Armor of God Bible Study

Thanks to Paula Rhoades who bought the DVD's and books, our ladies Bible study group started Priscilla Shirer's "Armor of God" study several weeks ago.  Although the group changes a bit each session, I've been in Bible studies with the group since we arrived in 2010--it's easy for me because the study is in English!   

We had our first meeting at the Florence restaurant in Plaza Futura.  It was a time to introduce ourselves to each other and welcome new members to the group.  

We meet in Yvette's home on Friday mornings and after a time of prayer and discussion, we watch Priscilla's lesson on DVD.  I always look forward to Friday mornings with this group of Godly women.  They are supportive, caring and fun.  

Fall Bible study and a new friend

The ladies Bible study that I am a part of started this past Friday.  This fall we're using Beth Moore's "David--Seeking a Heart Like His," videos and book.  

Our group is fairly consistent from one study to the next.  However, this time, Alejandra's friend, Kathy, was able to join us. It was amazing to hear her tell her story and realize just how many similarities there were with our story.  Here's just a few of them:

• She and her husband, David, have been missionaries here since January, 2010--we came in June, 2010.
• Her husband was not a pastor.  
• She is a guitar player and singer.
• They are from Washington state, but have children and grandkids who live in Oregon--our daughter-in-law's family is from Oregon
• They just moved from Santa Tecla (where we used to live) to Escalon (where we live now.)  In fact, they live across the street from our building.

Those were just a few of the things we found out on Friday morning.  She even gave me a ride home after the study.  I mentioned everything to Stephen and we decided to see if they were available for dinner on Friday evening.  We met them in front of their house and walked to our favorite pizza place.  It was a great evening learning how God worked in their lives to bring them here.

We're looking forward to getting to know them better.  Just think, I may finally have a neighbor from whom I can borrow an egg or a cup of sugar if I get in a bind while baking or cooking dinner.  God is good!

   

Why we love visiting Guatemala

For us, there's nothing better than getting away to Guatemala City for a few days.  Yes, the country is beautiful and, yes, the weather is amazingly comfortable.  However, the real reason we love visiting Guatemala is these two amazing people:

Nelson and Rosemarie Rivas

When we're here in Guatemala, we just "do life" with them.  Yesterday, Rosemarie, Fabi, Cami and I left the house at 7:00 a.m.  The first stop was to drop Cami off at school.  The three of us made our way across town (the short cut took a little over an hour) to a home where Rosemarie is leading the Beth Moore, "Breaking Free" Bible study.  We were a little early, so we stopped for coffee/tea at McCafe.   After an ample "snack" the study started about 10:00 a.m.  I think we finished about 1:00 p.m., made a stop to buy Cami a pair of tennis shoes and then worked our way back home.  

There's always a concert when Stephen and Nelson get together--the piano is set up in the living room!  Stephen and Fabi also find time to "jam."

In the afternoon, I helped with preparations for the next ladies event--a celebration of Mother's Day at the end of May.  Washing and drying plastic containers, cutting felt, gluing and more.  Look at the cute favor they're making for each woman.  

This morning they treated us to Capistrano--our favorite breakfast place.  Today equals more work on the favors; Stephen is also helping to clean and then paint bottles.  

LIke I said, we enjoy doing "life" with them.  We love them and their girls, and we know it's true that "friends are a gift from God."

Hilo, Aguja y Biblia

Two weeks ago at Hilo, Aguja y Biblia we all worked on cutting drawing and then cutting out the pattern pieces for our appliqued apron project.  By the end of our time, everyone had their pattern pieces, fabric for the applique and their apron fabric.  

We started this Saturday with breakfast!  It's always fun to celebrate and share with these special friends and the traditional Salvadoran breakfast is always tasty!  Once we finished breakfast and cleaned up, everyone got down to work cutting out their applique pieces and placing them on the apron.  Some of the ladies were able to start the embroidery stitches around the small pieces.  

We finished the morning with another lesson in our series from the book of Esther.  

Faith that Stands Up Under Trial

We finished week 7 of the Beth Moore's, "To Live is Christ," which is about the life of the Apostle Paul.  In today's video Beth talked about Wisconsin vs. Yoder, a case that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.  In the case, the court was faced with a decision about whether or not the mandatory high school education law pertained to Amish students.  The Amish parents refused to send their children to public high schools for religious reasons.  In order to make a well-thought out decision, the court developed standards to judge "religious convictions"  

Beth judged Apostle Paul based upon US Supreme Court's standards and his convictions met or exceeded every criteria.  It was an interesting, eye-opening video and caused each one of us to examine our own beliefs and "convictions."  In the court's opinion, religious convictions required:

A belief system beyond simple preferences and personal philosophy.  The criteria which help determine whether or not a claimed belief system is preference or genuine conviction state that

• True convictions are intimately related to daily living

• True convictions have a history

• True convictions are personal

• True convictions are preserved against the presure to conform

• True convictions are unchanging regardless of circumstances

If I was judged by the court's criteria, would there be enough evidence for them to "ratify" my convictions?  It's a great question and one I need to ponder.  What about you?  

