the culture.  The kids are doing great.  They are making friends here easily, and have been able to Skype grandparents and cousins pretty often. Please keep us in your prayers as we adjust to such a different culture. We love you and miss you so much!

Here's Cruz cutting some strawberries from the fruit market.

Visas and Tears

We've been planning this move for years. We've been working out the details for months. I've been working on visa applications for the past 3 months or more. We had to get new copies of our birth certificates and our marriage license, passports for the kids, vaccinations, background checks... And, every single document had to be translated into Spanish and certified by a notary. Then, each and every document, both the state issued doc and the translations had to be authenticated by the Mississippi Secretary of State. After that, those authentications had to be authenticated by the US Department of State's office. Then, those authentications had to be legalized by the Bolivian Consulate in Washington DC. This process was time consuming, expensive, and nothing seemed to go as planned. God was definitely teaching us something.

Everything began with just little bumps in the road, nothing major - mainly things to laugh at myself about. I ordered birth certificates, but forgot to include the marriage license, so I paid the processing fee twice. I got one type of background checks, but actually needed a different kind. Small things. Over the next few steps of this process, I began to feel the blows of frustration. This happened mainly when we began our authentications.

The first step was MS Sec. of State's office. I drove to Jackson and had these in my hands within about an hour. Not bad, and it would have been even better if the lady hadn't treated me like I was an idiot for wanting to move to Bolivia. At least she followed it up with a compliment and a movie recommendation.

Then came the US Dept. of State. I had to fedex these. They arrived on a Monday (via my fedex tracking number). However, according to the secretary, they have an intense security screening and did not receive them to the office of authentications until the following Friday. And, wouldn't you know it, they were closed Monday and Tuesday because of snow. So, I called on Friday to find out that they were finished and had left the office on Thursday. According to my Fedex tracking, they didn't leave until the following Wednesday. By the time I had them in hand again, it had been about 3 weeks. Leaving me just 2 and a half weeks to get my visas from the consulate.

I turned around and overnighted our application packets (including the app, our passports, birth certificates, background checks, bank statements, translations, and money orders). I tracked it, called to confirm receipt. Then called a week later and was told they were mailed back to me. Excited, I check the fedex tracking... nothing. This scenario repeated itself 3 days in a row. I was told they were sent "yesterday" or "last night." But my tracking number never registered. The Saturday before our Tuesday flight, we faced the decision of whether or not I needed to fly up there Monday to try and find our package. We were concerned. Were they lying? Did our stuff get lost?

I checked and I had just enough credit card points for a flight and car and a hotel room (which was meant to be saved for an emergency by the way). Ashley and I finally decided that I should go. So, I booked the tickets. I asked God to forgive me if I was having a lack of faith, and I packed. With all the emotions of our move - the good byes, the weeding of our stuff, the chaos of our lives living out of suitcases - every step was made that much harder. Things we'd normally take in stride, felt like tidal waves.

I left Sunday afternoon and tearfully drove to the Jackson airport. I was dealing with anger and frustration at the circumstances, because this had just cost me 2 days of time with my family. I boarded the plane at around 6:30 pm. After a connection in Charlotte, I landed in Baltimore around mid-night. I was tired, but excited to see that my rental car reservation of "hyundai accent or similar" turned out to be a beautiful 2013 white ford mustang with cream and black leather interior. That is way better than an accent...sorry to the accent owners. 

That little joy didn't last long. On my way to the hotel, I got lost and stopped in the middle of no-where with not a car in eye's view to look down two roads to see where I was. Stupid me stopped under a traffic light that was green. But when I got my bearings, it'd turned red. So as I drive off from right beneath it, I get blinded by this big flash... So I'm wondering if I'm getting some kind of ticket.. That didn't help with my attitude about being lost.

When I finally found my hotel, I began to wonder if I should just check-in and sleep in the car. This made motel 6 look like a four seasons. I totally should have done more research on that one. I get to my room and the door is open. So - and don't laugh - I check the closet, under the beds, behind the shower curtain.. I checked the lock on the door, tried it from both sides and resigned my self to getting 3 hours of sleep on top of the covers. I really didn't want to go home with bedbugs.

I woke up at 6:30, grabbed a waffle and a nasty cup of coffee and headed to DC. What everyone told me was an hour and a half drive only took 45 minutes. Rather than be relieved that it took so little time, I was mad I got up so early for nothing. My head was pounding from little sleep, nerves, and the motional roller coaster I was on. I finally found parking - how do you people up there navigate those garages? I just knew I was going to take out a pipe or a post. I walk out of the garage just in time for the rain. Woop. Tee. Doo. I made my way to the consulate around the block, and realized I was going to be standing there an hour... outside.. in the rain. So, I went to rite-aid next door to find some medicine for my headache.

