Give Thanks.

Pray Requests/Upcoming Events

• A large group from the states has come to host a huge Christmas party for over 2,500 people in literally the dumps (Zambiza).  I am apart of the worship team at church and have been doing that every morning for the past week!  This weekend is the party; I will be helping out all day Saturday.  
• Please pray that hearts are changed and refilled by the Holy Spirit.  
• Pray for the people from the states that this experience will empower them to be used by God not only in Ecuador but home too. 
•  This time of year is known as a time for giving.  Juan Miguel, a previous graduate of Youth World's discipleship ministry for street kids, Casa Gabriel is now pursuing music production in college.  If you don't know his story, please ask!  But last year, he was at Woodbury Lutheran Church interning with the worship team.  He is leading worship at an english speaking church in Ecuador and is leading worship with the team from the states right now.  Here is a message from Juan Miguel in WLC's December newsletter.
• http://ae89cb3a56bf8da38343-ff524d189e40c4908dde705e3b34a0d1.r9.cf2.rackcdn.com/uploaded/d/0e4711603_1449084747_december-2015-newsletter.pdf
• Please consider supporting him through Education=Hope, a ministry for kids living in desperate and difficult situations.  https://educationequalshope.giv.sh/3ec1
• Please pray for family and friends, as a tragedy happened this week when a teenage son of one of the missionary families took his own life.
• Next week is HCJB misión compartida (share-a-thon).  Over 4,000 people will be coming in and out of HCJB.  It will be 3 days, 7am-7pm, and I am the only videographer.  
• Please pray for strength, energy, and a filled Spirit.

In this world, giving thanks seems to be the last thing on our minds.  This is an article I wrote for Control Z that I want to share with you (the english is at the bottom) .  

The official link to it: http://controlz.fm/dar-gracias/ 

Dar Gracias

Es la época del año de celebración. ¿Qué estás celebrando? Año Nuevo. El nacimiento de Jesús. La familia. La amistad. Un nuevo comienzo. La comunidad.

A veces nos quedamos atascados en un patrón: nos despertamos, comemos, vamos al trabajo/escuela, comemos, dormimos, repetimos todo otra vez. Y en este patrón se nos olvida ser agradecidos. Debemos estar agradecidos todos los días. Agradecidos por una familia que puede proveer. Agradecidos por tener una esposa fiel y amorosa. Agradecidos por una ciudad que pueda ofrecer un puesto de trabajo. Agradecido por la oportunidad de aprender en la escuela. Hay tanto por lo que podemos estar agradecidos, pero todo esto es apacado por lo negativo. Los medios de comunicación están llenos de negatividad a diario. Pero nosotros no tenemos que pensar de esa manera. 73 veces la Biblia habla de dar gracias.

 “El Señor es mis fuerza y mi escudo; mi corazón en él confía; de él recibo ayuda. Mi corazón salta de alegría, y con cánticos le daré gracias” (Salmos 28:7) (NVI).

“Den gracias a Dios en toda situación, porque esta es su voluntad para ustedes en Cristo Jesús” (1 Tesalonicenses 5:18) (NVI).

Independientemente de dónde has estado o lo que has hecho, el amor de Dios es eterno. Nada puede cambiar el amor que Dios tiene por ti. Así que da gracias en toda circunstancia. Dar gracias demuestra una actitud humilde, un corazón agradecido y produce un espíritu alegre y esperanzador. Tal vez no proveemos materialmente, exitosamente, físicamente o financieramente, pero eso no significa que no somos aceptados, amados y bendecidos en su familia por siempre. Estés donde estés, atrapado en un patrón, o en una alta montaña o un valle, toma un momento y da gracias porque en ese momento, Jesús está más cerca que nunca.

Spending Thanksgiving with other missionaries! 

Juan Miguel and I spent Thanksgiving with missionaries
from my apartment and with the director of Casa Gabriel/his
American parents, the Douces.

Give Thanks

It’s the time of year for celebration.  What are you celebrating?  New Years.  The birth of Jesus.  Quito.  Family.  Friendship.  A New Start.  Togetherness.  

But we get stuck in a pattern sometimes: we wake up, eat, go to work/school, eat, sleep, repeat.  And in this pattern, we forget to be thankful.  Thankfulness is not a once in a while thing; we should be thankful everyday.  Thankful for a family that can provide.  Thankful for a faithful and loving spouse.  Thankful for a city that provides a job.  Thankful for the opportunity to learn in school.  There is so much we can be thankful for but we rely on the negative.  The media is filled with negativity everyday.  But we don’t have to think that way.  73 times the Bible talks about giving thanks.  

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him” (Psalm 28:7).

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).  

Regardless of where you’ve been, what you’ve done, what's going on this world, His love endures forever.  Nothing can change the love that God has for you.  So give thanks in all circumstances.  Giving thanks demonstrates a humble attitude, a grateful heart and produces a joyful and hopeful spirit.  Maybe we’re not provided materially, successfully, physically or financially, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t accepted, loved, and blessed into His family forever.  Wherever you are, stuck in a pattern, or on a high mountain or a low valley, take a moment and give thanks because in that moment, the closeness of Jesus is closer than ever.