Unless PAPA draws him

Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him, God the Father has set his seal. -John 6:27

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me, draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. -John 6:44

We cannot save a single soul without him. The Father has to draw him. We are only his vessels.

We thank God for giving us his urgency to save these people here. He has especially put one family on our hearts. Our neighbors who are Jehovah's witnesses (3 sisters a brother and all their spouses and kids- 17 people total). We've been having so much fun getting to know them, playing futbol and basquet on the street and hanging out on their porch. Yes, we're showing them love...but it's all meaningless unless they know the truth behind our love- Jesus.

God  gave me this urgency to see them know him two weeks ago. The kids came to our house one Sunday night to ask us to play and we gladly went along. On the way to their house we stopped by the Catholic church service to find one of their brothers, Luis. This precious, spunky 12 year old had gone to church all by himself. When I asked his sister why he went, when even his parents don't go, she told me, "because he likes it." This kid got dressed up and all by himself, chose to go to church over playing with his buds.

God is hungry for hearts like Luis's. 12 years old and he's already searching, wanting more. The problem is is looking into working for his salvation, and not into the Father's loving eyes. That night I had dreams all night of this kid. I know God desperately wants Luis. But only Jesus can draw him to himself. We're praying feverently for this boy- that God would use his thirst for more, to lead him and his entire family to God.

Also, our mama here has a precious daughter, Carmen (39yrs old) who is one of the most loving, inspiring people I've ever met. Carmen is always giving all of herself to others.She works in the poorest area, helping kids with learning disabilities while receiving hardly any pay. She lives by the inspiration to "pay it forward", but not because she knows Jesus. She loves God but doesn't see her need for Jesus.

These people NEED Jesus. Please continue praying they will know him.

God is so real, answering soooo many prayers! He's given Beckah and I more love for each other. Even when we've gone through hard, tiring days when we are focused on ourselves and feeling drained, his Spirit has been our spring of living water, welling up inside of us, making our cups overflow! We are so thankful!

He's continuing to give us dreams, visions and words for specific people! He is so generous, I still can't get over how much! His Spirit is leading, just as we've begged him to. I couldn't ask for anything more!

He's continuing to fight for us against temptation of selfishness. What a King we have, who fights for us!

We live off of the Father's faithfulness in knowing what we need. When you pray for us in Jesus' name, he hears and answers powerfully. Please continue in praying for:

• Luis and his entire family. God is so faithful in growing our relationships with them. Mexicans in general struggle with trust issues, but God has given us so much footage in this family. Pray that he will continue making us bold in every moment we have with them, that they would know Jesus and their need for him.
• Carmen and her family. That she would see that it's Jesus that has given her love for people. Jesus is who she was made for. She's already living out his love, she just doesn't know it yet. Pray for boldness, wisdom, discernment and opportunities for God to speak through us with her and her family.
• other various friends we have that I can't mention. We want to perservere in each relationship that Jesus may be known and glorified!
• our Outreach event this Friday at Oasis (community center) We're having a Hallegria (Allegria=joy instead of halloween) party this Friday at 6pm on el dia de los muertos. This is a really spiritually dark time in Latin America as everyone is taking offerings to the dead in the cemetaries and praying to demonic spirits. We've been asking God to SHINE here in this dark time. Please pray that many would come to this outreach event and that Jesus would touch hearts and destroy all the works that the devil is trying to do here.
• Beckah, who's become my soulsister, is leaving on November 15 and I'm really going to miss her- my prayer warrior, my best friend, my running bud, the only person who really gets me here and laughs with me every day. It's going to be difficult without her, but God's timing is perfect. Pray that he speaks and ministers to us both in this new season- I'll have a month here without her and she'll be adjusting back in Oklahoma.
• Perserverance to run this race for him alone. Pray against loneliness for me especially, as satan always attacks in the same ways. He has no place here.

Thank you all! You're also in my prayers and I have so much joy being your friend.

for laughs- Last week I was tyring to ask Margarita (my mama) if I could use her mirror (espoje). Instead I said, "Podria usar su esposo?" (Could I use her husband?)

LOL we laugh a lot here.

Where You go, I go. Where You stay, I stay.

For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.- Jeremiah 31:25

And my God will supply every need of yours, according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:19

What a great Father we have. Who loves making us wait on his plans, just so he can watch our faces when he surprises us! He gets so much pleasure from our trust and surrender. He's got way more character and personality than we give him credit for. Ask him to be himself with you and you won't be disappointed!

Since I arrived here, I've been asking him to show me the next steps in his plan for my life. I've been seeking and longing for answers. Would he have me stay here? Stay in Birmingham? Go someplace else? In his presence, all questions, doubts, and worries fall away.

 Just last Friday I was sitting in our tiny back porch, surrounded by potted plants, resting in his green love- he knows me so well :) I felt his peace wash over me as I searched my own heart. I've been asking him to show me for so long and I finally felt him tell me.

Allie, my wildflower, what do you desire? This is what I desire.

So I answered, "You know I love this country. I feel like you handmade me for these people- for this country. I trust you'll bring me back here when you choose. Until then, I'm content in Birmingham or wherever else you desire. Where you go, I go. Where you stay, I stay."

What a sweet Daddy I have, to answer me so powerfully, so quickly.

I came inside, checked my email to find an job opportunity waiting for me back in Birmingham. A position for a small church's children director. I still don't know if I'll get it, but OH the Lord is sweet! He directs every single little step of our lives! So silly of us to worry about what's ahead! He wants us to enjoy stepping with him. Because our journeys with him are jam full of adventures, surprises, joy, intimacy, and the deepest love!

He's answered an enormous amount of prayers since I've been here!!! And you, my friend, have been a part of his work. I cannot thank you enough for your love and faithfulness in praying for us here. Muchismas gracias.

• He's given us endless opportunities to speak of his love: with various lost students, with our sweet neighbors who are Jehovah's witnesses, who have the purest seeking hearts- just really lost. The dad flat out asked me today, "So who is God to you?" Ooooooooh the Lord is good! I got to talk with a student today for an hour about her undiagnosed disease that has brought her closer to Him. Her husband left her because he got tired of caring for this beautiful 29 year old. She passionately loves Jesus and takes in poor and dirty street folks, even when they don't give her anything in return. Such sweet moments all from him.
• He's answered our prayers for dreams and visions. And he's blessed me through other's prophetic words of encouragement! Our Lord never runs out of love and encouragement!!!
• He's given me a little 7 year old, Angel who has dyslexia and needs speech therapy. Though I feel inadequate to help him, this is God's doing and I'm so thankful.
• He's given me hard days, breaking my pride and self-reliance- all in Fatherly love in order to teach me to surrender and rejoice in suffering. Do you realize...

"suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character and character produces hope and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." - Romans 5:3-5

He is so faithful, when I've felt completely empty from pouring out so much of myself...He has poured into me- way more than I need. His supply of love, encouragement, empowerment is endless. Be bold in asking him to fill you up. He will.

Please continue praying for:

• wisdom, discernment, and guidance in helping little Angel in speech every Wednesday at 5pm. I have hardly any experience in my field (though I did graduate with this degree) and need the Lord to inspire and lead me in how to help him.
• grace in listening to the Spirit every time we're talking to someone who needs him. Obedience to speak his words, and to be his hands and feet.
• that God would fulfill the meaning of Oasis (our church) as a refuge in this dark, dry and desperate city. He has already been so faithful in hearing our prayers in bringing people to our community center...now we long for more souls in our church here.
• that God would fight for us against jealousy, selfishness, overeating, worrying, self-reliance and pride. We constantly need his deliverance.
• BOLDNESS- I want God to set this place on fire for his name. Pray for us.

So much love, joy, and laughter to you all :)

Allie

Up on the mountain

Be willing to follow me wholeheartedly, with glad anticipation quickening your pace. Though you don't know what lies ahead, I know, and that is enough! Some of my richest blessings are just around the bend; out of sight, but nonetheless, very real. To recieve these gifts, you must walk by faith- not by sight...

Sometimes I lead you up a high mountain with only my hand to support you. The higher you climb, the more spectacular the view becomes; also, the more keenly you sense your sepeartion from the world with all of its problems. This frees you to experience exuberantly the joyous reality of my presence. Give yourself fully to these glory moments, awash in dazzling light.

