I feel very out of loop with current news, especially in the US as I am obviously not there, and as I don't have television or read news on the internet (need to work on that), I get most of my news through friends here, and what I don't get from them, I get on facebook [when it lets me log in], which isn't a lot of news unless it's something big. Well, today my brother Andrew posted the following quote from Steve Jobs: "Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me ... Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful... that's what matters to me." I proceeded to read other news posted about him, and was shocked to learn that he passed away. Mr. Jobs has made a pretty much direct impact on my life, seeing that from the time I typed my first words I've been on a Mac, and pretty much all my other valued possessions are from Apple as well. The company has been a big part of my life, perhaps bigger than I realize, and for his great work, for going against the odds, and being a great example of a generous man, I will always be thankful.
I admire this quote which he spoke to John Scully (who was at the time president of PepsiCo) when persuading him to become Apple's CEO in 1983: "Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?"
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Last weekend I went with the Bridgemans to the 10th annual missionary conference that is held in Siguatepeque, a city about two hours south of us, half way to Tegucigalpa. Siguatepeque is a beautiful place that is much more "fresco" than here. It was breezy and cool, and man was I wishing I could bring that weather back to our 90+ degree, humid San Pedro. Anyhow, besides the cool weather, I met a lot of other missionaries, some new ones, some who have been here for a very long time, and some in between. It was a great time of connecting with these families and learning about their ministries. The Bridgemans and I were able to share with some people about CURE, so now people from other parts of Honduras know that we are in San Pedro and are available to them should they know of any kids in need of orthopedic treatment.
The speaker for the weekend was Dave Howard, brother of Elizabeth Elliot and was best friends with her late husband, the well-known missionary Jim Elliot. Mr. Howard has been in ministry for well over fifty years. He lived in Costa Rica and in Columbia, South America for most of those years, and has more recently traveled to many countries around the world with his home base in the US where he lives with his wife.
At the conference he taught on the life of Peter as a parallel to teaching about the life of being a missionary, and really any follower of Christ- being where we are only out of obedience to God, of continually growing in our relationship with God, and this means when we fail (not if, but when), how to recognize what caused this, and to realize that no matter what, God is there to restore us, He uses us despite our failures, that by His strength we have triumph over our sin, and He is continually bringing us closer to Him as we bring our flawed selves to Him.
Peter was called by Jesus to follow Him and make disciples. Peter obeyed this call and was a close friend and faithful follower of Jesus. He grew in his relationship and ministry with Christ, yet there came a point when Peter failed greatly. Mr. Howard mentioned many other great men of faith who fell into great sin, yet who God restored and used for His glory- Abraham had a child with Hagar. Solomon, the wisest man on earth, had 300 wives and 700 concubines. Moses murdered an Egyptian. Job lost his patience. David, a man after God's own heart, committed adultery with Basheba. Peter denied he knew Jesus three times.
The speaker for the weekend was Dave Howard, brother of Elizabeth Elliot and was best friends with her late husband, the well-known missionary Jim Elliot. Mr. Howard has been in ministry for well over fifty years. He lived in Costa Rica and in Columbia, South America for most of those years, and has more recently traveled to many countries around the world with his home base in the US where he lives with his wife.
At the conference he taught on the life of Peter as a parallel to teaching about the life of being a missionary, and really any follower of Christ- being where we are only out of obedience to God, of continually growing in our relationship with God, and this means when we fail (not if, but when), how to recognize what caused this, and to realize that no matter what, God is there to restore us, He uses us despite our failures, that by His strength we have triumph over our sin, and He is continually bringing us closer to Him as we bring our flawed selves to Him.
Peter was called by Jesus to follow Him and make disciples. Peter obeyed this call and was a close friend and faithful follower of Jesus. He grew in his relationship and ministry with Christ, yet there came a point when Peter failed greatly. Mr. Howard mentioned many other great men of faith who fell into great sin, yet who God restored and used for His glory- Abraham had a child with Hagar. Solomon, the wisest man on earth, had 300 wives and 700 concubines. Moses murdered an Egyptian. Job lost his patience. David, a man after God's own heart, committed adultery with Basheba. Peter denied he knew Jesus three times.
All of these men who accomplished great things for God, who had a very real relationship with Him and who experienced His miracles, fell. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Matt. 26:41). It's in all of us, since the fall of man at the beginning of time it's been in all of us equally, but we have to choose to live by the Spirit's strength and know that our strength comes from God alone. We all know from experience that it's hard as flawed humans to choose rightly.
After Peter's denial of Jesus, we see in the end of Matthew 26 that he "wept bitterly." Peter had great remorse for his sin, and only with his recognition of his sin and sincere repentance, was God able to heal him and use him in mighty ways. We read in Acts chapters 1-10 of the powerful ways that God used Peter for the work of His kingdom after Peter's repentance and healing.
I continually have to bring my flawed self to God and ask for His grace and forgiveness to restore me. Such a big part of life is recognizing my sin so that I can give it to Him and be freed from it and keep living in the light.... how much easier said than done! The is a continuous process... my pride gets in the way and I start forgetting who's glory I'm living for, where my strength comes from. The only good in me is His work through me. And the only way He can work through me is if I don't pretend like I can do everything perfectly- only when I continually bring the weeds in my heart to God, can He take them and plant something beautiful, and once again use me.
After Peter's denial of Jesus, we see in the end of Matthew 26 that he "wept bitterly." Peter had great remorse for his sin, and only with his recognition of his sin and sincere repentance, was God able to heal him and use him in mighty ways. We read in Acts chapters 1-10 of the powerful ways that God used Peter for the work of His kingdom after Peter's repentance and healing.
I continually have to bring my flawed self to God and ask for His grace and forgiveness to restore me. Such a big part of life is recognizing my sin so that I can give it to Him and be freed from it and keep living in the light.... how much easier said than done! The is a continuous process... my pride gets in the way and I start forgetting who's glory I'm living for, where my strength comes from. The only good in me is His work through me. And the only way He can work through me is if I don't pretend like I can do everything perfectly- only when I continually bring the weeds in my heart to God, can He take them and plant something beautiful, and once again use me.
We mustn't forget the weeds keep growing, yet there are less and less as we grow deeper into God.
"...He takes a world corrupted by evil and begins a long, long process of redemption. We reduce it to a handful of times, but we must not, it is the story we are living."
-Eugene Peterson
"A thousand times I've failed, yet Your mercy remains, and should I stumble again, still I'm caught in Your grace..."
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On our way home from the conference, we passed by Lake Yajoa, Honduras' largest natural lake. It is a popular lake for fishing, and there are many restaurants along the lake where you can stop and have fresh fish, so we had a nice break from the curvy roads down the mountain and enjoyed fried fish, Honduran style.
View of the lake from the outdoor seating
Abigail, Charlotte, and Lillian swinging on the porch, waiting for the fish to cook 
Pick your fish out of the freezer,
watch them fry it,
and enjoy!
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