Well I know it has been a few days since I wrote but it has been crazy. We are now officially in the candle business. We have been slammed with people buying candles ( Praise the Lord!!) and now setting up at the mall. I must say that after setting up at the mall for a few days I have a all new understanding of people. When I think of Christmas, I think of happiness and family getting together. After going to the mall I see a dark and lonely world that is searching for happiness in all the wrong places. To my right I have 2 girls for Israel that have never heard of the New Testament. On my left I have some dude from India selling bongs and other drug tools to teenagers. Behind me I have a clothing store owned by an Egyptian that hates our, President, our Country, and the mall. Not sure why he is here? HAHA
As I think ahead to our move I realize that Jesus is needed everywhere. I think so much about the opportunity that God has placed before us in Guatemala but then I think about how many chances I have had and blown it because I just did not care, or did not listen. Please pray for me as I witness to these folks and try my best to be a light in a very dark and depressing world.
Mike
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Seeing God's Call Reaffirmed
I must start this post off by first stating "what an amazing God we serve!!!!" As we started our day on Thursday I had already had a great trip and could go home feeling like good things had happened. We started our day at the Zoo and I must say the Guatemala Zoo is awesome. I saw monkeys climb, scream and even swing from ropes. One of the things that really caught my attention was a Mom and Daddy monkey setting there baby out for the first time to teach it how to climb. The thing that caught my attention was the parents did not start at the bottom with the little guy. The climbed to the top and made him start climbing on his own. It was so cool. Then I got to watch as the guys from December Radio met their sponsored child for the first time. It was awesome, they brought the entire family and they all spent the day at the zoo.
Ok enough about the zoo it is time to share the real stuff that God has been doing on this trip with me. As we have gone through the week I have been collecting business cards and making contacts with folks here in Guatemala. Tonight we went to the church El Shadai. DR had to do a meeting with some local Youth Pastors. Well when we started there were about 40 guys and girls there. As I sit there I started to cry. I realized for the first time what God is really doing. My family is really moving to Guatemala. We are selling everything and moving and I have really struggled with this knowing it is what God wants. I love my home, my job and everything and every body in East Tennessee. My jobs are simple, we do block parties to reach the lost, I work at the most awesome radio station in the United States, and I love doing the Youth Leaders network and training churches. Now I am sure you are much faster than me and have figured it out. God has blown open doors for me to do all of the same things in Guatemala that I am and have been doing in Knoxville for years. I could never have dreamed of a script like this for my life. For weeks I have been excited, but depressed about the move. But tonight God opened my eyes to truly see His hand at work. I am so blown away I can't sleep. Take a look at the comparisons below and see how God is working. I even had the concert promoter talk to me tonight about working with him here in Guatemala to bring artist in.
Knoxville Guatemala
Youth Pastor Network Youth Pastor Network
Love89 Radio Shock Radio 103.5
Youth Pastor Casa Alleluya
Clubhouse Ministries Block Parties Clubhouse Guatemala - Village Outreach Parties
Concerts and Promotions Concerts
Again God is so awesome. With everything our family is going through right now I have been looking for God. Wow just like December Radio song says He is right there waiting. My world has been rock; I am messed up and ready to serve God in Guatemala. I finally have a true focus, a road map to help guide me and an awesome family that loves God and is willing to follow Him where he leads. Sorry to keep rambling but I am pumped!!!!
Check my Pictures on the Website Friday night I will have a ton from the trip so far.
Excited for tomorrow,
Mike
Ok enough about the zoo it is time to share the real stuff that God has been doing on this trip with me. As we have gone through the week I have been collecting business cards and making contacts with folks here in Guatemala. Tonight we went to the church El Shadai. DR had to do a meeting with some local Youth Pastors. Well when we started there were about 40 guys and girls there. As I sit there I started to cry. I realized for the first time what God is really doing. My family is really moving to Guatemala. We are selling everything and moving and I have really struggled with this knowing it is what God wants. I love my home, my job and everything and every body in East Tennessee. My jobs are simple, we do block parties to reach the lost, I work at the most awesome radio station in the United States, and I love doing the Youth Leaders network and training churches. Now I am sure you are much faster than me and have figured it out. God has blown open doors for me to do all of the same things in Guatemala that I am and have been doing in Knoxville for years. I could never have dreamed of a script like this for my life. For weeks I have been excited, but depressed about the move. But tonight God opened my eyes to truly see His hand at work. I am so blown away I can't sleep. Take a look at the comparisons below and see how God is working. I even had the concert promoter talk to me tonight about working with him here in Guatemala to bring artist in.