I close with one of Beth's quotes:

Sometimes we don't share our faith because we don't have enough to spare.  Our faith sounds "okay" to us, but when we try to share it, it sounds "weak" and unsubstantial. 

Resting and then Staying Busy

It was nice to have a couple of days to rest when we got back from Nicaragua.  We were so tired from the trip that instead of going to the 9:00 a.m. service on Sunday, we slept in and went to the 11:30 service.  It makes for a late lunch, though, because we didn't get home until after 2:00 p.m.

Tuesday we were back in IDEM, after missing a week.  I spent Wednesday afternoon helping the 6th graders with their spelling words again.  Thursday was another day for spelling bee practice and then we had church in the evening.  

Yesterday morning was the ladies Bible study--it was the first day for the Abundant, Faithful and True study by Kay Arthur, Priscilla Shirer and Beth Moore.  I rushed away from the study early to go pick up pizza for the 6th graders before our last day of spelling bee practice.  We went to the service in Lourdes last night because Stephen played the piano.  

This morning there were twelve ladies at Hilo, Aguja y Biblia.  We are making potholders and basket liners to share with the mom's of preschoolers at a small school close to the church.  

Sunday through Wednesday will continue to be a busy time.  Sunday we have church, Stephen is playing the piano for the Single Mother's ministry and then we are going out to dinner with friends.  Monday we are having a dress rehearsal for the spelling bee; Tuesday is Day 1 of the spelling bee, Tuesday night at IDEM we're celebrating birthday's so we're making homemade ice cream and then Wednesday is the spelling bee finals.  

Hilo, Aguja y Biblia Pillowcases

Welcome to March . . . my friends and family in Kansas City say that the month is coming in like a roaring lion with a huge winter storm bearing down on the city.  Well, here in El Salvador it was a nice, toasty 90 degrees today. 

We started Hilo, Aguja y Biblia today after a nearly a 3-month break in January, February, March. Maria Elena and a few of the other ladies brought everything to make breakfast--scrambled eggs, salsa, fried plantains, bread, juice and coffee.  In the past we have begun working on our project and had the Bible study at the end.  Unfortunately, not everyone gets to stay to the end, so sometimes they miss the study.  Today we did it right after breakfast and started on the project after we finished.  

I made this pillowcase yesterday and brought it for them to see.

  
It's always fun for the ladies to dig into the boxes looking for fabrics that they like.  Today each of them picked out at least two fabrics--one for the main part of the pillowcase and another for the cuff.  

We were able to get everyone's fabrics cut today . . . . next time we will begin the sewing!

Metamorphosis!

This weekend Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva's annual women's retreat.  Just over 130 women from all four of our sites (Miravalle, Crown Plaza, Lourdes, Apopa) traveled two hours north of San Salvador to Hotel Alicante.  This year's theme was "Metamorphosis."  

The two days were full of activities (painting our personal Metamorphosis tote bag, visiting a butterfly garden, games and dramas), sharing (prayer time, meals and group discussions) and personal reflection time.  

The days were also full of great Bible studies as we heard from three different teachers who focused on the phases of the butterfly life cycle.  First, Ena Lopez taught us about the caterpillar!  Did you know that not all caterpillars become butterflies?  This reminded us of immature Christians who still need milk long after they should be feasting on the meat of the word (Hebrews 5:11-14.)  Dr. Marta Colato taught about the chrysalis.  We never realized until we saw it on video just how the small caterpillar struggles to envelop itself in a hard protective shell.  What comes next for the chrysalis?  Waiting!  They are wrapped up and hanging from a thread for 21-23 days.  The chrysalis reminds us to put off the set aside the old things, renew our minds with the mind of Christ and be ready to become a new creature (Ephesians 4:22-24.)  Patty Contreras finished the study by talking about the finished work of the butterfly!  Just like the butterfly there is a process to follow to be transformed into a new creature.  It includes worshiping God, finding peace in his Word and offering him our surrendered lives.  (2 Kings 5:1-14.)

We were left to answer the following questions:  In what part of the process of metamorphosis are we?  What do we need to do to begin/continue the process of transformation so we can become the women Christ intends us to be?

