Scripture for today!

Phillipians 1:21
For me living is Christ and dying is gain.

I continually learn to humbly give my life to God everyday.  Many times it is more than I can handle but with the grace of God, He is helping me to let Him guide and direct my life, my marriage and my children.  I pray today for strength and peace as our family makes decisions and deals with life.  I pray also today for our many friends and family around the world who are serving Christ and walking in His path.  I also pray for those we know who do not know Christ.  I pray their hearts will be opened and God will place in their paths today someone who is willing to share the Good News of Jesus Chrsit with them. Amen

Measured as one of the best days yet.

Wow, what an amazing day we have yesterday.  You see, Nicaragua celebrates Mother's Day on the 29th of May.  I have two days to celebrate now, because we also as a family celebrated mother's day on the 10th.  Anyway, I want to share why yesterday was so great.  We started out with the work of cooking a meal for all the mothers.  The cooking began at 10 and we finished at 4.  It was a lot of work but I was able to fellowship with many ladies from the church in La Paz and we had a great time cooking together.  I stopped in to visit a little girl who has been recovering from surgery and is having a hard time of it.  We gave her medicine, took her temperature and talked with her about how to better care for herself following the surgery.  We had fun running to several different places to try and find some food for us for lunch and ended up finding a place that makes fried chicken.  It was delicious.  We returned to the church to help with final preparations for the mother's day service.  Lenin and Sara prayed for my daughter as last night she preached her first sermon to the whole congregation.  I had tears in my eyes.  She spoke on the visible truths of Jesus excistance.  The topic was her choice and she did all the preparations herself.  She spoke confidently and God was filling her with the words she needed to say.  I think she talked for about 25-30 minutes.  I knew God was going to use our children for His glory but I didn't expect this.  God is such a great God.  I am glad He is in charge of our lives because His story is so much better than any life story I could create for myself.  Praise the Lord, To God be the Glory.

Growing in Faith

I have read posts on facebook lately about many people struggling in life.  I can't agree more.  Life can be very difficult at times.  As I also struggle here in Nicaragua to do God's will and live a life that will honor and glorify Him, I look to the Lord for help.  It is always one thing to talk about letting God take care of us and trusting Him with all our needs, it is quite another to actually do it.  I have memorized and understand Hebrews 13:5 which says Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you, but taking that extra step to put my faith in Him has been such a big struggle.  I know the bible says count ourselves blessed to be persecuted but since I have lived in the states the majority of my life, persecution hasn't really been a big part of my christian walk.  As I talk with the local pastors here and see and learn how they live and what they experience, I know their faith is stronger.  The spirit world forces them to either sink or swim.  Without faith they would sink and therefore as they swim their faith grows deep.  The persecution and evil they believe in and experience creates a life of daily faith in God.  Poverty and uncertainty of the future create a daily faith in God.  I have never had to wonder if I will eat again today or whether I will have food for tomorrow.  I don't always rely on God to provide for my needs because I have been able to go to the grocery store if I needed food.  It's not that I don't want to have a deep faith in God, it is just that without trials, persecution, and difficulties in life, my faith doesn't grow.  Reading the bible, praying, singing, going to church, they are all wonderful activities but their main purpose is to educate us about God, not really instill in us a deeper faith.  My prayer today is that God will enlarge my territory and protect me from harm but also to deepen my faith in Him so that I can count myself blessed.  My prayer for our family and friends in the states and around the world is for God to lift each one up and be the Great Comforter to all.

Boxes and Change

As John and I with the family continue to serve God here in Nicaragua there is much time for self reflection and inner soul searching.  I would venture to say that when this is all over I will have a much better understanding of who I really am and how people really see me as a person and representative of Jesus Christ.  I find myself constantly telling the children to mind their behavior.  The thing is, down here the only reputation we have is the one they see.  We are unable to explain ourselves, our words, or our actions. What we do and how we do it is the only connection the people here have with us.  It has boiled down to the simple behaviors we really didn't think much about in the states.  If one of the kids talks with a rude voice, or pushes another, or retaliates against a child who is getting on their nerves.  All these actions or reactions are watched and looked upon and judged by those around us.  We are supposed to be servants of God.  I have always wanted our children to behave well, but it was for different reasons.  Now, I am having to teach the kids the message of their behavior affects what people think about Christianity.  The last thing I want to do down here is become the stumbling block for a new believer or unbeliever.  Once again, I am humbled at what God has asked us to do here in Nicaragua and am continually being reminded that it needs to be for His glory.  In our weakness, God will be shown stronger. 
To God be the Glory!

