Too much to write so let me just say something... more will come soon

Okay so it has now been over two weeks since my last post but I can tell you God has done great things and people are being set free all over the country of Honduras and its’ islands… It great to see the Kingdom of God at work in a global manner and see that the same God you worship in Cleveland, Knoxville and throughout the U.S. is the same God we are worshiping down here. I made an attempt to recapture everything that has happened since I last wrote but I just couldn’t do it and capture the true meaning so what I’ve decided to do instead is tell a few stories and then edify you who are reading this.

First, I want to tell a story of a young man who I was able only to talk with for just a few moments last week at the orphanage. His name was Jose and I don’t know much about him even now but I will tell you this my heart is sinking for this little boy even as I write this. I saw him as I was leaving last Tuesday. The Spirit of the Lord spoke to me as I saw him and so asked him how he was doing but I asked in such a way as to reveal true care and concern for him. Without anther word Jose began to cry trying to release some of the built up hurt and anguish while trying to keep any of the others see him do so. All I did was hold him close and wrap my arms around this young man know that I might not see him again but knowing that for God to touch his life I wouldn’t have to. He had only been at the orphanage for 11 days and for what reason I do not know but I knew one thing and that is that we serve a God who Loves, who is Love who see the pity of his children and is not overwhelmed by there tangled mess but lovingly is drawing them nearer to him.

Let me make this statement. GOD WANTS HIS CHILDREN BACK!! Make no mistake about it. Our life is not our own and even if you think it is who will surely loose it. This isn’t something to I’m saying to bring guilt or to make you question your relationship with God but it is a question asking you what are you doing with your life? I’m not asking what are you doing with you money… I’m not asking what are you doing with your possessions because those things with reflect a deeper dependence. We know that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks but also out of the heart the hands work and the eyes see and the feet go. Listen stop going around trying to achieve somewhere in life. YOU ARE THERE!! You will never live your life outside of the present moment. The future doesn’t exist and the past is forever gone. For the future God knows the plans he has for you and oh are they good! As for the past… It was for freedom that Christ set us free so walk in that same freedom. So many people strive to stand behind the pulpit or to be a vibrant missionary in a foreign land living every moment for God but forget that we are a priesthood of believers called and equipped to bring people to the Lord. Stop walking in fear and living as if you haven’t yet found your purpose. Be confident in your place as a son or daughter of the Living God.

I want to write a prayer I felt God lay on my heart. It is weird because it was God speaking to me but I wrote it as if I were God while also writing it as if I were writing it to others (some of you understand…) here it goes…

Michael, when you are following me, continue to do so. When you wonder, no matter where you go you can turn back to me. Michael do not worry about your life as to what you will do or your future as to whom you will marry. Isn’t life more than these things and isn’t life lived only one day at a time? Son I have made plans for you way in advance. I am not scurrying around trying to fix the mistakes you’ve made nor am I trying desperately to provide new opportunities to replace the ones you’ve missed. Michael I know the plans I have for you and they are to give you a future and a hope more than you can imagine. Commit your way to me son and you cannot be disappointed. Michael I know you’ve been disappointed in the past, sometimes it has been in your control and other times it hasn’t been but you just need to know that I AM FAITHFUL!! There is nowhere you can hide from my presence in your life. If you go to the apartment across for the Route 66, (The place of darkness from your past) I am there. If you make your bed in May Acres, (A second place of darkness) I am there. If you run you will never gain one step ahead of me. Michael you are not as big of a mess as you sometimes think nor am I as small as you sometimes have created me in your head. I am alive and working to perfect you for my own pleasure and for your own good. I am not an egotist but I’m not Santa Clause. I am a relational God meant for you to have a relationship with. Michael life is painful but this is how you grow. Don’t live as if I could one day just leave you nor should you worry as if I might not be there in the future. Sometimes when you worry about the future, you rarely imagine it with me as your guide. Do not loose heart Michael but don’t try and keep heart for the sake of thinking you will separate yourself from me. You aren’t meant to pull yourself up by your own boot straps son. That is what I’m here for but I’ve also set you free from your sin so in that same way walk. Whom the son has set free is free indeed, not to live as we desire but to live in victory over sin, death, the past, personal hatred, anger, hurt, lies, lust, failed relationships, broken hearts or horrible images. Michael, as my son I love you, even if you didn’t call me father, but because you chose to love me you have been set free to do so. Live your life to me because outside of me there is no real life just wondering. I love you and adore you. I won’t leave you or forsake you EVER! Jump to me son and I will catch you, run to me and I’ll run to you. Strip yourself of the sin that is holding you back and I will cloth you in my very best. Son you can trust me. I created trust and was the first one to carry it out. I love you son, Live like it…

Michael

Earthquakes, milkshakes and no breaks!