Here are some great pictures from the weekend!

 Craft time

Chrysalis at the butterfly garden

Beautiful orange butterfly

 My small group discussing after the first Bible study session

 Grounds of the hotel--a bit too cold to swim, though.

 It was so great to get to know the ladies in my small group

 

Group picture in our Metamorphosis shirts

Hilo, Aguja y Biblia (HAB) Women's Event

The last three days the Hilo, Aguja y Biblia ministry at Vida Nueva hosted a workshop and Bible study for a group of women who are being counseled by an organization that works with victims of abuse. The 3-hour session included teaching them how to make a quilt block, snack time and Bible study.  

On Tuesday we taught them how to make a traditional nine-patch quilt block.  Our ministry group had already cut the fabric so all the women had to do was assemble and sew.  Since some of them had never used a sewing machine, there were plenty of us to help.

After snack time, Dr. Colato lead a study from Luke 8:41-56, which explains the healing of the women who touched the hem of Jesus' garment.

On Wednesday, they learned how to make a friendship star block.  This block was a bit more difficult so not everyone was able to finish it.

Everyone enjoyed a snack after we finished our sewing for the day. 

 Isabel taught them the story of Mary and Martha from Luke 10:38-42. and how Jesus commended Mary for choosing the "one necessary thing."

The last day, they sewed their two blocks together and then combined the batting and the backing to make their small quilt.  Some of them decided to use it for a table centerpiece while others decided they would add stuffing to make a small pillow. 

Bible study followed snack time.  Maria Elena shared the story of the Samaritan women found in John 4:4-26.  She was able to share the good news of how they can drink living water to quench their spiritual thirst.  

Twelve women attended our sessions and all were excited to have a completed project at the end of the three days.  We encouraged each of them to visit our church and become a part of the quilting ministry.  

I'm so proud of the each of the women from Hilo, Aguja y Biblia who worked to make this event a success.  They are truly women of God who take His command to "serve" others very seriously.  It's a blessing to work with them.

1st Day--Fall Bible Study

Today was the first day of the fall on-line Bible study with Good Morning Girls.  If you are looking for a Bible study group, but can't find the time to "meet" with a group of women OR if you are looking for a way to start/continue/strengthen your daily quiet time, I encourage you to take a look at the Good Morning Girls website today:  http://www.goodmorninggirls.org/.  The fall Bible study, "Loving Like Jesus," a study of Luke 17-24, began today, but it's not too late to join.

I'm really excited about this study and about the opportunity to get to know the ladies in my group. They are from 3 different continents, all walks of life and all seasons of life.  What could be more exciting than sharing with them?

This first week we are studying:  Loving Like Jesus--learning to forgive.  Check out today's blog post here.  Here's today's reading from Luke 17:

1 Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 3Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

One of the insights I received today is that Jesus is so serious about offenses against others that he tells us death is better than offending.  Imagine how it would change my life if I avoided offending others like I would avoid taking risks that might be fatal to me.    

Here's this week's memory verse . . . . even if you don't join Good Morning Girls, let me encourage you to memorize this great verse.  

Flexibility is the Key

We've had a great campaign here in Costa Rica this week.  We have, however, been "flexible."  Last night we set up the inflatable, speakers and everything else associated with our evening campaigns.  We were about 15 minutes in to the evening when two police came by and asked to see our permit.  Pastor Rodolfo showed him the permit letter from the neighborhood, but they told him we needed a second permit from the city.  Evidently, a neighbor called the police to complain about the loud music.  The police were very considerate and told us we didn't have to shut everything down, but that we couldn't use our speaker system.  We skipped the movie, did the drama (no music) with Guillermo telling the story without a microphone and shared and translated the gospel without sound.  Nine people made professions of faith in the midst of all of the distractions and one of them offered to start a Bible study in their home.  So cool to see that nothing surprises our God.

Today we were supposed to share the honesty lesson in a small public high school.  Last night we learned that the teachers union in San Jose had called for a one-day strike.  We had no idea if there would be students and/or teachers at the school.  We arrived this morning and there were some students and teachers, but were only able to share in 4 classes, not the 12 classes we had anticipated.  We spent the extra time going door to door in the neighborhood inviting everyone to the family festival in the neighborhood park  Tonight's campaign was a huge success . . . there were so many people at the park.  I think there were at least 75 kids in line for the inflatable and a crowd full of raised hands after the invitation.

It was a sad goodbye . . . everyone is heading out tomorrow morning.  We are so thankful to have worked with teams from California, South Carolina and Alabama.