YUNI IS A .........

I was laughing up a storm tonight as the clock struck midnight and I am so tired after an absolutely wonderful day here at Shepherd's Walk where we invited strangers to a banquet meal to just cultivate relationships where there were none! Oh - the wonder of what God has done tonight....... check The Prayer Walk blog in the next day or so for an update and pictures - it will just take me a few days to recover!

BUT on to the information of the hour!!!
Elaine has not been sleeping well since she is waiting with baited breath to find out what YUNI does for a living. You all had good guesses and many of your thought she was a hairdresser because of her own beautiful hair.

Elaine the answer is for you most of all...... Here it is .........are you ready?


She is a ............>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>




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LAWYER!!!

Now let me her some comments on that one!!!
I almost fell off my chair when she told me that!
But she is a most blessed sister in Christ of pure Mexican decent!

I hope you had fun with this guessing game - I know I did!
Thanks for participating!

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

The GIFT of the DAY is...

Hebrews 3:12-14

12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

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Acts 17:24-28 [Paul speaking]

24 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25 And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. 28 'For in Him we live and move and have our being.' [emphasis added]

As I awoke this morning the LORD spoke these words to me, "Get up, this is the most important day of your life." I jumped out of bed thinking that something great was going to happen and that God would reveal it very soon! I went about my day and its normal routines. About mid-day I had cut out a tiny blue gift box 'symbol' from an envelope that came in the mail – much like the large blue gift box in this photo... one that means lot to me. As I went throughout my day I realized, in time, that what the LORD wanted to show me and teach me in that statement He made was that...

TODAY
was the GIFT in the box!

Today - each day – is always a gift from the LORD. So often we look for great things to happen – and sometimes we ponder the awful things that "might happen"... dangerous "what ifs" ... ideas that creep into our minds and seek to paralyze us for the day.

But to live and breathe and have our being is a true gift from the Lord that we must not take for granted on any given day! So in good times - and difficult times let us learn to be thankful for the gift of TODAY - no matter what it brings! May we search to know what He desires to teach us throughout that day.

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Over my mantel is a large sign that reads:

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Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass

- it's about learning to find joy in the rain!

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As my "journal title" says: STANDING on the THRESHOLD = Dancing in the Rain [God chose it earlier this month]... He continues to teach me about all that it means! TODAY was just another gift!

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Choosing JOY, Stephanie

Beauty From WITHIN

1 Peter 3:3-5 (NLT)
3 Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. 4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. 5 This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands. [Emphasis added]

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Meet Yuni! Her name is spelled another way in Spanish but this is how she writes it to me now. She is a beautiful young women who is married to a wonderful young man [one year now in December] named, Efrain. This young couple is another example of the work and love of our God!

Each of them had prayed earnestly for a mate - asking God to bring that person TO THEM. They had asked God to be specific - [similar to the fleece that Gideon put out] - and they began "courting" last April after God had brought them together and confirmed to each one [without the other knowing it] that this was the mate HE had chosen! This is truly another love story. Yuni and Efrain are expecting their first child right around my birthday this spring.
Yuni and I were stuck together like a pair of magnets during the entire conference. She and her husband are on the worship team in the Main Mexican church where we had our conference. She did some training where she was able to learn some English so she was able to communicate well with us [without another translator]. What a blessing she is - beautiful INSIDE and OUT! Yuni and Efrain have a desire to start a young couples Bible study in their church there in Tamazunchale, MX, with Julio and Lidia and several other young couples. This would be a 'first' in that church. Would you pray for them that God would open that door?

Yuni's husband teaches High School there in Mexico.... but...
Can you guess what Yuni does for a living?
I will give away something special to one of you who can come up with the correct answer.
Think about what her job is in life. I think you will be very surprised. I'll leave this open for comments for a few days and see what kinds of things you can guess that she does! Let's have fun with this.... and no cheating... if you already know because I've shared it elsewhere!

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

A Transformation and A Love Story

Meet Julio [26] and Lidia [26], his wife. They have been married for 10 years. They have a 7-year old son, Caesar. They are new members at the church in Mexico. Julio asked if he could share his story with me on our last day at the conference.

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A short time ago Julio left his wife and son ["I abandoned them" - were his words to me].

He left Mexico and went to the USA to live with his brother who is a believer in Jesus Christ. He was there for 3 long years where he lived the life of a drug addict, smoked heavily and drank alcohol so much that his brother found him unconscious in the street most nights. Julio learned to speak some English when living in the States. He communicated to me the best he could - that his brother asked him many times to go to church with him.

Over and over Julio said, "No, I don't want any part of your God."

So.... his brother prayed for him.

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One morning Julio woke up after a drunken ordeal and reached for a drink.... but he vomited at the first swallow. He reached for his drugs, again he vomited. Cigarettes had the same affect. He went to his brother and yelled at him, "What have you done?"

His brother replied, "I have prayed for you, that God would make your body REPEL the alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes that have held you captive for so long."

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Instead of anger and rage, Julio said to his brother, "If your God can do this to me, then take me to your church, I want to meet Him." Julio went to church with his brother and there He met the Savior and the Lord of his life, Jesus Christ, for the first time. The preaching that day spoke life into his soul and he was transformed. God removed the scales from his eyes and he was given understanding to the Word. His darkness was turned into light.

He has now dedicated his life to 'ministry' there in Mexico. But he will be discipled fully and watched carefully in order for him to prove his faith to be genuine.

His heart was full the day he shared with me about this.

