Snow in Mexico???

Here is proof that there is snow in Mexico. People flocked to a park on the top of a mountain to see the snow, that is how rare it is.

Quincenera- a Mexican 15th Birthday Party

(For her protection, I will call the birthday girl, Maria)
I wish you all could have seen the huge smile on Maria's face. She was beaming as she walked in the room. Maria's mother, step dad, brothers and sisters were in attendance, along with her friends. Her mom told me afterwards that she wouldn't have had a celebration had it not been for a generous donor associated with Back2Back. I was really touched by the happiness of Maria. I couldn't help but wonder if the Lord was whispering to her, tonight you are how I see you all the time, My princess.

A blessing for our kids......off with the old, on with the new

Recently the tree outside of our house out grew the house that was used by the staff kids and visiting kids. It died a slow death with boards slowly pulling away from the tree, the floor was sagging and the ladder more and more shaky as kids ascended and descended. You see the tree began to grow and the house didn't. Leaving the house to slowly loss its foundation and stability. It became vulnerable to the slightest of pressure. As I saw the hard work of my husband, my boys, the staff kids and other staff (pictured with Greg is Lonnie Clouse, B2B staff), I was reminded that I too need to evaluate my Christian life. God wants to continue to grow me and in doing so I need to tear off and build a new. Recently I've had to examine myself and some of the lies I have believed in. Lies that Satan has used to limit my views of God. That I'm only valuable if I'm doing "good" things. That I need to justify myself to be worth anything and so others would like me, often covering over my sin. I've had to take off those old boards and put up new ones. Like that of God is most interested in my relationship with Him not what I do for Him. That He will give me the strength to do what He calls me to through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Is it time for your house to grow? Is God asking you to take off the old and put on the new?

STAND FIRM!!!!

God is teaching me about prayer and praying against Spiritual Warfare. A group of us have been praying for awhile on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I consider it a privilege to pray for this ministry, the kids we work with, the workers and directors, our country, staff and groups. I have been reading about the armor of God. In the passage in Esphesians 6, it says stand firm three times. stand firm. Stand Firm. STAND FIRM.
"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take Your Standagainst the devil's schemes. ........Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to Stand Your Ground, and after you have done everything to stand. Stand Firm then, with the belt of truth buckled....." (emphasis and captials are mine)
This hits me that it is not just enough to have the things God's given us
-truth
-faith
-salvation
-good news of the gospel
-righteousness
-sword of Spirit- Word of God

We need to know what we have in Jesus and Stand Firm. This past week our group of prayer warriors have been walking around the block in our neighborhood praying for our country, our neighborhood, and our ministry. On our mile walk around we past many dogs. Some cute, some not so cute. One in particular caught my attention. He standing at a gated part of the wall of his property. He was hidden and it wasn't until we reached his very spot that he barked ferociously showing his teeth and gnarling at us. I have to admit I jumped as he not only caught me by surprise but I immediately looked to see how securely he was inside his gate ( I had been bit by a different dog a couple of weeks ago and the memory was still with me). As we past I realized, this dog is so much like Satan. Jesus has the victory. Already He has won the spiritual battle over Satan. However Satan still stands at the gate hoping to catch us all guard to keep us from walking on with the Lord. He hopes to put fear in our hearts and keep us from STANDING FIRM in Jesus the one who has saved us and equips us with the power to keep walking.
As I walk in life ,Lord will you help me to STAND FIRM in who you made me and the power you have given me to live for you. Amen.

Fasting for a purpose.......

This past January I took some time to fast to see what God's purpose in my life was. To ask him what He wanted me to pursue and use my time doing and serving Him. You see, Meme's Rio is at a crossroads as it looks like sometime this year the government has plans on moving the people there. Since the Hurricane that occurred last July, the government has seen the grave danger that the people are in who live along these river beds and they are making efforts to build new housing for them and transfer them to safer places. Like many thing that the government has done, timing has been hard to pin down. Last August we thought they would move by the end of the year. Now we hear news of maybe June or August. Truly we don't know. In the meantime we have seen the government aiding these people with school fee money, gift cards for them to buy household items from couches to TVs,etc. With these new provisions, we are seeing that people have been less interested in seeking God and the attendance to the soup kitchen has been down. Gratefully God is moving a local pastor to provide some much needed teaching in the soup kitchen mid week and those who are still hungry for the Word of God are still being fed. The soup kitchen has been on hold as we thought the people were moving in December and we took some time off to seek the Lord's leading and give Meme a much needed break to renew her spirit and seek spiritual teaching and prayer. God is great as He has provided a mentor for Meme that meets with her weekly. She is also helping to teach and guide some women who have started another soup kitchen in a near by community. Meme continues to have a passion to serve this way and we are seeing it revitalized. As we seek Back2Back's continued involvement with Rio 1 would join us in prayer? Would you pray for the Lord's leading on if we continue to work with the people in this community? And if so how? We trust the Lord has plans and we are just awaiting His guidance in this. We will continue to support Milagros through her beauty schooling and work with the support others might have given for other children in this area. In the meantime, the kids in this community are still hungry for the Word of God. Hope, another B2B staff and teacher, has faithfully continued a weekly activity teaching these kids.
Back to the result of my fasting, as difficult as it is, I have felt the Lord leading me to have a more supportive role of my husband's work with Manantial de Amor Children's Home and their three locations. I have also felt called to be with my children more as they are growing so very fast. Greg and I working in separate ministries has sometimes had them fending for themselves. God has renewed my call to our three boys in training and loving them into the men God is calling them to be. By no means does this mean I won't be going to the Rio. It just won't be my target area at this time. Hope continues in ministry there and I will support my friends and second family at Rio 1 as the Lord leads me. Clearly I will still support, pray and share life with my dear friend Meme as well.
I have since September been praying weekly with Cony Garza (Edgar and Cony are the directors of MdA)once a week. I have helped Greg with the girls house that MdA has as one of their three homes. I will continue to help in these areas and pray to be more of a presence to help Greg who has a lot on his plate right now.
We would appreciate all your prayers for the future at Rio 1, the continued teaching and refreshing time for Meme, for a clear calling to where and how God wants B2B to serve in this areas or others. Thank you.

Celebrating 4 Years with Back2Back Ministries.

Last Monday we, as a family, celebrated 4 years with Back2Back Ministries. We have been blessed. I think how we came here to Monterrey thinking we were offering up so much to God and thinking we have come to serve Him through caring for the children here in Monterrey. When I look back I realized that He moved us here to draw us closer to Him, to change us and mold us. He has worked through us these past years however what He has done in us seems so much more than we ever offered. God is good, always is. These past four years have been great fun and full of hardships, full of playing and working, laughing and crying, praying and praying and praying. God is good. When I look back at this blog I'm reminded at how GREAT and BIG our God is. It has nothing to do with us. He could do this all on our own. But He doesn't. He chooses to use you and I in His plan to bring people into His big loving arms. I'm grateful for these four years and look forward to see what else God has in store.