Humility

One of those traits that are really hard to learn because of the nature of the beast.  These last few days of been ones of learning humility.  I don't really think I came down here with pride but even in my understanding of where I stand in my Christianity, I realize that I am still so young.  The people in ncaragua have such a greater faith and understanding of who God really is.  The spirit world here in Nicaragua is real.  I am real.  When we lived in the states, I understood in my head the Holy Spirit existed but I really never tried to wrap my brain around it.  I kept my thoughts on the side of the fact that God is good and therefore so is the Holy Spirit.  The problem I didn't really think about was the fact that there is another spirit that is also very real and alive and causing trouble in the world.  Whether we want to believe it or not, Satan is real and so are his host of angels.  He is constantly working in our lives even when we don't think so and he is constantly looking for ways to destroy any joy and hope we might have in the One True God.  He is just as real and the Holy Spirit and when we choose to ignore that fact we are living a very one sided life.  Casting out demons, speaking in tongues, praising the Lord without inhibitions, and simply just showing God how much He deserves our worship is real.  Before I lived here in this type of culture, I always knew those things were real in my head but now I am beginning to see them for myself and actually experience some of them.  I pray that God will continue to open my eyes to the real battle we are facing every day and for peace that He will continue to protect not only my family but the many believers and unbelievers here in Nicaragua. 
On a very different note, I wondered if there are any people out there that would be willing to help an 11 year old boy get surgery.  He fell off a wall when he was two, they didn't set his leg and now his leg is so distorted and bent that he can't even walk.  We met him this afternoon walking on two arms and one leg while his damaged leg just hung there.  We are going to start the process of getting him to a hospital and making arrangements for the surgery but from what we understand because the injury was so long ago they will charge him to make it better.  I am told it will be very expensive and as we begin this process we will very quickly learn exaclty how expensive it will be and will gladly share the total cost of the surgery with those who are interested in helping to make him better.  Please pray for him, his name is German.  He is eleven years old and without the help of those who can, he is destined to live a life of poverty because he is unable to stand and walk.  We need your help to get him surgery.  Please prayerfully consider helping with the cost of the surgery and let us know at jvspeigle@hotmail.com.  Thank you for your prayers in this matter.
To God be the Glory!

Food for the hungry? have you eaten today?

We look forward to bringing food to 15 families this morning.  Many of them will only have food for as long as the bag lasts.  We put 2 lbs. of rice, 2 lbs. of beans, oil, tomatoes, green peppers, onions, carrots, and potatoes in the bag.  It really only lasts about 4 days if that.  We bring food again the following friday but I wonder how they make it through the other days.  I was talking with David a friend of ours that we bring food to about the brooms he was making.  They are hand made and probably take about one hour or more to make smooth on the handle.  I asked him how much he would get for the brooms, he said $.50.  I couldn't believe it.  For all the work he will put into one broom his wages will be only .50 cents.  I don't believe it is possible even in Nicaragua to live on that low of an income.  He is supporting 2 small children and a wife.  He told me a wonderful story that really helped me to keep in perspective what life is truly about.  David is a believer and loves the Lord.  His wife is sick most days and wonders around La Paz all day.  David is solely responsible for the children and providing for their needs.  Martha is the wife and she does come home at night but not every night.  David thinks she has cancer but her mind is not able to understand such concepts and so doesn't seek help from the medical clinic.  I was overwhelmed by all that he has to deal with and told him I would pray that God would help him and Martha.  He said,"don't worry about my poverty.  Jesus was a very rich man and he was born in a poor stable.  If Jesus can be poor so can I.  I would rather you pray for Martha and the children.  I know the things of this world that I have or don't have won't matter and when I die I will be rich in heaven."  David really understands what matters in life and as I looked at his situation and thought how unbearable and unbelieveable it was, I realized his perspective on his life is a blessing from God.  I ask that as you go about your day today, you whisper a prayer for David and Martha and the kids.  They so badly need help with very basic things in life.  Food, clothing, water, keeping the kids clean and healthy, and for Martha to understand how much she really needs to go to the doctor.  This family has been blessed by God and now it is our turn to bless them phsically and spiritually by supporting them in prayer.
To God be the glory!

