In light of the cross and an EMPTY tomb

The week leading up to Easter is one of my favorite weeks of the year! From traditions like kite-making, hot-cross buns, new Easter dresses and brunch in Bermuda… to habicuela con dulce, the beach and lots of family-time here in the Dominican… it is truly a special time.

Even more so for a follower of Jesus Christ!

This past week I was able to celebrate the holiday with my older sister, Rebecca, who came to visit!

*SIDE NOTE* I really think we come to appreciate our loved ones more when they aren’t just in the bedroom down the hall (or for Rebecca and I… we shared a room for most of our life! We are still baffled of why Deborah, the youngest, trumped in this bedroom battle!!!) Anywho…

It was so nice to have her here! We visited a resort, relaxed on the beach and she even got to see a glimpse in to our ministry (unfortunately this week was anything but normal so she didn’t see everything… it was a glimpse anyways!).

Here are a few pics from her trip...

At the resort

Putting some Easter goodies together for Lily House

Teacher mode :)

Attempting a Bermuda kite... it failed.

Rebecca loved the puddings!

Habicuela con dulce - sweet beans

Bex with Robersy's side of the family

Easter sunrise

It was a very special time and we're SO thankful she came and visited!!!

Look at that sunrise again! 

What joy we have as Christians that the Son of God ROSE FROM THE DEAD!!! 

Remember that book I was reading leading up to Easter? More Than A Carpenter. So good! 

Listen to this quote about the disciples...

"They faced a life of hardship. They often went without food, slept exposed to the elements, were ridiculed, beaten, imprisoned. And finally, most of them were executed in torturous ways. For what? For good intentions? No, because they were convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that they had seen Jesus Christ alive from the dead. What you can't explain is how this particular group of men came up with this particular belief without having had an experience of the resurrected Christ. There's no other adequate explanation." p.98, More Than A Carpenter

We serve a risen Saviour, people!!!

Without a risen Saviour we have absolutely nothing to celebrate... 

Thank GOD ALMIGHTY we have every reason to celebrate!

I trust you had an awesome time celebrating HIM.

When Life Sucks.

Job’s life sucked. 

Well… it didn’t start that way! 

Lots of wealth, plenty of land and a big family. 

I’m sure his neighbors and friends looked at him and thought, “Wow… God has really blessed him!” He had it all!

Then one day… it all fell apart. Lost his kids, lost his wealth. All that remained was his nagging wife.

So his buddies came to visit and boy were they encouraging :)

As I have listened to the story of Job (listening through the Bible in a year! Digging Deeper Daily App… love it!) my heart has ached for the poor guy. His friends tried to give him advice, help him figure out why he was suffering. But their words just hurt him more.

Last Monday, I came to understand Job in a whole new way.

No I didn’t lose everything.

My family is still intact and our bank account is still ok.

I have a rash on my calf… but I don’t think they are boils.

But I DID feel very let down by God.

The retreat that had been advertised, prayed over, fasted over and prepared for was a flop. My dear friend Marcia and I stood in the park waiting… and waiting… and waiting… and waiting for girls who never came. We’d been let down by God. This was for HIM after all!

But the 2 of us cried together as Robersy drove us in the empty van back to our neighborhood and then we cried with the few that had sacrificed their time to come and help. Then we packed up, ate some ice-cream and guess what… life went on :)

Hurt… yes!

Disappointed… yes!

A little angry… yes!

Embarrassed… YES!!!

“The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” Job 1:21b

I’m so thankful for the time that Erica allowed me to have away from Lily House (the following day) to just fall on my face before an Almighty Savior and remember that He is still in control!

HE knows which ladies will come to HIM… HE knows them by name… HE created them… and HE is preparing them.

But that awesome Creator God has also given us the beautiful privilege of serving HIM here and we will continue to do so!

That afternoon we had a pool party instead and ministered to Robersy’s boys. The following day I lead the Bible study at Lily House. We had youth group in Los Conucos. We’ve had baseball games, discipleship, etc. etc. etc.

I tell the girls at Lily House all the time. When life sucks you have two choices.

“You can stay on the ground… or you can get back up.”

I am choosing to get up.

I pray that through life’s sucky times you will choose to do the same!!!

Serving an unchanging Savior in a ever-changing world

I wanted to kill them at youth group.
Well... most of them anyways. 
There were so many, and they were SO naughty!

But as Robersy and I are sprawled out on the couch this Sunday evening in our Sunday bests vegetating after a long day, we can't help but praise God for all HE has done. To see several young people worshiping the LORD as they led the service at 2 different churches. It IS worth it. Here are some photos from Friday night (before the "storm") and some from the services today...

