You Still Amaze Me

Not much has changed about my days recently. I go to the Rafael Pineda Ponce in the morning and teach English then to the CTC in the afternoon to teach more English and I spend most of my free time with my girls at the transition home. So, I thought instead I would share with yall a few of the things God has showed me recently while reading through the Bible. Nothing I’ve read so far is new (its Genesis and Exodus) but God always shows me something new or teaches a new way to make His Word applicable to my life.

While reading Exodus a couple of things really stood out to me. In Exodus 3:1-4:17 when God tells Moses at the burning bush that he is going to be the one to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let the Israelites go Moses basically makes up excuses tells God “no I don’t want to, I can’t, I can’t talk in front of people, find someone else.” I won’t even really touch on the fact that Moses told God he didn’t want to do what he was being told to do other than to say, bad idea. When Moses begs God to send someone else that is a more eloquent speaker to lead the Israelites out of Egypt God says no, but He tells Moses that he will send Aaron with him to speak on Moses’ behalf. Aaron will say everything that Moses tells him to. I know it sounds silly, but this is absolutely how I feel sometimes with my sweet translator, Giselle. When I read this passage a few weeks ago I might have laughed out loud at the irony of it. I never told God I wouldn’t go to Honduras; I wanted to come here more than anything. But, I did worry about my ability to communicate effectively way too frequently. Little did I know that God would give my very own Aaron. Now my Spanish is of course getting better and getting better quickly (my teacher told me earlier today I needed a harder, more advanced textbook tonight – I’ll take that as a compliment thank you very much) but Giselle still goes with me pretty much everywhere and does a lot of talking for me. Anything I want or need to say, I tell her and she translates it for me, so similar to what Aaron was doing for Moses.

This in general speaks volumes to me.  

1. God had a very specific plan in calling Moses to lead His people and sending Moses Aaron for assistance. God equipped Moses to do exactly what he was called to do. In the same way God had a very specific plan in calling me to Honduras and sending me Giselle (she randomly, well random to us but not to God, quit her job a few days after I got here which freed her up to be with me all the time) to help me communicate effectively. Why do I constantly choose to forget about the sovereignty of our God and about the perfect and beautiful plan He has orchestrated for each of our lives when He constantly reminding me and showing me in my own life and in the Bible? Jeremiah 29:11-14 are some of my favorite verses, time to start focusing more on them than on my own fears.

2. Moses wasn’t equipped to lead the people out of Egypt by himself, but God was prepared to walk with him and equip him in every way he needed. I am absolutely not equipped to live in another country by myself, teach English, or pour wisdom into these girls, but God is. And He is walking with me every step of the way and enabling me to do everything he has called. God is not bound my inabilities.

3. Also, it never ceases to amaze me and blow my mind that God is not bound by language, at all. I love going to church and listening to everyone around me sing in Spanish, and listening to people preach in Spanish, and listening to my girls pray and read scripture in Spanish. Its beautiful and a constant reminder that God is the God of all people of all cultures and all languages.

And, later, in Exodus 17:8-16 Joshua and some of the men go to fight the Amalekites. As long as the hand of Moses were raised they were winning, but if he lowered his hands the Amalekites began to win. When Moses became tired Aaron and Hur each held up Moses hands so that they remained raised and steady until sunset that day when Joshua and the men defeated the Amalekites. When I read this, my first thought was, “this is exactly what people at home are doing for me!” Of course you are not here physically lifting my hands up but I know that so many of you are constantly lifting me up to the Lord in prayer as I am here fighting against Satan and the world to bring them Jesus. What a beautiful picture that is! So, thank you, to everyone that prays for me and has supported me. I could not do this without your faithfulness to cover me in prayer. Please continue to pray for me whenever God brings me to your mind.

Please continue to pray that learning Spanish would be wonderful and beneficial and that I would become more comfortable speaking in Spanish.

Please continue to pray for my English classes – that they would be about so much more than teaching English, but instead that they would be about relationships and sharing the love of Jesus with these kids. Pray also that my kids would enjoy learning English and that they would be willing to learn and try new things even when its difficult.

Please pray for the girls at the transition home. A few of them are beginning to think about life outside of the home and will likely be leaving soon. Please pray for them during this time of transition. Pray also for me, that I would know how to best prepare them for living on their own.

Please continue to pray that I would take advantage of every opportunity I am given to love my girls and my students and that I would take advantage of every opportunity I am given to proclaim the name of Jesus.

If you are reading this and there is any way I can pray for you, please, please let me know! I mean that with all of my heart! Chances are if I know you I am praying for you by name every week and I would love to know how to pray for you specifically.

I love each of you so much and am thankful for you!

Thanks and gig ‘em.

Peace, love, and pursue Jesus!

Kellie