Babies!!!

There are a LOT of babies around right now! In Lily House there are a few and another yet to come… fellow missionaries are having babies… the dog downstairs just had 8 puppies… and the other dog in the area is ready to pop. A lot of little ones around. I've gotten a little used to it now and instead of running away (I’m not a huge baby person… just fat babies since they bounce if you drop them…) I have been embracing it. Not too much though (sorry mom!). Lol. Just enough to admire and cuddle little human beings.

Just so you know... I only put this photo because I
have no photos of me cuddling real babies since I'm
too busying cuddling them to take photos!
This will have to do :) 

But a lot comes with those little bundles! There is pain when you see them fall, triumph when you see them stand, anger when you see them knowingly make bad decisions, joy when you see them make right decisions. There are a lot of emotions for mommas and daddies.

I’ve been experiencing some momma emotions recently.

I praise God for the ministry He has placed us in and for the men and women who we serve with. Together, God has chosen to place several teenagers and young adults under our responsibility.

Between baseball, youth group and Lily House ministry Robersy and I are honored to teach and disciple around 100 young people in total. But that same honor and blessing brings hard days too!

In all seriousness, recently there have been some pretty sad days. My “momma” tears have flowed, my “momma” heart has broken but my “momma” love hasn’t quit.

HOWEVER… Today I want to share a few of the victories that we've witnessed in the lives of our spiritual sons and daughters, because if we focus on the sad things that happen we’ll forever live in the disappointments.

There is SO much to celebrate!!!

Here in the Dominican and around the world it is super common for someone to raise their hand, kneel at an altar or sign a piece of paper making a public statement that a decision has been made when really, inwardly there is no true commitment. But when it’s real… IT’S REAL!

Over the last month and a half we've seen 7 baseball boys, who have raised their hands a million times, truly come to know the Lord as their personal Savior. These 7 boys are particularly special to Robersy as they are some of the oldest boys on the team and basically the role models for the rest of the team. Isn’t God awesome!

Pray for Robersy as he disciples these 7 young men following their decisions.

I loooove discipling and teaching the women at Lily House. Over the past year we have prayed that as these girls grow in their faith, God would then place women in their life to begin discipling too. What a joy to hear M come and share her desire to disciple two young ladies in the youth group. Then L shared her heart to increase her discipleship focus within the youth group as well. God is moving!

During Women’s Conference we made a LOT of contacts in Boca Chica and just this past week we have been able to have meetings and share with two of these ladies in particular. Although no decisions have been made thus far to enter the LH program, there are women seeking and trying to make a change in their lives.

One of my highlights was when L (a different L) visited the Lily House and it was M (the same M – and it was M’s idea!!!) who took her around and gave her the tour in Creole (what Haitians speak) so that she’d feel more at home.

My “momma’s” smile could not be hidden. I love these precious ladies!!!

I had a “momma” smile on Sunday too as some of our young people sang for the church! Precious voices praising the God of all creation… does it get any better?!

You see. Even through the “bad” days when there are scraped knees or bruised elbows from the kids falling so many times, it is the moments like these that say, “It is worth it!”

Praying for all of you other spiritual mom and dads out there today!!!

Getting DEEP with Robersy...

Sometimes Robersy says some pretty profound things! Although most won’t believe me… he is SUCH a quiet guy. He talks when he has to and once he gets comfortable around you he won’t stop talking, but he is usually pretty quiet!

To give you an idea I remember that HE didn’t ask me out on OUR first date. He was SO shy and quiet he had a friend do it :) lol. Thankfully that worked out…

However, back to my point. Robersy really makes me think sometimes. Like yesterday. I had planned a little get-together with some of our closest friends and their families. It was supposed to be a very small “party” to celebrate Robersy’s birthday. However, while we were at church yesterday I overheard him inviting 5 boys that he has been discipling to the party.

Since I’ve been at a women’s conference all week I put some things in to practice and waited until we were home, but I said (calmly), “Babe, I think it’s sweet that you invited the boys, but this is kind of a friend thing, a real life thing… not ministry.” And he smiled and said, “but Sarah… our life is our ministry.”

DEEP.

Stick with me… this is going somewhere :)

So many times I split ministry in my head. Today is ministry day, tomorrow is our day, Sunday is church day, Monday is rest day. Really… as children of the MOST HIGH GOD Robersy is exactly right. Our life IS our ministry. Does this mean we can’t rest?! UM, NO. Even Jesus spent time alone. Does this mean we can’t have “our” day? UM, NO… my greatest ministry is to my husband.

This is what ministry looks like.

But it is so important for us to remember that everything we do, think, say, etc. is a reflection of Christ to those around us.

Take this past week for example. I spent the week eating, sleeping and serving with about 55 lovely ladies during our women’s conference. If our ministry had only been outside of that beautiful hotel we would have missed the opportunity to minister to each other, to the cleaning ladies, to the waiters, to the bus drivers, etc. Our life IS our ministry!

This is what ministry looks like too.

Perhaps you’re not a pastor or a missionary (although you technically are… but we’ll save that for another blog!!!) but you are still called to reflect HIM! In your home, school, office, neighborhood. Your life is your ministry. Don’t miss out because it’s not Ministry Monday or Serving Saturday… just let your LIFE be your LIGHT!

I’m so thankful God speaks to us in different ways… this time He chose my husband.

