thoughts and update
Just want to start out with a bit of an update and an apology. The apology is for not keeping up with the blog or email here recently. If you've written me an email, sorry for being such a slacker and not writing back yet. The same goes for the blog. The desire was there but not the time or strength. Things have been going well, though. We had a great time with the IWC team this week and they did some great work. Thank you for praying for them. Christine flew to the States this last Wednesday to be with her family and attend her brother's wedding. So I've been here batching it but doing ok. She will be coming back this next Wednesday night.
I shared and wrote about this Jim Eliot (a missionary killed by the Waorani) quote in the last prayer newsletter but I had some more thoughts about it and I love it so much that I had to share it again.
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." -Jim Eliot Two questions come out of this...What is the thing that is gained that cannot be lost? The other is, What is it that we cannot keep? The answer to the first question is, eternal life, of course. We have the presence of God in this life and after our bodies die. This can never be lost or taken. We receive the gift by believing and following Jesus. The next question is about what we cannot keep. This, of course, is our personal, earthly, and temporal lives. We may hold on to these as long as we live, but no longer. We can do with our lives what we please but there is a consequence to that. If we give them to God and live out his purpose, there is reward. So I challenge everyone as I do myself-give what cannot be kept to gain that which cannot be lost.
Psalm 84:2-"My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. This is just a verse that I read in my devotional time this morning and was a great reminder about our need for God. It was a reminder about the desire that we should have for him and for his presence. I guess this is my own interpretation but I saw the heart and flesh as representing the need of our souls and bodies to have the help of God. Our souls should be fed, nurtured and maintained by God and his presence. Our bodies need his strength and sustenance. (I definitely knew that this last busy week!) May our hearts seek after him and find satisfaction in Him alone. 
Here is a picture of Jeff, who was a volunteer this week and a great friend. He was one of the leaders as well. He came early to set things up before most the group came last week and we were able to hang out then. Check out his shades, there is a little story behind that. I helped translate and wheel/deal so he could get them at a special discount. They are 'real Ray-Bans,' after all. They vendor started off at a price of $35 but the old 'cheap challenge' (that is another story) got him down to $4.50. That was really unusual because they will usually start out just a little above the real price. Anyways, we got them and Jeff was pretty happy until they broke a couple of days later. No worries, though-thanks to the magical wonder of duct tape.
Guess this is all for now. Hope to put some more pictures on later today or tomorrow. For some prayer requests...pray for the volunteers as they go back home, that God would continue to use them and work in their lives. Also, pray for the follow up that will done with the people they and the last group contacted. Lasty, pray for Christine and her family as they are able to spend some time together. Pray for her brother, Paul and his fiance, Laura-for the wedding and the beginning of their lives together.
I shared and wrote about this Jim Eliot (a missionary killed by the Waorani) quote in the last prayer newsletter but I had some more thoughts about it and I love it so much that I had to share it again.
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." -Jim Eliot Two questions come out of this...What is the thing that is gained that cannot be lost? The other is, What is it that we cannot keep? The answer to the first question is, eternal life, of course. We have the presence of God in this life and after our bodies die. This can never be lost or taken. We receive the gift by believing and following Jesus. The next question is about what we cannot keep. This, of course, is our personal, earthly, and temporal lives. We may hold on to these as long as we live, but no longer. We can do with our lives what we please but there is a consequence to that. If we give them to God and live out his purpose, there is reward. So I challenge everyone as I do myself-give what cannot be kept to gain that which cannot be lost.
Psalm 84:2-"My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. This is just a verse that I read in my devotional time this morning and was a great reminder about our need for God. It was a reminder about the desire that we should have for him and for his presence. I guess this is my own interpretation but I saw the heart and flesh as representing the need of our souls and bodies to have the help of God. Our souls should be fed, nurtured and maintained by God and his presence. Our bodies need his strength and sustenance. (I definitely knew that this last busy week!) May our hearts seek after him and find satisfaction in Him alone. 
Here is a picture of Jeff, who was a volunteer this week and a great friend. He was one of the leaders as well. He came early to set things up before most the group came last week and we were able to hang out then. Check out his shades, there is a little story behind that. I helped translate and wheel/deal so he could get them at a special discount. They are 'real Ray-Bans,' after all. They vendor started off at a price of $35 but the old 'cheap challenge' (that is another story) got him down to $4.50. That was really unusual because they will usually start out just a little above the real price. Anyways, we got them and Jeff was pretty happy until they broke a couple of days later. No worries, though-thanks to the magical wonder of duct tape.
Guess this is all for now. Hope to put some more pictures on later today or tomorrow. For some prayer requests...pray for the volunteers as they go back home, that God would continue to use them and work in their lives. Also, pray for the follow up that will done with the people they and the last group contacted. Lasty, pray for Christine and her family as they are able to spend some time together. Pray for her brother, Paul and his fiance, Laura-for the wedding and the beginning of their lives together.
posted by Ben & Christine Haley at 11:14 AM
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