Jubilee

So, while we were in Belmopan, we also met a very important man by the name of Scott Stirm. We kept hearing his name, and people kept saying, "Oh, you need to talk to Scott Stirm!" . . . well we didn't know who this Scott Stirm was, but Tati got his number and tried to call him, but he would never answer. AS IT TURNED OUT, we had his wrong number, and another man named Richard Smith, who is on his campaign trail, running for some office during this election season and owns Refuge Radio, who we had met the same morning we met Louis Wade (tv network guy) - *I promise this all comes together* - basically I happened to be driving the car, and went down a one-way road accidentally, and someone honked at us, and it was Richard Smith! And he recognized us, and got out of his car and told us to follow him to his radio station! crazy! So, we were just starting our day and returning the church keys to Pastor Maganya - and all of a sudden we were on a wild track following Richard Smith up this steep mountain to where his house and radio station is! So, we met with Richard, hung out with him for a while, then he called Scott Stirm (his correct number) and told him we were on our way . . . .

SO, then all of a sudden we find Scott's house, and we knock on the door, and are blown away by our next experience. Scott is an American man who has lived in Belize for the past 30 years. His heart is the same as ours for unity and revival in Belize, and when we later visited his church Sunday night, we felt like we were at The Awakening church! At his church (Jubilee) he had Tati and I go up and speak to everyone about the conference and share what we are doing, which was awesome, and lots of people afterwards asked us questions, gave us advice and even offered to help us with whatever profession they are involved in (marketing, graphic design, etc). Supposedly Belmopan is the spiritual hub of all Belize, or so they say.

Scott Stirm is a key figure because he is not only known by just about everyone, but he is a key leader in the country, and has a contact list of THOUSANDS of pastors around the country. He is coming alongside us and will not only be at the conference and helping us along the way, but also sending out all of the info and invitation to all of the contacts he has!! Nuts!

Something Scott preached on really touched my heart, and was awesome because if confirmed and echoed what I have been learning, so I will just share . . . .

Basically I have been learning, seeking, asking for and studying HUMILITY.
In Numbers 12 it sys that Moses was more humble than any other on earth, and of course it talks about how Moses was a friend to God, and they spoke face-to-face.
The main verse Scott used that ties so much together when studying humility is this:

James 4:6 - God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble  -

You could study (and I am) God's grace, and man's humility or lack thereof.
But basically, Humility attracts God; Humility attracts Grace.

Something awesome that I wrote down about Moses' conversations with God that I want my words with Him to be like:

Moses: "Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight"

God: "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest"

Moses: "If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here"

God: "This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name"

Moses: "Please show me your glory"

Scott also shared that his vision for this year 2012, he felt like the Lord was saying that HIS PRESENCE IS GOING TO ROUT THE ENEMY..... therefore Scott was saying that he feels strongly about dealing aggressively with anything that hinders the Lord's presence . . . and it was interesting to hear a myriad of situations the enemy is trying to throw at him, his congregation and even Belize as a whole.

He shared about how the root of all conflicts = pride . . . . which is cool because in a book I read, something that struck me very deeply is this excerpt:








"All this is to make it known the region of eternity that pride can degrade the highest angels into devils, and humility raise fallen flesh and blood to the thrones of angels . . . evil can have no beginning but from pride, and no end but from humility . . . The truth is this: Pride may die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you."

"If you could see what every stirring of pride does to your soul, you would beg of everything you meet to tear the viper from you, though with the loss of a hand or an eye. . . . if you could see what a sweet, divine, transforming power there is in humility, how it expels the poison of your nature, and makes room for the Spirit of God to liv ein you, you would rather wish to be the footstool of all the world than want the smallest degree of it."

and BOOM goes the dynamite! I love this so much.

