1 month and counting

Well I guess we should update our life for all those that are addicted to blogs (mb????).
We have been super busy lately....well not busy...but super tired. Our work lifes have hit full swing and we are both trying to not work ourselves to death. But let me tell you it is hard.....Bailey has been doing a great job at leaving work on Tuesdays and Thursday to go workout.....some days with Mary Beth??? She also has started her Fall Grad class at Furman which meets Monday and Wed night....so other than Friday, she has been doing a good job of leaving early from school. The weeks get kinda long but so far we have made it through. The toughest thing is going to be when all the new TV series start up this week and next. We are going through a series at church about Gods word and how we need to be immersed in it.....well lets just say that I am already convicted and with the TV stuff starting, I think some of my favorite shows will get dropped....why is it so hard????

The hardest part of the last month had been the fact that due to my job, I am missing out on a few important things in my life. I will miss out on all of our fall small group because of my work schedule on Sunday afternoons.....this is a big thing, because I love our small group and the conversations and support we have with them. I have only missed two weeks and I am already feeling the void. Also I will miss part of not all of this falls Mens Roundtable at church, this actually bums me out to for a couple of reasons..

1) It is a great opportunity to be in community with other males in the church and just connect

2) the series is going to be on a Man and his Wife.....and as I am constantly trying to better serve my wife and be less selfish....I think it is a great shame that I may miss part or all of it. I will be able to get it on CD, but there is just something about being there and listening, then discussing it with others........

So if you guys or gals out there in blog land can just say a prayer for us that we would not get bogged down with the unimportant stuff in our lives and focus on God and his purpose. Also if you would just pray that we are intentional with our time with God and that we look to him to fill us, not to the artificial.......

Hopefully it wont be too long till our next post.....but I gotta get back to work.....later

Jonathan

More from Nicaragua

The next million posts could be about Nicaragua......but we will try to cut that down a bit. Our trip was amazing (even though that word doens't describe it). It was so nice to leave all of the distractions of home....well home. Being totally wrapped up in serving others was a very freeing place to be. Nothing to do but serve and help as best you could. It was just amazing how God brought our group closer together through the week and even though it was only a week, we feel like family now!


This is our group with the group from the church....

It was great getting to know the people of this church and seeing their faith....which is stronger and more of a true faith than ours.....even though they have way less.....which this world would say doesnt make sense.....
It actually showed me what true FAITH was and convicted me to let go more and trust God.

Although Bailey and I were ready for whatever the week threw at us, the only real question was the sleeping arrangments (see previous post and pictures) but they turned out to be amazing. The family that put us up were from the states and just an amazing group. They were Michael, Lisa, Kya, Ellis and Samuel Perkins.



Here is Michael and Lisas' oldest daughter Kaia, who was a huge help as she went with us a couple days (instead of going to school) to the church and translated for the childrens team. Yeah she is 9 and fluent in spanish....(as you may tell by this post...Im 30 and not fluent in english!!!!)

I think Bailey and her really hit it off......



The kids didnt want to see Bailey or Kaia go ->
This is Ellis (the middle son) and Samuel (6 months)

Ellis was a little shy but just loved Mr John (John Crawford) and Samuel was just loved by every female there....especially Shelly and Kelly S


















The sleeping arrangments were great.....and the hammock was very comfortable. Ill post some pics of where Bailey and I slept and then give you some pics of the compound we stayed at.....I dont know if you will be able to take in the beauty of it all......but you can try!














My hammock...................................................................Baileys is the middle tent

I would wash my pants in the shower and hang them up to dry.....only used two pants all week....

As this post is really long....I will wrap up with just some pictures of the rest of the compound.......the next post will have details and pics of other portions of the trip.....hope this gives you a feel of how things were.......and just remember to always think of the most beautiful amazing site that you have ever seen and realize that God created it and everything around it.....and he can handle us if we just let go and have faith.....












Perkins House...................................................................Mens Hut and tents

This is a veiw of the womens hut where we ate and also where the bathrooms were ------>









<----Front gate into the compound

and now some views around the compound.............

Back in the States

I almost titled this blog as home again, but was some how reminded we are not at home! We got back from Nicaragua on Sun. Since then, we have been trying to restore ourselves physically and emotionally. The trip was truly one of a lifetime. We learned so much about so much: about sitting in the comfort and peace of a God who is truly God of the universe, about being humbled as the ones we went to serve served us, about the menial things that we focus on verses focusing on who He is. It has been a long time since I've just sat in God's comfort and let Him surround me with His arms. It has been great for me this week to do just that! Here are some pictures from the trip:These are some of the cooks at the church, and their children!

This is Jonathan with Kevin; I think that everyone on the trip wanted to take Kevin back to the states!

These are two of the girls that hung out with us each day! The young girl on the left was Mabeling. She really enjoyed playing with Kelli Swartzentruber (I have no idea if I spelled that right)!

These are three active little boys. They kept trying to tickle me, which was fun?!?! They also enjoyed playing keep away from the chele (translated: white girl)!

Preparing for NICA

This week as been a little crazy as we get ready to head to the city of Villa El Carmen, Nicaragua. On Tuesday night, we (us and the Spann's) took Jermile to Blue Fire Grill for his birthday! We had a great time just celebrating life, and enjoying Jermile being close enough to Greenville to go out to eat.

On Wednesday night, we went to a really expensive restaurant (Restaurant O) in downtown for our anniversary. I had received a gift card from one of my students at the end of the year last year, and we decided to hold it for our anniversary. Now, our actual anniversary will be Monday, but since we will be out of country, we celebrated last night! We had a really fun time just laughing and eating really yummy dessert. When they brought me mine, they wrote a really cute message on it!

