Archive for June, 2007

More Mexico Pictures

{ June 26, 2007 @ 7:13 pm } · { Mexico, missions }
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The walls will be cinderblock and morter. We stop at five high so it has time to set and be strong and other things such as windows can be placed.

Matt learned a new skill by smoothing the concrete slab as it was being poured.

Concrete and Mortar mixing is one of the dirtiest and most important jobs.

Shoveling rocks to move this pile 50 ft so it wasn’t in the street and stolen

Before and After

{ June 25, 2007 @ 5:01 pm } · { Mexico, missions }
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This is what the site looked like as we arrived there on Monday.


This was our site when we had finished. You might cannot tell from the picture, but we poured the slab, put up the beginnings of the wall and dug for a classroom beyond the palm tree. We had an awesome week.
-Michael

Last Work Day in Mexico

{ June 21, 2007 @ 10:47 pm } · { Mexico, missions }
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Well the site looks much different than it did on Monday. Instead of just blocking and fill dirt to lay a church building foundation there is a slab, walls all around, and concrete poured for the footer to begin a classroom. Our group worked so hard and never slowed. We were all a little sad to leave our site and the people we had met that will help that church after we leave. We are a little sore and tired, but can’t help but be proud of what we have accomplished through the Lord. If you are a parent and reading this, I just want you to know that your child was amazing. I can say that because they were all amazing. It was a fantastic trip and our trek home begins tomorrow. The kingdom is global and praise be to God for all he has done!

-Michael

Mexico on Tuesday

{ June 20, 2007 @ 3:18 am } · { Mexico, missions }
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Well our site looks much different than its first day. After our second work day we have almost an entire floor poured in concrete, walls have begun to go up, and we have dug a ditch and begun laying that footer for the perimeter wall. Our crew began working furiously and never slowed. I am always amazed at how hard they work. We were also blessed by Rick’s story today. God has truly used him for the movement of the church and His kingdom. Another really neat thing is that a previous youth minister at Highland, David Lang got Highland started going to Mexico. The really neat thing is that David’s two sons are on this trip and were able to hear their dad praised for his hard work in getting this mission trip started. David was my boss when I was an intern here and so I was proud to say that I worked for him. The work here is going great. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds. Everyone is doing such a great job!

-Michael

Safe in Mexico

{ June 18, 2007 @ 10:51 pm } · { Mexico, missions }
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We are safe in Saltillo, Mexico where we are serving Christ’s body through helping build a church building. Our job this week is to pour a concrete foundation, a concrete footer for perimeter wall and whatever else can be done. If things continue we will have the concrete foundation done tomorrow. We all worked really hard and things went real smooth. It is so great to see a church from America working to help start a church in Mexico. The church is global and God is good everywhere. We are a little tired and we were pretty dirty, but showers have been had and food is next on the agenda. Later we will have our devotional and team processing time. Please continue to pray for our effort here.

-Michael

Peace! Be Still!

{ June 8, 2007 @ 3:46 pm } · { Peace, lessons }
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Jesus said these words to waves, wind, and rain. The apostles were amazed, but Jesus offended by their lack of faith. After studying Legacy all last weekend with our middle school students, I began to reflect all week on the Legacy of faith handed down to me and the one that I continue to leave. Having peace in my life has been one of those legacies. My life has been far from perfect and has had many bumps in the road, but all along their was a reliance upon God, family, and church that was able to pull me or my family through these times. Today, I am in a spiritually peaceful time. After a year of not selling our house and really searching for deeper questions and answers the peace has come. The growth that was occurring during that rough patch was unable to be realized. Now the growth is taking off. I didn’t realize how much I was praying during that time. Even though the prayers weren’t being answered like I wanted them to be I was in constant prayer. Whether it was crying out to God for mercy, reading the Psalms that spoke to my heart, or just listening for his Spirit I was praying. The house sold in December and what has happened in these past six months since has blown me away. I continue to be constant in prayer. It has been my comfort, guide, and discipline. I talk and then I listen. I am finding that by keeping this practice and absolving the distraction of the house, my experience with God has expanded.

I have also reflected on the fact that I was the apostle in the boat. Knowing God had brought me through tougher situations and losing trust in his deliverance. When he said “Peace! Be Still!”to my worries and hardship it took me a few months to realize the power has always been there and my fear was not rooted in faith.

The questions I asked then have expanded my view of God and His kingdom and my reflection upon them now are helping me restore trust, faith, and grow in love.

Life will never be easy, nor be without hardship, however, God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I can’t say that I really anticipate the next hardship, but I do anticipate taking what I have learned in this one with me and learning from the next.

Peace doesn’t come from perfection surrounding our lives. Peace comes from being centered in Father, Son, and Spirit while in the midst of perfection and chaos.

Peace! Be Still!

-Michael