 

Scott Stirm is super awesome, but I will admit he reminds me a little bit of the dad on the show The Wild Thornberries :)

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

SO, we are now in Belmopan, and actually as I write this, we are on our way out, heading to Dangriga later on today, but while we have been in Belmopan here are some experiences, events, encounters and BLESSINGS that the Lord has lined us up with . . . . first off, we met with different pastors in the area, and stayed in a Nazarene church for two nights. Pastor Maganya, one of the greatest people we have met so far, shared with us stories of how he became a pastor around age 40, some cool dreams he has had, stories about spiritual warfare and just sharing wisdom from the wise, that we TOTALLY ate up. 

We stayed in our first church, in the babies room, on our air mattresses, and of course the shower only had one temperature: (*what's colder than cold?*) ICE COOLD! Quite the waker upper! I've never had a shower with so much exercise happening, jumping around lol

Ok, so I can't hold it in any longer. What is SO CRAZY, is that we woke up yesterday (Thursday Feb 8th) and there was a radio station outside of the church, and the owner wants to meet with us and come to the conference. He is also a political candidate running for something here in Belmopan  . . . AND THEN, somehow we got a call to meet with a bigshot in the area who owns a TV STATION, and we met with him (Louis Wade) and he wants us to come in and be part of a LIVE MORNING SHOW on TV!!! And do a 30 minute interview about our trip down here, about the conference, and it is also the type of morning show/tv channel that is shown around the WHOLE COUNTRY, and it also is where people can call in . . . . ah!!!! Tati and I walked out of the tv station building place, and were just like whaaaaat just happened!! pure shock. The Lord is clearly wanting to do something way bigger than the two of us. Please pray that we execute the tasks He has put and continues to put in front of us. I was reading earlier today in John 20, and THANK YOU LORD that you gave us our task AND YOUR POWER :22 *the holy spirit* - hallelujah!! 

They are also willing to put an ad/commercial together for us and air it for 2 or 3 weeks before this conference. Belize is obviously very small and the kind of place where a country-wide leadership conference is something people are actually interested in watching and learning about (that would never fly in the states! lol)

Picture I took in the parking lot on the side of a truck

Look who we ran into in Belmopan!! Our favorite papa Henry! 

He is so sweet. He is traveling around meeting with pastors teaching a class on Crisis Intervention as he was recently the fire chief over the whole country, and now as a pastor, he has lots of amazing counseling and crisis experience of his own.

 

Here is Pastor Norman 

By the way, I took a picture of my bags and belongings . . . probably because I am planning to take a picture of Tati's 100 bags in the future :) for comparison haha

We walked into what said it was a church and all it was, was an abandoned swimming pool! haha

pics while driving - they call this mountain the sleeping man . . . notice the nose and chin of a man lying down

My new Caged Honey Badger Friend! lol

I seriously loved this little guy!

There he is! cute little guy with a very long snout 

We met a priest and talked to them from this Anglican church! Definitely a new experience!!

Some random pics as we drive around in our hotbox

another one of these trees I love

As I said before, I love seeing hanging laundry . . . 

Sweeet!

OK, so after the longest day ever - and they are all long, thanks for my prayer of multiplying our time here and the Lord doing a multitude of work in and through us . . . . we decided to go to an actual restaurant our first night in Belmopan : 

This restaurant is Chinese, and called Yim Saan I think? Anyway, I tried Conch for the first time! And Tati learned Farkle for the first time. We laughed a LOT. It was a good little relaxing date :)

PLEASE notice this straight as the 1 fell on my shirt :)

Happy Conch likes to swim in Egg Drop Soup

Tati is very proud of this artsy looking photo of the dice

Tati won the game . . . . . . 

therefore this was the loser's fate:

The Lord has been so good to us, and is teaching me so much. I am forever grateful for those of you reading this who have prayed for me and this trip that will forever change my life! I can't explain the work that is happening in my heart, soul, and mind, and while I do have a new camera, and enjoy sneaking pictures while we are meeting people and driving around, this trip has brought so much life and freedom and clarity to my spirit. While we never have more than a few hours if even online, I hope to update more than just pictures and events, but many times that is all that is able to be posted in short amounts of time. And while we have had fun and awesome experiences, I have been so humbled and changed by the things the Lord has revealed to me about my life before this trip and my life after. More to come on all of this.