what would you say?

I have lived in Belize for 6 months now and it feels like I've spent years here; time definitely moves at its on pace when you're on an island. I'm preparing to go home to Texas for a visit this week and I'm not sure what to expect. I know it will be a culture shock, but I look forward to seeing people, as well as how much I've changed in comparison to my old life. I don't necessarily look forward to explaining my story to every person who asks, but I have to deal with that here as well. There's nothing more annoying than the person who asks a question like how I ended up in Belize or something that requires some explaining, yet they start to glaze over when I answer the question. I do, however, actually love telling the story to people who genuinely want to hear about it. I guess I just have to read the person and give them as much as they can pay attention to. Good listeners are few and far between it seems like, but that just makes them more refreshing to be around. (Btw, I consider anyone who reads the blog to be a good listener:) It's actually pretty funny how much I've shortened my response to people who ask about my story. I think I've actually gotten it down to one or two sentences. I say, "I got an opportunity to come here and jumped on it, without ever having been here before, I sold my stuff, quit my job, stopped going to college and moved here without looking back." People tend to respect that answer the most. lol

what are we waiting for?

Since I've been out of America, I've had some room to breathe and discover some things about life and culture. I have come to a realization that up until I moved here, everything in my life has been a preparation of some sort for the future. Whether it was school or working or practicing this or that, I spent all of my time and effort preparing for an unknown future. Preparation is great and necessary to a certain extent, don't get me wrong, but I don't believe it is meant to consume our lives the way it does. In America, it tends to define us. In Belize, however, or at least on the island, we let tomorrow worry about itself. We like to stop and enjoy the life we've been given. If people were less concerned about the latest and greatest crap that they have to work so hard for, and just learn to be satisfied with very little, they wouldn't have to let so much of their precious time slip right through their fingers while they punch the clock day after day. Take my advice and relax and enjoy the day, I don't know, maybe sell some stuff and work less hours, it does wonders for your health.

The Story of Redemption

God speaks to us in so many creative ways. Recently, Jeff shared with me what God showed him and I will now relay that to you... It's the number 420. Sometimes numbers start appearing often enough to catch our attention. While it is commonly known that 420 is the number representing marijuana, God is working in that number as well. Now watch this.
Jeff woke up at 4:20am (without even realizing it until after the fact) and opened his bible saying, "God, you choose the books," and then began flipping through. He started with Proverbs 4:20 which says, "My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words." Next, he wanted to go to Isaiah but God said, "No, go to Jeremiah" Interestingly enough, Isaiah doesn't have a 4:20. So Jeremiah 4:20 says, "Disaster follows disaster; the whole land lies in ruins. In an instant my tents are destroyed, my shelter in a moment." We're starting to see a story unfold. Now to the New Testiment. Matthew 4:20 "At once they left their nets and followed him." And ending in Romans 4:20 "Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God." How awesome is that?! it's a short story told through 4 books with the same verse in each.

Christ in me

From the moment I was saved, I became complete. As soon as Christ entered me, he became all that I am to where there's no way I can strive to be more. I've already reached perfection. There is nothing I can do to get "closer" to God; He's inside of me. If I strive to do all that I can do religiously, it will be in vain. All I can do is respond to the one true, holy, living God. "I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (Galatians 2:20)

When I act in the flesh, attempting to achieve something for God or for myself spiritually, it always ends in frustration. I as a human have no words persuasive enough and no actions compelling enough to win anyone to Christ. The Holy Spirit is the one who does the work in them. All I can do is be obedient to the promptings of God and His will will be done. There's so much going on in the spiritual realm that we cannot understand. The spirit can be speaking the precise words to someone who we come in contact with, while we are lost for words. It's a beautiful revelation that we are not responsible for the salvation of others, that's God's work. We just allow Him to use us, regardless of how effective we think we are.

Belmopan

It's been a while since I've hoisted any personal stories on here, so I'll fill you in on my trip to Belmopan. First of all, Belmopan is the capital of Belize, located about an hour inland (west of Belize City). To start from the beginning, I have been playing the drums with local artists here and there; fortunately, God has provided work for me doing what I love. However, in order to work legally, it is required that I have a work permit, which at this point I don't have. So, in a moment of realization of the potential repercussions I could be faced with (jail time and hefty fines), I made a quick plan in my head to go to Belmopan to complete one of the steps of that process. Then out of the blue, I received a text from a friend (Israel) who lives in Belmopan, simply wishing me to have a blessed day. Now to interject story number 2...

