If I don't give You glory..

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.Romans 11:36

This week I found myself a helper with my work up at The Center. Little Maria offered to sit with me and wash the dishes after 70+ kids devoured the afternoon snack. We looked out over the city and chatted about various things when I expressed how thankful I was for her help today. She simply said "I love helping others!". My first reaction was that this little lady has beautiful heart but then she continued. She told me she just loves finding ways to help others and when she grows up she wants to be a doctor or a teacher so she can help. She told me she thinks doctors have lots of money and then she can give it to all the poor people.

She can do great things, I can do great things, we can all do really great things. But those great things are nothing if the glory isn't going to God. This week a fire sparked in me...I want to reflect my Maker. I want to glorify Him. Because if the glory goes to me, what good does it do? Our lives are fleeting. When we try bringing the glory to ourselves we become ugly, we become prideful and distasteful. We were created to take glory & praise and give it back to whom it belongs. We are made to reflect His love, compassion, sacrifice and goodness. We are made so that He can shine through us and that our fallen human self might fade away in the light of His perfection.

This week I pray for myself and for little Maria.

I pray that I would glorify God in everything I do and always give Him all the praise. 

I pray that Maria would grow up clinging to Christ and long to give Him glory with everything her dreams entail.

I pray we would both be captivated by our Creator.

Nor forsake you.

I'm not going to beat around the bush, lately life has been a struggle. In just about every sense. I feel weighed down and discouraged in so many ways. I don't think there is anyone who knows all the things that are happening with me, that in itself is rough. The feeling of loneliness..

From worrying/repeated trips to the doctor for infected bug bites to not feeling sufficient or successful and everything in between.. my range of struggles hit just about every area. Waking up I feel overwhelmed. Thinking of returning to the States in a little over 2 months fills me half way with extreme excitement and halfway with extreme sadness which causes my mind to boil over all the time. I could go on and on about things that are bothering me or hurting me or frustrating me or ways I'm falling short but what's the good in that?

OKAY, this doesn't continue being depressing!
God is really, really, really teaching me things.
Seems He always does that in our trials!
I find it super easy to say "God is in control" or "He has His plan" or "I just have to trust in Him". But what I'm learning right now is to TRULY trust in him. The Bible says He works all things together for the good of those who trust him. So honestly I am truly trusting...
Trusting that God has put me in every situation for a reason.
Trusting that He makes beauty from my mistakes and my pain.
Trusting that God will heal broken relationships.
Trusting that God has a perfect plan for my life.
Trusting that His love is unending, far beyond my understanding.

"Consider it pure joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have it's perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." James 1:3-4
Thank you Jesus, for never leaving me alone. Thank for always testing me so that I might lack nothing and become more like you. Thank you for these difficult moments, give me the endurance and trust I long for. Pase lo que pase, I TRUST YOU. 

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you!!!

Hermanos.

Standing in front of a room of indigenous men and woman, pouring my heart out in two languages as my words were translated into a third the only word that consumed me was family.

Let me rewind. This weekend my coworker Laura, her husband Sergio, my friend Jorge Luis, and I headed out for Tiraque, Bolivia. Tiraque is a town in the green, luscious hills of Bolivia about 2 hours out of Cochabamba, filled to the brim with peace and quiet. As I walked the streets I wasn't sure if I should feel uncomfortable from the ghost-town-ish feel or calmed by the home-sweet-home atmosphere. Regardless, spending our morning exploring the forests, waterfalls, and pathways in the back grounds of this town was such a breath of fresh air. 

At midday we headed back into the town for the purpose of our little trip, a celebration. Here in Bolivia churches celebrate the church's anniversary EVERY YEAR. How cool, no? They put so much importance into the house & family of God.

We spent the afternoon in a little, white room with people we had just met. I was served plates upon plates of food to the point where I wanted to cry from fullness. We laughed and told stories and truly shared the afternoon together. As a prepared to give my testimony and speak in front of the church I couldn't help but look back on all the churches I have come into contact with here.