Knoxville Guatemala
Youth Pastor Network Youth Pastor Network
Love89 Radio Shock Radio 103.5
Youth Pastor Casa Alleluya
Clubhouse Ministries Block Parties Clubhouse Guatemala - Village Outreach Parties
Concerts and Promotions Concerts
Again God is so awesome. With everything our family is going through right now I have been looking for God. Wow just like December Radio song says He is right there waiting. My world has been rock; I am messed up and ready to serve God in Guatemala. I finally have a true focus, a road map to help guide me and an awesome family that loves God and is willing to follow Him where he leads. Sorry to keep rambling but I am pumped!!!!
Check my Pictures on the Website Friday night I will have a ton from the trip so far.
Excited for tomorrow,
Mike
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Back in Guatemala
I know I said I would blog every week but I have been crazy. Well you knew that but I mean really busy. I am back in Guatemala to meet with our lawyer, check on the house and hang out with December Radio. Compassion International flew me and David Manuel down to meet with them about doing block parties in their villiages next summer. This is a big opprotunity for us to really reach out into different parts of Guatemala. I am so pumped about it.
To give you a quick update our paperwork for Hogar should be done this week and then we can finally file our final papers. Carla's dad is doing about the same and they are traveling to Cleveland,Ohio on Friday to get a second opinion. Please pray for them as the travel and for good news. Our house is still for sale so tell someone to buy it!!!! Our house is almost ready for the floor and our team in December will get to finish the walls and sheet rock. Finally the kids are great but they have said over and over they are ready to move.
Please let everyone know that you talk to that yes we are moving, we do not know when, and we are still in need of support.
I will check back with you later this week and post some pictures as I go through this country with my awesome friends!!!
Oh by the way a side note, if you come to Guatemala do not order the Hot wings because they will set you on fire!!!!!!!! I hate 3 hours ago and my mouth is still burning and I lost 5lbs in sweat. The picture on the right was taken as I was finishing my wings.
His Servant,
Mike
To give you a quick update our paperwork for Hogar should be done this week and then we can finally file our final papers. Carla's dad is doing about the same and they are traveling to Cleveland,Ohio on Friday to get a second opinion. Please pray for them as the travel and for good news. Our house is still for sale so tell someone to buy it!!!! Our house is almost ready for the floor and our team in December will get to finish the walls and sheet rock. Finally the kids are great but they have said over and over they are ready to move.
Please let everyone know that you talk to that yes we are moving, we do not know when, and we are still in need of support.
I will check back with you later this week and post some pictures as I go through this country with my awesome friends!!!
Oh by the way a side note, if you come to Guatemala do not order the Hot wings because they will set you on fire!!!!!!!! I hate 3 hours ago and my mouth is still burning and I lost 5lbs in sweat. The picture on the right was taken as I was finishing my wings.
His Servant,
Mike
Saturday, October 27, 2007
A long way home
I am currently sitting in an airport in Ft. Lauderdale. I am along with 20 others completing an amazing week of ministry and fun in Guatemala. It seems like every time I go I desire to be there more. I guess when God calls you some where that is the way it is suppose to work. I have really missed my family this week. A lot more than I have in the past. I think it is because I know how much they love Guatemala and how they want to move there too. This week was very special for a lot of reasons. Below I have listed a few.
First, this is the first time I have been able to keep the boys for a few days. It was an experience. Communication is defiantly a problem. But it seems like every time we are together God puts that aside. On Tuesday we went to Antigua. The boys had a blast. We did a little shopping but mainly just hang out together. Then on Wednesday we went to the beach and water park with all of the kids from Casa. This was the first time the boys had ever sen the Ocean. They reminded me so much of Katie and Zach. Every time a wave would come crashing in they would run. Hector is the daredevil of the two and Julian is the more reserved. Hector and I went down the water slides a couple of times then Hector finally talked Julian into trying it. I bet I went up that slide 20 times. Every time we would get to the bottom Hector and Julian would scream Dande Vas Dande Vas. Which means again again!!!!!. Finally Papa said No Mas No Mas!!! It was an awesome week with them and the highlight had to be when I showed them their new home. They could not believe that our family is moving to Guatemala. Julian started to cry and told me he loved me. I can hardly even type thinking about that moment.
Second we had a group from Parkway Baptist that Rocked. They saw many souls come to know Christ as they went from village to village doing drama and Carnival games. Parkway got off to a rough start as they were hit by a drunk driver on the way to the airport. They got there a day late but more than made up for time lost. The only thing Parkway was weak in was the Battle of Black Oak. As they tried to over take me in the middle of the night they just could not win. Maybe next year!!!
