my friends. my husband and I are coming up to three years here in st. petersburg. three and a half years ago we were engaged brought together by similarites in ministry; I was helping to plant a burmese refugee church and emilio was helping start up Aletheia Tampa... we were about to be married, with a job opportunity in Kathmandu Nepal as a graphic designer and missionaries to the country. That door quickly closed and somehow in someway we were directed to the urgent call to make disciples in St. Petersburg Florida, to see the kingdom expand through the little title as church planters. I cannot tell you how much of a joy it has been to serve this amazing city. The stories of what all has happened here are astonishing, heart-wrenching, and life changing. Recently, we are seeing people come to christ and others who have wrestled with a christian culture past come to seeing the true beauty of Jesus through repentance and faith. I will never be the same from these stories. Some are so beautiful I have no words to write them on my silly blog, others are so painful I must respect their privacy. I have never cried more for people who could care less about me or frankly, holiness. I have never been judged more, shamed more, cussed at more, hated more but at the same time it is all for the glory of God. I am no better than the one who constantly rejects love, truth and beautiful redemption or even just a simple friendship. Yet, at the same time, I have never found such deep friendship - beautiful stories of sisters coming in and out of my life touching my heart and teaching me probably more than I taught them, rejoiced more (even in strife) with one another as we saw God come through over and over and over and over again, trusted God more (we have never missed a meal and I really have never been in want) for simply his will, actually understanding the bible more and this crazy life called a christian -(one of the most profound things I have ever learned: the greek word for worship means a dog licking his owners hand out of pure pleasure... just beautiful). I have never figured out how to lived more simply (so others can simple live). I have never laughed at the days to come more in this journey of ministry. I am a church planters wife and it is my calling to love you, serve you, help you, cook for you, pray for you and allow you to decide to respond to your call. It has been an honor. Oh how sweet it is to give up everything for the cost of christ. I live a life that most people would never want but all to Jesus I surrender - and this is still not even near to being fully understood and learned. And whatever God has in store for my little marrero family, we will always be connected to our first time ever in ministry together in beautiful St. Petersburg Florida. Our roots run deep here. We are committed to this city. We pray for it nightly, work hard for Him daily.
Posted on: Tue, 13 May 2014 00:07:36 +0000
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