Let God Move

What's one of the greatest things about teaching at a Christian School? Having it be okay to take an hour on a devotional that you thought would only take 5-10 minutes. Okay, so this is the first time it has happened all year so don't think that these kids aren't learning anything...well, actually today they did learn something more important than English, more important than Math, and more important than History....today they learned how much God loves them!!

It was English class, the start of the day when I usually have a devotional prepared for them.  Today, I didn't so I asked Lara, one of the the ELL support teachers for my class & my prayer partner, to do a short devotional about what she told me the other day of how God has been faithful to her this year.

After she gave the devotional a student raised their hand and asked, "Could you tell us how and when you became a Christian? Miss Mitchell told us her story yesterday."  So, Lara gave a 5 minute quick testimony to the kids. Then I thought it'd be great to share with them part of what God spoke to me the other day. It wasn't just for me but for them and for YOU too.

I encourage you to read it slowly...God wants to speak to your heart also. Here it is:

I love you so much that it hurts. That it hurt my hands, it hurt my feet, I was thirsty and hungry. They placed a crown on my head with thorns that dug into my scalp. I could feel my own blood dripping down my face. 

They mocked me. They told me to save myself if I'm really the Messiah.  I was tempted. You know I could've. By just one word, I could've come down. But then I remembered how much I love YOU. I remembered how much I wanted to be in a relationship with you again. And then, I took my last breath and died. I died for YOU. The gun was aimed at YOU, the trigger was pulled, but I stepped in front and took the bullet. I died for YOU. But then I rose again. By the power of God I came back alive for YOU. 

I'm here. I'm by your side. I can hear you. Your joys, your pains, your tears, your fears, and your laughter. I know your thoughts and I want to tell you and remind you how much I love you. Do not worry about anything. I'm here. And I am coming for YOU again! I am coming! When I come I will bring you home. To a place with no more sadness and tears but only joy and laughter. Where we will enjoy each others presence forever.

Then, I had them place their heads on their desks and take time to talk with God and be open to listen to what He had to tell them.  I was then prompted by the Holy Spirit to tell them individually, by name, how much God loves them and desires to be in relationship with them.  That was the quietest, stillest, most behaved I have seen them all year.

Lara went and got the guitar and started playing and we sang the song "How He Loves" while the kids were praying with their heads on their desk.  It turned into  "Oh How He loves us..." to "Oh How He loves you...." ending with "Jesus tells you 'Oh how I love you..'"

Then we prayed again and said amen.  As the kids heads popped up from their desks you could see puffy eyes glossed over and kids wiping tears away. I realized we only had 10 minutes of class left so we took time to debreif on what just happened, what they learned, and what they felt. 

I'd like to share a few of their responses:

"I felt a hand on my shoulder."
"I feel lighter."
"I feel different."
"I learned how much God loves me."
"I felt someone hugging me."
"I saw God."
"I feel like I have a new body."
"Instead of connecting with the cable of my head, I connected with the cable of my heart."
"I learned how much I am forgiven. I saw that all my sin is gone."

Praise. God.

What a beautiful way to end the semester. I pray that God would use what happened today as a beginning to a beautiful heart change process. It's been a rough first semester with these students but God has given me and shown me how much He loves each and every one of them and how I need to continue to "Walk in Love" and share with them the love that He has given all of us for free through His Son, Jesus!

Little by little, one moment, one day at a time, God is at work and doing great things in these 5th grade students' lives. Continue to pray along with me that these students would grow a huge love for their Savior, not to earn anything from Him, but because of the free gift of grace He has given us, and that they would want to live and do everything for Him and His glory.

Dame Fuerza (Give Me Strength!)

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Today I had the opportunity to run a 14k race (8.7 miles) in the mountains of Bogotá that had a 1,200 meter (3,937 ft.) climb & 45 degree max inclination.

Here is the 14K route in the mountains! 

After the Nike We Run Bogotá 10K in November, I told myself no more races until the spring. However, this one popped up and said it was free! A free race of 14k in the Andes Mountains in Colombia?! I could not pass up on this opportunity! God taught me a lot through this race today and I'm excited to share it with you!

