God's Purpose for Our Lives!

       Do you know that feeling when you know that you were chosen for a bigger and greater purpose? That feeling of knowing exactly what you were called to do? Well, this feeling is no coincidence, it's the Holy Spirit constantly reminding us of our calling and guiding us to what we are suppose to be doing. Whenever I hear the Holy Spirit talking to me, it brings me so much joy, because it reassures what I already know in my heart and it empowers me to keep going and doing more for the Lord. If you don't know yet what you were called to do, I suggest you start asking God to tell you what it is. He wants to use you, in ways that you can't even imagine. He is a true gentleman and will show up when you call by His name. Things start happening when we start moving. Of course, He might use people around us to point us to the right direction, but nothing is more special than God speaking to us directly.
         I've known what I was called to be doing since a very young age, walking in the streets of Fortaleza/Brazil with my two brothers and my mom preaching the Gospel to the people we encountered. We had pamphlets in our hands, and we were very excited to be there and talk to people about Jesus. Of course we didn't completely understand the Gospel, and every story in the Bible, far from that, but we knew we were doing something good. I don't remember a moment of us whining or complaining because we were walking under the hot sun of Fortaleza (boy it was hot). We always got extra excited when somebody invited us in their homes to talk under the shade, while drinking some soft drinks.
            How important was for my mom to bring us with her during evangelism, because she planted a little seed inside of us that would never die. But it would grow little by little, into what we are still doing until this day. Being used by God and still preaching the good news to those in need and just sharing the love of Jesus. I'm so privileged and blessed beyond words to be a disciple of Jesus and have this calling for my life. Everyday I ask Him for this passion never to die inside of me, but to grow and allow me to be his hands and feet in this earth each time more. I hope and pray with this short post you will pursue God for clarity in your ministry and if you are already engaged in a ministry, that you keep your calling alive and active and don't ever allow nothing to bring you down.

-Blessings!

 Carol

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          Sabe aquela sensação quando você sabe que você foi escolhido para um propósito maior em sua vida? Essa sensação de saber exatamente o que você foi chamado para fazer? Bem, esse sentimento não é coincidência, é o Espírito Santo constantemente lembrando-nos da nossa vocação e nos guiando para o que devemos estar fazendo. Sempre que ouço o Espírito Santo falando comigo, ele me traz tanta alegria, porque tranquiliza o que eu já sei em meu coração e me capacita a continuar e fazer mais para o Senhor. Se você ainda não sabe o que você foi chamado para fazer, eu sugiro que você comece pedir a Deus para lhe dizer o que é. Ele quer usá-lo, de forma que você não pode sequer imaginar. Ele é um verdadeiro cavalheiro e vai aparecer quando você chamar pelo Seu nome. As coisas começam a acontecer quando começamos a nos mover. Claro, ele pode usar as pessoas ao nosso redor para nos apontar para a direção certa, mas nada é mais especial do que Deus falando diretamente conosco.
         Eu sei para que fui chamada à fazer desde muito nova, andando nas ruas de Fortaleza com meus dois irmãos e minha mãe pregando o Evangelho às pessoas que encontrávamos. Tínhamos panfletos em nossas mãos, e ficávamos muito animados por estar lá e falar com as pessoas sobre Jesus. Claro que não entendíamos completamente o Evangelho, e cada história na Bíblia, longe disso, mas sabíamos que estávamos fazendo algo de bom. Não me lembro de um momento de nós estar reclamando porque estávamos andando sob o sol quente de Fortaleza (e como era quente). Sempre ficávamos animados quando alguém nos convidava para entrar em suas casas para descansar sob a sombra, enquanto bebíamos refrigerantes.
         Quão importante foi nossa mãe nos levar com ela durante a evangelização, porque ela plantou uma pequena semente dentro de nós que nunca iria morrer. Mas ele iria crescer pouco a pouco, para o que ainda estamos fazendo até hoje. Sendo usados por Deus e ainda pregando as boas novas para aqueles que precisam e apenas compartilhando o amor de Jesus. Sou tão privilegiada e abençoadas além do que as palavras possam expressar, ser um discípula de Cristo e ter este chamado para a minha vida. Todos os dias peço à Ele que essa paixão nunca morra dentro de mim, mas que cresça e me permita ser suas mãos e seus pés nesta terra cada vez mais. Espero e oro que com este breve texto você busque à Deus por direção em seu ministério e se já está em um ministério, que você permaneça  com seu chamdo vivo e ativo e não permita que nada te desanime.

Sua irmã em Cristo,

Carol

Mexico Adventures - DTS Outreach

When I came to Mexico, my plan was only to be a Mission Volunteer for the three month period in the YWAM Tijuana Base. Many of the people I met along the way started telling me about the upcoming DTS that was about to start and also I was able to meet many of the students who had just come back from their outreach trips. For me I had no plan at all to do DTS at first, but as time passed I started putting some thought into it and praying about it. God got me good, letting me think I was only staying in Mexico for three months. There I was after the three month period as a Mission Builder inside the classroom of the September 2015 Compassion in Action DTS alongside forty or so other students for another adventure, this time of five months. To be completely honest, I had nothing financially starting the school. I was so overwhelmed and thinking to myself what I was getting myself into. But I started the school with the burning desire to learn more about God and his kingdom and trusting He would provide everything I needed.

