"No eye has seen, no ear has heard,

      and no mind has imagined
   what God has prepared
      for those who love him.” - 1 Corinthians 2:9

New Direction...Pathway to Obedience

Well today marks our 12 year wedding anniversary- we are so thankful for our marriage and our family. We wanted to share a letter to all of our family and friends on a blind spot that was so evident in our lives early in our marriage and with our walk with Christ. We want to share this because this has completely changed how we want to live the rest of our lives- no longer following "our paths" but God's direction. We pray that God will continue to lead us and that  our hearts will always be willing to follow...

Dear Family and Friends!

We want to thank you all for your prayers, love, and support as we prepare for the mission field in Cajamarca, Peru. This journey began for our family back in February of 2010 when Sean went to Cajamarca, Peru on a two week mission trip instead of his usual ski trip to Colorado. When he came back he was not the same. God had radically changed his heart. 

We began to recognize a blind spot in our lives- an area of disobedience to our Lord Jesus Christ. Like many of us, we were living the American Dream. A life that had became more about having everything bigger and trying to succeed in acquiring more “STUFF”. When it was convenient or if life threw us a curveball, we would pull God out of a “box” and ask Him to help us. All the “stuff” got in the way of seeing the truth. Looking back- we found ourselves living for this world and not for God. We had many excuses like...God, I’ll do it later when this gets done, or when I am in college, or after that promotion or the kids get done with school. We had to ask ourselves one question- did we really LOVE God? God had finally brought us to a place of confession before Him and before our family. 

In the fall of 2010, Sean began attending Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary to gain a deeper understanding of biblical truths. We had been praying and seeking the Lord’s will for our lives and God continues to lay a huge burden on our hearts for the lost.  We think many times about the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). He was begging for one more chance to tell his brothers about the place of torment...and begging Abraham for ONE MORE CHANCE to repent.  

God started to reveal to us what His plan was for our lives. After a trip to Cuba and two more trips to Peru we felt God calling us to missions, specifically to where it all started, Cajamarca, Peru. We are so thankful that God continues to answer prayers and open many doors for discipleship and evangelism for our family as we prepare to serve our Peruvian brothers in sisters in sharing the love of Jesus Christ.  

Please pray that God will continue to direct our paths and give us the strength and courage to enter this land. God willing, we will be leaving in January 2012 and our goal is to stay in Villa Milagro for 11 months and then return to the states to continue to raise support for the ministry. Pray that God will use our lives in a manner that will bring glory to Him and that our family will be faithful and obedient to God’s calling on our lives. To God be the Glory Forever and Ever, Amen.

“Be strong! Be courageous! Do not be afraid of them! For the Lord your God will be with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6

‎"In our world, where hundreds of things distract us from God,

we have to intentionally and consistently remind ourselves of Him."

- Francis Chan, Crazy Love

A letter from a missionary's wife named Samantha Jeffcoat

Recently I had the opportunity to spend four and a half months on the other side of the world.  My heart was blessed as scriptures came to mind filled with the promises of God, to face every challenge that came my way.

The aromas, the tastes, the textures, the scenes, the animals, and the people are all vivid, scenery memories that I relive often.  There is one particular awareness that gripped my attention early in my journey.  The realization that many, perhaps even the majority of people, on that side of the world, live in a day by day mentality.  One small example of the simplicity of a day by day life style is the daily trips to market and the daily milk deliveries.

As I would show up at the market to do my weekly shopping, I realized very quickly this was not the norm.  I tried very hard to go to the store at odd times so as not to frustrate the customers behind me, with their daily rations.  Some would take matters into their own hands and push their items in the clerk's face ahead of my things, insisting they pay first.  I never took this hardly as I truly sympathized with their plight.

It is human nature to mathematically calculate, in an effort to avoid uncertainty in life.  In western culture we are literally obsessed with preparedness plans.  We dictate to God what we want our futures to look like.  But I have to ask myself often, where is the childlike trust?  Imagine that little infant who never doubts that the mommy will bring milk.  A baby does not worry; a baby just trusts that the milk will come when they are hungry.  They do not calculate all of the hurdles and hardships, they simply leave it to mommy.  When we trust God we are walking in humility.  I love the passage found in Psalm 131 and remind myself of those truths related to humble, childlike trust quite often.

If I remain loyal to Jesus there will be a sense of calm in my life.  See 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.  This calm is not a result of having everything figured out, but because I know with certainty that HE does.  He is the only one that can speak peace to my heart.  My eternity is secure because of God's gift of salvation that I have received.  But I can also know that I am safe and secure today because He is with me and promised that He would never leave me. (Hebrews 13:5) He fills my life with his hope, true purpose, and joy!

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

May 2011- Lima, Peru

Playing soccer with local children

Using the EvangeCube in a local school

Playing with the orphans

Discussing what the Gospel means to the children

January-February 2011

Little girl attending Vacation Bible School

Orphanage- abandoned by mother at 20 days old

Inside a local Peruvian home

Sharing the love of Christ as our Lord and Savior

Orphanage- providing milk and ice-cream

Meet Norman and his sister- they both accepted Christ as their Savior

Orphanage- so many needs...typical meals everyday consist of lettuce and rice

November 2010- CUBA

Ministering in Batabano, Cuba

Sean's room for the week

Communist Country- Government Controlled

Catholic Church in Havana, Cuba

February 2010- Cajamarca, Peru

Local child playing with a soccer ball at the school

View of Cajamarca, Peru

Fellowshipping with Alex- Villa Milagro helps support his education

Teaching about Jesus in Bible School

Playing with kids at the Aldea Orphange

Following God is not always easy, but never complicated

"But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”  - Romans 10:14-15