“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭5‬ ‭

Hello, Barek here! We are both so excited to welcome you to our conjoined newsletter. It is wild when we look back to over a year ago; we were communicating through email about CSOM, Araceli as an office admin and myself as a student, looking to set-up this very newsletter account! The same now as He did then, God has plans for us, and we can’t wait to share with you what has taken place the last few months. Thank you again for your prayers, support, and messages of encouragement!

One constant lesson among many that has been on my mind is how unworthy I am of all that God is doing in my life; what He has called me to, the woman that He has called me to love. The closer I draw to Him, the more grateful I am. Araceli and I are daily realizing more and more that He is sanctifying both of us through this relationship, through ministry, through study, through service, through failures and successes. But it is one of the greatest freedoms in Christ; knowing that we are inadequate for any good work in our own strength. This truth frees us up to get out of the way and watch Him use us, not in spite of, but rather through our weaknesses. Pray for us to remember this as we grow in Christ together!

I, Araceli, had the opportunity a week ago to pray over Jane. I loved her customer service and I decided to let her know about it because I wanted to encourage her. I then asked her how I can pray for her. This lead her to open up and tell me she’s been backsliding and she is having a difficult time because she’s moving out of her parents home. I was able to pray over her and invite her to young adults at my church. I am an awe of God because He knew that Jane needed this and I love being used by Him.

I was able to serve at a Voice of the Refugees event. The Lord reminded me of the heart He has given me for refugees. After Israel and having gone through the war the Lord began to do a work in my heart towards Muslims. I was always shut down to the idea of ministering to Muslims or going to the Middle East, because if you have read my previous newsletters, you’d know I have had a desire to go to an unreached, tribal country where no one has ever heard the name of Jesus; but the Lord is working on my heart, and I am open to whatever He wants! Barek and I are praying about going to the Middle East in October, and Lord willing, He will make a way.

New Opportunity

I am excited that I will be taking over Saving Grace World Missions instagram! This was something the Lord gave me a desire for; He has been giving me ideas to expose what our church is doing in fulfilling the Great Commission. I can’t wait for what the Lord will bring from this!

Barek here again! Among a few incredible opportunities that the Lord has led us into, one was being able to teach at the Young Adults camping retreat in San Clemente. It was a great weekend of beautiful weather, great teaching through Ephesians, and nights of worship. I was asked to teach a morning devotion on Colossians 3:1-3, setting our minds where Christ is seated! I am excited for opportunities like these, as they come. It is so easy for me to get in my head of if I know enough to teach, or if I am in the right place, etc.; the bottom line is, walk in the Lord’s will, be available, and He will put things in Your path, good works that He wants you to do; they have nothing to do with me or you or how adequate we are, just with how faithful we are.

Another cool answer to prayer that I’ve seen is how the Lord has been moving in our life group. This past week we had 19 people! Life groups have provided fellowship within the body in such an awesome way; it is held at my parents home. It’s been special to see how the Lord has given them both such hearts to host and welcome everyone who comes, to show them the love of Christ. I had the privileged opportunity to lead the small group discussions at these life groups for a couple of weeks. It was a special time of discussing the word, as Pastor Trent teaches through 1 Samuel on Sundays; it is also a really cool opportunity to see how leading a small group Bible study may very well look someday on the mission field! I have no doubt that the Lord is preparing Araceli and I for this in more ways than we even notice. We are so grateful.

Praise Reports

• Araceli’s mom began reading the bible! This has been one of Araceli’s prayer request for months
• For the opportunities we have had and the Lord opening doors
• For life groups and the fellowship

Prayer Request

• We are launching a business stay tuned for the next newsletter where we will talk more about it
• That we would grow in humility
• For provision for going on a vision tour to the Middle East

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter! We appreciate your support through prayers and ask that you continue to seek the Lord with us in regards to this calling on our lives. If you feel led to partner with us financially, with a one-time or a recurring gift, it would be such a great blessing. there is a giving link below! God bless you, and please reach out with any questions or encouragements.

Til’ Kingdom come,

It has been a little while since my last newsletter, right before leaving for Southeast Asia; I have been back for a few weeks now and I am excited to share all that has happened! I want to first thank all of you for reading my newsletter, praying, and partnering with me as I continue to seek the Lord and train for full-time missions work.

BALI and EAST JAVA

Getting to visit these islands in Indonesia, seeing the culture, interacting with those in local ministry, and witnessing the darkness of the dominant religions has altogether left me with quite a lot to process in this season. A lot of people have asked me what I thought of the region, if I feel called or if I want to go back. The one thing I can say for certain is that there is so much spiritual darkness there, and the gospel is needed; Jesus Christ is needed.

In Bali, where the team spent the majority of our time, we witnessed more Hindu statues than I could possibly have guessed coming into the trip. Quite literally every single corner (every single household) had a shrine or a temple of some kind. The architecture of these is always eerie and off-putting, and as you can see below, the statues are blatantly horrific and demonic. The people on this island most likely do not realize that they are enslaved to these rituals and practices; they live in fear of these ‘gods’ and nearly every aspect of their lives is dictated by this fear. The spiritual darkness is so evident.