Games at youth group

Weekly eating competition by Nate

Worship at Iglesia Bautista Misionera Juan Dolio

A break for lunch

Worship at Los Fundos

Each week we are reminded of God's faithfulness. In our quiet time with the Lord... in each day of service... each night when we lay our heads down. HE IS FAITHFUL.

This past week we talked about this a bit in my GAP small group. You may have seen some funny pictures on my FB wall of friends years ago. In some cases the photos were taken 10 years ago... others, a mere 5 years ago. Oh how we have changed! Our living situations have changed, our relationship statuses have changed, our walk with the LORD has changed... but GOD... GOD has remained the same. His love for us has stayed consistent, His grace is still sufficient, His mercy is still abundant. We may have changed, but God remains the same.

In a world that is constantly changing, this concept of an unchanging God is foreign to us. But it ought to bring peace. 

The God who breathed life in to man...
The God who spoke with Adam and Eve in the garden...
The God who spoke through a burning bush...
The God who parted the sea...
The God who became flesh...
The God who paid it all...

That is the God we serve.
We have changed... but He has not.

Each year as we lead up to Easter I read "More Than A Carpenter" and every year I'm reminded of how truly blessed I am to know Christ as my Savior. If you have the chance, read this gem!!! It goes through historical evidence by philosophers, historians, doctors, etc. proving that Jesus was more than "just a man." But He isn't just God either. He is ALMIGHTY, POWERFUL, RIGHTEOUS, HOLY, PERFECT GOD. He always has been... and He will always be. 

I'm reminded of this every Tuesday-Friday as I teach and disciple girls at the Lily House, I'm reminded every Thursday nights as we walk the streets of Boca Chica, I'm reminded every Friday night as we serve crazy, naughty teens (that God loves very much and we do too). And since we talk about this often... I know Robersy is reminded at each practice, game and Bible study with his boys.

Speaking of Robersy, he just crawled towards the bedroom (did I mention it's only 8:30pm) and I'll be heading that way soon. To lay our heads down once again and to rest in His forever grace. 

Raindrops, palm trees and parades

So far it has been a pleasant Monday. Up at 6:30am to walk the dogs… then back to bed! Up again at 8:30am to go for a run, walked to the grocery store, prepared lunch (chicken put in a sauce to marinate and sweet potatoes wrapped in foil ready for the grill) then some precious time finishing up my “Read the Bible in a year” program. It took me a year, 2 months and 2 days. But I did it J

A lovely morning indeed.

But it just got better! The rain clouds rolled in and the electricity went out. Now it’s me with a full tummy and only the sound of rain on the palm trees outside… oh and Robersy playing some car game on the ipad, haha!

Did that description make you want to come visit us? I hope so!

Last week I was sick as a dog and so I never posted this, but we had the privilege of celebrating a wedding with one of the Lily House girls! A partner in ministry wrote this about the special union…

God is making some amazing things happen on this island in and through our partners. But there is one story in particular that has really made my heart SING this week, because I am such a sucker for a good LOVE STORY & I just have to share!! This past weekend a woman rescued years ago from commercial sexual exploitation by one of our safehouse partners-- who at that time separated from her then (non-legal) husband, himself trapped in a cycle of abuse and addiction-- was blessed with the opportunity to celebrate the work of God in her life in bringing her and her husband's journey full circle! After years spent apart, separately healing, learning about their true identities in Christ, and learning to lean on God and his Love for them, the two have finally been able to come back together as man and wife-- THIS TIME legally, before God, and before a community of witnesses who love and support them!!!!! And, at their wedding, this renewed and restored man of God was able to stand before the group who was present and testify as to how Christ has transformed his view of women and of himself in relation to his bride, while boys and young men-- many of whose views and hearts towards women are still being formed and who have countless negative influences pushing in on them from all sides-- had the opportunity to listen on with open ears and open hearts.

SO incredibly thankful for a God who breaks EVERY chain, who RESTORES BROKEN THINGS and whose good work in one life can multiply and bring LIGHT and LIFE to entire families and communities! 

By Mary Hooke, Women At Risk.

This is what makes each day of ministry worth it. This is why we go out each Thursday night. This is why we serve. Not to see a gorgeous wedding (although I looove weddings)… but to see lives changed!

It was a short week since I was sick Monday and Tuesday, but it became even shorter since Friday was a public holiday. February 27^th is Independence Day here in the Dominican and it is certainly a day of celebration.

Since we knew that many of our youth group kids and baseball boys would be in the Independence Day march (kind of like a parade, but mainly just schools marching) we decided to load up some of the ladies and kids from Lily House and check it out. I thought we were only going to watch, but much like the Gombeys in Bermuda, the Dominicans watch… then march with them! So we ended up walking the whole thing (me with a baby in sleeping in my arms and although she is tiny, goodness did my back hurt afterwards!!!) and then watching the celebration at the end.

