Overthinking Out Loud

We are well into the Month of Prayer for the Gaúchos of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil! As you may remember, the prayer focus this year is on the spiritual strongholds that bind the hearts and minds of urban Gaúchos. If you have not yet received a copy of the videos and the accompanying bulletin inserts, you can view them online or download them at www.teamgaucho.net . Our prayer emphasis this week will be on the stronghold of Materialism. We would encourage you to watch the videos with your church or small group and to devote time during this week asking God to free the hearts and minds of the Gaúchos from the deception of the unhealthy aspects of modern culture which keep them from being open to receiving the gospel. Jeff is in Porto Alegre, while Blake, Parker and I are still in the USA. Parker goes to the doctor today (Wednesday), and if all goes well, he will be cleared to return to Brazil next week. Please pray that he will get a good report from the doctor and that we will be a...

September is rolling right along, and with it, the Month of Prayer for the Gaúcho People of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil! As you may remember, the prayer focus this year is on the spiritual strongholds that bind the hearts and minds of urban Gaúchos. If you have not yet received a copy of the videos and the accompanying bulletin inserts, you can view them online or download them at www.teamgaucho.net . The second video on Pride is available on GodTube and also on YouTube . Our prayer emphasis this week will be on the stronghold of Pride. We would encourage you to watch the videos with your church or small group and to devote time during this week asking God to free the hearts and minds of the Gaúchos from the deception of the unhealthy aspects of their cultural pride which keep them from being open to receiving the gospel. Jeff has returned safely to Porto Alegre, while Blake, Parker and I are still in the USA awaiting Parker’s medical clearance so we can return. Please pray for ou...

September is finally here, and with it, the Month of Prayer for the Gaúcho People of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil! As you may remember, the prayer focus this year is on the spiritual strongholds that bind the hearts and minds of urban Gaúchos. If you have not yet received a copy of the videos and the accompanying bulletin inserts, you can watch it here, view them online or download them at www.teamgaucho.net. Here is the first video on False Religions. We would encourage you to watch the videos with your church or small group and to devote time during this week asking God to free the hearts and minds of the Gaúchos from the deception of false religions.

This video is a great portrayal of how sometimes we missionaries feel at the task looming in front of us that is so much bigger than ourselves. In the end we just have to hold to God's promise in Isaiah 52:15 Those who have never been told of Him will see and those who have never heard will understand.

May 11 is a big day this year. If you're following what's going on in Lakeland , you know it's a big day. If you're a participant in a church that follows the liturgical church calendar, you know it's Pentecost Sunday . If you're a Mommy Blogger , then you already KNOW it's REALLY BIG . (PSST -- you, clueless Dad there: It's Mother's Day). It's also the single biggest day of the year for the US restaurant industry. It's also the Day of Prayer and Fasting for World Evangelization , with a special focus this year on South America. Since Mother's Day, restaurants, and fasting don't go so well together (if only they would just consult ME before they go planning these things!), I have decided to invite you all to join me in a week-long fast (type of your choosing) PRIOR to the Big Day. So, while you're praying for an outpouring of God's glory on our nation, or your moving, contempletive worship service, or your Mom, or My Mom (wh...

I had a pretty typical Missionary Mom morning—typical for a first-year language student, that is. Since I'm in my 8 th year of service, it was pretty frustrating! You see, every morning I pray that our steps would be ordered by God , that he would order our day to save us time and cause us to be where He wants us at the right time. This morning Jeff had a meeting with the Big Important National Guy who's in town this week. I slept through our alarm and in our haste to get Jeff out the door to meet Big Important National Guy, I missed my prayers. Jeff took Parker to school and then drove the car to his meeting. We agreed that he would call me if I needed to pick Parker up from school at noon. I realized about 11:00 that I would have to get Parker, as Big Important National Guy and the networking opps that would surround his visit would certainly last most of the day. That's also when I realized that Jeff had both strollers in the car with him. At about that same time a sti...