God is so amazing!

What a wonderful day!  The breeze kept us nice and cool, the people were comforting and loving, the service was a tear jerker, and all my kids are now asleep in bed.   We shared the movie "Facing the Giants" with the church in La Paz this evening.  It was a spanish version and even though I couldn't understand most of it, I have watched it in english several times and every time I watch it, it is a tear jerker.  God is just so big and strong and amazing.  He can really bless us if He chooses and our lives are just not the same without Him.  I pray that many people who watched the movie tonight will be encouraged and feel God's love in a real way this week.
To God be the Glory!

Different Culture, Different World

Well, as our family continues to learn and grow here in Nicaragua we often get eye opening experiences.  I know that all humans have similar tendancies but when faced with a different culture it can be amazing how different we can also be. 
We had a wonderful time today in La Paz Centro.  They have dug close to 150 holes for the plantain trees and about 10 feed into the well.  You know everything, and I mean everything, is done by hand.  They said the well would end up being about 20 meters deep and that again is going to be dug all by hand.  I keep asking John if there is an easier way but unless God blesses us with a huge amount of money, by hand is the way it will be done.  I look at some of  the projects that the people here in La Paz are working on to better their lives and think to myself, this task is impossible.  Yet, when I look at the people working, their faces and body expressions say they can do it and will prevail in the end.   I am humbled by what I see.  So many times in my life I see a project and decide before I have even started whether I will be able to do it or not. Often if I think it is too difficult I won't even start it.  I believe after learning so much in this culture about life and perserverance, I have really been missing out on many blessings because I have chosen not to start. 
We also had the priviledge of attending a civil wedding.  That was interesting to say the least.  I was surprised when the lawyer began talking about why two people might get married and that is should be for life and not just for a few months.  He even talked about how God will bless them and take care of them.  I thought civil weddings didn't include God.  Another new experience to open my eyes to different cultures and different worlds. 
Today Natalie turned two.  Some of you may remember her.  I talked about her back in February. She is the one that has a head smaller than my hand.  She was in a bicycle accident last thursday.  Her ear was split by a barb from a wire fence.  I gave her some ointment for her ear and prayed it would heal without trouble.  I saw her today and her ear is almost completely healed.  I am so thankful her mom knows how to care for her so well. 
I am just extremely thankful for all God has allowed us to do and see here in Nicaragua.  He has truly blessed us and I pray continually that we will be a blessing to those around us.  We came down here to share God love with others and to make a difference in their lives. 
May God receive all the Glory!!!!!

Praises and Thanksgivings

True Worship

I know something that I have really started to take for granted down here is the way worship is done here in Nicaragua.  The people pour out their hearts no matter what other people think.  The arms wave in the air, the feet dance and praise our Lord, even the children shake tamborines and ribbons.  There are so many beautiful things about worship when it is true and free of constrictions.  We sing many different songs at church and the style of the song varies from quick paced to quiet and worshipful.  I think my two favorite songs I know most of the words to are:  Lavanta mis Manos (Raise your Hands) and Dios esta Aqui (God is Here).  Yesterday Caleb and I went through our worship songs we can play on the guitar and worshipped God for about one hour.  It was the most precious thing I could ever have done with my son.  He is so talented and his heart is so pure.  He sang all the songs and played the ones he could and just put everything he had into it.  I pray that as he continues to grow and difficult times come into his life he will rely on what talents God has given him to get through. To God be the Glory. 

Busy schedule

Wow time just keeps on flying.  Just when I commit myself to blogging every day for the month of May, I miss several days.  Okay this time I will be more careful and really try to blog everyday. 

We have had such a wonderful week and have a very full schedule ahead of us.  This week we will begin a clothing ministry, continue with the feeding ministry on fridays, begin to work on finding plants and trees for the property, help the farmers dig a well and begin to prepare the fields for planting, somewhere in all of this squeeze in school and build a set of bookshelves for our school books, help a little girl get her surgery done here in Leon, and follow up on a pregnant lady who needs prenatal vitamins.  Not real sure if we will get it all in but certainly have to try.  God is good and He will provide a way for us to get done what needs to get done in His timing.  Thank you Jesus for your constant help and assurance.