- Jesus Calling

Jesus sought rest on the mountains. My whole life, I've been drawn to their beauty. Though 21 million people live here, Mexico City is surrounded by glorious mountains. This past Thursday, Bequita (Beckah's nickname here) and I got to climb one. God was so sweet to us, letting us get away from the crowds and find rest in his creation. On the top of the mountain, he led us to Johnny- a guy who needs him. We needed someone to take our picture and quickly made friends with this 35 year old world traveler from England. We spent the whole afternoon talking about life and God. This famous fashion photographer travels all over, only buying one way tickets, living out spontanuity. Amazing how he's tasted fame, money, adventure, love and everything else the world has to offer and still... he senses something's missing.  No matter who you are, Jesus is the only one who can complete you and fill all the missing places of your heart. We're praying for Johnny to seek him.

Thank you all so so much for your prayers. As always, we are so thankful that the Spirit is moving powerfully here.

• We had THREE new families visit Oasis (our church) on Sunday! This is huge for us as we're a small group and haven't had hardly anyone visit yet. Praise God for these families! We're not into filling our church so that we see the result of our hard work. No, we want to fill Oasis with true worshipers who adore our Lord. HE is the one we want to see praised!
• He's giving us more and more opportunities to speak his name!
• Several people this week asked me why it's called "Oasis." I got to tell them, it's because we have a refuge here, in the Lord's presence. It's a place where we can find rest and true, living water. Prasie God!
• I've had days when God has literally expanded my time in order to get all my studies done for my classes. Pretty sweet of him!
• I've been asking God to make me bold and he sure did. I got to share my testimony with a shy, broken-hearted 18 year old guy with acne during my one-on-one English Conversation class. Beckah laughed after I told her about it...I told him how I used to be a shy, insecure, pimplefaced girl. But God showed me his love in Nicaragua and freed me from my insecurities. Maybe a lil too bold, but our God always goes beyond what we ask him, doesn't he ;)
• our prideful, older friend who we've been praying for actually opened a Bible last night and asked us about it. He's still far from wanting to seek God, but he's curious. We're praying he reads John.
• We're getting to build more relationships with our students and neighbors. Classes that used to be difficult are becoming a joy, purely because God's growing our hearts for these people. More people are coming and are begining to trust us, which is a slow process for Mexicans.
• Joyful moments dancing to reggae (my FAV!) in the street with the neighbors, playing skreet ball with da niños , and getting to smell our neighbor's one month old puppy's breath- are all gifts from our Father who adores us. I am so thankful!!!

Please keep asking God for us:

• to give our missionaries rest. Their work is endless and can be draining. Pray God gives them refreshment, joy and rest in the oasis of his presence.
• to fill us with HIS words for these people. That his Spirit leads us always and that we're quick to obey whatever he asks.
• for our friends: Pedro (drugaddict), Johnny (British photographer), and the older man who doesn't know he needs Jesus.
• for God to use us, his vessels, to destroy the works of the devil in this place. There's so much darkness.
• to deliver me from tempation in- selfishness, lust, overeating and discontentment.

I am so thankful for you. Jesus loves you. There is no guilt or shame to hurt your relationship with him. He's destroyed it all. :)

Heaven filled me with more than enough

There's so much more to life than we've been told.
 It's full of beauty that will unfold.
And shine like you struck gold my wayward son...

Still I get hard pressed on every side
Between the rock and a compromise
Like the truth and pack of lies fightin' for my soul
And I've got no place left go
'Cause I got changed by what I've been shown
More glory than the world has known
Keeps me ramblin' on

Skipping like a calf loosed from its stall
I'm free to love once and for all
And even when I fall I'll get back up
For the joy that overflows my cup
Heaven filled me with more than enough
Broke down my levees and my bluffs
Let the flood wash me

- Josh Garrels

He pretty much says it all. Life is full of beauty that unfolds through Jesus. When we pour out our hearts to him, Heaven fills us with joy that overflows our cups. He is way more than enough.

He's been answering so many specific prayers, I can hardly keep up with writing them all down.