On Thursday (or today), we are receiving our new couch! YAY! It is a sleeper sofa and I am sooo excited to actually have a couch. Bristol might have a hard time, because contrary to the futon, he isn't allowed! We are also getting a swivel chair to replace one of the recliners. It is nice, big, and comfy! I am so excited...I just love new furniture...I'll post pictures when it actually gets here.

We leave in two days (Sat) with half of our team, and the rest will leave on Sun. Our team was too big for one trip. Please pray for our safe travel, good health, and over all that the people in Villa El Carmen will be open to the Word! There are some specific requests sent from the pastor and team already located there, so I might post that tomorrow or something! Thanks again for helping this dream become a reality for Jonathan and I. We are so excited to watch God do some very unique things we might not have experienced here!

Us celebrating with Jermile (I had to reduce red-eyes on Mary Beth and I, and now I look gray)

Jonathan and I at Restaurant O (we're off center cause I had to trim the arm fat)

This is our message and my vanilla bean creme brulee(many thanks to the chef)

money, money, money muh naay

I know it has been awhile.....but when you miss a day or two it is so overwhelming to get back into it......where do you start....what do you say! Well here is where I will start......








When we first decided to apply for the Nicaragua trip I was adament, maybe to much so, that we shouldnt get excited about our chances because even though we wanted to go....Gods plans may be different. I didnt want us to get our hearts set on going and have to deal with our sinful pride if we were (wordly) disappointed about not being picked. Well we got picked as most of you know....then what happens. Well me being me ask, well we got picked but does God really want us here on this trip.....how can we make sure that we are doing this for him and not our pleasure? This has been a struggle of mine lately.....i am really aware of my motives and want my heart to be in the right place.





Well God is amazing (as we knew), but I think opening our hearts to what he wants and constantly checking ourselves to see if our path is matching up to what he asks of us is the right thing to do. God answers some prayers with quiet answers and yet others with cymbals and gongs........Well he answered us with what can only be described as a nuclear bomb (minus the death destruction and overall sin). We are both.....yes both fully funded for the trip!!!! Not only are we fully funded but we have to this point raised more that enough money!!! Lets just say that through Gods work on our friends and families hearts he has raised money for us to go on the trip......buy extra meds.....and even help our other teammates out financially!!!! Praise Him!!!





Lets just say that as of our last total (its like jerrys kids) we where both paid for and could have fully funded a friend to go with us! This is just amazing.....Bailey has had a great time watching my reaction everytime we get an update or check in the mail.......pretty much flabergasted

This would sum my reactions up in a nutshell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So what is left to say is thank you to God for providing for us such amazing friends and family that would listen to the Lords call and give to us without any promise of return.

I would be mad at myself if I didnt mention all of our friends and family that are not in a postion to give but have and will continue to pray for us in this process. I know that the worldly view may not see this as important.....but this is actually as important if not more important than monetary support. You guys (as well as those who gave) are praying for our eternal souls.....when God is ready for us to come home, that is all that we will have (that and Him of course). We cant thank you enough for your prayers, the power of prayer is underrated even among believers today (i am truly guilty) every little prayer helps, just as every little dollar does! We are amazed at EVERYTHING that God has blessed us with which includes those that give their money and prayers as well as those who give their hearts and prayers! For those that still find it hard to believe our praise to the pray - ers in our midst take note of this:

Romans 10:9-10 "For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved."

Whatever is good for my Lord and Savior is more than enough for me......We love you all, God bless you and even if we don't talk to you or see you often we say this from our hearts....

Colossians 2:5 "For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I am very happy because you are living as you should and because of your strong faith in Christ."

Sleeping arrangements........

Well to those of you who actually know about the blog (like 3 people) here is an update on our Nicaragua trip. We had our first meeting last week and got alot of information...the best of which is where we are staying.........

This is a long range veiw of the living quarters....pretty isnt it! Looks like paradise. Alot of green....real outdoorsy....here is the kicker.....its the rainy season in Nicaragua......i dont know what they mean by "rainy season" but here is my idea......

so now look at a closeup of the hut.....

Yeah so if you have the same reaction as all of us had you now are wondering....where are the walls???? So there is a good chance that we can be very very wet when sleeping....oh and I bet creepy crawlies try to find dry places to sleep as well when it is raining right??? Oh but it gets better.....this is the womens hut....yes guys (well adam, donald and shay...bc I think you guys might be the only males that know or may read this....well at least your wives may try and tell you about it) there is a seperate mens hut....so without further adoo (sp?)

NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCE!!! Maybe the landscaping for one....they have some....and not to mention the ROOM! Once again, they have some. By this picture it looks like the guys have to sleep in a single file line.....but I guess we do have a little wall to keep the rain out of one side....cause as I said earlier, it is the rainy season and I just dont think the rain is gonna come straight down!! Maybe that is construction going on in the front there....any chance for a game room?? :>)

But for real, we are excited by this opportunity and I will stay wherever they need us to, I actually think this is better. I just feel like getting away from this world of stuff and living in that world will really enable me to connect not only with the locals, but also with God. Getting stripped down to nothing makes you appreciate how much you have, but also can show you how much you really depend on God. It is going to be a great opportunity for us to grow as individuals and as a couple....

there is another thing...here is the first picture, which is actuall the view from the guys hut to the womens......

So at least they wont be able to hear us complain..............:>) Love you guys and hope to see or talk to you all soon!!!!

Jonathan

prettiness

Just wanted to share what was growing around our yard. The orange ones are in the front, and the red ones are in the back. I love lilies, they make me happy!