Me and Israel

Israel Gilharry is a guy who my family met at the air port in Belize City on Christmas day. He noticed them doing a devotion and made his way to talk to them. Low and behold, they hit it off and my parents gave Israel my contact info. Israel was on his way to Kansas City for a conference where he incidentally met a guy from Dallas who happens to be friends with my roommate as we later found out. I don't think the 'small world' saying can take that kind of credit! Back to story number 1...

So Israel texts me and I tell him about my plan to go to Belmopan for the day to get my police record. We arrange that I will arrive Monday morning and contact him once I reach Belmopan from the bus station. A few days go by and my roommate decides to go with me. After thinking it over, we decide to leave on Sunday and spend the night in Belmopan so we can check out the mainland and get everything taken care of in the morning. Beyond that, however, we were just winging it. So Sunday we leave on the water taxi and everything goes smoothly, then we take a regular taxi to the bus station, we get on the bus and head out. I had my phone with me and wanted to text him, but I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to impose on him and make him feel obligated to take care of us when we got there, so I didn't send anything. When we arrive, no sooner than we step outside, I see a guy who catches my attention. I had not yet met Israel but I had seen his picture on Facebook and that looked like him. So I walk up to him and he asks where I'm from. "San Pedro" I told him and he says, "I'm Israel" Ha what?! He didn't know we were going to be there. The spirit prompted him to get on his bike and go. He didn't know where he was going, he just happened to end up at the bus station on Sunday afternoon just as our bus arrived. On top of that, he lost his phone a few days prior, so he wouldn't have received my message if I had let him know we had arrived. It was nifty that he showed up because we didn't have a place to stay and we didn't know where anything was. The town was much smaller than I had pictured it. We went to his church (which is connected to his house) and met a lady who later cooked dinner for us, gave us a bed to sleep in and made us breakfast in the morning. That's serious Belizean hospitality considering we had never even met her before! We now have a Belizean Grandma and brothers in Belmopan. As if that weren't enough, Israel works for the government and knows people who can pull strings. That comes in seriously handy around here. Not only did I get my police record fast, but I didn't have to pay for it, and Cam got his too! So for the rest of the day, we hiked a big hill and then chilled in town then ventured home. And there you have it; God did crazy things today.

Cam, Jess, perry atop a hill

Going not knowing

In "My utmost for his highest" Oswald Chambers addresses a topic that corresponds with my life in a way that it never has before. The topic is "going out without knowing."

"Have you ever 'gone out' in this way? If so, there is no logical answer possible when anyone asks you what you are doing. One of the most difficult questions to answer in Christian work is, "What do you expect to do?" You don't know what you are going to do. The only thing you know is that God knows what He is doing. Continually examine your attitude toward God to see if you are willing to 'go out' in every area of your life, trusting in God entirely. It is this attitude that keeps you in constant wonder, because you don't know what God's going to do next. Each morning as you wake, there is a new opportunity to 'go out,' building your confidence in God. ' ... do not worry about your life... nor about the body...' (Luke 12:22) In other words, don't worry about the things that concerned you before you did 'go out.'"

"He went out not knowing where he was going." Hebrews 11:8

So often people will ask me why I moved to Belize. Usually tourists ask me because they are fascinated with the fact that I just picked up and moved to an island. I continually find myself stumbling for an explanation, but the only real explanation is that God prompted me to stop what I was doing and relocate. He opened all of the doors and now here I am. I wouldn't call myself a "missionary" in the traditional sense, because I believe we are all called to be missionaries no matter where we are. I am simply a minister of Jesus Christ regardless of my location or occupation. I love how mysterious God is. A friend once told me, "God's not a recipe, he's a mystery." And it's so true.

In times of Trial

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earth quake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all of the prison doors blew open, and everyone's chains came loose." Acts 16:25-26

Sometimes in our trials we beg God to deliver us from our situation, with the focus being on ourselves and our well being. God, however, already knows our situation and what we need better than we do. When we don't know how to go before Him in these times, we need to remember who He is and respond to that, because He doesn't change like our shifting circumstances. Always praise God for who he is, not just for that which can change in an instant. With praise and worship to God comes freedom in the most trying times.

"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." Matthew 6:7-8