Psalm 40:4 “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.”
I spent the last week with a group of people from my church, Faith Community Fellowship, on a weeklong missions trip to San Felipe, Mexico. It was an incredible group of people, some who I knew well, and some who I only knew their names. It is amazing though how quickly relationships grow when you are put in a team situation with a common goal… Solo Dei Gloria. I was especially impacted by the culture of Mexico as they demonstrate such a love and respect for others in the way that they greet visitors, even visitors who don't speak the same language.
The highlight of my week was going three mornings to a rehabilitation center called Nueva Cancion(New Song). This place consisted of the most primitive living conditions I have ever seen… but was also a place of such encouragement for me because God was working there in very broken people. I went with Pastor Don to Nueva Cancion as he goes every year to bring God's word to them in Spanish. My understanding of the Spanish language is limited so I get bits and pieces but mostly I sat there encouraged by how God unites nations and cultures. This year he spent four days going over the Heidelberg Catechism, prayer, and personal testimony. I was so encouraged watching Pastor Don encourage these men who were recovering drug and alcohol addicts who had accepted Christ, but were still struggling with issues of worthlessness, addiction, and legalism. Despite these men being rough on the outside it was inspiring to see their passion for the Word. Every day when we arrived, one man simply said "Biblia" and everyone immediately went to the church.
What is your only comfort in life and in death?
That I am not my own,1
but belong–
body and soul,
in life and in death–2
to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.3
He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,4
and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.5
He also watches over me in such a way6
that not a hair can fall from my head
without the will of my Father in heaven:7
in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.8
Because I belong to him,
Christ, by his Holy Spirit,
assures me of eternal life9
and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready
from now on to live for him.10
… taken from Heidelberg Catechism