I picked up a BC powder and asked hopefully for a bathroom. Of course, no public bathroom. She told me to go two doors down to the gym. I think I started a feud, because when I asked the guy at the gym I received a rant about it being a private club and why would she do that. I saw a Hilton across the street. So, I held my head up high, pulled out my Qdoba rewards card, held it like a room key and walked right in and used the lobby bathroom. Don't hold the deception against me people, I really had to go.

I make it back to the consulate door and am second in line. When they finally open, I explained everything to the lady and she told me to take a seat and took my license. I see her talking to someone and then out of a box of Fedex envelopes comes my package. After waiting an hour and watching hushed discussions, I'm told that they haven't gotten the approval yet (even though I was told 3 times I was good and that they were in the mail). They said they'd call to see if they could expedite the process. So, I waited. An hour later, they told me to have our contact in Bolivia call someone in La Paz to asked for them to approve our visas. I did this and was told by my contact that the person in La Paz had approved my visas. I told this to the people at the consulate and was told they hadn't received the email yet. I asked again and again. Nothing. Eventually, after they closed, they called and found out that we were indeed approved (something that could have been done at lunch time). Finally, I left at 5:15 with our visas and made a bee line to the airport for my flight.

I was very excited to have my visas in hand, even though my flight was delayed about an hour. We were going to make our flights on Tuesday and were going to avoid the $1500 fee we were looking at if we had to postpone. I was happy, but I was tired. I'd spent the whole day in the consulate watching the same Bolivian tourist commercial over and over and over. I'd only had 3 hours of sleep. I get to my connection in Charlotte and the gate for my flight was wrong on the screen. Not knowing this, and having only 20 minutes because of the delay, I speed-walked to my gate only to be told that they switched to a different gate. On the other side of the airport. So, I literally run across the whole airport. I was so tired, I'm sure I looked like a baby horse on speed. I get to the gate I was told to go to and am then told that the other girl was wrong and it was just adjusted. My actual gate is the one next door to the original gate. So, I had to run (again...) the length of the airport to my flight. By the time I got on, I was breathing so heavy and I was misting the people around me and my elbows were even sweating. But... I made it.

I arrived in Jackson right after midnight. I walked to my car, cranked it up, and headed out. I'd be home in an hour and a half and could sleep before our 27 hour trip to Bolivia. Wrong. I get about 45 minutes south of Jackson and the main highway and all the backroads are closed due to flooding from a storm I didn't know anything about. I was told to drive back to Jackson and find a new route. I turned around and pulled over on the side of the road. This was it. My breaking point. I was exhausted. I was nervous about the move. I was sad about the good byes. I was stressed from the visas. All of my circumstances and difficulties claimed my full vision and focus. And, I fell. I let out a wail (or two..or five) and sat in my car sobbing. I was beginning to think that everything was for naught. I was ready to give up and I sat alone. I felt alone and I felt hopeless. The little blows along the way had finally dealt the death blow.

By the time I got Ashley on the phone, I was still sobbing. I talked with her for a while and the Lord used the calm spirit of my wonderful wife to help me bring things back into focus. I realized that I was not hopeless, but that the Lord was making my heart resolved to do his will, despite the challenges that confront us. Thanks to my mom and Ashley using google maps, I finally made it home. What should have been an hour and a half, became a 3 and a half hour drive. I got home at 4 am. I slept about 4 hours. before our big move with 10 suitcases, 5 roll-ons, 5 bags, and 3 kids, I had just gone 2 days with just under 7 hours of sleep.

When we finally arrived in Bolivia, I felt like I'd been hit with a train. I'm still catching up and getting over the exhaustion of a big move, and a totally different culture, but I'm beginning to see the lesson I've learned. Christ is sufficient. We are all asked to run a race, and God graciously "sets the race before us." The thing is, in our strength, it's impossible. I learned this. I learned how weak my strength was as I was sobbing in my car on the side of Hwy 49. I realized how small I was in the scheme of things. I am a vessel. My response to my situations can make me a strong vessel fit for great use, or a weak vessel that becomes ill-used and not trustworthy. How can we be a strong vessel? By enduring the fire of the kiln without breaking. And endurance does not come from looking to our strength, but the power and might to the One called us in purpose. We can endure the race, only with our eyes fixed on Jesus. I learned that when my eyes leave my savior and survey my difficulty, it's only a matter of time that I will cease to endure. Christ is sufficient. My plans, my purpose, my calling, my job, my family... none can satisfy. Christ is sufficient. If we want sufficiency in our calling in life, we must look to the One who is all-sufficient. Let our eyes, ever survey the wonder of His eternal glory.

Grand Cane Baptist Church (3/9/2014) - Sermon Notes

We were recently so blessed and encouraged to be welcomed by the great folks at Grand Cane Baptist Church in Shreveport, LA (Grand Cane, LA). I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to present my heart to them. Below are my sermon notes from our presentation on "Brokenness in Mission." 

Blessings, 

Seth 

"Brokenness in Mission"

I. Why do we go to Bolivia? Simple Answer - We are broken for that nation and its people. 

     A. Dry ground can’t be permeated until it becomes broken. Our hearts cannot hold and absorb the love of Christ for the lost until they’ve been broken. 

     B. We have been given a burden for Bolivia and brokenness has become our heart’s theme in this season of transition. So, I’d like to share with you some thoughts on Brokenness using David’s 51 Psalm. 

II. Psalm 51 - Background, David and Bathsheeba… There is a parallel between David’s situation with Bathsheeba and ourselves in our walk of salvation. 

     A. David saw Bathsheeba and lusted after her. Likewise, we see the pleasure of sin and lust after it. “The fruit was desirable…” Genesis says regarding Adam and Eve’s sin in the garden. 

     B. David acted on his lust. “Eve took of the fruit and ate, she and her husband.” 

     C. David then tried to cover his sin by making Uriah drunk and then having him killed in battle. “They made for themselves coverings of fig leaves.” 

     D. Then David’s heart was broken in anguish over his sin. “Woe is me” Isaiah said when he beheld God’s glory. 

III. Brokenness and Action in the context of Psalm 51

     A. Psalm 51:1-9 

          1. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgement. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than know. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all of my iniquities.” 

          2. The Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin and reveals our great need for salvation. This is paramount to the believer in his mission. We must be a people who begin at conviction and repentance so that humility is present in every missions endeavor, whether across the street or across continents and oceans. 

          3. Before we could ever go to Bolivia, we must first have been broken in our sin. “Regard no one according to the flesh.” “In humility, consider others above yourselves.” I cannot truthfully extend grace to sinners until I realize that I am no better. I must see my sin as clearly as I see theirs. My salvation does not delete my sin - it forgives it. It does not change the fact that I am still guilty. This is why grace is so amazingly great. 

     B. Psalm 51:10-12

          1. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and up hold me with a willing Spirit.” 

          2. In our need for salvation, we cannot forget the joy of our salvation which is kept with a seal of guarantee by the Holy Spirit until the day of Christ. We have joy that our gift is perfect and eternal and not dependent on us, but on Him who is faithful. I love the verse that says “It is God who works in man both to will and to do good works.” I can trust my heart to a faithful savior who will grant me the desire and will to do his work.

          3. As we work in Bolivia to plant and establish churches, we must know and communicate the joy of salvation. We must have a “willing spirit” to walk and be led by the Spirit. Bolivians are very religious, but they do not know Christ. We must go with renewed spirits and clean hearts so that we can faithfully lead. Jesus said, “if the blind lead the blind, they both fall into a pit.” We must have our eyes opened so that we can be effective in our mission. 

     C. Psalm 51:13-15

          1. “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.” 

          2. It is our brokenness of sin, humility of heart, and joy of salvation that will prompt us to action in declaring the goodness of our God and his mercy in Christ Jesus. “He who is forgiven much loves much.” We have surely been forgiven much, so we in turn love much, with the heart that is molded within us to conformity to Christ. Your choices will always be the result of your heart. Your actions reveal your intentions and your desires. The church labors in it’s mission because her desire is for Christ and her intention is his mission to “make disciples in all the world baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey what He has taught.” And the best part of the commission is the promise, “ye, I will be with you to the end of the age.” It is His mission not ours, so it cannot fail. We simply must be willing, in response to the grace we have received, to walk in obedience to the commission of Christ (both locally and abroad). 

          3. Our mission in Bolivia - and your mission wherever God has positioned you - is to make disciples. The Great Commission is not a mild suggestion. It is our purpose as a church, and will remain that way until the day of judgement. We are all on mission and all hold obligation to the grace we have received to labor earnestly for Jesus. In Bolivia, we will be planting churches through discipleship that teaches what Christ has commanded. And, just as important, teach them to teach others. 

     D. Psalm 51:16-17

          1. “For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” 

          2. We see in the old testament and then again in reference in the new testament that our “righteous acts are like filthy rags.” There are many missionaries, pastors, and congregants who are doing lots of things - yet if their heart is not broken, submitted, and humbly dependent on Jesus, everything they do is filth. The Word of God tells us that God looks at our hearts - this is why God was so angry with his people in Isaiah, when He said, “you honor me with your lips, but your hearts are far from me.” God desires our hearts to be in close proximity to his, yet this cannot happen without brokenness. God gives grace to the humble but stand in opposition to the proud. We must act with humility, from a place of brokenness if we are to be successful in our obedience. 

          3. People tell us all the time, “It takes a special person to do what you guys are doing…You are so great to do that…I could never do something like that, your faith must be really strong.” But those statements just aren’t true. We are all called to mission and all have different places to serve. Our’s just happens to be in Bolivia. But we’ve been equipped for this. Will it be hard? Absolutely and painfully so. But obedience is often hard. In the words of Tom Hanks in the movie, A League of their Own, “It’s the hard that makes it great! If it were easy, everyone would do it!” 

     E. Psalm 51:18-19

          1. “Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offering and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.” 

          2. Our prayer for the church today is likewise, “do good to your church, build up her walls, delight in her sacrifice and her worship.” Our job as Christians is to labor for Christ. We don’t just do… we submit to Him and do what is asked. We operate in a spirit of brokenness, so that we can be soft clay in his hands. An unbroken horse is pretty to look at but also pretty useless. Do we want to be unbroken horse that just serve to be seen? Or trained and equipped for mission? Action is pleasing when it is from a heart that is fully submitted to Christ and broken for his sin and for the lost. It is in brokenness and anguish that we know true joy in our salvation. Joy that brings confidence and spurs us to mission with Jesus. 

          3. The last thing I want to point out is God will build the walls of Jerusalem. He will build his church. “Unless the Lord builds the house, the laborers labor in vain.” What joy in our duty to know that the building is not dependent on us. He will build it, and our labor will be successful. You cannot fail when you are broken to his mission.

Baggage Claim

Ashley, the kids, and I are getting ready for our big move. We have 39 days (or 5 1/2 weeks) until we board that plane on April 8th. But, before we can board we have to do a little something called "packing." Yeah, seems simple. Throw your stuff in a suitcase, zip it up. But the problem is that it isn't that simple. It really isn't even easy. Our last move took 3 trucks and 3 trips. The move before that one took a big moving truck and 2 trips (and we only had 1 kid at the time). This move, however, will be done in 10 suitcases and 5 carry-ons. How do you decide what to pack? Which mementos you want to bring? What things you'll need?

As we are going through our things and selling, donating, and trashing our plethora of stuff, we are learning some deeper truths than what it takes to move to Bolivia. Chances are good that we will have to pay extra for our extra bags. Things we also have to consider is that each bag must be less than 50 lbs. There are size criteria, weight limits, quantity limitations. If it doesn't comply with all the policies, it doesn't go. Then there are all those hold ups, like weeding your undies in front of the world as you try to make your suitcase lighter... As we prepare and organize and sift through our things, I have been thinking about how much this process reminds me of our lives as believers.

We spend so much time in life accumulating lots of stuff. We are really bad about this in America. We like stuff. Stuff for fun, stuff for practicality, stuff for efficiency. We have stuff we may need in the future, stuff we needed in the past, stuff that reminds of the past, stuff that we dream about getting in the future. We are stuff hoarders. Our apartment, right now, literally looks bare. There is nothing on the walls and we have been weeding our things down to the basics - what we need and what we use. Visitors even comment about its barrenness. But, as we are getting things ready for packing - we are yet still overwhelmed at all the stuff (just stuff - say that word with disgust and you'll hear how we say it). Most of it we can't take or don't want (which if we don't want it now - I have no clue why we wanted it when we obtained it..).

Here's the deal, our move to Bolivia is similar to our move, as believers, into heaven. We will have spent a life-time accumulating stuff. The question for pondering is whether or not the stuff we accumulate is within the policy of what we can bring. According to scripture, that list isn't very big. In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus tells us not to store up treasures that are destructible and temporal, but to collect things that are eternal and indestructible. He says the reason is because our stuff is our treasure. The word treasure simply means "things that hold personal or economical value that are carefully kept." The things we store up are our treasures and Jesus was warning us that our heart will always be with our treasure. It's how we were made. And for good reason.

If I make a priority to always keep a larger storehouse in heaven (of treasures earned from service to the Lord), my heart will learn to long for this place, rather than our earthly, and temporary, home. The  Apostle Paul demonstrates this concept in his statement to the Philippians (Phil. 3:14), "I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." His goal was Christ and the treasures that were being laid up for him in heaven through his service. He understood that those treasures called his heart heavenward. How many of you love to receive gifts from those whom you love dearly? It's the same thing. My love for Christ longs to earn the treasures he has in store for me as I serve him in this life.

