Called to Choose

Jorge lost his two front teeth!

Tori and Soraya.

Last Thursday I decided to try to document some of our class again. We've been working on throwing that small ball with his right hand. 

We're also working on communication. Tadi does not use this communication board very accurately yet, but he loves to push the buttons. I believe we are on the right track...

He got all his stickers for not hitting on Thursday, so Marce had a marshmallow treat for him.

Friday there wasn't any school and we had Dia de Diversion (Day of Fun). After some relay races, the children were divided into age groups and went with their group leaders around to the different competitions. There was a long race, free throw (basketball), obstacle course, scooter/ripstick course, sprint, bicycle course, and accuracy and distance throws with a softball.  

Joe helped Tadeo through the bicycle course.

Gisel riding the course.

A video of Kenia, my 12-year-old roomate, riding over the jump.

The accuracy throw for the softball.

The volleyball tournament after lunch.

Please pray: For the converts here in Magdalena, most of whom are young people from CVE and CVE families, but also Ivonne, a young lady from Magdalena who just started repenting. Pray that each one of them can fall in love with Jesus and surrender their lives completely to Him.

Gift of the Week: The gift of choice, that we can choose God every day out of love and out of gratitude! Much of my life I have lived doing what I knew I should, telling myself to try harder, saying "I will never do such and such again," and plunging into discouragement when I failed. Sometimes as I did what I thought was right, I resented it in my heart. I knew God wanted my heart, not just my service, but what else could I do but try harder? Does that sound familiar? I see the same pattern in my relations with other people. When someone has given you a suggestion, have you ever grudgingly followed their advice, telling yourself they were right, but wishing they hadn't meddled in your business? I've done that before too. Have you ever felt like you did certain things just because of other people's opinions and what they might think? I've felt that way too. But what struck me last week is that we are called to choose! Whether I obey God or whether I listen to the suggestions of others is my choice. If God is truly good or if their suggestion is truly right, why would I choose otherwise? But I must choose and own my choice. I am responsible. No one can force me. No one can force you. God has given us freewill. When I realized this, I experienced a sensation of freedom because I was free to choose and joy because I wanted to choose God from the depths of my own heart. However along with that liberty and joy, I experienced a twinge of fear. What about the times I don't want God? What if I choose wrong? So I kept thinking about it and it comes down to a basic way we deal with problems. When I fail or when I don't desire God, do I "try harder" or do I turn back to God in repentance and fall in love with Him? I have learned that when I "try harder," I feel trapped and I fail, but when I place myself before His holy throne, stand before His cross, remember all the little wonders He has done in my life, and fall in love with Him all over again, I experience true victory. "Be still and know that I am God..." Psalm 46:10 Sometimes stopping to remind myself of God's goodness seems like too much work, but when I do, it is well worth it because when I desire God above all things, serving Him is pure joy. So if you haven't thought about choice before, perhaps you can this week. When you feel a twinge of resentment, stop and bring yourself before God. Instead of "I should read the Bible and pray this morning," say "I choose to read the Bible and pray this morning." Instead of "I should go visit so and so or I have to do this or that chore," say "I choose to visit so and so. I choose to do my chore." Apply that to the drudgeries in your life and you will see how it makes an exponential difference. God does not enjoy our half-hearted attempts to please Him. He wants our whole heart, and we are called to choose. "..choose you this day whom ye will serve..." Joshua 14:15