In spite of the darkness, the Lord opened so many doors to work with local ministries. Though many of them differ in their approaches to missions, there was an opportunity to share the vision that Saving Grace World Missions takes straight from the book of Acts, aptly called “The Purpose of the Church.” I first heard this in the School of Missions, and through it God has given me a theological, and more importantly, Biblical conviction of my role in fulfilling the Great Commission. I’d love to share this vision of evangelizing and discipling the nations, through church-planting, if any one of you has questions!

Visiting East Java provided our team with such an awesome opportunity, in that we not only were we able to see a predominantly Hindu culture in Bali, but also a predominantly Muslim culture. As soon as the ferry pulled into the East Java harbor we could see multiple mosques from which we would soon hear incessant calls to prayer. In all honesty, the darkness in this island was more palpable than what we encountered in Bali, despite the fact that we spent only three days in Java. On a personal note, I developed some kind of an infection that hit me full force while on this island, as I came down with a fever, sore throat, and strange ankle pain. Though the warfare was happening, I had a peace and a sense of gratitude for my team and my calling. This trip was just a taste of what cross-cultural missions is like, of what culture-shock feels like, and of what my everyday world may eventually look like! Don’t worry, I am not deterred.

The darkness of these places and the lostness of these people does not dissuade me but rather emboldens me in the LORD. If I could summarize what I saw in one word it would be bondage. I encountered so many people in bondage; whether it was a local Balinese woman whirling and breathing in incense to a ‘god’ at a food altar on the street, or a Javanese Muslim wailing a call to prayer in the streets with incessant and depressing repetition, or even if it was the tourists coming to indulge and seek empty lusts and thrills. Yes I encountered bondage, but I’ve never felt so free in Christ, in a unique and strange way. There was a time in my life when the bondage of these people would’ve either gone over my head, or it would’ve been rationally compartmentalized as something other than exactly what it is; they are enslaved to their sin nature, as I once was. They need to hear the gospel! They need to personally know the victory that is in Jesus Christ, a victory that remains always and resounds forever.

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

IN OTHER NEWS

Upon returning from Indonesia, the Lord has guided me in taking an exciting new step of faith. This past weekend I got engaged! I met Araceli over a year ago and together we have sought the Lord in our relationship, and have both felt it confirmed that we are called to reach the nations together; where and when we don’t know, but we trust Him and His plans, which He and He alone has always been faithful to guide us through. In each other, the Lord has given us both a helper, as Eve was given to Adam in Genesis 2. Please pray for us as we seek the Lord together in this season of engagement and with the missions program as we seek to spread the gospel, by the power of the Holy Spirit. God is faithful!

Thank you for reading this; I hope to continue to connect with you all, and please reach out to me with any questions about the trip, the next steps, or anything!

PRAYER REQUESTS

• For myself and everyone on the teams, both to Japan and to Indonesia; that we’d continue to unpack everything with the Lord and that He’d burden our hearts for these specific countries, if it be His sovereign will.
• For continued growth in His word and in the work that He has for me as I continue to seek to be used by Him in ministry.
• For my fiancé and I as we enter into this season of engagement, seeking the Lord, and eventually planning our wedding with Him in every detail!
• For a job, as I am currently looking for the best option given where I’m at and what the future holds.

PRAISE REPORTS

• For the victory that we have in Christ, always and forever!
• For God’s continual guidance and provision through my anxiety; He has shown His sovereignty so many times, I am learning and re-learning that He gives me no reason to doubt His love or His promises.
• For the amazing and eye-opening trip to Indonesia.
• For this new season of engagement!

It’s been too long, but I’m excited to be here writing my first newsletter of 2024! 2023 was a year of God’s faithfulness in ways that I can’t even begin to fully describe, but those of you who know me know this! To think where my heart was, my head was, not more than a year or so ago; all I can say is that God is faithful, so faithful. Missions wasn’t a blip on my radar, let alone all else that has come about. There is a lot going on, so I am eager to share with you all, family, friends, and followers, what His continued faithfulness looks like right now.

As mentioned, 2023 was a blessing of a year, and the way it played out was something I could never have predicted. Among the many things that the Lord gave me this last year, one of the most special blessings has been the church family at Calvary Chapel Saving Grace. It is a place, a body, a group of believers where to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). Something that came to my mind recently is how special it is to be in the Lord’s will, exactly where He wants you. In this, you so clearly see just some of the ways in which He perfectly moves and works all things for His glory and for your benefit, but you also get to see His movements in the lives of those around you; it is not about any one of us, and it’s not even about all of us! All glory, honor, and power is His. There is a fellowship in Christ that the world desperately longs for, so many just don’t know. Oh to taste and see that He is good!

Missions Training School

The Missions Training School at Calvary Chapel Saving Grace has been such a change of pace to my schedule, one that I am still adjusting to, but it is an invaluable resource, and the Lord is moving in this place. I am grateful… I’m grateful for the hours of sermons that we listen to, the many books on teaching, missions, the heart of God, the growth in learning to study properly, learning to teach God’s Word, and learning the importance of availability in ministry. The school is teaching me the importance of commitments, in a new way. Answering to man is one thing, and we ought to represent the faithfulness of the Lord in all our dealing with one another, but how much more ought we to hold to our commitments before the Lord, in light of who He is and all of His faithfulness?