Stuff has gravity, and as the old saying goes, "the more stuff you have, the more your stuff has you." Don't misunderstand me though - I'm not saying that Christians aren't really Christians if they aren't über minimalists or that keeping that neat set of spoons from each state in the great USA is a sin. What I'm saying is that we must be conscientious and intentional in the things we choose to accumulate. Our focus should be on directing our hearts toward Christ in heaven. I like the way Randy Alcorn put it in his book, The Treasure Principle, "your heart will always follow your treasure." If you want more of a heart for ministry, the lost, the world, missions, etc - then give of your resources to support those things and your heart will surely follow. Don't let your stuff weigh you down or delay your flight, or even make you resent the journey. Prepare for your journey - travel light.

Blessings,

Seth

Early March Newsletter!

If you are not receiving our newsletters via email - please email me at sethspanol@gmail.com and I'll add you to the list. Thanks and God bless! 

Relief Effort Giving: 

Tony Murrin (Missionary Pilot - Cochabamba)

Gifts can be sent to ITM (International Tribal Ministries) and should be designated to "Flood Relief for the Securé, Bolivia" in the memo live of the check. Checks can be mailed to:

Community Foundation of South Georgia

PO BOX 2654

Thomasville, GA 31799

Click Here to give online towards the relief efforts. 

*Designation of funds can be made in the "Comment" box.

February Newsletter!

**Current Financial Supporters will receive a newsletter in the mail soon with a "Pray for the Powells" fridge magnet. Thank you for your continued support! We are so very blessed to have the team we do! Please continue to pray for our transition in the coming weeks. God bless!**

Tick Tock

So many times we say, "Man, I wish I had more time!"  Well, the past two days, we had just that thanks to Leon, the winter storm.  If I could go back a few days, I would have prepared better in terms of meals and snacks (we are now officially out of bread, milk, eggs, fruit, and lettuce.)  But, other than having to scrounge up creative meals and snacks, we have not suffered.  (We are also fortunate to have good neighbors to share meals with, making the circumstances much more fun.)  All this "extra time" has caused me to really think about the ways I use my time, since as Seth pointed out Sunday to me, "We only have about 10 more Sunday's here in the states." Ten.  That is not very many, folks!

With time slipping away from us, there are things we want to do before we leave.  Seth and I both need more time with our families.  The kids are letting us know what restaurant they want to visit before the move, and Seth and I are narrowing down our choices. I have to figure out what to do with the stuff we have...to sell, to donate, or to store?  I also wanted to lose a few pounds (...or twenty) before the move, but with all the good American delicacies I need to enjoy before the move, who has time for that?! 

In the midst of all of this, the Lord keeps asking me, am I dying to self?  Is my time about honoring Him or myself? What is really my desire?  Not one of those things are bad, but my heart needs to be set on Him. I have been very focused on spending my last few weeks enjoying the comforts of America, when I really need to focus on the comfort I can have in Christ, whether here, in Bolivia, or wherever else I may one day be.  I need to be intentional in my time with others and with God, both now in these last 2 months and always.  I have written more letters in the past few months than I ever have in my life!  But, I made that a priority to write friends and family to share with them my heart and what is ahead for us. I'm trying to invest in those around me with the encouragement of this testimony of God's direction in our lives, instead of investing in cultural gluttony these last 10 weeks - trying to manage my time for his glory rather than relishing in the desires of my flesh. 

Romans 1:16 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also the Greek."  This world, especially in America, has a LOT to offer us, but none of it compares to the "immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe." (Eph. 1:19)  And that power is in the gospel.  So, why do we not study God's word more in our "down time" and seek to know Him more when we feel time is pressing for other things?  Why don't we share his word and our satisfaction in him with those around us more often? We have to be careful that we are dependent on the gospel - not our culture - for our joy and peace and fulfillment. 

Romans 12:2, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. " A lot of testing, as I'm seeing now, comes in how I manage my time for the Lord. Am I conformed to this world in my weekly schedule, watching House Hunters International, playing Candy Crush, and daydreaming of chicken parmesan from Olive Garden, while designating no time to honor him with reading the word, praying, and learning to trust in the leading of the Holy Spirit? In these last few weeks in the states and for ever in my life, my prayer is that I would die to self when it comes to my time, and seek first HIS kingdom, not My cultural comforts. Let's encourage each other to glorify God with our time and to use this tiny portion of eternity that we live in to spur one another on towards a deeper relationship with our creator and sustainer, our wonderfully good, heavenly Father - who deserves all of us, including our time.