It was fun to watch several of our kids and we even got to see the school that was wearing skirts made my Lily House! Too cool.

Here are some pics.

My sweet, back-breaking bundle :)

The parade

The skirts that Lily House made. YAY!

Some of our girls from youth group.

   

The celebration continued in to youth group with a Dominican themed evening which ended with a hot dog eating competition.

So needless to say, it has been a wonderful week.

For those who pray, please lift up my hubby to God Almighty. Robersy has been working hard with his boys (coaching, discipleship, teaching and ball games), but please pray that God will send him help. He is out on the field coaching on his own most days and last week he even passed out outside of church from pure exhaustion. This next week we’ll have a friend here to help him for 4 days, but be praying for someone long term!

Thank you! GOD BLESS!

Worth it ALL?

There is something incredibly peaceful about writing by candle light as the rain buckets down outside. It’s Saturday night and the lights are out again, and I’m thankful.

Thankful to have a warm home to sit in.

Thankful for a handsome hubby who is out preaching.

Thankful for my two puppies who are here to protect me.

Thankful for some great rest this afternoon.

Thankful that I’m feeling better (this cold has been gross!).

Thankful for encouragement with the other SCORE ladies this morning.

Thankful for an awesome God!

And although I am feeling thankful tonight as it sounds like Niagara Falls on my roof I want to admit, there are days that I am not so thankful.

For those who serve in ministry (whether within your home church or overseas, part-time or full-time) we know that there are days that we stop and think… is it worth it?

Is it worth living miles away from family?

Is it worth struggling with a language that I’ll never speak perfectly?

Is it worth the late nights and early mornings?

Is it worth the inconveniences?

Is it worth repeating the same truth every single week to men, women and teens just to know that several will still chose their own way?

IS IT WORTH IT?

Truthfully, my flesh says no. Pack it up and travel the world… they’re not listening any way. Go back home and hug on your family that you miss so much. Find a job that will make you some money, you have a college education that’s just being wasted.

But my chest feels tight as I envision my Savior on the cross.

The beat of His heart slowing…

His gasps for air quickening…

His precious blood trickling…

His perfect tears flowing.

I want you to know from the bottom of my heart… IT IS WORTH IT!

Worth the tears over a repentant heart.

Worth the sweat on each baseball field.

Worth the exhaustion on Friday nights… and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday too :)

Worth the rainy, candle lit nights.

Why?

 

Because of Y, who got baptized last Sunday…

Because of R sharing his testimony with the rest of the team…

Because of A standing up and being an example to the rest of the boys…

Because of Y graduating from Lily House to start her own business…

Because of N leaving a life of prostitution, coming to Christ and marrying the man of her dreams…

Because of M sharing her past and testimony openly for the first time ever…

Because of M and M who want to leave the streets…

Because of M and L and R and Y (and many more) accepting Jesus as their Savior at youth group…

And that’s just the report from this week :)

Friends, stick with it!

In your home, in your church, in your ministry...

It is worth it, because HE thought YOU were worth it!

Flowers and chocolates taken to girls prostituting on the streets of Boca Chica.

Are YOU afraid of the dark?

1 Peter 1:21
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

Each week I actually pray about what God wants me to share on this blog. We have never wanted it to be a Robersy and Sarah thing, but we want it to show a true picture of what our awesome God has been doing and teaching us here in the DR. Most weeks there are actually verses or subjects that come up over and over again. This has been one of those weeks :)

I have been going through the life of David with the ladies at Lily House. It began with an in depth study of others involved in his story (Hannah & Samuel, Saul, Eli) and then we began to look at David's life. This past week we got to the story of when David fought Goliath, so this brought up the subject of fears. Each lady around the circle shared their fears... needles, sharks, losing a loved one... cows. Yes. COWS. Haha. Poor thing had some dramatic story about a cow chasing her and how it waited at the bottom of the tree she had climbed for hours. Everyone was asking if she meant a bull, but nope, it was a cow!
Anyways, the most interesting fear was a fear of returning to the world.

Fast-forward to Friday night. Robersy shared a message in youth group about how we are now children of light and not of darkness. He signaled to another youth leader who quickly shut off all the lights. It was pitch black with girly squeaks and squeals coming from the darkness. I had been standing near the back of the hall so there was just enough light coming in from the street to see our newest girl at the LH running towards me. She grabbed my arm. "Sarah, I'm scared!" The fear in her eyes was real and she held on tight until Robersy lit a lantern.

Both situations and other little things throughout the week have really got me thinking about how careful we ought to be to not step foot back in to the world. It should freak us out! It should terrify us! Not because of what our mother will say, or of what our Christian friends will say, or of what our Pastor will say. It should freak us out because the whole reason we came from darkness to light is to proclaim HIM.