1 Samuel 13:14 – “The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart…”

I feel called to missions, I know this, but I do not know where in this world or when. One thing that is clear to me is that I want to be like David, a man after God’s heart. Through our studies in 1 & 2 Samuel, it has been made more and more clear to me that no country, people group, or achievement for the kingdom of Heaven can be the goal. My call to missions, my call to ministry, my call to anything is only a call; yes I must obey, and yes I must work out my salvation, I must walk in faith. But the goal is always the same, the goal is Jesus, even when that goal feels like sacrifice. Just as Jesus prayed, “…not My will but Yours be done,” so I seek to daily pursue His will. There is nothing better than Him, so my will is rendered dead before His; what a joy!

In the passage mentioned above, the kingdom of Israel is taken from Saul and given to David. What is a man after God’s heart? It is a man who loves the Lord with all of his heart, mind, and soul. A man after God’s heart is one who knows that the LORD is the goal, and that He is the only love; all else falls where it will, but the Lord is his all and his only. This kind of man knows what he has, the sweet inheritance of heaven, yes! But what’s more, this kind of man has a relationship with the Almighty, and nothing else should matter more. As I mentioned at the beginning, missions wasn’t on my radar not much more than a year ago, but God has led me here; how will He not perfectly keep me and sustain me through what His will has yet to reveal? How could I doubt? I pray to be a man after God’s heart, not a man after his own idea of God’s heart. The real thing is what it’s all about, and I pray that all of you can know this… our goal is for the whole world to hear, to hear of the love of Jesus Christ, for He is the one and only way to life, and even better, to communion with the Father.

Indonesia

In three weeks we have a team flying out to Indonesia. It is going to be an incredible time of seeking the LORD and seeing firsthand what the books and classes have only told us about! It is going to be a time of seeking God’s will for our lives and for the lost people groups of Southeast Asia, all for the sake of the gospel being spread. It is a part of the world where darkness is evident; spiritual blindness, misguided religions, and hopelessness will surely be palpable. But greater is He who is in me than He who is in the world (1 John 4:4); we could not ask for a greater confidence than that our God goes before us, and that His work on the cross has defeated the power of sin; His ascension has defeated death! The world must know, and so we go.

I have purchased plane tickets, but for what we’ll be doing on the ground I am still in need of around $700. I have no concerns, as I know that the Lord will provide all that I need as I need it, as He always has. Should any of you feel led to partner with me financially, the link is attached below! Your prayers are absolutely essential. Prayers for the people of Indonesia who’ve never heard the gospel, prayers for the leaders of this team as they seek to ensure that our time is spent well before the LORD, and for us team members, that our hearts are set after God alone, our ears open to His voice, our eyes fixed upon Him, our hands open to do His work, as our feet take us where the Light of Christ has never shined.

“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.”

In the same vain of thought as mentioned before, the beauty of God being all that He is is that His ways overwhelm my ways, and His heart overwhelms my heart. Psalm 63:3 says, “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.” The lovingkindness of God is better than life; His presence is the fullness of joy, and He is always present. I pray for myself, the team, the body at Saving Grace, and every one of you reading this, for rest in the grace of God. The freedom of the verse above lies in the truth that this world is not my home; my home is the House of the LORD, where I will dwell forever (Psalm 23), thanks be to God. Until then I am here to be used exactly as the Father wills, in order to bring as many as will hear His voice and follow Jesus into His glorious presence. There’s one Way, one Truth, and one Life, and His name is Jesus Christ. I’ll gladly wear His name.

If any of you have questions, concerns, or need prayer, I am available and, more importantly, I’d love to hear from you and talk with you! Thank you for your continued support and prayers.

PRAISE REPORTS:

• The LORD’s faithfulness in this past year; using all circumstances to remind me of my desperate need for Him, and then to lead me into deeper fellowship with Him and His people.
• The vision tour to Indonesia; the LORD’s faithful leading, and His making a way for the gospel in the wilderness of Southeast Asia.

PRAYER REQUESTS

• For the people of Indonesia; that the LORD would bind the enemy, and that the name of Jesus would sweep through their hearts like a mighty wind!
• For the warfare that has already started for myself and the team. God is absolutely in control.
• For the remaining finances that I need; the LORD will always provide.
• For my heart to be after the LORD, in all things, all seasons, all places, always!

Hello to you all, family and friends! I’m excited to be in the middle of the holidays, spending more time fellowshipping and thanking God for His grace towards us. Praise God for this country, for our provisions, and for the freedom to fellowship in His name; I pray that these opportunities always point us back to Him, and the greater purpose of love that is always behind His giving and taking away! I haven’t written a newsletter in some time, and as always, there are praises to report and prayer requests. The Lord has given me eyes to see His sovereign hand working all things for His glory, and I’m excited to share these insights with all of you.

MISSIONS TRAINING SCHOOL

MTS has kicked off, and so far it’s been exciting and fruitful. I’m grateful for the individuals that we get to hear from, men and women serving all over the world, living out the same love and passion that we have to reach the “ends of the earth”; we have true fellowship with them in the gospel. We’ve had workers in the field come in and share from South Asia, South America and the Middle-East, most recently. In all the variety of their ministries and settings, a common theme between all of them that stood out to me was humility. They were all individuals who had their own directions and prerogatives in life, with missions not even on their radar; but God grabbed a hold of their hearts and showed them a greater purpose, the same purpose He has for every one of us; to know Him AND to make Him known.

