A long awaited update!

God has definitely blessed me this week with His grace as I so often fail to serve Him as I desire to with a pure, self-less heart:

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matt. 5:8)

However, it was a blessing to visit with the girls that I am with this week and get to have fun with them, learn about their lives and learn where they are with the Lord as we talk about Jesus and as I teach them to look up verses in the Bible to read together. God is teaching me boldness and confidence as it has been a challenge to get used to going to people's houses who you don't really know. It ends up being such a blessing as they are so excited that you are there.

It is also an adjustment to share the gospel with people boldly and often and intentionally talk about Jesus as I don't really feel equipped or maybe embarassed because I don't know some of the girls as well as I would like to, but I am reminded each day that this is why we are here, to serve and make disciples. God gives me the confidence, trust and words that I need when I ask him. I can see the seeds that people have planted. I am learning to trust and believe that God's word is living and it gives me peace and boldness to know that we only need to speak the word of God and he does the work on hearts. I have learned this many times, but so often I think that things need to sound pretty or right or I need to know the person better or wonder if they are having fun more then believing that Jesus is all that they need. He is what matters. So I guess I could go on and on but.... for now this is a little bit of how God is answering prayers and blessing me!

One cool thing that happened today is that I was helping get everything ready for church this morning and as I was walking to the building next door there was a guy walking on the street and asked me what time the "culta" started (yes service is culta:) you can also say servicio but it is not normal:). He was about a half an hour early so I didn't think he would come back. But God had other plans and he came!

Also, last week we got a call from a girl named Sara who is 21 and just moved to a colonia next to our colonia, but she didn't know how to get to the church and no one has talked to her since last week. For some reason the Lord reminded me that she called and I gave her a call to see if she was going to come this morning and needed any directions (like I know directions :) and speaking spanish on the phone isn't the easiest:) But God has other plans too, I decided to try to go pick her up in a place I had never gone and she came and loved the service and the people. Such a blessing! I am praying that she gets connected into our church quickly and feels welcomed!

Also, yesterday was Mexico's Independence day (Viva Mexico!) and we had a convivio at church where we cooked distec....which is hot dog, bacon, ham, hamburger, steak, chile, onion and oil all cooked in a disc over a fire. Along with tortillas which are a staple here. So many people came to have fellowship and it was great. Here is a picture of the distec:) Or not because I left my camera at the church. Soon to come!

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and encouragement to keep blogging! So sorry I fell off the deep end on the blogging as things have really picked up! But I am excited to share in the joys here with you as well as some of the trials.