Well, we finally finished our first newsletter. It's a great relief to have it done and mailed. We spent some time as a family praying about mailing out the letters and gave everything to God. It's exciting to know that He will provide what we need to serve Him in Peru. We will be there in His time.
Peru Mission Newsletter #1revised
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Doris"mimi" Lewis
4/18/13-11/13/09
We are sad that my grandmother is no longer here with us, but we began grieving for her almost fifteen years ago. She had a long fight against Alzheimer's disease, and now she is with her Lord and Savior. I can't help but be so happy for her. She is now perfected in glory. She is worshipping beside her husband. And now she will be able to remember her wonderful life and her four boys. She is whole again.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Procrastinating
It's been a while since our last post, and a lot of things have happened since then. Things like work, school, church, kids, swine flu, kids with swine flu.
Good times.
Oh, and we found out that we have been accepted to the Christian Missionary Society for a four year commitment to ministry in Peru!!!! Praise God! We waited for what seemed to be forever. God's timing is perfect and I have no doubts that there is a reason for this lesson in patience. It's just been hard because we are so excited about what He is doing in us.
The strange thing is that now that we are finally cleared, I feel almost paralyzed. We have people to contact, letters to write, things to do on the house, and so many other "details" to attend to. And despite my natural tendency to "get the job done" I find myself procrastinating and struggling.
Many people have warned us that Satan's attacks are strongest when God is moving someone out of complacency and into action. I agree with this, but I really think that right now I am my own worst enemy. I am really struggling with the idea that I am going to be a missionary. I see the sin and hypocrisy in my life. I see my own shortcomings and I want to give up. I wonder many times a day "What am I thinking?" "Why should I think that I am the man for this?" My own resounding answer is always that I am not the man I need to be. That my life is a big lie.
The amazing thing is that my thoughts about myself are true. I am not the man I need to be - on my own strength. God has shown me over and over again this past month that Peru is not about me. It is not about what I can do for Peru mission. It is not about what I cannot do for Peru Mission. It is not about me and my abilities at all. Christ has brought men to His Church in Peru to serve and equip His body there. He is bringing me to Peru to serve His Church as well. This is His ministry through me. My insufficiency only serves to magnify the sufficiency of His grace. Though I procrastinate and struggle, and though I am not the man I need to be, His Will will be accomplished. In spite of me.
"He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.' " (1 Corinthians 1:30, 31)
Good times.Oh, and we found out that we have been accepted to the Christian Missionary Society for a four year commitment to ministry in Peru!!!! Praise God! We waited for what seemed to be forever. God's timing is perfect and I have no doubts that there is a reason for this lesson in patience. It's just been hard because we are so excited about what He is doing in us.
The strange thing is that now that we are finally cleared, I feel almost paralyzed. We have people to contact, letters to write, things to do on the house, and so many other "details" to attend to. And despite my natural tendency to "get the job done" I find myself procrastinating and struggling.
Many people have warned us that Satan's attacks are strongest when God is moving someone out of complacency and into action. I agree with this, but I really think that right now I am my own worst enemy. I am really struggling with the idea that I am going to be a missionary. I see the sin and hypocrisy in my life. I see my own shortcomings and I want to give up. I wonder many times a day "What am I thinking?" "Why should I think that I am the man for this?" My own resounding answer is always that I am not the man I need to be. That my life is a big lie.
The amazing thing is that my thoughts about myself are true. I am not the man I need to be - on my own strength. God has shown me over and over again this past month that Peru is not about me. It is not about what I can do for Peru mission. It is not about what I cannot do for Peru Mission. It is not about me and my abilities at all. Christ has brought men to His Church in Peru to serve and equip His body there. He is bringing me to Peru to serve His Church as well. This is His ministry through me. My insufficiency only serves to magnify the sufficiency of His grace. Though I procrastinate and struggle, and though I am not the man I need to be, His Will will be accomplished. In spite of me.
