Guzmans in Honduras

So it is my birthday month! And it's the big "Halfway to Eighty" that seems to be a rite of passage in our culture. I thought about what I wanted to give myself for my birthday. Now that sounds pretty selfish, and it is. Sometime as a late teenager/early adult, I started a tradition of treating myself to something each birthday.

This year I am giving myself the gift of being present every day this month. I am purposefully looking for how God shows Himself to me each day this month. It is our journey that matters, and the easiest thing in the world to do is to just "get by" each day without seeing how He loves us. He shows me His love in different ways than He might show you. But I have asked Him to show me Himself and make me listen every day this month. He has always spoken to me through His Word, and the past few days have been no different...



Day One

Gift: Dinner with my parents followed by a gorgeous sunset on my way home. I love sunsets! I am that person that will pull over and park just to see the show. Tonight's was full of my favorite colors of purples and pinks...
"The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech. Night after night they display knowledge." Psalm 19. Oh yes. Tonight the skies were a display of His knowledge. He knows me. How cool is that?


Day Two


Gift: A homemade blackberry cobbler shared with a good friend after a particularly rough day at work. Even sweeter was the time we had to share how God has been working in and around our lives the past few weeks.
"Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him" Psalm 34




Day Three

Gift: Laughter. Saw a movie with my friend who has shared a lot of my sorrow and heart aches the past few years, as well as the laughter. So glad God made laughter!
"A cheerful heart is good medicine!" Proverbs 17:22



Looking forward to "opening" my gifts the next few weeks with you... praying it encourages you to look for the gifts given to you each day as well!

WE PRAY FOR THE CHILDREN OF HONDURAS,

who play with sticks and rocks, their toys,
who laugh and sing, over the growls of hunger,
who know a tortilla and a handful of red beans is a meal,
who love their parents as they hug and bless each other,
who hope for a better life, someday.

WE PRAY FOR THOSE,

who have never tasted ice cream,
who sleep on the ground, a bed of cardboard or burlap,
who do not have a room to clean,
who learn to cook over a o´pen fire at the age of four,
who have never colored a picture.

WE PRAY FOR THOSE,

who have parasites consuming much of what they eat,
whose bodies are stunted by malnutrition,
whose stomachs will know pain in the day and night,
who will never see a doctor or a dentist,
who have never known a bathroom with walls.

WE PRAY FOR THOSE,

who live with birth defects,
who have to be carried to the mountain medical clinics,
whose arms bear sick children many miles,
who travel so far, to help so many,
whose hands will mend hearts and spirits.

WE REJOICE AND PRAY FOR THOSE,

who see clearly for the first time,
who take their first wobbly steps after surgery,
who show joy through a new smile,
whose load is made lighter when a child is made healthy,
who live, save by the selfless love of a far-off neighbor.

WE THANK GOD AND PRAY FOR THOSE,

who will make the decision to make a difference,
who take their vacation to go to Honduras to help,
who give faithfully to make the ministry happen,
who will touch a child, and be forever changed,
who are friends like Barnabas.

In Jesus" name we pray, Amen Acts4:36-37

"If you had to choose a personal license plate, what would it be?" was the question asked of me. I had to grin and say "Jehovah Jireh!" .... those who have been around me know I love this phrase. God has proven to be The Provider for me all my life! The fact that He has provided me with a Savior, a provision I could never have come up with on my own, as well as the day to day needs has always been dear to me, and I love love love yelling, "Jehovah Jireh"
Once again, He has proven to be this for our family. Maybe this time not in the way we wanted to see Him provide. We are indeed going to have to leave our place of ministry here and return to the States. I still cannot believe it. It becomes more "real" every day... saying goodbyes...packing... selling... again. But He still is on the throne, and He still is the Lord Will Provide as Abraham called Him in Genesis 22. So many things are "up in the air" right now... mainly the big question of "what next?". It is strange to be coming back home with no house, no job, etc. But God has already provided us a place to stay for a few months to help get settled in, and He had already provided us with a great, loving family and church family that are helping us with not only some of our physical needs, but emotional as well.
We leave here December 28th... only a few weeks away. In some ways we are just holding our breath until it is all over... but we are definitely doing some grieving over leaving here as well. So pray that we will keep pursuing Christ in these next few weeks, and for the joy of the Lord to be our strength.
I was reminded today in re-reading Philippians 4:19 "my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" that because of Jesus, we really have already been provided for! Amazing love! We can worship Jehovah-jireh in obedience and know that whatever you need, the Lord will provide. Whatever your circumstances. I hope this reminder of one of His names strengthens your faith as well.
This is the boys last week of school before exams. Pray that they finish well. Then next week we are off to Roatan to tie up some more loose ends and help get ready for the teams coming down this summer. Thanks for keeping us before the Father! We love you, the Guzmans

Ever had one of those times in your life where you are wondering what to pray for? Well, our family is going thru such a time right now. Without going into too many details, just know that we are facing major decisions this week, while we wait on the Lord to show us our next move.
I love the Word of God! After much crying and praying, praying and crying with my husband, I flung myself on the bed and went "Lord, what do you want? I don't even know what to pray for?" As He calmed me, I found myself in Psalms (again!)... specifically Psalm 40. vs. 5 "Many O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things You planned for us no one can recount to you: were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare." One thing God has taught me is that when things look uncertain or unclear, to remember His works... remember you are serving the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob... He is the same today! Also, remember what He has done for you specifically.
Well... the next few verses gave me my answer of "what to do, what to do"... vs 7 "Here I am.." vs 8 "I desire to do Your will, O my God: Your law is within my heart." His will is our family's hearts desire. No matter what the outcome of this week... whether He tells us to stay or go, turn to the right or the left.... we have an assurance of a salvation that comes only from God.
Like David says in vs 6, we too are in a covenant to remain in His service, wherever that may be. David understood that the secret to a joyful life does not lie in empty sacrifice but in a lifestyle completely yielded to God's will. Wow! If David can write these words while running for his life... surely we can also say
"But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvtion always say,
"The Lord be exalted!" (vs 16)
Keep us in your prayers this week. Pray that we continue to rest in Him and look to Jesus alone for satisfaction... for His glory.
We'll keep you updated!

"He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." Psalm 50:23 That kinda struck me as odd when I first read those words. Why would thank offerings be a sacrifice? Well, what God has shown me lately is to be joyful in suffering. I know my suffering is nothing compared to His suffering while Jesus died on the cross for me. Yet I also know He is my Daddy and longs for me to truly know Him more. So.. sometimes it is hard to remember to give thanks. Sometimes it is easy.... today as I watched my toddlers giggle and play with the store clerks downtown, as I am cooking and can hear my husband and all four boys wrestling, when a friend calls just to see how I am feeling or just to chat... it's easy to be thankful. But all day today, God has been pressing many of you on my heart... those who are celebrating Thanksgiving for the first time without their loved ones, those who long for children and have none, those who long for a husband/wife to love, I know it is harder for you. So whatever your circumstance this holiday season, remember that we can magnify Christ in our sufferings as well as in our pleasure.
Thank all of you for your prayers for Chandler. He came home from school today all excited because his Spanish teacher smiled at him!! He is doing much better this week. Please continue to pray for he and Dalton as they struggle with learning the language in school. Well, I need to go make sure all my turkeys are thawed... we are hosting twenty people over here tomorrow... for some it is their first Thanksgiving celebration! Know my prayers for you tonight, Melissa