In addition to the classes and numerous ministry service opportunities that the school is providing, I am also preparing for a vision tour that was mentioned in my previous newsletter. The vision tour will be to Bali, Indonesia, and it will provide myself and the team with a first-hand experience of what the work of missions looks like in a completely foreign culture. From weather, language, and food to social customs and expectations, I fully expect to be shocked and to learn a lot. Seeking the Lord, His will, and His heart for the people of Southeast Asia will be the central goal of the trip, and I can’t ask enough for prayer for our team, in preparation and in spiritual fortitude, as the trip is being planned for February!

SHARING THE GOSPEL, HERE AND NOW

“They will come and will declare His righteousness to a people who will be born that He has performed it.” (Psalm 22:31)

I mentioned in the previous newsletter that I have had and continue to get opportunities from the Lord to live out the gospel here and now. As much as I plan, pray and look to the future, to the foreign lands that have NEVER even heard the name of Jesus, there is also a purpose to where I am right now, and the same is true for you! There are good works that the Lord has set aside for here and now, and these have become more evident, the more that I die to self and act off of faith and not off of feelings. I have been able to take steps like these in going to the college outreaches through the church, and on certain weekends, to beaches in Orange County. This is a process, and I’m making mistakes left and right, but there is nothing greater than walking in God’s will, with no confidence in myself to make anything miraculous happen, but full confidence in Him. He always meets us right where we step out, perhaps we feel fear or uncertainty, but we still step in faith! It is His will that we give as freely as we have received. With that in mind, I have one invaluable gift to offer to absolutely anyone that I encounter; rather, God has an invaluable gift to offer through me, and that is the good news of Jesus Christ and His work on the cross! The cross is where Jesus performed His amazing love!

The conversations that I have had the privilege of being a part of have been incredible. I’ve spoken with individuals from all kinds of backgrounds, religiously, socially, etc.; I had a 40-minute dialogue with a kind and intelligent Muslim man named Zach. He is new to his faith in Islam, and though he has basic foundational knowledge of it, he was interested in hearing what the Bible says about who Jesus really is; I had the honor of sharing just that with him, as the Spirit gave me the words to work with him through his many deep and earnest questions. I hope to meet him again soon at the next outreach to Fullerton JC! Check out Pastor Nick’s podcast and YouTube channel (Convinced Ministries; Instagram: @askingconvinced) for this interview soon to come, and a lot of other great content, all glory to God. At Laguna Beach, Carter (a brother and a partner in the gospel) and I got the opportunity to spend a couple hours talking with a homeless woman named Barbara. Though very scarred by her past and spiritual abuse, she was friendly, alert, engaging and gentle in dialogue. Simply seeing that two young men cared for her, and enjoyed her company was a testament to how beloved she is, to Jesus and to us, and it’s our prayer that she recognize that, and that we get to see her again.

With these as just a couple examples of some of the opportunities that the Lord has sovereignly provided, my joy and confidence is in simply casting the seed (the gospel), and seeing the Lord do exactly what He wills when He wills, then getting me out of the way so He can continue HIS work; He knows what He’s doing, with or without us! It’s His loving heart that He should desire for us to be a part of it.

Thank you to all of you who prayed after reading the last newsletter; the Lord answered, and continues to answer. Should any of you feel led to partner with me, in prayer, financially, or in serving the Kingdom, please reach out!

PRAISE REPORTS

• MTS starting strong and already revealing God’s heart for us to be equipped for His work.
• For the Lord speaking clearly regarding what my next steps are in the near future.
• For the awesome divine appointments that have taken place while witnessing.

PRAYER REQUESTS

• For Zach to keep seeking the truth about Jesus, and for Godly men and women to be available to minister to him; myself included, Lord willing!
• For Barbara to know how loved she is, and always has been; that she would let go of the lies and look to Jesus.
• For more love and boldness in seeking and taking up opportunities to share the gospel.
• For the teams going to Japan and Indonesia to seek the Lord’s will in the coming months, and to trust His sovereignty.

Hello to all my family and friends! Im excited to be writing this newsletter, and to be sharing the incredibly exciting things that the Lord is doing in my life, post CSOM. I can attest that He has been faithful to continually show me my great need and desire for His constant presence. There have certainly been trials in this season, but I praise and thank Him for them, as they perpetually lead me to understand more and more just how sovereign God truly is. While in an abandoned tower on the Baja beach front, I felt the Lord give me a passage of scripture to work through with Him. The passage, in Genesis 32, is where Jacob becomes Israel, and it has been an awesome reminder as of late. Just as he was given a limp, a thorn in the flesh, with which he had to walk for the rest of his life, that same blow brought him to the place of pure faith in God and God alone to fulfill the promise given to him by God. I pray to welcome the thorns in the flesh as they come, inasmuch as I cease from catching heels and instead have faith in God to fight my battles.

“How pleased would you and I be to go halting all our days with such a weakness as Jacob had, if we might also have the blessing that he thus won!” – Spurgeon

IN THE NEAR FUTURE

Starting next month, I will be joining the Missions Training School (MTS) at CC Saving Grace. It can be thought of as a continuation of the training that started at the Calvary School of Missions, with a lot more opportunities to learn and serve in many aspects of ministry, and to connect with the body of the church. MTS will provide more classes, and even teaching opportunities, as well as opportunities for leaning into the Lord’s direction for my life in going about His work. In addition to starting at the MTS, I am also excited to be joining a team going to Japan for a vision tour in late January 2024! A vision tour to Indonesia is being planned as well, directly to follow the tour to Japan. These kinds of opportunities are an incredible gift from God, as we seek not only His heart but also His will for the unreached. More on both of these trips will be shared with you all in the coming weeks!