I'm going to start back on my birthday in Apulo (a town we went to in hot country). You know how my last blog post was how God gave me a song? Well, on my birthay God gave me another song...I take it as his birthday gift to me! It's still in the works but I have some of the lyrics and melody down.

Here are the lyrics:
 Eres mi Paz, Eres mi Dios. Me sostienes con Tu mano derecha.
You are my Peace, You are my God, You hold me with your right hand.

Cuando hay una montaña en frente de mi, me darás fuerza a escalarla.
When there is a mountain in front of me, you will give me strength to climb it.

Cuando hay obstáculos durante la carrera, voy a persevear en Tu ayuda.
When there are obstacles during the race, I'm going to persevere with Your help. 

Dame fuerza, dame confianza, dame amor, dame a Cristo
Give me strength, give me confidence, give me love, Give me Jesus.

I'm pretty sure these are the mountains we ran up.
I totally stood on that peak today!

After that, I was told about this free race! Which is totally another gift that God gave me. I didn't put the two together until the race today.  I started singing this song the first part of the race and realized how well it fit together!!! Oooh why is He so good to me?!??! I realized just how much He loves me AND the same goes for you too! You just need to recognize that they really are gifts from God because He loves you SO much! SO much that he sent His Son to die for us to bring us back into relationship with Him.

This is the church in the park where the race started.
You can see the mountains in the background that
we ran up!

Another thing he taught me was that I can't do anything on my own.  The Colombians were SO great to me! Also, it's just part of the race atmosphere. Everyone is going through the exact same thing at the same time so why not encourage others?? There were a couple men who took my hand and literally pulled me up some of the hardest parts. Also there was a woman who offered me some of her juice.  It was SO great!! While this was happening I was thinking, "Maaaaaan this is dumb. I can't even climb it myself." But then it hit me...no this isn't dumb..what a BEAUTIFUL picture this is of what God does for us each and every day! I remembered the phrase in the song: "Me sostienes con tu mano derecha (You uphold me with your right hand)" The guy was holding me and pulling me up with his right hand. HOW COOL IS THAT?!?!

Isaiah 41:10 

Then we FINALLY made it to the top and it was gorgeous! I wish I had my camera because the whole race had such a beautiful view. We climbed rocks, ran through forests, ran down this creek type jungle path, climbed more mountains, and saw Bogotá and other towns on the other side of the mountains. (granted I was looking down at my feet most of the time trying not to trip over rocks) As we came down I was excited for how easy it would be. But, of course I was wrong. It was JUST AS STEEP as going up (imagine that). It was very rocky and we had to be so careful because one slip and you could fall off the side. (Don't worry mom...God was holding me. :)  As we made our way down I had a calf cramp and then had camps in my feet. Such an odd and uncomfortable feeling while trying to run.  However I "pesevear(ed) en su ayuda...I persevered with His Help)  I finally made it to the finish in 2 hours and 57 minutes! My goal was under 3 hours. Also, for running on flat surfices my whole life and even down here...I was happy. Thank you, Jesus!

Applying "crema caliente" or Icy Hot for my
cramping muscles after the race! 

Wow, what an amazing experience God blessed me with full of running, mountains, and teaching me more about His Love and Who He Is.  Hallelujah!

My friend Machi & I after the race!
We're alive!!!! 

Now, we have 4 full days and 3 half days of school left for the semester. It's going to be busy and hard trying to bring it to a close and getting grades done and such so please pray for me for that!

I come home December 21 for Christmas break and will return to Bogotá January 1.  I couldn't be more excited to see my dearly loved friends and family!!! Hopefully there will be an opportunity to see a majority of you!

I hope and pray that God continues to bless you and that your eyes would be open to His blessings and gifts He gives you so that you can thank Him and realize the CRAZY AWESOME LOVE He has for YOU!  Also, that you would remember during difficult times when you feel like you can't go anymore, you can't climb up the mountain, something gives you a cramp, or you feel like it'll be easy but all the rocks and steepness gets in the way and slows you down, He is upholding you with His Righteous Right Hand!

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10