Wow, so today I write my first post in nearly two weeks. I've been communicating mainly through facebook because I wanted to use this mainly for videos which I was going to put up but since it takes so long to download them I'm not sure how often those will take place.
So much has happened lately but here is the best synopsis I can come up with... I was involved in the earthquake in Honduras as you probably heard from one of my family members. It was a good ways from us, about 80 miles of the coast and we are another 3 hours from there.. Basically Thursday morning I awoke to the unfamiliar sensation of my bed rocking back and forth... Of course there are only a few possible plausible explanations for such an event ranging from the natural to the supernatural and unfortunately none of the former came to mind (I won't go into detail there... :) ) After it was over I went out into the hallway where I met Paul who told me it was an earthquake (so completely natural after all...) Turns out it was one of the biggest in the history of Honduras! It was amazing though because the epicenter was far enough off the coast that it didn't damage the land too much and close enough to the shore that it didn't cause a tsunami... Also it took place at 2:30am, too late for anyone to be out and too early for anyone to be up. God is so good. Most of the time we ask why things like this happen... This time we should only thank God that this massive earthquake met its minimum destruction.
This week we finish up at the orphanage and the school. Today was possibly our last day at the school and tomorrow will be our last day at the orphanage... Going into yesterday I really felt and had been feeling for sometime the Lord leading me to share the gospel with some of the kids that I've gotten to know. Oddly enough though I didn't expect Lydia to be gone this week so yesterday I had to step out a bit and share my faith with them in their own tongue... It was amazing because I spent most of the day with Frankie, a young boy who was almost killed by his father 5 years ago. We sat and talked about everything from the earthquake to his painful past. He loves the Lord and realizes his presence in his life. Later on I got to spend 15 minutes or so sitting with a group of about 5 or 6 sharing scripture verses with them. One boy who was in the orphanage due to his parents getting deported, began crying. I began talking directly to him and I reached out and held him close to me. Amazingly enough, it wasn't 2 hours later and his aunt and uncle arrived to tell him his mother was on her way to pick him up! It was so great and before I left I asked him if he wanted a bible. He said yes and it seemed to add to his excitement, so maybe God brought him there just for this last week to have this seed planted in his life! If that ain't Romans 8:28 then I don't know what is...
So here are the upcoming events... Friday we are going to be staying home to work on three dramas we have been asked to do by Paul for possibly two youth services next Friday. We already have the dramas, I think we just have to coordinate them. I've been told I'll be Jesus since I'm the only guy... I hope they're okay with a white, 21 year old, bald Jesus. It's sort of ironic because the town we are going to is called Oak Ridge! Except this Oak Ridge is a mostly black town as apposed to the Oak Ridge near Knoxville which is known for it's... demographically converse layout :) gotta have political correctness.. Anyway I will be speaking as well at this service which will be a lot like preaching just called speaking since preaching is what preachers do... haha... I've already been in prayer about what to speak on and I'm leaning toward Hebrews 12:1 so check it out and tell me what you think... This weekend we will be going to the local dump to hand out Baleades, a local but tremedously amazing food, and minister to the people there. Also don't forget... The U.S. plays Honduras in a World Cup qualifying match on Saturday so turn on the tube if you can, as long as ESPN isn't playing wemon's church league softball or the 1986 Rose Bowl you will surely be in for a great game. I will hopefully be hanging out with some 200 or 300 Hondurans at the church we go to, wearing my new Honduras national team jersey on the outside and my red white and blue on the inside. I think it is going to be an amazing time of fellowship and bonding for me!
On Monday we will head out at Roatan, a very poor part of Honduras on the Caribbean coast. It is also known for its coral reef, ranked 2nd in the world! We will be there all week long for not only the youth services but also for a conference for all English C.O.G. churches in Honduras.

Anyway I hope everyone is doing great and I know many of you are following me even if it doesn't show it on the main page. Thank you for your prayers and support. God is doing a great thing here and I'm learning so much. Anything from cleaning the dishes to playing soccer with the kids, God is showing me that it can all be done with full enthusiasm and contentment. I think this opportunity for me in Honduras this summer is not only a great way to do real ministry but providing me with many opportunities to stretch myself and grow in my character, gifts and talents as well as develope a love for people of all kinds. Keep praying and seeking the Lord! I love you guys and good night and as we Hondurans say, En el nombre del Padre, el Hijo y el Espiritu Santo Amen!