I don’t have a specific country, region, or people group on my heart, but rather I know that I want to be used to be a witness to Christ to the ends of the earth. With that in my heart, whether or not I feel called to a specific country upon stepping foot on the ground, I know that God is going to use these vision tours to teach me and show me so many things that I’ve yet to learn or even consider. The prayer is that He breaks our hearts with what breaks His, and leads us into fulfilling these words of Jesus; “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another,” (John 13:34).

IN THE MEANTIME

There is a ministry at CC Saving Grace called Convinced, led by Pastor Nick. Going every Thursday to either Fullerton JC or to Cal State Fullerton, he is looking to take the gospel to any and all on these campuses, and it is a work of the Holy Spirit. I had the honor of accompanying him this past week, and though I confess to having a fleshly spirit of timidity in these circumstances, I have complete faith that we receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon us to be witnesses to Christ (Acts 1:8). I’ve never felt such a calling to be bold in my faith here and now. It is one thing to look with excitement, fear and faith in where God is leading me to spread the gospel throughout the world, but it is another thing to admit that He also has a mission field right before me, right here among the secular campuses of universities in Southern California. I share this in part to hopefully spark the same conviction that God has been speaking to me, but also so that you who read this hold me accountable! My spirit is surely willing, but my flesh is incredibly weak, so I beseech and ask that you beseech the Lord of the harvest to send workers into HIS harvest field (Matthew 9:37-38); where He guides, He provides. Engaging in discourse with these souls on these campuses is not man against man, or our values and beliefs against theirs; it is the God of the living universe reaching out to the lost whom He so loved, and, “… we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us;” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Thank you all for your prayers and support. I feel led to share one last thing, and I know it’s a truth that is for myself just as much as anyone else right now. Our service to the Kingdom of heaven is not accomplished in spite of undesirable circumstances or painful trials; rather, it should be elevated by such things, as God manifests His great strength in our great weakness.

PRAISE REPORTS

• The season that I have been called in to; immediate opportunities to share the gospel.
• The next steps that God has been faithful to provide.
• The unchanging truth that we can have peace in the midst of storms.

PRAYER REQUESTS

• For every student and staff member of MTS to be in prayer and to be prepared going into next month.
• For everyone going on the vision tours to Japan and Indonesia to trust in God’s timing and will throughout each respective process.
• For the hearts of any and all who we will encounter on the college campuses to be good and fertile ground, ready to receive the good news of Jesus Christ.

6 weeks in Mexico have come and gone, and I’m now at a beach in Baja, California. This past week’s sequence of traveling, lack of sleep, and stomach discomfort are all a blur, and yet there has been solid ground beneath every step I’ve taken; the best thing about that, what I’ll describe as blessed assurance, is that it’s more than a feeling, which is fleeting. To know Jesus Christ is to live, and yet the grace of God does not cease there; as the Son alone knows the Father, we are invited to know the Father, solely by way of the Son. This is amazing grace; this is the infinite (God) reaching down to the finite (you and I). Furthermore, we get to imitate Christ, being His hands and feet in reaching out, inviting the lost to life, and to communion with God. We’re given the privilege of joining in the greatest cause this world has ever known.

Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: …“O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:1a ;25-26).

THE KUARE TRIBE

We took the trip up a mountain last weekend, spending three days with the Kuare tribe. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and as you can imagine, there was a lot of uncertainty and plenty of discomfort, but that blessed assurance was among each and every one of us; thanks be to God, and thank you for your prayers. We partnered with Pastor Antonio and members of Calvary Culiacán. Though the drive up was straight through the night, we were immediately greeted by the Kuare children, as warm and playful as could be.

The weekend was full of too many stories to be shared in this one newsletter, but we got the incredible opportunity to be a part of one step in the much grander operation of reaching this beloved people group. In order to truly penetrate a culture with the gospel, as I mentioned in my last newsletter, there must be full-time missions (church-planting). There is currently no church or discipleship program for the handful of converts in the Kuare tribe; the prayer request remains that God would raise up individuals to live amongst them, equipped and prepared to plant a church and live the Gospel, day in and day out.

Though only there for three days, we were able to do multiple outreaches, going from house to house with clothes and blankets, finding opportunities to serve and praying with each household. On Sunday we held a brief devotional on John 3:16, taught by Pastor Antonio, which was then translated into Kuare by a local.

Our goal of joining in the process of reaching this tribe was by showing them the love of Christ. We spoke hardly any of their language but a few phrases, and the primary form of communication was some Spanish with those who spoke it. In spite of our legitimate time and resource restraints, we got to show the Kuare tribe that they are deeply loved by us, and I believe that they most definitely understood as much. The next goal is to continue reaching them in whatever ways God continues to provide, with the purpose of showing them the why behind the love we have and share; “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19).

The time down in Mexico is over, and I’m so beyond excited for what is next. Life in Christ is life with inexpressible purpose, the only true purpose, and that blessed assurance, found no where else. If you’ve ever longed for purpose, look no further than the cross; though I’ve heard this phrase for most of my life, it is indeed God who truly grants this knowledge to the heart, and He has done so for me. There is a song by a 90s Christian band (Audio Adrenaline) that my brother and I grew up listening to. I remember my Mom would tell me that this song was about me. In truth it’s about every one of us who has a personal relationship with Christ; it’s about showing that light in this world, standing apart for something infinitely greater than yourself; “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). The song is called Jesus and the California Kid. I’ll end with these lines from the song, which I pray could be said of me, by the grace of God.

