BIG NEWS...

"You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; You have guided them by your strength to your holy abode...

You will bring them in and plant them in your own mountain, the place, O Lord, which you have made for your abode, the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established. The Lord will reign forever and ever."

Exodus 15:13, 17-18

First, I want to thank the Lord for being as faithful as always, revealing his heart to us here.

Last week, he made my heart jump so high and practically leap out of my mouth! Eating a casual meal with Bob and Shona (my kiwi missionaries) I asked how their meeting went with their Pioneers director, Tim Brown, who had just visited for the weekend. They gave me what I've been begging God for since I arrived here- clarity. They told me they spent the whole meeting talking about how obvious it is that God's designed me for Mexico City and this ministry. How the time is crucial for me to be here- the harvest is now. Not in a few years after I fulfill the American dream of getting a successful job, finding a husband, and cute little apartment. No, the time is now.

Two years ago when I was first here, Shona reminded me of Romans 12:2

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may be able to discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

God started our tiny church, Oasis, just a few months before I got here in August. He's used the relationships that we've built through our community center, to really bring the people to church. We have seen the fruit that we so desperately have been asking him for. I cannot say enough, Jesus is faithful to the end!

Originally I thought I would go back to the states (I can't call it home anymore- my home is where he wants me), work for a few years and then come back to Mexico. Aren't we so blessed that our God is way more creative, exciting, and adventurous than that! He's the one that has made me a perfect fit for this place, this team and this ministry. It's amazing how he designed every little thing in my character, for the main purpose of glorifying him here and bringing people to him! It's been entirely his work, not mine.

Since this is a crucial time for our church and community center, and the workers are really few- God has given me clarity and the goal- returning to the states to support raise and go through long-term missionary training, and then return as soon as possible. We're hoping by April of 2013. God will make it clear when he raises the support- both prayerfully and financially that I'll need.

I would ask you to listen to God in this time- if he would have you support me with your prayers and finances. We are the body and your support has been a beautiful picture of Jesus! Would you continue in helping me show this place God's love and glory?

Praise Jesus that we are gaining more and more ground especially with our neighbors- all of the lost kids have started coming more to our kids' programs and last week a few of them prayed to Jesus! More and more people are coming to church and the Spirit is moving- our prayer, worship and the messages!

(Janet, 14 years)

 

I am still really aching for my friends 13 and 14 year olds, Luis and Janet  who have no father, and a disinterested mother. Their 15 year old brother is going to be a dad. God has burdened me for their salvation and I want so badly to see them know him. What a miracle that Lord willing, I'll be able to continue my relationships with them when I return next year! Right now, they are both searching for role models in the wrong places. Pray for God to change this!

I only have about 2 more weeks here. I'll be back to Birmingham on December 18th and cannot wait to see you all! You all deserve HUGE ALLIECAT hugs :)


Thank you again and again for your prayers! I have never learned the importance of prayer like I have here. I daily need
you to ask God to continue his work here. Please continue in this. You are storing up beautiful treasures in heaven when you pray for us here!!!

"Don't lost heart"- Jesus

"And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought to always pray and not lose HEART." Luke 18:1

Our Father is ridiculously faithful. Ridiculously compassionate and overflowing with extreme love. For the whole world. We got to taste just a tiny piece of it and it's completely overwhelming.

My best friend, prayer warrior, and the chic that has brought me more than enough laughs and joy had to leave on Thursday. Wednesday night was probably the sweetest moment God's given me so far. Saying goodbye to all of her friends here was so difficult. The most touching by far was sweet lil George- our 7 year old neighbor who has the most innocent smile in the whole world. This precious kid cried so hard for Beckah, it broke our hearts.

Coming home to pray our last prayer together before she had to leave the next morn, Beckah and I were completely overwhelmed by God's Spirit. Feeling just a fragment of his HUGE heart for George and his entire family (17 precious people total who are all going to hell unless they turn to Jesus, their only Savior) we could not stop crying. I've never felt such a heaviness for any one's salvation in my life like I do for this whole family. I know Beckah would say the same. We both could not (still cannot) believe how faithful and graciously generous God is for giving us a piece of his heart for them. What he's placed in us in nothing that we gained nor created ourselves. It's completely our sweet Daddy wanting to give us good gifts and to share his heart with us.

Every single one of them, our Father is aching for. And there's absolutely nothing I can do to save them, but wait on the Spirit and let him lead them to Jesus. It's hard to wait, but he is so trustworthy.

The parable of the persistent widow has been coming up a lot... I know he hears all our prayers and this lady's story motivates me more and more to keep asking him. This is by far my biggest request if you could join me in praying for this whole family, including:

(sweet George and Sarai- innocent angels)

Luis, Janet, Rosa, Ricardo, Antonio, Lupe, George, Sarai, Chava, Santana, Sergio, Jasmin, and all the rest of them.

Amazing how faithful God is. I was sad about having my day off without my best bud, after Beckah left on Thursday. I didn't want to be alone, but didn't know what to do or who to spend it with. I gave it up to him and the very next morning, I woke up to the answer (all 3 of them) literally sitting on my bed at 8am! My sweet neighbors Rosa and her sons Chava and Santana leaned into my confused face full of morning breath and asked me to go spend the day working on constructing their new house. Though I was exhausted and still a bit fluish how could I say no?! We spent the day on a mountain side, shoveling gravel to build their floor, shooting fireworks off the mt and eating lunch over a fire. Though I didn't get to say a lot about Jesus, God gave me a lot of footage with them and used it to really grow our relationship. (They're Jehovah's witnesses) I'm able to call them Papa and Mami as they care so much for me.