I did everything I could, sold illustrations & cookies, and even did a photoshoot for donations. Spent a lot of time in prayer and fasting, and also told people about the school I was starting, asking for prayer to people I encountered and friends and family online. It was completely overwhelming, and I had to learn to wait (literally) and put my trust in God completely. As time passed, God used people around me to support me in the most amazing ways I hadn't ever seen before. Day after day God was showing up and telling me He was with me in this season of my life. 

Lecture phase went by flying and outreach was around the corner but I still hadn't all the amount I needed. I kept seeing other students jumping with joy after their outreach was all paid and I was happy for them but was holding my tears in because it was something I also wanted for my life. I kept talking to God and saying if He wanted me to stay and do a local outreach I would still be grateful for bringing me this far and still would be happy if this was his plan for my life. But little did I know, He wanted me to go with my team to do our outreach in Chiapas & Oaxaca! He blessed the desire of my heart. 

It is crazy to think outreach is already over. So many amazing experiences my team and I lived for these past two months in Chiapas & Oaxaca. We started our journey with no ideia exactly how it would look like, where we would be staying or what we would be doing. The first week in Chiapas we stayed in the YWAM base directed by Marquinhos, where we got to serve in an orphanage called "Casa Hogar". It was a time to serve the orphanage, where we helped with cleaning bathrooms & walls, kitchen duties, got to lead worship and help look out after the sweetest boys ever. Along with whatever was asked of us during the week. It was a time where God reminded us once again of his love for the orphans, and how He is their father no matter what. and that He already has adopted them all in his family. We also got to tour the Canon del Sumidero and see the beauty of God's creation.

The second week of outreach we got to serve in a church called "Alas de Águila" in San Cristóbal de las Casas still in Chiapas. We got an awesome opportunity to work in their local radio station daily, giving sermons, playing worship and just sharing the love of Christ to whoever was listening. We also had kids ministry, where daily lessons and games were given to the kids according to the scriptures. All the girls (9 of us) shared one big room, where we all slept on the floor for the entire week and the guys (4 of them) slept by the radio station's little room. We had to cook and prepare most all of our meals, and we borrowed our neighbor's kitchen for this period of time. We performed evangelistic dramas at the church and also outside a hospital area for many people. We got to share our testemonies and sermons and God was glorified through our lives.

 

Third and fourth week we had the opportunity to do ministry in the indiginious tribes in the mountains of Chiapas. We traveled hours in back of trucks in the dirt roads and got to see first hand God's masterpiece: mountains covered in trees, the most beautiful landscape our eyes could ever contemplate. To get to some the tribes we had to hike up mountains. It was hours of intense hikes and we also had our hiking backpacks which made it a bit more difficult. But it was totally worth it, because as soon as we got to the church we would be staying at, we were received by the sweetest people ever. They were curious to know our names, where we were from and just be around us. They lived in simple houses, and were used to live simply but their meals were amazing and prepared with lots of love. We got to help in church sermons, giving testemonies, sermons, worship, kids ministry and just spending time with the families. 

Fifth and sixth week of outreach we flew to Oaxaca City where Pastor Jorge was waiting for us. He told us that a lot of our ministry would be helping in the construction of the church he's pastoring, "Mi Esperanza" in Cuicatlan. We stayed in a house where there was a bedroom for the girls and a separate one for the guys. Every meal either was in the Pastor's house or inside the construction site, where there is a temporary place for the services, and it was prepared by the ladies from the church or the pastor's wife. They have the most beautiful, sweet, servant hearts ever, always giving us the best they could. The ministry involved a lot of cement mixing and carrying many buckets of concrete up small hills to the place the walls were being built. It was a very different ministry for some us, since not all of us had worked with construction before, but for sure we did it with all of our hearts. We also worked with kids ministry, telling people about our testemonies and gving sermons. We also spent some time in an orphanage called "Casa Hogar". We painted the children's rooms, worked in the kitchen, cleanup and whatever was requested of us.

Final two weeks of outreach we spent in a small town called Cacalote. We were staying in a base called "Roca Blanca" where they offer bible school, music school and many other classes. The base is located in an amazing location, next to a beautiful beach. While we got to do ministry, we got to enjoy a beautiful view. Our rooms were pretty cool too, with a view to the ocean. We helped in many different things, got to clean the main street of the town & the school and worked in different ministries. We did a lot of kids ministry, doing dramas, giving sermons and our testemonies. A missionary couple that lived in the town, Matt & Crystal with their two children Mckensie & Elijah, who were partners with the base, were our hosts the whole time we were there. Driving us to our ministries and wherever we needed to go, letting us do our laundry at their house and even their internet to communicate with our families. They were a blessing the entire time we were there. Nine of eleven students from our team, myself included, decided to get baptized while we were there! We wanted to seal once again our walk with the Lord and everything we had experienced and learned with Him. And guess who baptized us all? Matt and Crystal! It was a special moment and we were glad they were part of this moment with us.

What I learned the most? God is way bigger than what we imagine! We think God is amazing and powerful? Multiply this thought by a million! God's faithfullness is everywhere! He is with those people in the mountains we visited, that men's eyes can't see from far away, but He can. May what we lived be carried everywhere we go. Missions is all around us! 

"THEREFORE GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES IN ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. AND SURELY I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE VERY END OF AGE." -MATTHEW 28:19