He’s got a personal life with Jesus,
and he walks on the narrow path…

PRAISE REPORTS

• The successful outreach to the tribe.
• The Spirit moving throughout these six weeks, bringing a unity in the class.
• The Lord answering prayers throughout the entire process, bringing souls to redemption, and sustaining the class through warfare, sickness, fears, anxiety, contention, etc; Him being greater than all.

PRAYER REQUESTS

• That the Lord would raise up full-time missionaries to plant a church and live amongst the Kuare tribe.
• That my next steps in the service of the Kingdom would be in the Lords will, and His alone.

I was told that newsletter writing would at times be a tedious ordeal, though very necessary; I know I’m knew to all of this, but it’s been very enjoyable thus far. I love to give God the glory for all that’s happening in my life, as it constantly blows my mind, the redirection that His hand has faithfully, patiently brought me through. It’s a promise from His word; “You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” (Psalm 16:11). This promise is of Heaven, and of the life I lead right now, by faith.

Last week, we had the chance to do an outreach to a Rehabilitation Center in Tijuana.  With food, testimonies shared and a powerful message from Jacob, we had a handful of individuals give their lives to the Lord, and we got to pray over them.

The experience was powerful, though it was a lot to take in.  My prayer is that the faith displayed by those we prayed over bears lasting fruit; but the truth is, besides prayer we cannot play a role in discipling them.  This is the reality of short-term missions. There’s no way we can replace the impact of person-to-person discipleship, and fellowship with believers.  As we were packing up and saying goodbye one of the clients of the center asked me if we were coming back.  I didn’t know what to say in response, but I told him we specifically weren’t, but that the school would love to return next summer. It felt like a weak response, but it’s the truth. Other than that all that I could do is ask his name and pray for him.

This is the painful reality of the state of missions today; the ideal would be to see these people on a weekly/daily basis, walking through life with them, all with biblical counsel and discipleship.  But that kind of commitment is far too rare to find in missionaries.  However, that is the way that the vast majority of the world is going to encounter, truly encounter, the gospel of Jesus Christ; not through short-term trips with planned agendas and zero long-term relationship building.  Short-term trips will not reach the unreached.

Here’s an additional painful reality that was shown to me in class this past week… Coca Cola has reached nearly every country in the world. In a brief, but sharp contrast, there are approximately 3.2 billion people who have never been reached with the gospel; people who have no idea who Jesus is.

The Lord has revealed to me that my calling in this life is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, to the ends of the earth; but this is the biblical calling of every Christian; every single one. My prayer is for the unreached to be reached, or as Paul says, “I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named…” (Romans 15:20).  This leads me to the culmination of the 6 weeks that I’ve been spending down here in Rosarito.  On Thursday of this week the team will be heading up a mountain in south-central Mexico to spend a weekend with the Kuare Tribe (an unreached people group).  This is an incredible opportunity to share the gospel with the last, the least, and the lost; not for the sake of their safety, health or earthly comforts, but so that they might count all things as loss for the excellence of knowing Jesus Christ.

Lastly, I’ll share that we attended a massive church-planting conference at Calvary Rosarito. It was a testament to the power of the gospel to reach the nations. Earlier on, in the trip, I was shown the humble beginnings of CC Rosarito; it was special to see the Lord’s hand in their ministries throughout the years, and now the way that they biblically advocate for church-planting. God has generated a movement through them, with over 30 churches sent from them since 2002, not counting the second, third and fourth generation plants. During the weekend, we heard incredible testimonies and messages from a number of passionate, on fire servants of the Kingdom, and God was glorified. The team had the brief opportunity to work in the kitchen and prepare over 500 boxed lunches for the attendants of the conference.

As always, your prayers, messages and support are incredibly encouraging and are answers to prayers. If you feel led to reach out to me for anything please do, whether to ask questions, get involved in supporting, giving a word of encouragement, or to give me your prayer requests (I am always available for these as well). I am excited to share the next newsletter, to report all that the Lord is going to do through the tribe outreach this upcoming weekend. My prayer for all of you is that you see, if you don’t already, what the Lord can and wants to do through any one of us; we need no qualifications, we just need to be available. I encourage all of you to pray this over your lives right now, as I do so, as well; “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24).

Praise Reports

• The Lord empowering people to biblically spread the gospel during the conference this past weekend.
• For those who accepted Jesus at the rehab center to have godly discipleship, and for their faith to bear fruit in keeping with repentance.

Prayer Requests

• For the Kuare tribe to encounter the gospel of Jesus Christ in a powerful way, and for the spiritual warfare to not overwhelm us in this incredible opportunity.
• For the Lord to confirm a region of the world for me to research, showing me a language to learn, and for my heart to break for what breaks His.
• For His joy to truly be our strength, as we know that our treasures are not in this life!

It is now week four down here in Rosarito, and I want to thank all of you for reading these newsletters, praying and supporting this journey, all to the glory of Jesus. It seems like there is still no shortage of incredible (and unpredictable) opportunities that we are all honored and privileged to partake in, week after week; opportunities to live out the gospel in everything we do. This week was a very busy one, in which I was stretched in new ways and the Lord was, as always, faithful to lead and provide.

