Skip to main content

New Year Update from Sorocaba

Christmas on Sunday seemed strange didn't it? Several friends said that they couldn't remember the last time that it had. I Googled it and discovered that it was 2004. Not so long ago.

Dawn and I brunched with coworkers Shaw, Donna, Andrew and Ana Shea Alexander. We then traveled to São Paulo where we worshiped with fellow missionaries Marv and Diane and Nathan and Diane Fray at their new church plant. Both morning and evening were sweet fellowship on the Lord's birthday.

Sunday night after the service we traveled another half an hour to Camp Betel. Nathan Fray purchased a beautiful piece of property about five years ago. The property had several out buildings and a pool. It is also on a large reservoir which makes for a lovely camp setting. We spent Sunday night there and on Monday gathered with our fellow São Paulo station missionaries for our annual Christmas party. 

We went back to camp and stayed Monday and Tuesday. It was great to get to know Marv and Diane better. We have chatted over the years but have never had time alone with just us and them. They have been in Brazil for almost 50 years and have planted 13 churches in that time. Their church plants have been responsible for planting another 30 churches! Amazing. We learned much in our conversations. 

We are planning on helping in English Camp this next week. We will be working with a small group of 20 or so campers who come to learn and perfect their English. We know that language so it should be a lot of fun!

On New Years Eve we worshiped at Igreja Batista Calvário. Alexandre preached and one of our teens, Bia Franca, was baptized. Dawn and Donna prepared a huge meal with the help of Joelma and we played games until 2:30 AM. I think that we are still recovering. 

In my Bible study today with Grazi, Michele and Lucas we looked at Enoch who walked 365 years with God. His life is an amazing lesson. One for each day of the year if you think about it. His name means Initiated, dedicated and disciplined. Walking like Enoch is my New Years Resolution. I hope that it is yours too.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Caught up to Paradise - 2 Corinthians 12

Residing in Michigan for over half my life, I had heard about Paradise. Because Paradise is a small town in the Upper Peninsula, you may have never visited there in your life, but you knew it existed. It was WAY up there next to Tahquamenon Falls and nothing else. Where's Tahquamenon Falls? Next to Paradise and nothing else. It's a long way from home.  Why all of the talk about Paradise? Because Paul talks about it in 2 Corinthians 12. There was this guy who had been caught up to Paradise. Not in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, but into the REAL Paradise. While there, he'd heard things that he was unable to repeat. What on earth was this? Who was this guy? Here's what was going on. Paul defended his position of Apostleship in chapter eleven and gave the Corinthians an idea of what Apostleship looked like in chapter twelve. It came with great wonders, like seeing or instead hearing unimaginable things. But, too, that position came with a terrible cost. God gave Paul a &q
Post a Comment
Read more

What to get God for Christmas

Jesus left perfect surroundings, relationships and glory to be born into squalor. He was homeless before birth. His father was a carpenter in a culture where carpentry was a despised trade. His, mother though young and giving birth to her firstborn, had no attendant nurses, helpers or friends. Rather than a pristine hospital, birth was given in the filthy stench of a stable. Romantic? Hardly. This sacrifice brought a life of hardship. Why? Why this odd story? Obedience. God's gift to humanity was His son. Jesus' gift was obedience to the Father. He paid the greatest price. Not because we are special but because he loves His Father. His gift was the perfect gift. Our Father wants obedience for Christmas and every other day for that matter. In Brazil Christmas is becoming commercialized. A phenomenon familiar for years in the United States tickles a growing economy. There is little time for meditation on God's Gift. There are no chestnuts roasting or Jack Frost nippin
Post a Comment
Read more

Stop Trusting

Isaiah 2:22 says Isaiah 2:22 Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? The Prophet is saying that we shouldn't put our trust in humankind because they are so finite. They are not like God, who is infinite. People are fickle. They change their minds. They love you and then hate you in moments.  God invites us to trust him completely with everything that we have. He doesn't show himself to us physically or as a spirit. He demands that we have faith. However, he also gives us the faith to trust him.  The universe shouts "Creator!" and yet we often ignore the proclamation. This ignorance does not make God's creation any less a physical demonstration of his grandeur. God's boundless being becomes more amazing in his presence within us. How can the infinite God dwell in the mortals he commands us not to trust?  Jesus said, "with man it is impossible but with God, all things are possible." 
Post a Comment
Read more