Look at 1 Peter 1:21 again, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

We are in the light because of HIM.
We are changed because of HIM.
We are different because of HIM.

We are chosen...
A royal priesthood...
A holy nation...
His possession...

WHY?

To proclaim HIM!

One of my sweet girls that I disciple at LH made a decision to get baptized this week. YAY! The joy of this spiritual momma's heart!!! But we had many conversations leading up to this precious moment to see why she wanted to take this step.
Her answer, "I want the world to see the change HE did in me."

This is why we're here in the Dominican. I don't love being away from my family or speaking a language that isn't my own. But HE changed me. HE changed Robersy. And we can't stay quiet! But we desire your prayers for us and for the precious Dominican souls that we work with every day. May we each have a true fear of the "dark" so that we may continue to proclaim HIM!

Some fun at youth group

Thankful for the help of GAP students too!

Last weeks game with Robersy's team.

Just a Glimpse of HIS Glory

I thought I'd begin my blog with some awesome pictures that I assumed Robersy took last week when he borrowed my camera. I imagined shots of his boys at practice when the scouts came to take a look at them... I imagined shots of the boys as they warmed up for the game on Saturday... I imagined maybe even a couple shots of youth group! 

This is what I found...

Is this what happens when I'm not home? LOL.

On a serious note though, I love that we can live and laugh through the good days and bad. God has blessed us beyond measure and even though we don't have photos of every day of ministry, we can't stop thanking the LORD for this beautiful life He's given us!

Last week I had written a short blog, but chose to post the newspaper article instead. However, God has been pricking my heart over this same topic that I began writing about last week for a week now... so I think it's time to share :)

A couple weekends ago we had a few girls from the GAP program ( Find out more about GAP ) over for 2 nights. They heard that I run so the both of them brought their sneakers and were excited to get up and get running on Saturday morning. It started great! A nice steady pace, wind in our hair, sun on our skin... lovely! The further we went the slower the pace became until one of the girls suggested walking. So I thought, maybe speed training would be a little easier. Walk, jog, sprint using the telephone poles as our guide... I thought I would have to resuscitate the girls by the end (just kidding Ciera and Rebecca! You did great!). The problem was, the girls hadn't been training as much as I had.

It reminded me of when I first began to run. Golly! I couldn't do a lap around National Stadium with out stopping to walk several times! It was hard!!! But each time I was able to go just a little bit farther... and a little bit farther... and even farther... until I've since run 2 half-marathons and many, many miles in training (thanks to Swan's Running club! Shout out!!!). 

Here is the incredible part. God created a body and a brain that could train and be stretched! Yes, Epsom salts became my best friend, but my body became accustomed to running farther each time. My brained learned how to put mind over matter and run my butt off until I reached the finish line every time!!! Have you realized what an awesome God we serve?

Last week I did a lesson about this with 2 of our youngest girls at the Lily House. Both have recently given birth and so we talked about how incredible it is to have a life inside of you. Have you stopped to think about it?! I won't talk about the details, but the chance that one thingy from you and one thingy from your spouse meet up and a life begins!!! Then that little life receives nutrients from the momma and then the momma produces food to continue providing for the baby once he/she is born! More than that, that same sweet baby knows how to breath within a sack full of liquid and then when he/she is born she just picks up breathing outside of the womb like he/she has been doing it all along. How does their body know? How does our bodies know?

Our bodies, our brains, our every breath declares that there is a Savior! 

The boys that Robersy has been training understand that they need to train to get better. Their muscles will grow, their bodies will strengthen. The pitcher knows that in order to pitch better he needs to train his arm or he could injure himself. So he begins to train and those muscles tear and repair... tear and repair... until muscles form. Who thought of that idea?! Our God did!

This awesome brain and body that our AWESOME God created is also used in our spiritual life. Robersy and I are almost finished reading through the Bible even though "Read the Bible in a year" on our schedules took a tad longer. The Bible is a BIG book!!! But God created brains that could read and digest some beautiful, BEAUTIFUL parts of scripture.

In discipleship one of my ladies shared how God has pricked her heart about memorizing scripture, so we're working on it together. How are our brains doing this? They are memorizing and reciting scripture!

Time and time again my heart is reminded of the incredible Savior we serve. In small group with the GAP students we are going through a Max Lucado book called, "It's NOT about me" and this weeks chapter was about Moses and his desire to get a glimpse of God's glory. Do we have that same desire?

Just look in the mirror and we will get a glimpse. Eyes that see... a nose that smells... a mouth that tastes and speaks... hair that grows... ears that hear...  a body that feels (and by the way I am feeling my run from this morning...)

It says nothing about you and me. They all point to an INCREDIBLE SAVIOR!
I pray that you might get a glimpse of Him today :)