First, in our week’s reading of The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer I was hit with a powerful quote, not by coincidence. As many of you know, and can read from my previous newsletters, my ‘thorn in the flesh’ is anxiety, which can be broken down as mentally wrestling with a lot of problems that I don’t need to fight or figure out. Tozer says, “Let the seeking man reach a place where life and lips join to say continually, Be exalted, and a thousand minor problems will be solved at once.” To choose to continually look to Christ, despite the immediacy and the emotions of current circumstances, whatever they may be, is to please God. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” This truth should be an anthem for my life, as His faithfulness has quite literally never failed me; though not easy to maintain, by His grace it truly is that simple for us to walk by faith. I have so much more I could share about that topic, as the examples of Israel looking to the bronze snake in order to live, or Peter looking to Christ as he walked on the Sea of Galilee come to mind. But I have to share at least a glimpse of what the past week entailed.

The week was jam packed, and the ministry outreaches were so fruitful. Twice we worked with Calvary Rancho Santa Cruz and their faithful pastor, Martín. The church building is all brand new, with finishing touches still being done on the second and third floors; while checking out the second floor, a friend showed me Martín’s boxing gym, because he also coaches boxing, naturally! He’ll often coach classes for kids and adults there, or do park outreaches where he uses boxing as a means to coach and connect with members of the community; an incredible opportunity to share the gospel. While checking out the setup, Martín came up to me and said, “today, you’re gonna be my disciple,” and before I knew it he put me through a 5-minute Rocky-esque training camp. It was humbling to say the least, but very fun!

This past Saturday we got to partake in an incredible outreach with the Kumayaay tribe. A Church was planted in their community 20 or so years ago. We partnered with the pastor and some local friends and had food, fellowship, testimonies, clothing handouts, and gospel presentations. I had the honor and privilege of giving a message and giving the gospel presentation at the end. Between Saturday and Sunday, Pastor Tim and I each got to teach, and in our prayer for God to use us, we were encouraged to remember that God could speak through a donkey! (Numbers 22:21-39). God answered our prayers, and on Saturday two local men committed their lives to the Lord (Ángel and Fausto); Flesh and blood did not reveal the truth to them but our Father in heaven!

The busy weekend continued with us returning to Calvary Rancho Santa Cruz to run the service and help with all of the ministries. It was an awesome experience, as I was privileged to hop on the drum kit, with Alani leading worship and Caleb playing the keys. I don’t have the specifics on where I’m called on the mission field, but wherever it may be, I want to continue to worship the Lord, greeting His people in songs, hymns, and spiritual songs. It’s one of the best joys of this life. During worship practice, a new friend of mine had some fills he wanted to try out!

In addition to these outreaches and opportunities, we had excellent guest speakers in class this past week; my notes were hectic and scatterbrained, as the Spirit constantly spoke through them in such powerful and impactful ways. Both are current workers in the field, with decades of experience. I’ll end this entry with a lesson that one of the guest speakers (currently working in the Republic of Georgia) shared in his lesson on Christlike Servanthood. I had mentioned the painting in pastor Eddie’s office, of Jesus washing Peter’s feet, from John 13; this same passage was taught in class. In reference to the beauty and simplicity of Jesus’ humility, the speaker said, “It’s really hard to feel better than someone when you wash your feet!” This is the key to regarding others as better than ourselves, as Paul says to the Phillippians! The great commandment of the New Testament, “Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another,” (John 13:34).

Praise Reports

• Angél and Fausto coming to know Christ on Saturday, and all the seeds planted throughout the week.
• The incredible speakers, and all that the Lord showed us through them.
• The unity in Spirit of this group of believers!

Prayer Requests

• For Angél and Fausto to stay connected with the Kumayaay Church; that their faith would bear lasting fruit!
• For each member of our staff and class to continue to trust the Lord in all things as we prepare for the next outreaches.
• For the Lord to hold my complete heart and focus, as He guides me more into His will.
• That His will be done!

Hello to all of my family and friends, following along and supporting through prayers and partnership… grace and peace to you! I’m going to start this newsletter with a passage that the Lord gave me yesterday. You better believe that the Lord has called upon every single one of us down here for such a time as this; through valleys and mountains, peace and warfare, He is our God and His promises are our reality. Never have these truths felt so tested in my own walk than right now; praise God for such pressing and testing of our faith. This passage from Isaiah is an affirmation and a promise that I hope each and every believer can cling to, as I have and will continue to;

“You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its remotest parts and said to you, ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you. Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

– Isaiah 41:9-10 –

Through the first half of this week, we had some incredible classes and zoom meetings from familiar SGWM missionaries, on the field, and on furlough. One piece of information (from many) that I gleaned during these classes was the concept of our very lives being our mission field; the way we go about everything we do should reflect the gospel. One family, working in a closed country overseas, shared that that very idea is what they so often use to share the gospel. Its through Christlike living, Spirit-filled living, that we expand the Kingdom. In addition, we had multiple nights of worship and intercession for the nations; always a powerful time to put our faith on this world that we so love as Jesus did/does; in a sacrificial way.

We also spent some time partnering with Calvary Homex again to do a park outreach. We provided games, a bounce house, food and as always worship, messages and gospel presentations, for the adults and the children. These opportunities are coming about multiple times per week, and though they are certainly wrought with warfare, they are sustained and blessed by our God, guiding every opportunity that He has ordained.