Third was graduation. Wow what a week. I have never been to graduation at Casa and let me tell you they do it right. I was honored to be ask by Anna Ruth to be her escort for Quinceneras. That is a celebration for girls turning 15. I had to practice all week so I would know what to do. I have been playing Cards with Anna for almost 4 years and we are close. She shared with me in June that she wanted me to do this for her. I must say though. I stood out like a sore thumb. Make sure to check out the pictures in our photo gallery. Instead of where's waldo? It is Where's the gringo???
The week as a whole taught me a lot of things. Never give up, never give in, and never go to sleep while guys from Parkway are still awake!!!!!
His Servant,
Mike
First, this is the first time I have been able to keep the boys for a few days. It was an experience. Communication is defiantly a problem. But it seems like every time we are together God puts that aside. On Tuesday we went to Antigua. The boys had a blast. We did a little shopping but mainly just hang out together. Then on Wednesday we went to the beach and water park with all of the kids from Casa. This was the first time the boys had ever sen the Ocean. They reminded me so much of Katie and Zach. Every time a wave would come crashing in they would run. Hector is the daredevil of the two and Julian is the more reserved. Hector and I went down the water slides a couple of times then Hector finally talked Julian into trying it. I bet I went up that slide 20 times. Every time we would get to the bottom Hector and Julian would scream Dande Vas Dande Vas. Which means again again!!!!!. Finally Papa said No Mas No Mas!!! It was an awesome week with them and the highlight had to be when I showed them their new home. They could not believe that our family is moving to Guatemala. Julian started to cry and told me he loved me. I can hardly even type thinking about that moment.
Second we had a group from Parkway Baptist that Rocked. They saw many souls come to know Christ as they went from village to village doing drama and Carnival games. Parkway got off to a rough start as they were hit by a drunk driver on the way to the airport. They got there a day late but more than made up for time lost. The only thing Parkway was weak in was the Battle of Black Oak. As they tried to over take me in the middle of the night they just could not win. Maybe next year!!!
Third was graduation. Wow what a week. I have never been to graduation at Casa and let me tell you they do it right. I was honored to be ask by Anna Ruth to be her escort for Quinceneras. That is a celebration for girls turning 15. I had to practice all week so I would know what to do. I have been playing Cards with Anna for almost 4 years and we are close. She shared with me in June that she wanted me to do this for her. I must say though. I stood out like a sore thumb. Make sure to check out the pictures in our photo gallery. Instead of where's waldo? It is Where's the gringo???
The week as a whole taught me a lot of things. Never give up, never give in, and never go to sleep while guys from Parkway are still awake!!!!!
His Servant,
Mike
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
New
Well this is my very first blog on this new Google thing. I wanted to set it up so that we could share what is going on with our lives and our ministry. We were just featured this month in Tennessee Christian Living Magazine. We are now into full swing raising our support and speaking at churches, sharing about the awesome opportunity to serve at Casa.
The past month has been very stressful for our entire family. A week after we made the big announcement that we were moving we found out that Carla's dad has stage 4 lung cancer. It is advanced into his lymph nodes. He started Chemo at the first of the month and has another treatment on Friday. Pray for him and his wife. Their names are Carl and Wilma Gann. He is having a lot of trouble sleeping.
Our fundraising project is under way. We sent out about 200 letters. We need 50 families that can commit to $50.00 per month to make it work. If you have not sent your letter back yet please do so. Even if you can not give you can pray. We firmly believe that the only way this ministry will be successful is through the prayer of a lot of folks.
Finally pray for our family. Zach has started home schooling and it has been a tough transition for us on top of all of the other stuff going on. Katie is doing well she is very excited about the move. Then there is the adoption. It seems that the paperwork has sit still for months but it finally started moving this week. We are really hoping that we can get them here before Christmas so please pray!!!
His Servant,
Mike
The past month has been very stressful for our entire family. A week after we made the big announcement that we were moving we found out that Carla's dad has stage 4 lung cancer. It is advanced into his lymph nodes. He started Chemo at the first of the month and has another treatment on Friday. Pray for him and his wife. Their names are Carl and Wilma Gann. He is having a lot of trouble sleeping.
Our fundraising project is under way. We sent out about 200 letters. We need 50 families that can commit to $50.00 per month to make it work. If you have not sent your letter back yet please do so. Even if you can not give you can pray. We firmly believe that the only way this ministry will be successful is through the prayer of a lot of folks.
Finally pray for our family. Zach has started home schooling and it has been a tough transition for us on top of all of the other stuff going on. Katie is doing well she is very excited about the move. Then there is the adoption. It seems that the paperwork has sit still for months but it finally started moving this week. We are really hoping that we can get them here before Christmas so please pray!!!
His Servant,
Mike
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