The Fires Of Life

I would like to be able to catch all of you out there in the cyber world of every detail of the past two months of my life: friends, family, creepers, that one guys who’s not a creeper but just really really bored, and identity thieves. I wish I could give an exhaustive report of the blessings and trials that have come, and share all the stories with wit, and wisdom. But sadly as my Spanish grows I feel as if my English is diminishing… yeah we’ll use that excuse. =] for all of those who “remember when” I can always remember later so let me tell you of my present in brief, share a few thoughts and let you get back to the cyber surfing.

I am currently  working in Argentina in a youth camp. I wash pots. I’m trying to learn Spanish.  Life is interesting…

Two Sundays ago a storage building here caught fire and our morning meeting was interrupted by everyone running outside to see what was happening. The whole building was up in flames and too far gone by the time the fire fighters (bomberos? I think it is in Spanish) arrived. We watched a surreal scene as the smoke filled the air, and tears fill the eyes of our new and dear friends who had poured their lives and ministry into the things that filled that building. Countless hours of work, various stories of how God had provided specific requests perform the drama, and camp ministries that yearly reached out to thousands around South America with the gospel, many years of love offerings all up in smoke and gone in less than a few hours.

The fire brought with it many questions to the minds of many of the students struggling to understand, mostly a simple, “Why? What is God doing in this?”  The gringos attempted to do what we could; going around encouraging and praying with friends. For me, I felt how although I am here and starting to adapt, I could easily feel my distinction from the Latin students. Sure it was sad and I didn’t fully understand, but for many of them it stuck so much deeper at the core … this was their lives? Why?

One thought kept coming to my mind. “God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.” The same God we had just praised for the salvation of many was alive and well, this had not taken Him by surprise. It was said countless times that day “God will be glorified” and it was true. He was, because He is glorious. The greatest tragedy is another opportunity for Him to prove Himself strong.

Our camp director echoed and with conviction said what the most of us were thinking  saying, and…well…. Almost believing. Yet he said it with conviction. “Praise God, He is sovereign…” and then the thought I hadn’t come to yet, “how can we weep over what I’ve lost?  We truly never had anything.” He assured us we had never had the barn or the things but that it was and had always been the Lord, we didn’t lose anything, God just simply didn’t have THAT barn anymore, however, His riches were in no way diminished.

I have started studying I Peter with a friend and we came across this verse. 1:6,7

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not see you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.”

Praise the Lord! Our faith is tested by the fires of trials in this life, IF NESSICARY! … hmmm

An encouraging thought when you feel the heat of difficult circumstances...

An honest update… this is at times difficult. This has been a growing and rich time in my life and I’m so glad to be where I feel confident the Lord wants me. If I could rewrite my life story making changes I would certainly leave in this chapter of learning the Spanish language… but I wouldn’t relive my  few months full of confusion just for fun =]

As my ability with the language grows this time becomes… well I’m enjoying it significantly more.

Praise the God who sustains us through deserts and leads us into the times of rich blessing… and then when necessary through another desert. =]