The second outreach we did was to Calvary Tecolote, partnering with them to do a Saturday event at the church. It’s an incredible congregation, and the Lord has provided so much in the five years that they’ve existed. I had the opportunity to serve in the children’s ministry, playing some worship songs, and acting in a skit (the story of Adam and Eve). My Spanish singing is rough, and my acting rusty, but the children were engaged and it was a sweet time. Marcelo gave an excellent gospel presentation and led a prayer after the skit.

This week ended with myself and a handful of team members catching a stomach bug. Though not fun, and somewhat painful, this is nothing unexpected; in addition, the mental warfare has increased. The Lord is our sustainer, and He is redeeming this time that we’re giving back to Him. He alone is worthy of all this work; beyond worthy. In fact, as our morning devotions have started in Acts, I was hit with this awesome reminder. After being tried before the high priest and the council, thrown into prison, delivered by the Lord, brought before the council again, then flogged and released with a warning, the apostles, “…went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.” (Acts 5:41); the name of Jesus, the name above all other names. I pray that this is an encouragement for all of us believers; whatever your ‘council’ is that He has delivered you from, or that you’re in the midst of; He is greater, and it is an honor to bear witness to Him in the midst of all of it!

Praise Reports

• The successful and fruitful outreaches, despite the sickness.
• The awesome classes and testimonies from the SGWM missionaries.
• The Lord sustaining each and every one of us through this special time.
• Keeping up with the assigned reading!

Prayer Requests

• Renewed, steadfast hearts of faith through the expected mountains and valleys to come.
• Healing for those who are still sick/getting sick.
• More and more opportunities to speak the name of Jesus to all we encounter, including each other!

With so much to unpack from this past week, our first full week down here in Rosarito, I’m extremely grateful. God is using this School of Missions class, not only getting us equipped in the Word by experienced servant leaders, but also leading us into opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus in these communities. We are getting to partner with multiple church plants, joining in aiding the local outreaches, and God is providing opportunities left and right for the good news to be spread.

The first outreach we did was at the dump in Tijuana. We partnered with Calvary Homex and their pastor, Eddie. The outreach included a sweet time of worship, testimonies, a message, and lunch. I got my first experience of what’s referred to as language frustration, wherein I so desperately wanted to talk freely with these people, but the language block made it difficult; this is the importance behind learning a language for the sake of the gospel! What struck me the most about the outreach however was the heart of Calvary Homex and their pastor. From a conversation with him I learned that they do a dump outreach about once a week, and he knew the handful of residents we spent time with. These are his people, they are his mission field and the objects of his labor of love. This heart couldn’t be better represented than by the painting I got to see while in his office; it’s of Jesus washing the feet of His disciple Peter (John 13:1-17). During the drive back from the dump, our car had an enlightened discussion on this type of leadership; how the Lord can so powerfully use a humble, devoted, and Spirit-filled man.

On Wednesday we had the amazing opportunity to caravan to the different locations where Calvary Rosarito has congregated throughout the past 21 years. The progression was inspiring to witness, and it naturally culminated in the midweek service at their current location. It’s evident from their faithful congregation and their heart for church-planting that Calvary Rosarito has been led and sustained by the Lord from the beginning. I’ve learned firsthand that having no expectations allows for the Spirit to lead me to some special encounters. We got to eat some famous Rosarito tacos and while waiting in line Pastor Tim and I got to pray over a man (Karin) who stood behind us. We invited him to church and Tim shared the gospel. I was honored to pray over him. These kinds of opportunities have come about during so many conversations that we’ve had with local members of the community; all glory to God.

We did two more outreaches on Friday and Saturday. On Saturday we worked with Calvary La Gloria. We ran a children’s ministry in the back parking lot, with worship, games, crafts, a message, and a skit. I had the honor of teaching a message from Daniel 3; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and the fourth man in the fire. The whole day was a blessed time where the love of Christ was shared and it ended with a pulled pork dinner and a movie (Jesus Revolution).

In His divine timing the Lord is keeping my hands open in faith as He will’s to give or take away. The week’s reading assignment was a book by David Platt titled “Radical“. Needless to say it’s a scripture-filled expository view on the purpose of the Church, and how it so often differs from the “American” church. I got to read a good chunk of it with a friend, Nathaniel, who visited for the weekend; I couldn’t believe how hard-hitting some of the concepts were as I found myself humbled in my perspective, but ultimately inspired to continue to seek the Lord’s will in being a more eternally-minded man, fully living out the Great Commission. I’m so grateful for the prayers and the partnerships throughout this process, and I’d love to connect with any one of you who may have more questions or would like to partner with me through prayer and/or financially.

Praise Reports

• The successful outreaches and many gospel-fueled conversations and opportunities.
• The clarity and help that the Lord has so graciously and lovingly given me through the spiritual warfare.
• The nuggets that the Lord is providing, in regards to calling and a heart for the nations.

Prayer Requests

• That the individuals we got to witness to and love on will get plugged into the churches and surrender their lives to Jesus.
• That Karin would pursue Christ, sharing Him with His family, and that we’d see them at Calvary Rosarito!
• That I would be able to keep up on my reading for this next week, (“Absolute Surrender” by Andrew Murray, and ‘The Baptism With the HOLY SPIRIT‘ by R.A. Torrey).

‘Til Kingdom come,