Today was a different kind of Sunday for us in Mexico.
It all started with a bang about 6 am. There was a loud noise outside and the electricity went off for several hours. Bill cooked his coffee in the fireplace...he's got to have his coffee!
I got ready for church in the dark until the sun came up. The electricity came back on about 8:30 am and I went to pick up Maria de Jesús and her three grandsons. We got to church about 10 minutes early.
It was a great time of praise and worship and there were 18 people in church today. Last Sunday Blas had asked me to bring the message so I shared the first chapter of "Created to Be God's Friend: Lessons from the Life of Abraham," by Henry Blackaby. I translated it and shared it from my heart, praying for God's anointing. It was a blessing as I seldom feel capable of bringing a sermon to a group of people.
Early in my Christian walk, I took a Preaching and Teaching course, taught by Jim Arnold at Heart Ministries in Sacramento. He told us to always carry a sermon in your pocket.
After church, I took Maria and the boys home and her daughter, Erika, needed a ride to San Carlos. I took her the 12 miles to her home, with a load of firewood we loaded in the back of the pickup, and about 3 miles from San Carlos in Emiliano Zapapta we came upon a young mother pushing a double stroller with her two small sons. I asked her if she was walking to San Carlos and she said yes. So I loaded her and her babies in the back seat and placed her stroller in the back, on top of the firewood.
We dropped her off at her sister's house in San Carlos, and then dropped Erika off at her house with her firewood.
I drove back home, thanking God for His faithfulness in providing the vehicles we have and the gasoline to be able to give folks a lift when they need it.
Maria and her family were waiting for me at the house when I arrived. We all loaded up in the van and headed for the church in Centinella at the Rehab there. The service had just begun, although we were nearly 30 minutes late.
It was a wonderful time of praise and worship, and a great message brought by Pastor Alejandro. Afterwards we enjoyed sweet fellowship and a wonderful meal of chili rellenos, frijoles, rice and tortillas. Then we all loaded up in the van and headed home. We dropped Bill, Rito and the kids off and then Maria, Socorro and I headed for San Carlos to see her grandmother who was near death. Our prayer was that God would give us an opportunity to share the gospel.
We were there from 4:30 until 9:30 and we read the 23rd Psalm and prayed with the whole family in the room while Santos was breathing her last breaths. About 7 pm she slipped into eternity, one year short of her 90th birthday. It was sad but it was good to be there, and we were able to share the gospel with the family.
I arrived back home just before 10 pm, after dropping Maria and Socorro at their house.
I thank God that I don't have to worry about what circumstances I will be encountering if I give my day to Him. His agenda is by far the best and I'm so grateful He directs my steps.
Thank you so much for your patience with us as I have not updated our blog for such a long time. I will try to fill in the gaps as soon as I can.
Praising God for His faithfulness,
Toni and Bill
