Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Dream Big-Oct 2020

Has God put a dream in your heart that you could never achieve on your own? If you let the Holy Spirit guide you, you will go places you never imagined.” Rick Warren

Francisco and I have seen God’s hand move powerfully.  God has demonstrated His omnipotence, using Zoom to re-launch Celebrate Recovery.  Zoom has proven to be an invaluable resource in reaching people with God’s Word!  We are able to contact more people, who would otherwise be beyond our reach, than we could have ever imagined!   

We have been busy and expect God to continue to open opportunities to keep us busy!  In June, we launched Large Group meetings.  In August, we launched Open Share Groups.  In September, we launched Step Studies.  We have participants that have joined us from various places around the US, Mexico and Canada. Only God could have made this happen.

We know God is directing these groups.  We see God’s hand at work.  The Holy Spirit convicted a woman to surrender her life to Christ during a Large Group meeting.  Each salvation validates every second of the learning curve to do Celebrate Recovery by ZOOM.

Due to the worldwide pandemic, people are clamoring for safe fellowship and safety from COVID-19!  Mexico’s COVID-19 death rate continues to climb.  As the death rate climbs they bring more pain to a third world country already struggling.

Hopelessness and fear have entered the hearts of many around us.  Their focus is on the temporal, day-to-day life.  We are in constant prayer, engaging in spiritual warfare.  In our spiritual warfare, we are asking God to open their eyes to the bigger picture.  WE HAVE THE ANSWER! Celebrate Recovery is loaded with God’s Word.  God’s Word is filled with promises of the bigger picture - Everlasting Life. Celebrate Recovery is Christianity 101. 



            Celebrate Recovery Step Study participant guides

“Our Girls” on the inside of the Ensenada Prison recognize their need for spiritual healing. We have had phone contact with Jasso.  Jasso is the pastora of the female inmates.  Pastora Jasso’s phone calls encourage our Prison Ministry team greatly as she shares with us not to be alarmed by the news media.  She assured us ‘Our Girls” on the inside are safe from COVID-19. 



                            Back: Estela, Pastora Jasso  

                           Front: my daughters Jessica & Rebekah

Pastora has mentioned that while the food may be limited, they are all taking advantage of the situation and growing spiritually.  Pastora Jasso expresses how much our Prison Ministry team is missed.  She also let us know we are being prayed for daily. While some prisoners have been released, she believes those who remain are those that God needs to get stronger in Christ Jesus.  God has a very special calling for them! 

Our Prison Ministry team has been bringing the Celebrate Recovery program into the Ensenada Prison for over 10 years. We are praising God with joy filled hearts.  Even if we are not able to be with “Our Girls” on the inside to facilitate the Celebrate Recovery program, those we have trained up on the inside have taken the mantle with gusto and continue running the race by hosting the Celebrate Recovery program with “Our Girls” on the inside.



               Past Christmas event with "Our Girls" on the inside

Christmas will be different this year as we will not be able to be with "Our Girls" on the inside. But we are preparing to make their Christmas as special as possible. We are gathering toiletries so we can give gift bags to the entire female population. If this is something you are interested in helping with, please feel free to contact me.

Francisco and I thank you for all your prayers, generosity, and support.   We covet your partnership in the Mexico Recovery Ministry as we move forward serving the lost and broken in Mexico. It is an honor partnering with you in ministry.