God's blessed me with more people to love than I've ever dreamed of. Though the enemy tries to attack with loneliness, Jesus pulls me up and shows me how deeply he can fill my heart. More than any best friend, child, nor man ever could. He is beyond our wildest dreams.

With Beckah gone, it's been really hard going through the day without sharing life, laughing and crying with my girl. But God is using it to grow my reliance on him and also take me into a new season. He's so exciting like that, always bringing new seasons and surprises. I've already been able to spend way more time with our neighbors in just 3 days than I have ever before. And today he gave me an opportunity to tell them why I'm here. He provides all we need and dream of, always in abundance.

Little by little, he's leading me along, showing me glimpses of what he made me for. I belong here with these people. This nature lover has never known such joy in such a polluted, overcrowded city with hardly any trees in sight. That's God for you :)

You are a part of his glory and goodness. Thank you for continuing to pray for his work here and for me. I am so grateful! I can obviously see that you're praying. Please continue, for his glory!



(George, Beckah, Santana, Luis, Chava, me and Carlos)

Open more doors. Bring the fruit.

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, an account of which I am in prison- that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

Colossians 4:2-4

As always, thank you for continuing to be faithful and pray for us here. Your prayers are moving God's heart to answer us in powerful ways here! I am so thankful for you.

God answered our prayers and brought a full house of people to our Hallergia Outreach event last Friday. It was amazing seeing so many new faces and families enjoying themselves in Oasis (our community center). We had karaoke and lots of games, but even more importantly...Bob was able to give a short message, in which the Spirit totally spoke. We are praying that God rooted his message in each heart that was present and that he'll continue watering and growing the seeds.

Lately, God's been teaching us all about his harvest- how he's the only one who can grow and produce fruit. We're just his workers, following his lead. He is the Harvester. We must be patient and wait for his perfect timing. He's been giving us pictures of him handing us the fruit. He's holding SO much for us. He just wants us to keep asking, seeking, wanting and persevering and he'll hand it to us. He is an abundant God and Giver!

Beckah and I have had days when the attacks of the enemy are extra hard. Some days we feel drained and without joy, but we know that God is fighting for us and all we have to do is surrender and let him do his thing. He mounts us up on eagle's wings, all for his glory. I've been amazed at how faithful he's been in giving us more hunger for him. His presence is so rich, full of abundance. All we have to do is ask him for more and he answers.

The past several days, I've asked him for specific things such as giving me loveliness, purifying my past (full of lust) and helping me seek him above all...

Would you believe it! Each day I've opened my devotion book to find him literally, word for word, promising me these things! God is so real and living. Here's just an example of what he said yesterday:
I am working my ways in you; the divine Artist creating loveliness within your being. My main work is to clear out the debris and clutter, making room for My Spirit to take full possession.
 - Jesus Calling

Let this encourage you to ask, ask, ask in Jesus' name. His name literally contains so much power.

He's been faithful in bringing two girls my age to church...I've been so blessed seeing him work in them. One already knows him and the other is curious. We're asking him to keep them coming and to keep watering these seeds- especially so they'll stay connected to Oasis after we leave.

Those of you that have prayed for God to continue giving me specific pictures and words for people, and also for boldness to share them, THANK YOU!!! He's growing my trust in him, to rely on him entirely whenever he gives me something to share. Last night during our prayer time, I tried to step out more and ask him for a picture/word for my friend who doesn't know him. He answered (not a surprise!) and though I was so afraid for the awkwardness of sharing/not knowing how to explain in Spanish to this girl that I hardly know, he gave me the courage. He even touched her heart as I told her what he said . I'm praying his words stay with her and that he makes her thirsty for more.

He has also continued honoring me in dreaming big. I honestly never thought my sweet Mama Barber would ever be able to see my life here and understand that God made me specifically for this country. I love my mom to death, but God's obviously made us different and I'm not really sure where I get my sense of adventure. Nevertheless, this dream that I've had for some time...for her to know and see me here, is coming true! Like I learn over and over, God has no limits! My parents and sister are coming tomorrow until Monday to help us do much needed construction at Oasis. I've never been more thrilled and thankful!

Please continue praying:

• God would open more doors for us to share his truth with all of our students, especially as our time is coming to an end. Beckah leaves next week and I leave in 6 weeks. Also that he would make what we share clear and give us creative ways to share with our younger adolescent friends.
• For all of the relationships we've made with our friends who are not believers. There are many: Luis, Rosa, Janet, Ricardo, Santana, Chava, Diogenes, and several more. We are so hungry for them to know Jesus. Especially the one household of Jehovah's witnesses that we love. Only he can bring them to himself.
• For his Spirit to continue speaking and leading with dreams, visions, and words for these people. Also, more boldness for us to share these with whoever he tells us to.
• Perseverance, physical and emotional rest, refreshment, wisdom, peace, joy, discernment, compassion, gentleness and ALL the fruits of the Spirit for us to display for his glory.

Again, I rely on your prayers and can't thank you enough! You are one of the reason's I'm here and when you pray, God is using you to display his glory here. May his glory be magnified wherever you are in this moment!

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.