Preaching Frenzy :)

Sorry it has taken so long to get back to the blog.... I am pretty sure when I started this thing, I didn't think I would actually stick with it this long. Most of the missionaries told me I would give it up after a couple of weeks - just like they did. Now, I look forward to sharing all the things God is doing with us here in the South. Friday started the weekend off with a bang. I had an opportunity to travel 80 km to a place called Castanhal. The municipal was started when a bunch of rich people decided they wanted to have their own place to live. So they packed their things and began construction. Today, Castanhal is a nice little place to go. One of the towns local churches opened their doors for us to do an evangelistic/ church training event. There was an amazing skit done by the JOCUM team that included some pretty dangerous, but muito ligal (very cool) stunts. Afterward, I preached a sermon that the Lord placed on my heart very quickly. In an earlier post I mentioned that plans in Brazil are hard to make- and even harder to keep. This trip was no different. About an hour before I was to be on stage, I found out that I was not doing what I thought I would be doing. Originally, I had planned on teaching the evangelism model to a small group from the church. Turned out, I was preaching a sermon to the church. The Lord spoke to me and I wrote as fast as I could. The sermon turned out pretty cool and extremely applicable even to my own life. I shared the excuses Moses made when God appeared to Him to deliver His people from the clutches of Pharaoh, and how when God calls us we also make excuses.

I didn't get much sleep that night. Around 1 am I heard a somewhat loud clanging noise that woke me up. I realized it was the gate to the church. I sat up and listened. I didn't hear anything, but the large fan we had on high in the room probably helped with that. Moments later, I saw a shadow slip underneath the door. Someone walked by. Moments later they returned. I figured it was just a person from the church or something, but I couldn't convince myself of that enough to go back to sleep. After all the stories you hear about missionaries getting kidnapped and held for ransom, and robbed, and who knows what else I just decided to stay awake. I have definitely developed a new respect for Psalms 91:11, "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways".

Liz and I took a little break on Saturday. We slept in and just hung out together. We neglect that too much I think in our lives.

Sunday, that was a different story! I am preaching the English Service full-time now at AVA. It is really a very unique opportunity to reach some pretty influential people here in Belem for the Gospel of Christ. I will have to share some stories in the posts to come.... Anyway, the English Service went well, but Liz and I had to jet out quick afterward to make it to another church on time. We traveled with an IMB family to the church they are attending while serving here in Belem. The pastor and his family are incredible people and we had been looking forward to the opportunity to share with the believers there for a few weeks now.  We were finally able to make it and the service was great. The event reminded me of how small the world really is though. The church was actually started and built by Spartanburg First Baptist! How cool is it that the 1st Baptist Church from my parents town in SC started a church that I spoke at in Belem, Brazil!? Anyway, God continues to work through us as your prayers, support, and sacrifices allow us to move forward in His Will for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ here in Brazil. God Bless!