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On our last evening at the conference, a special celebration dinner was given in our honor [as the preaching/teaching team]. Many of the church members were there as well. I watched Julio and Lidia sitting in the corner holding hands together

and putting there heads together like a young grade school romance.

They were laughing and singing .......

and joyful in the Lord.

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Lidia looks up at her husband as he gives "gifts of love and appreciation" to our group.
God has given her back her life - rebuilt - restored and renewed, just as His Word says!

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Isaiah 61
The Year of the LORD's Favor

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on Me [Christ],

because the LORD has anointed Me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor

and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness

instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the LORD

for the display of His splendor.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins

and restore the places long devastated;

they will renew the ruined cities

that have been devastated for generations.

[emphasis added]

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Would you commit to praying for Julio, and his wife, Lidia, and son, Caesar, that God would grow their faith and bless their family as they seek to love and serve Him for the rest of their days there in Mexico?

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Choosing JOY, Stephanie

A TINY VILLAGE CHURCH IN MEXICO

About 15 families come to worship here on Sundays = around 40 people!

The moon and the heavens are a declaration and a witness of God's eternal covenant love to all mankind - given to David - bringing forth the line of Jesus Christ!

Psalm 89
A maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.
1 I will sing of the LORD'S great love forever;
with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations.
2 I will declare that Your love stands firm forever,
that You established Your faithfulness in heaven itself.
3 You said, "I have made a covenant with My chosen one,
I have sworn to David My servant,
4 'I will establish Your line forever
and make your throne firm through all generations.' " ...... Selah
5 The heavens praise Your wonders, O LORD,
Your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.

28 I will maintain My love to him forever,
and My covenant with him will never fail.
33 but I will not take My love from him,
nor will I ever betray My faithfulness.
34 I will not violate My covenant
or alter what My lips have uttered.
35 Once for all, I have sworn by My holiness—
and I will not lie to David-
36 that his line will continue forever
and his throne endure before me like the sun;
37 it will be established forever like the moon,
the faithful witness in the sky." .........Selah [emphasis added]
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This is our God ---- spreading the Fame of His Name [JESUS] all the way down to the far corners of the earth in the Huasteca Region of Mexico. With these meager surroundings and nothing to offer - the people love the Lord Jesus Christ with all their hearts!

Leaping [in faith] for JOY,

Stephanie

THE COLORS of MEXICO

What I found along the way from my home [where I stayed] to the church where we shared:

EVERYTHING BY PRAYER

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John 14 [selected passage]

Jesus the Way to the Father

5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where You are going, so how can we know the way?"
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 If you really knew Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him."
8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know Me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in Me? The words I say to you are not just My own. Rather, it is the Father, living in Me, who is doing His work. 11 Believe Me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. [emphasis added]

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Jesus waits at every turn for the 'lost' to be found! Are we showing them the Way, the Truth and the Life? They are ripe and ready to receive!

Leaping for JOY,

Stephanie

[JESUS = The One I Wait For]

MEXICO FRUIT = HER NAME IS ROSIE

Thank you for all who prayed for me and our team who went to Tamazunchole, Mexico, in the Huestecha Region, to minister through teaching and preaching at the 4th annual [native] Pastor's Conference there. Our theme for this conference was:

Everything By PRAYER

GOD WAS FAITHFUL!! He did marvelous and miraculous things beyond what we had ever expected. What a privilege it is to be used of Him! He doesn't need 'us' to fulfill His purposes - but He 'allows us' and 'invites us' to participate in the work He is already doing. All I can say right now is WOW - GOD YOU ARE AMAZING!

Crossing the border into Mexico on the 29th of October - after just getting my passport stamped - I waited outside with Dale [a missionary translator on our team]. Dale asked me if I would share "a word of testimony" with two border guards who were standing above him on the ridge. Hesitantly, I walked over and swallowed hard. I had never been 'put on the spot' to just share my testimony with a complete stranger like that. I prayed [quickly] that God would fill my mouth with His words [and not my own]. One of the guards got called away as I walked over. But there stood Rosie. So I shared about what Christ had done in my life. Dale and I talked with her for awhile. She is a single mom with five children who also suffers from diabetes and is losing some of her sight. She also has other physical issues. She does not make enough money to make ends meet and is hoping to move to the USA to get a better job to support her family. She spoke no English at all. She was downcast and discouraged before we began to share with her about Christ's love.

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John 14:6

Jesus said, "I am the Way the Truth and the Life. No man comes to the Father except through Me."

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At the end of our long conversation we asked her if she desired to ask Christ to come into her heart. We explained to her that it was not a matter of "religion" but one of personal "relationship" with a Holy God through Christ's finished work on the cross. WE encouraged her to trust Christ with her life. She said "yes"!!! What a transformation came over her face - none like I had ever seen as she went from despair ... to the JOY of His salvation! We gave her literature and asked if she had a Bible. She said she had a New Testament that someone could read to her so I encouraged her to read the gospel of John - chapter one. We encouraged her to hold on to Jesus for the rest of her life.

This is a song from UNSEARCHABLE [by Gwen Smith] dedicated to Rosie:

Broken Into Beautiful

by Gwen Smith/Sue C. Smith/Chad Cates

[partial words of the song]

She's smiling on the outside,

But she's hurting on the inside;

It's getting harder just living anymore.

And the shadows she has clung to,

Painful things that she has been through,

Have left her feeling worthless, Lord...

But You change worthless into precious,

Guilty to forgiven,

Hungry into satisfied,

Empty into full.

All the lies are shattered,

And we believe we matter,

When you change broken into beautiful.

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Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[Jesus - the One I Wait For]