October - November 2023 - exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think
Who on earth ever would have imagined? Two dream-filled, very young, determined, energetic, and expectant followers of their Heavenly Leader, who began praying almost a half-century ago for that exceedingly abundant answer to their petitions, very “naïvely” assumed He really meant that “exceeding” part of His promise, but they had no idea the extent of that magnanimous abundance. Living an “ordinary” life was never an option! Divine power at work in the details saw to that! And His “exceedingly abundant” promise far surpassed their expectation as well as that of those who have cared enough to share and send them to Mexico 48 years ago this month.
The past two months in Tepic were filled with God’s excessive abundance, His setting up of divine matchups, and His power to bring glory to Himself throughout all ages positioning people in His kingdom to accomplish that end. Following are a few examples…exceeding abundantly above all that we asked or thought!
God is still in the process of calling, equipping, and providing for His recruits and His children. 
First, what a shock that He would have chosen to use two 23- and 27-year-old kids who trusted Him completely but were just learning to speak Spanish, who knew no one, who were uninvited, who carried the Message that was also unexpected and unwanted, to make random friends, and share that treasure in Tepic with all who would listen. Second, how astonishing that only through His power, some of those friends began to listen and were convinced of their need to accept payment and forgiveness of their sins offering them the gift of eternal life. And how amazing that over the years, that little band of “friends” became part of the discipled family of believers who love God, love His Word, love sharing it with others, and have committed themselves to fulfill that same Great Commission with which Jesus Himself charged those two kids and all who would believe.
Who on earth ever would imagine that another couple, from Cuba, of all places, would believe, love God’s Word, love sharing it with others, and through an incredible display of power that works in them, would have committed themselves to participate in the Commission, in Mexico! Hector and Mirelis, that Cuban couple, answered God’s call to come to Tepic as missionaries, work as apprentices alongside the family of believers led by Pastor Martín, who, just a few decades ago was, himself, a newly-believing young boy who has become the pastor of the IBBM-Tepic. Hector and Mirelis are absorbing the culture, learning to speak Mexican Spanish, working in the Tepic and Huichol churches, and asking God for wisdom as to where He, specifically, would have them serve in Mexico…and the cycle repeats itself according to power that worketh in us.
Meanwhile, He Who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think is busy adding Huichol believers to the family of churches in villages all over the Sierra Madre mountains. The latest project is in the village of Guásima del Caimán, Pastor José López’ natal village that for 25 years rejected the Gospel he carried to them just after he believed. At long last, the persecutors of believers from that once fledgling church, have themselves been marvelously transformed by the Gospel, and they have just completed the church building in their village. The following is yet another of the many crazy parts of the Guásima story, but here goes: A missionary friend from a sister church in Durango (Mexico) contacted Pastor Martín to see if there “happened to be a building project” that he and some of the very-skilled and generous brothers from his church could participate in, along with some German-speaking, ex-Mennonite believers whose families have emigrated to Durango. You can’t make this up! There are way too many details to share here, but a dozen of them (Mexicans and Germans) traveled to 
Tepic from Durango, drove to the Agua Milpa dam, and “hopped” onto boats that took them up-river an hour to Huaynamota. From the landing, they trekked five hours with their equipment along treacherous trails through the mountains that only very-experienced mountain goats qualify to hike and arrived at the village of Guásima. After three days of working together, the Huichol, Mexican, Cuban, German, and ex-Mennonite believers had the roof on, held the first prayer and praise meeting in the brand-new church building, and the mission was accomplished. Who on earth ever would have imagined? Only the Master Designer. This activity of His, calling, equipping, and providing for His recruits (the least likely!) is certainly not exclusive to Tepic, but it is proof positive that with the most diverse team of rescuers, including an army of friends who are reading this letter, God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.
First, what a shock that He would have chosen to use two 23- and 27-year-old kids who trusted Him completely but were just learning to speak Spanish, who knew no one, who were uninvited, who carried the Message that was also unexpected and unwanted, to make random friends, and share that treasure in Tepic with all who would listen. Second, how astonishing that only through His power, some of those friends began to listen and were convinced of their need to accept payment and forgiveness of their sins offering them the gift of eternal life. And how amazing that over the years, that little band of “friends” became part of the discipled family of believers who love God, love His Word, love sharing it with others, and have committed themselves to fulfill that same Great Commission with which Jesus Himself charged those two kids and all who would believe.
Who on earth ever would imagine that another couple, from Cuba, of all places, would believe, love God’s Word, love sharing it with others, and through an incredible display of power that works in them, would have committed themselves to participate in the Commission, in Mexico! Hector and Mirelis, that Cuban couple, answered God’s call to come to Tepic as missionaries, work as apprentices alongside the family of believers led by Pastor Martín, who, just a few decades ago was, himself, a newly-believing young boy who has become the pastor of the IBBM-Tepic. Hector and Mirelis are absorbing the culture, learning to speak Mexican Spanish, working in the Tepic and Huichol churches, and asking God for wisdom as to where He, specifically, would have them serve in Mexico…and the cycle repeats itself according to power that worketh in us.
Tepic from Durango, drove to the Agua Milpa dam, and “hopped” onto boats that took them up-river an hour to Huaynamota. From the landing, they trekked five hours with their equipment along treacherous trails through the mountains that only very-experienced mountain goats qualify to hike and arrived at the village of Guásima. After three days of working together, the Huichol, Mexican, Cuban, German, and ex-Mennonite believers had the roof on, held the first prayer and praise meeting in the brand-new church building, and the mission was accomplished. Who on earth ever would have imagined? Only the Master Designer. This activity of His, calling, equipping, and providing for His recruits (the least likely!) is certainly not exclusive to Tepic, but it is proof positive that with the most diverse team of rescuers, including an army of friends who are reading this letter, God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.
Labels: accomplished, Cuba, Durango, Guásima del Caimán, Hector, Huaynamota, Huichol, Mirelis, roof
posted by debbiemellberg @ 6:58 AM
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