Please Donate to the Oatmeal Canister

It's Friday! I usually take Fridays off to spend with Colt and catch up on church, missions, or any other random projects I willingly sign myself up for. As usual, I've been distracted by housework (or my OCD as Steven calls it), Facebook, and wrestling around with Colt-Man. But now, it's nap time. The house is quiet, the dishes are clean, toys are picked up, and Colt has passed out in his crib after a swift rub down of essential oils to knock his crud out. (Yes, I'm one of "those moms".) I should be working on a website project, but I am overflowing once again from the goodness of the Lord, that I have to sit down and share! 

As mentioned in previous blogs, we are in need of a lot of financial support for our journey to Honduras. Our goal is to raise enough to sustain us for a year and continue to fundraise from there to see where God takes us next. We may stay in Honduras or God may lead us elsewhere. Rest assured...we are in this for the long haul and we don't want to limit our vision to just Honduras. That is the assignment for now, and we will stay there until God says move. 

Without getting too far ahead of myself, our fundraising efforts for now are focused on our first year of ministry. That goal is about $40,000. I want to take some time to be very specific with our needs. I believe when you are specific, it paints a clear picture for everyone and God can move upon people to give in very specific ways. 

Habakkuk 2:2 says, "And the LORD answered me: Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it."

For me, that's a small text with BIG impact! When you make a vision known, people can then run with it! As I share our financial needs, I'm believing that God is already moving on the hearts of people who will choose to run with it! I'm actually going to share about some who have already done that for us! 

But first things first.....

Here is a list of some of the one time expenses that we have to help establish ourselves:

Used Truck (preferably a 4-door smaller truck like a Toyota Tacoma) - If it were just Steven and I going, we would make use of public transportation. However, with small children, it will be MUCH safer for us to have a vehicle of our own. Having a truck will help us with some of the bigger projects we are wanting to do. This vehicle will be shipped to Honduras from Miami and will be placed in Pastor Manuel's name to avoid issues with customs. Plus, we want to be able to give this to them as a gift to have after we leave. We are not asking for anything fancy because it is important that we do not draw a lot of attention to ourselves by driving around a nice car...plus the roads are TERRIBLE! We've budgeted about $6,000-$8,000 for this, but we are praying that God will move on someone's heart to donate or sell it for a lower price. God can do ANYTHING! 

Small Tractor with plow attachment - Our vision for Honduras is not to just go and help, but to help equip them with ways to be self sustainable. Pastor Manuel's vision for the church and community is to not always be dependent on American support. They want to learn things that will bring in income and provide jobs. For some random reason, Steven really got into farming this Spring/Summer. Now I see that it wasn't random at all! God was preparing him for something much greater than a backyard garden! They want to learn to grow tomatoes and watermelons to sell and bring money into the church. Sadly, they do not have access to good quality seeds or farming equipment that would help them really bring in a sustainable and profitable harvest. They have the land, so our desire is to bring in the tools. This will be a gift that will be left there as well so they can continue to plant and harvest long after we are gone. Farming will also be used as an evangelistic tool in the surrounding community. We've budgeted $2,000-$5,000 for a used tractor, but once again, we firmly believe that as we make this vision plain, there's somebody out there ready and willing to run with it to either write the check or provide the equipment! 

Shipping a container - In order to get all of this to Honduras, it has to travel on a truck to Miami and then will be shipped from Miami to a port in Honduras. The cost of the container is about $2,000. We will be able to send the vehicle, small tractor, mattresses, appliances, and any large belongings we will need. We will also have to pay someone to transport everything to Miami. We have a few truck driver friends, so we are praying about who to approach about this big task. 

To keep this blog from getting too long, I will leave it at that for right now. Those are the "big ticket items" that we are really praying for God to move on someone to run with. Other smaller things include our monthly living expenses (about $850/month), round-trip airfare (about $2,500), and we are wanting to designate $5,000-$10,000 that will go directly towards ministry. We want to have the financial freedom to meet needs we may come across on a daily basis. That's what that money will be set aside for. We are also still in the process of getting prices for Spanish classes. We will be attending school in Copan to go to language classes several times a week in our efforts to become fluent. So far, we are finding it to be between $150-$250 per week.

When January 2016 gets here, we are believing that God will have far exceeded our expectations! He's not the God of just a little....He's the God of MORE THAN ENOUGH! He's the God of the OVERFLOW! 

Any donation we receive brings me to tears! (I've turned into quite the cry baby lately!) This month, however, we are praying specifically for God to line up those that will be willing to give on a month to month basis. A steady flow of money coming in will help sustain this ministry. Please pray about being a part of that! If you can't commit to that, no worries! God is pleased with whatever is in your means to do! 

A man at church came up to me Sunday night with tears in his eyes and expressed how he wanted to give to our ministry. He handed me a bill and hugged my neck saying, "It's not much, but it's all I have. I want you and Steven to know that I believe in your ministry." Talk about EMOTIONAL!! I was a wreck! I was completely overwhelmed by his sincerity. I honestly put the money in my pocket without even paying attention to how much it was. When I got home and emptied my pockets, I held in my hand a $5 bill. Some would think, "that's it??", but I began to tear up again and thank God for those that are still so willing to give even when they know they can't give a lot. Some people hold back because they don't want to be embarrassed by their tiny amount. It made me recall the widow with the two mites. Jesus honors her giving in Mark 12:43-44: 

"Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury. For they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty, put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."

Jesus. He just knew how to really put things in perspective. After taking that $5 out of my pocket, I prayed earnestly for that man and his family. I prayed that God would bless him 1,000 fold! 

As if that didn't stir up enough emotion, I received a letter in the mail today from a friend of mine. We know each other on a very surface level, so when she told me she would donate, I expected maybe $100. That's what most people are giving. And do not think I turn my nose up to that at all!! I'm blown away by every red cent that comes into us! But her gift was different. As I read the letter, she began to share about how the Holy Spirit moved on her and her husband to give more. Circumstances were going to keep that from happening, BUT GOD showed up and honored their obedience by providing the amount they desired to give. The paper was wet with tears as I sat in my car ugly crying over the amazing way God ordained that donation. It wasn't just another check. This check had a story, and what a beautiful one it was! Just as before, I stopped in my tracks to pray blessings on their household. 

Each passing day, God confirms this calling. After my last post, I was overwhelmed AGAIN (yes, I cried) by the number of people who private messaged me wanting to know how to give! Honestly, we've been collecting money in an oatmeal canister, so I've been really having to get my ducks in a row and establish a more credible way to collect funds! 

 

I'm proud to say that our church has opened up a "Heart for Honduras" bank account and all checks can be made to either LIFEchurch Dacusville or Heart for Honduras. But wait...there's more! I established an online PayPal account so all of you paperless people can donate online! Just click on the link to our page and you will be directed from there. You can also download the packets to hand out from that site. Here's the link: http://www.lifechurchsc.com/#!about1/c1acn

Continue to pray for us and know that if God impresses upon you to give, obey! Even if it is $2.00! God will honor that and we will not turn our noses up at you! We hold your heart in much higher regard than your donation. We will pray blessings on you, and your two dollars, just the same as we would someone who would give thousands of dollars! 

May God richly bless you all! Please take time to share this post and spread the word about our journey! 

But None of These Things Move Me...

It's Sunday afternoon. I would typically be napping right now. For those of you that know me, I am one crabby lady if I don't get my Sunday afternoon nap. Instead of resting, which will happen as soon as I close this laptop, I am overflowing with the goodness of the Lord and the anticipation of things to come!

Today's service was awesome, as usual, and after teaching Sunday School, worshipping, listening to the Word, and helping serve lunch for a missions fundraiser, I sat down to focus on putting together packets of information to give to pastors about supporting our journey to the mission field. I should have been exhausted. Our weekend has been full of church leadership meetings and I should have been REALLY exhausted. Oh and to add one more thing...I'm pregnant and busting out of all of my clothes so I should have been REALLY, REALLY exhausted. But I wasn't. Maybe it was the piece of chocolate cake I was eating in between typing...(I know I'm supposed to be a health nut so don't judge my weaknesses)...or it could have been the power of the Holy Spirit that was causing me to bubble over with excitement!!!

You see...
It is going to cost a lot of money for us to spend our first year in Honduras....A LOT of money! Yet, that doesn't move me. Our theme scripture for this year at our church is Acts 20:24:

"But NONE OF THESE THINGS MOVE ME; nor do I count my life dear to myself so that I may finish my race with JOY, and the MINISTRY which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify of the grace of God."

WHAT A POWERFUL SCRIPTURE! If you're reading this Pastor Chad, that scripture has been in our hearts since the beginning of this journey and your use of it has been nothing short of God's confirmation! Don't you love how The Lord works!