• By God's power alone, our prideful older friend has come to our prayer time at Oasis on Tuesday nights. God's overwhelming goodness made me laugh a few days ago. This traditional man, who's been set in his ways, not into knowing God actually told me how much the world needs missionaries. HA! Can you believe that?! You better believe God is working on his heart!
• He's giving us dreams and visions, just as we've begged him too. Now I ask that I would be faithful in speaking what he gives me. Many times I'm too afraid to speak out. I need his boldness.
• He's giving us opportunities to speak his name in our English classes, even when we don't have a plan nor the words. Last Wednesday, a random 27 year old wandered in and was able to have a conversation class with me at the last minute. It wasn't at all planned by us (but by God himself.) We started talking and the conversation led to what all girls love to talk about- boys. Little did she know, this is the area that God has been the MOST compassionate, powerful, and extremely faithful to me. I was able to share my story of him taking me through so much pain in order to really know Jesus. The Spirit filled the room. There were tears. She was confused and curious at my relationship with him. On this day, I know he planted a promising seed in her.
• Because of his sweet tender love, we've gone through hard days. Days feeling helpless, weak, unable to excel in each task like we desire. Days when I can't fully explain my science lesson. When I take the wrong bus. Days when I can't learn the ukulele chords to play with the worship group. Days when I'm low on energy and have to teach 30 rowdy kids one English lesson for 1 and 1/2 hours.  It's these days that make us so thankful. You see, he blesses us with these weak times to refine us. Just like we've asked in Jesus' name. It's difficult because our flesh hates being defeated. Our spirits love that he always wins. Discipline is bittersweet, but ultimately sweeter.
• One night we fervently asked him to give us more laughter. The very next night when our mama took us to get tamales on the street, we laughed so hard that night, she thought the tamales were spiked. Boy is God REAL!!! When you feel low on laughter, ask him for more. He answers.
• He's breaking mine and Beckah's selfishness in order to bring us closer. It's a hard process, but he's blessing us with honesty and teaching how to love. He's our Helper always.
• Last Sunday, our friend Pedro didn't show. However, he brought some of our extended family members. A couple who had both lost dear loved ones and had been angry at God. He's working on their hearts. Amazing how God cannot nor will he ever be exhausted. Always doing so much! And this is just one small part of town...he's moving ALL over the world.
• His Spirit is abiding and leading, even when I don't feel it. I went for a run and felt really off the other day. I took a different path than usual down a busy street and didn't know why. I was almost mad at myself for it. Then I passed her. A woman on her knees, worshiping a stone head on her doorstep. Next to the idol, she had placed an offering of a plastic cup of beer. This was the reason, the Spirit led me down this unusual path. For his Spirit to pass by her- to destroy the works of the devil. To free her from her bondage. He is light in the darkness. This city is covered in darkness. So many trapped, lost souls. Please pray for them.

OH MY GOSH. I almost forgot. Guess what he did today...

I went to a laundromat to wash clothes and met a short lady, with tattooed arms. She said to me, "You're a Christian. You are an angel."
I'm not telling you this to build myself up, but for you to see his goodness. This is what happened.
She started telling me her powerful testimony.

Raped by her father at 6 years old. A life as a prostitute. Her husband in prison for ten years. She lived in bars. Talked trash all the time.

Then God saved her. He made her a new creation. He did a work in her that only he could do. He saved her husband too. Now he travels to prisons all over Mexico. sharing his testimony.

She began prophesying over me- declaring that everything in my past is dead. That God doesn't even remember all my sin. He's made me completely new. I am his angel. I have his joy.

God poured out his love for me through this fiery woman, Lettie. My heart is full.

In the same laundromat, I met another Christian woman who is fluent in English and wants to help us out at Oasis. (We're desperate for more teachers since we're a small number and have over 500 coming now).

I love how Jesus meets us in the most unexpected times and places. He has no limits. The depths of his love are endless. Let him come to you, just as you are. Where you are. You don't have to do anything, but open your heart and let him do his stuff. He's sooooooooooo stinkin' good at it.

Please keep praying for everything here. You can see how obviously he's answering our prayers. You will be rewarded with so much glory in heaven. I wish I could give you something now for your faithfulness to me. All I can say is thank you. And may God completely overwhelm you with his love that you are left broken, for him to pick up, hold close and rebuild.

He adores you.