My Bolivian Home Church in Cochabamba.
A room full of laughter and love in a church, New Year's Eve in Sucre.
A weekend spent with a youth group and pastor's family in Tarija.
A new church body branching off from The Center in Cochabamba.
And now this...lovely, welcoming people in Tiraque.

Every church body I have come to know here has truly treated me as a part of their family. And they are just that, a family!!! They greet one another "Hermano" or "Hermana" (Brother/Sister) and then proceed to treat them like their very own siblings. The church is not just a place they meet to grow in the Lord but a home to seek God with your family, with your brothers and sisters in Christ.

At the end of the day Sergio preached. Ending his preaching with a prayer, he invited anyone who is seeking God, who wants to be washed in His blood...to come forward. As I opened my eyes I saw a beautiful site. 30+ of my brothers and sisters in Christ completely knelt before Him in prayer. With their intricate skirts being dirtied by the floor and their long braids rolling down their backs. In that moment I wanted to hug everyone. I wanted to thank them for their faith, for their welcoming spirits, and for their desire to pursue Christ which has so quickly encouraged me.

I envy the churches here and desire so deeply that churches in the states would embrace this command of brotherly love within the church. I long to see myself being more Bolivian in my behavior towards my hermanos and hermanas in Christ whether here or state-side. So I encourage you, love you brothers in Christ. Truly. Embrace the family of Christ that you have been put into and every person that walks into the house of God. Embrace it! :)

Easter week!

Til on that cross as Jesus died

The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live, I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

So a little heads-up..Easter is my favorite holiday. It is everything. There is no reason to celebrate Christmas if there was no Easter. There is no reason to be a Christian if there was no Easter. There is no reason to live a joyful life if there was no Easter. There is no life...if there was no Easter.

So knowing that you will understand my disappointment at finding Easter as a very overlooked holiday here. *big sigh of exasperation* I was explained to that the Catholics cling to traditions over Holy Week and it's quite the ordeal for them and occasionally the Sunday sermon is resurrection oriented in evangelical churches. But no one grasps and truly celebrates with gladness the resurrection, beauty, gift, and life that is Easter!

So I tried to meditate on the scriptures of Christ's entry, crucifixion, and resurrection, listen to my favorite hymns, and find little ways of celebrating. Here's a little about my week! :)

Monday I received an Easter package from my family back home. Spent the morning in a park; reading singing, and chowing down on Peeps! :)

Rushing to Spanish lessons after work, this is my dinner on Tuesday/Thursday nights. Lovely fellowship with my Spanish teacher Toni about Spanish, culture, Easter, and life. The little blessings!

Araceli and I at The Center! A little sweetheart in my class this year who hasn't left my side/lap since school started!

Devon!!! Wednesday night Devon came over to cook, catch up, sing some hymns, read the Bible, and do our own version of Easter celebration. Spent some great time opening up & pouring our hearts out on my roof. Later with 3 more Americans! 

Paola and I at The Center this week! 

After an iTeams meeting Friday morning, I spent the day with this family;  preparing and devouring  a huge meal of pumpkin soup, chuño, salsas, trout, potatoes, and milk & rice desert.

 When I got home Friday I found myself without a key & my house empty. What could have been a pain ended up being a blessing! I sat at the neighbor's store for almost 2 hours in which I got to share the gospel (starting with Easter & why I am so happy) with all kinds of neighbors who came in & out & stopped to talk.

Saturday morning we headed off for Chapare! A jungle district 4 or 5 hours out of Cochabamba!

Some nifty swinging/zip-lining contraptions we got to experience in the Yungas!

We saw way too many bananas for my liking this weekend...

I spent the whole weekend in awe, how beautiful!

Roadtrip! haha. Squished between these brothers for hours upon hours sure did make me miss my own, I'll tell you that!

I was a little more excited than everyone else about the monkeys!!! :) Don't see those in Iowa.

Everyone got into the river Saturday after walking around in the jungle! So gorgeous! 

Where I spent my Resurrection Sunday! Swimming in beautiful river water with all kinds of people.

An absolutely lovely week and weekend. Finding joy in just about everything. Celebrating what Christ did that day that gives us true life every day in Him! It's more than traditions!

Happy Easter to everyone!
He is risen, He is risen indeed!

Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.