Things to pray for this week:

1.       Two meetings with two ladies from the streets.

2.       Thursday night ministry.

3.       Discipleship and teaching at the Lily House (Sarah) and on the baseball field (Robersy).

Training the next generation

Another day, another week, ANOTHER YEAR!

Robersy's cake at youth group

I love to have a reason to celebrate. New job, new tooth, new relationship… you name it, I’ll celebrate it! LOL. Of course, when it’s your hubbies birthday it’s even that much more exciting! We spent yesterday gallivanting around the capital celebrating Robersy’s 27 years of life. First lunch at Applebees and then BBQ hunting with some birthday $$.

Games at youth group

Some people think I’m too gooshy… but I can’t help but brag on my boo! So thankful that God chose Robersy for me. He puts me in my place, encourages me and makes me feel loved. I truly found my perfect prince charming! LOVE YOU BABE!

As for the rest of the week, it was a joy to see God’s hand working.

Robersy and I have prayed about taking our discipleship to the next level. We have taught and taught… now we are preparing and sending. Of course, you should have seen my mouth drop open (especially when we haven’t shared this goal of ours super publically yet) when one of the young ladies I disciple approached me about the opportunity to disciple 2 other girls in the youth group!!! What a peace to know we are aligned with what God has planned too.

Got to do the Color Vibe Run with the GAP students

In line with the goal Robersy also spent quite a bit of time visiting several boys this week and we’ve committed to having a couple boys (in rotation) stay with us each Friday night. This gives Robersy the opportunity to work with boys outside of the team setting… and it gives their mommas a break too (apparently teen boys are hard work! Lol).

I have a feeling God is gonna do something awesome with these boys!

Thursday night went well too! Girl after girl is opening up and I rarely have to approach them before they are yelling out our names. This week will be an exciting week as we have groups going out for 4 nights in a row to speak to and encourage these women! Pray that this week will be a “breaking point” for these women in Boca Chica and that we’ll see many come to Christ!!!

Well… that’s what’s happening in our neck of the woods.

*Prayer Request* As you know, a piece of my heart will always be back home in Bermuda! They just had a horrible storm this weekend that caused quite a bit of damage and they are desperately trying to clean up before the next scheduled hurricane arrives this weekend. Please pray for family and friends!

Why you gotta be so ruuuude?

Are you ready to get real?

It’s funny how life happens sometimes.

For 3 weeks you travel around, constantly reminded and fed spiritually by the ones who have thought of you, prayed for you and supported you over the year. You feel refreshed, uplifted, and ready to conquer the world and win the Dominican for Christ.

Then you are slapped back in to reality.

For me this slap was… well… an actual slap! LOL.

This past Sunday was like any other, but I wasn’t feeling well so I missed my morning run. It threw my whole day off! I love my runs! More than anything it’s my time alone with God and refocuses my heart and mind to the things that matter. My Divine Stress Reliever J However, at about 4PM I couldn’t take it anymore… I needed to run. So I put my fancy new running shoes on (yay! Thank you mom!) and went on my way.

When I had gotten half way I started my way back. It wasn’t long before I heard a motorbike coming closer and closer… then WACK! I doubled over in pain, felt like I was going to vomit immediately, but looked up in time to see the guy on the back of the bike pull his arm in. He had slapped me!!!

A million things went through my head. I picked up a rock. Contemplated murder… jk. Then all I could do was think, “Why you gotta be so ruuuude?”

People are mean!

We can say, “Yeh, worldly people are jerks” but the truth is a few days later I was emotionally slapped by someone in ministry! Serving Jesus together then… WACK! A reminder that no one is perfect...

Life hurts sometimes. People hurt sometimes. But like I shared with a struggling sister this week, we are emotional creatures. Women, you KNOW what I mean! I can literally laugh, cry and yell in within a matter of minutes. Don’t lie ladies… you probably could too, right!?

However, it is SO important, despite our emotions, that we remember that we serve an unchanging God! (Check out the proof for yourself: James 1:17, Num.23:19, Psalm 102:27) Look at Malachi 3:6, “For I, the LORD, do not change…”

That means we may feel defeated, but our Father can NOT be defeated! We may feel rejected, unloved, sad, far from God and still God says, “I am right here!!!” (Joshua 1:9)

I have to remind myself of God’s unchanging character regularly. Many times this comes out during our weekly ministries.

We’ve been praying for youth group leaders with a passion for discipleship. We have lost several of our young people to the sins of this world (WACK!!! – that was the slap). BUT God says… “I will provide ALL your needs.” (Phil. 4:19) Two women approached me this week about how God has been stirring their hearts to disciple girls in youth group!

Lately Satan has been whispering the “you’re not making a difference” lie when I go out to the streets on Thursday night (WACK!!!), BUT “God says I’m doing things my way… it’s better anyhow!” (Isaiah 55:8) We saw understanding and glimpses of hope in several girls this week AND a girl came to church with me!

Robersy and I have both been trying to get our ducks in a row ever since we got back (disorganization and exhaustion is my enemy - WACK!!!) BUT God says, “I will give you REST!” (Matt. 11:28) I had my regular Friday to clean up the house, then while Robersy was at practice on Saturday I was able to prepare my material for the week. Once Robersy got home we were able to RELAX!!!

Saying all of that… GOD IS GOOD! He doesn’t change even though my emotions do. I expect to be “WACKED!!!” again because 2 Tim. 3:12 guarantees it.

Be on guard friends. 

Don’t give up. 

Keep serving the LIVING Savior… 

AND run against the traffic J

First night of youth group 

Antonio preaching the Word!