"He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.' " (1 Corinthians 1:30, 31)
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
No. 1
If you asked me a year ago if I would ever consider packing up my family and my possessions and moving to another country, my answer would have been a most definite "no". And I probably would have laughed at you. But you see, the amazing thing is that now I can't wait to do just that. God has opened my heart to the people of Peru and most important, opened my wife's heart to the idea of moving to Peru.
Hudson Taylor, missionary to China, once said "God isn't looking for people of great faith, but for individuals willing to follow Him." I am ashamed to say that in the day to day, many would not look at me as a man of great faith. And, in truth, I am weak and corrupt to the core. But, one of the most amazing things about our Lord is that He delights in using broken and incapable individuals to accomplish His will. And, in spite of the darkness and hardness of my heart, God is using us to minister to the people of Northern Peru.
We are in the final stages of a series of approvals leading to a four year commitment with Peru Mission in Trujillo and Cajamarca, Peru. Peru Mission is a holistic church planting ministry targeting the major cities of northern Peru. As a true church planting ministry, Peru Mission is working alongside Peruvian parish churches in their own communities. "Through pastoral ministry, relief work, leadership training, university ministry, parish day-schools, and economic development, the Lord is building strong, vibrant parish churches that are not only becoming self-sustaining and self-propagating, but also actively involved in bringing God's justice, mercy, and peace to the world around them." (perumission.org) Their desire is to see the gospel spread and to see the transformation and renewal that only the gospel of Jesus Christ can bring.
Hudson Taylor, missionary to China, once said "God isn't looking for people of great faith, but for individuals willing to follow Him." I am ashamed to say that in the day to day, many would not look at me as a man of great faith. And, in truth, I am weak and corrupt to the core. But, one of the most amazing things about our Lord is that He delights in using broken and incapable individuals to accomplish His will. And, in spite of the darkness and hardness of my heart, God is using us to minister to the people of Northern Peru.
We are in the final stages of a series of approvals leading to a four year commitment with Peru Mission in Trujillo and Cajamarca, Peru. Peru Mission is a holistic church planting ministry targeting the major cities of northern Peru. As a true church planting ministry, Peru Mission is working alongside Peruvian parish churches in their own communities. "Through pastoral ministry, relief work, leadership training, university ministry, parish day-schools, and economic development, the Lord is building strong, vibrant parish churches that are not only becoming self-sustaining and self-propagating, but also actively involved in bringing God's justice, mercy, and peace to the world around them." (perumission.org) Their desire is to see the gospel spread and to see the transformation and renewal that only the gospel of Jesus Christ can bring.
I have been involved in some form of construction for the past ten years. I have always loved working with my hands to create and construct. God has always provided for us bountifully and I am so thankful. Despite my "success", my desire has always been to do whatever God wants me to do. After almost a year now God has made it clear that He wants us in Peru.
Peru Mission has been blessed by the Lord and is growing incredibly. There are currently three established churches that Peru Mission is partnering with and one that is rapidly becoming established in another parish of Trujillo. The churches and Ministry are in need of more buildings to house the various aspects of their ministries. Until now the men involved with the ministry have been coordinating and directing construction for the buildings. These men are much more gifted in other areas and it seems as if God has brought me to this to serve these men and these churches. We will be going to Trujillo to serve alongside the team in several key areas:
1) I will be serving as the construction manager, coordinating between the churches and the ministry for various construction projects.
2) I will be coordinating and leading short term teams as they come to serve the people of Peru through construction.
3) I will be discipling the men that I will work with on a daily basis.
4) I will be assisting in Parish woodshop when time permits.
Once approved we will begin raising suppport with the hopes of starting language school in fall 2011. We need partners in this ministry. Please pray for us in this endeavor and if you are able, please send us.
-Please pray that God would provide our financial support, but even more that He would continue to form and mold me to be the man that He needs me to be.
-Please pray that God would prepare Juliana and I and the kids for language school and the move.
-Please pray that God would protect Juliana and the baby inside her.
-Please pray that God would help us prepare to leave, specifically, selling our house and filling out all of the necessary paperwork.
Please also check out the websites:
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