News from the Velardes

We, once again, want to thank you for your faithful support.  We continue to follow as the Lord leads and boy has it been a ride thus far!  We would like to take a minute and share a little bit of what will be in our next newsletter but felt that our supporters should get a sneak peak about what has been happening here and give you an opportunity to pray with us.

We are currently going through the book of John.  We just finished chapter 11 and now getting into the last few weeks of Jesus life before he goes to the cross.  It was Leonard Ravenhill who said "If the sermon doesn't burn in you (preacher), it won't burn in anybody else, that's for sure !”  A few weeks ago I shared with the church that when Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick, He acted in a manner opposite of what they thought they needed.  In fact later when he comes to them they both tell him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died!”  What they thought they needed was a healing of their beloved brother but what Jesus had for them was not only the eventual resurrection of their brother but first he had to show the two sisters a life lesson.  To Martha he addressed her need to be instructed, (remember she was always busy but never at His feet) and to Mary he needed to show her a compassionate Jesus, Jesus wept as she wept.  

All that to say that the Lord acts in ways that we don’t always understand yet, if we are willing to learn from it we can walk away with more than the miracle!  Our little church here has been established for about 7 months now and in those 7 months we have moved locations 3 times and now occupy our 4th spot.  Most of you have prayed and walked through our moves from day 1.  I sit here as Mary and Martha wondering why Jesus just didn’t get us to spot number 4 from the get go.  He was able to.  However I think there is something He is looking to show me and my family.  First of all i sense Him showing us that what I thought we as a church needed is not exactly what He thought.  Church in Mexico is not the same as church in the states.  Secondly I believe he is showing us to take steps of faith.  My nature is not to gamble, I tend to go with what the best odds are, yet in walking with the Lord, He desires that we take steps of faith.  Like Mary and Martha I don’t know why God is doing what He is doing all I can do is follow and let him lead.  As Martha said “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”  I have no idea what is going on but “You are the Christ!”  If I trusted you to save me and give me eternity then I can trust you to guide this little fellowship to whatever spot you choose.  Its not where I thought the church should be geographically, yet its where He thought it should be.  Its not the space I had envisioned, yet its exactly the space He envisioned for us.  Its not the price I wanted to pay (we are now paying 4 times what we paid in the 2 spot), yet its exactly the amount He believes we need to pay.  

So, two weeks ago we take a step of faith and find this space.  Long story short, we didn’t find it but He found it.  He knew exactly what we need and where we need to be.  The new spot is an old restaurant that consists of 2 rooms and 2 bathrooms.  The beauty of letting go and letting God is as follows:  

1.  We are now in a place that is ours 24/7, we actually had our first mens prayer there on Saturday and our first Sunday service there yesterday!  

2.  The church is right on the main road into town!  Everybody can see it

3.  The bus stop is right in front of the church.  As the people get off the bus the first thing they see is the church! (its noisy, but that ok)

4.  We are on the outskirts of town, next to the colonia with the most inhabitants!

5.  We have been approved by the landlord to expand and build what would be a classroom in the future

6. Parking, there is plenty of parking!  (parking in GTO is hard to come by)

We keep going and keep taking steps of faith with this small church.  Everyone is wondering how in the world we are going to afford  this place.  I don’t know but I know the One who does.  Where are we going to find the funds to build a classroom, they ask.  I don’t know but I know the One who does.  We already have ideas to reach the community around us to let them know we are not the enemy but are there to share the love of Christ. 

Thank you for praying and investing in this place that needs the Love of Christ.  Here are a few photos: