Lace Up Your Shoes

Greetings

My I-phone camera has become my new journal.  I used to journal all the time.  I don't know where all my hours have gone that I used to spend on my journals, but that is the life I lead now and is my new reality.  My days flow into each other.  I have heard, in times past,  that the older you get the faster the clock seems to be running.  I feel like my clock is sprinting on time lapse and I am thankful that I am keeping the pace with what God has for me.  I am thankful, that even though the music of my life is faster and the pace is swift, God keeps my dance card filled and my feet are ready.  

Our girls are running!  They have a competition in their school for different events.  One of the events is a 5K.  They run home from school at least 3 times a week.  I am amazed at that!  If you knew the terrain of the dirt road after they leave the big white gate at the school you would be amazed also.  When they reach the pavement of the highway, it is still pretty uphill with just a few dips.  Yet the girls run.   Some of them walk/run, some run wide open, and some just walk, but they all arrive home. (I am going to use that for our next devotional.)  Everyone of them feel accomplished and have their little endorphins running alongside of them.  They ran their first competition a few weeks ago.  One of our girls came in first place in her division and another came in 3rd.  It was a perfect day here in Intibuca to run.  I am thankful for all the teachers and staff that are training and investing in our girls.  I am blessed and we are blessed. 

The older girls who are in Abundant Life Christian School, went to the capital of Honduras, Tegucigalpa, to experience the Honduras Symphonic Orchestra.  It was held at the Abundant Life Church.  Our girls were beyond excited at the opportunity to go to this event.  We traveled to the Capital in two sets of busses and the girls got to spend the night in a nice hotel, dressed up in fancy shoes and dresses and wore the jewelry someone made and sent to the girls to wear on a special occasion.  We ate out and had a very nice breakfast the next morning before we travel back to our mountain village in El Obispo.  The music teacher and several of the other teachers came as chaperones.  It was wonderful and I am thankful that my girls got to see and experience their culture, history and music.  I am thankful for the teachers who invest and encourage our girls on every level.  I am thankful that we all got back safely and were able to share our wonderful experience with the girls that were waiting for us at the house.  

I was able to go to a Women's Retreat Sisterhood Revive, held by the Women of Purpose.  They come every year and I signed up months ago.  I had totally forgotten the dates until about two days before the event.  There were 115 women who attended.  That meant that there were 115 sponsors who paid for us to be at the retreat center in Valley of the Angels, paid for our food, people who donated books, gifts, snacks and craft projects. They got the pastors, guest speakers, band members and all of their equipment there to minister to a bunch of very tired missionary women.  The theme was about the armor of God andto lace up your spiritual boots.   I was so honored to be a part of this group of women.  Listening to their stories encouraged me greatly in the work we have all be called to do here in Honduras. I am so thankful to all the sponsors, and the team who made this possible to revive so many women in 4 days. It was exciting to know that I have so many co-laborers on this field in Honduras Life-giving!

Most of this month apparently is about our feet.  The Word says how beautiful are the feet of them who bring the good news of the Gospel.  I want to say thank you to all of you and your feet who have encouraged me through thick and thin over the path I have been walking, running, dancing and sometimes stomping around in for this 23 year old adventure in Honduras.  Thanks to both boards of Such is the Kingdom Ministries and to all the teams who come and give of themselves to pray, build, encourage and evangelize our mission community around Project Talitha Cumi.  I am thankful to God for calling me here, and for giving me a super supportive family, and church that continue to care over us with prayer.   Happy Thanksgiving from the Happily Stomping but Thankful, Revived, Honduran MOM