We have to raise a lot of money. That doesn't move me.
We have to move away from close family and friends. That doesn't move me.
We have to learn a new language. That doesn't move me.
We will be raising 2 children under the age of 3 in a foreign country. That doesn't move me.

Do you get the picture?

Paul was one of the greatest missionaries of all time. He planted churches, mentored amazing men of God, performed miracles, and did countless other amazing things for the sake of spreading God's Word! On the flip side of that, Paul experienced persecution for the sake of the Gospel. He was hated. He was threatened. He was thrown into prison. YET...NONE OF THOSE THINGS MOVED HIM. What if they would have? Would we even know who Paul was if he had tucked tail and ran the other direction the minute things got difficult? That's something worth thinking about...

Thank the Lord for examples like Paul. The man put his life on the line for the Gospel of Christ. Not many Christians can say they are willing to do that today. But it doesn't end there...
His desire was to finish his race with JOY. He didn't want to finish it with bitterness and hate in his heart for those who persecuted him. He didn't want to finish it worn out and weary, despising the sacrifices he had to make. No way Jose!! He wanted to finish his race with JOY! How can we testify of God's grace without joy?? I don't know about you, but when I think about hearing a testimony from someone, the first emotion that comes across is JOY! JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY! HALLELUJAH!!! (Sorry...had a pentecostal moment...)

My point in all of this is that we all have a ministry that we have "received from the Lord Jesus." The question is...will you pursue it?

Steven and I knew that we were both called to ministry very early in our dating relationship. We have served in various ministries, but when the call to the mission field was revealed to us, we looked at each other and knew this was it. This was what we had been seeking God to reveal in our lives. We couldn't help but laugh because we both thought "of course God wants us to go to a foreign country!" This is just me, but I picture God delegating ministries from heaven and saying...."See Steven and Candace there.....they'll do anything for me. I think I'll send them to a foreign country. They don't know how to say no." That's just me being silly, but I hope that is God's thought towards us. Steven and I are far from perfect, but we are so crazy about the Lord and building His Kingdom that we will do anything and go anywhere he wants us to!

We are human. We have been frustrated at times during this process. When people don't respond to e-mails or phone calls, it gets down right discouraging. Don't people realize we need money to make this happen?!?!?! The enemy has tried to convince us that this is stupid. BUT MY GOD, who is rich in love and abounding in mercy....His voice booms louder than any devil in hell! I hear Him as clear as day....

"My child...I have already supplied your need. Take heart and trust. I have called you to this and I will keep you through this. Do not fear. Do not worry. Your lives, and the lives of your children matter to me. I will cover you. I will keep you safe. The boldness of my Spirit will push out any and all anxiety and you will proclaim LIFE over Honduras. You will bring HOPE to those who are weary. You have said YES. That is all I required. Trust me and know that I AM GOD. I've got this."

Many people have asked us if we are afraid to take two small children to an impoverished country to live in a 400 square foot house. What if they get sick? Are you not afraid of...(fill in the blank). To be honest, there are several things I'm a little fearful about. As a mother, you experience a little bit of anxiety every time another kid sneezes near yours. That's part of being a mom. We want to protect our children. But while I'm being honest....I am more afraid of disobeying God than anything that could possibly happen while living in Honduras. I could not bear to live with myself if we chose to deny this calling. What would I hear on Judgement Day? Would I hear well done? Or would I hear God asking us why we chose to disobey His will for our lives? I believe I'll go with option number one, please. Obedience requires trust. It requires me to put my petty mommy worries off to the side, put on my big girl pants and believe that the One who called us will keep us!

With tears in my eyes, I bear my overflowing heart to you. If you could experience the peace that we feel, you would know how God-ordained this journey is. This is new territory for us. We are not seasoned veterans of the mission field. This is all a learning curve. We have a fancy letter with a vision, numbers, figures, photos, and references, but what is in our hearts is far more important than that letter will ever be. It's quite simple: We love the Lord. He called us. We said yes. Our hands will be His hands and our feet will be His feet.

I know I've rambled on and on but we encourage you to seek the ministry Christ has for you. It's there, you just have to dig into His Word and draw close to His heart. He loves you child of God. Through that love...the sky is the limit...

If you would like to help us distribute our information to individuals and/or churches, please talk to me personally, through Facebook, or through e-mail at candaceday35@gmail.com. I can get you a paper copy of everything or send it to you electronically. Please take a moment to share this blog also!

Thank you and may God, in His rich love, bless you more than you could ever imagine!