Ministry changes

I don´t know if it is for how long I have been aside from the bloggy world, or how busy this season of our my family´s life is, but I am having a hard time getting back into blogging full force.

I have things I have done, a birthday, a hair cut ;).

I have things God is doing. Much teaching I would love to write about to keep it record somewhere.

Lots of photos to share.

But still, never seem to get in here for long enough to do it.

But there is something important that I have to share. There is a huge ministry change that is is about to take place. And I must, and want, share it with all of you.

God is redirecting our ministry and is closing doors for us in Spain.

Do you know with your children. Sometimes, they are frustrating, sometimes they don´t listen, sometimes they even make you angry. But you love them the same right? You don´t want to leave them. You want to love them, you want to share with them, you want to spend time with them, you want to teach them. And you want to see them grow. Don´t you?

That is how I feel with the people in Spain. They are hard hearted. They don´t want to listen. They want to do it their way. But I still love them. I still have a burden for them. I want to see them save, and I want to see them grow. They are my people, and I was once just like them. I wanted to spend my life here telling them about Christ, no matter the cost.

Yeah, sure, I would complain some. But who doesn´t do that with the ones they love the most.

But a few months back, not too many, my husband and I were talking about things we could do, new ministries we could start, different approaches we could take. Excited was building up, there was so much to prepare, so much to plan, so much to do.

While he (my husband) was praying one day, he was begging God to show him of the great things He was going to do. Begging Him to show Him what to do next, what to do first, and making sure His plans were our plans. He was fasting and praying. God took him to Jeremiah, to a chapter where God talks about the people. Talking about how people had turn their ears because they didn´t want to hear, they had turn their hearts into diamond. Hard as it could be. God showed my husband we were done with the work He brought us to do in Granada and that He wasn´t going to start a church with us here (not that He wasn´t going to start a church, just that He wasn´t going to do it with us). We were done here.

Now, I would love to say that we didn´t fight, but we did. We didn´t want to leave, but God´s guiadance is so clear. If we were to stay, we were going to do it alone.

So we prayed. About helping other missionaries in Spain. About starting some other place in Spain. But no was the answer.

So we prayed. About another country, about another kind of ministry. But no was the answer.

So finally my husband felt God clearly telling us to go back. Why? I don´t know, but I know He knows why, and that is all I need to know.

So we are taking a step of faith by leaving everything without knowing what is to come. We have sold everything when we came here, thinking our days were going to end here.

Our thoughts are not His thoughts, and our ways are not our ways. But we trust Him, because He is God.

We have peace, and we have joy knowing we are doing His will.

So, my house is almost empty, we have sold everything :) We are selling our car and this friday will be our last day in Granada. Then, we will head up to Madrid to spend Christmas with my family. And the 29th we will take a flight back to Madison, Alabama, to our home church.

I am adding a link to our ministry web page in case you want to read our prayer letter.

So here it is, what it has been going on with us the last couple of months ;).

Pray for us. My husband will be looking for a secular job.

And yes, I am a little sad because I am leaving Spain, but also so excited because I know this is God´s will. I am so glad He loves me.

To God be the glory, great things He has done!

Once upon a time...

Friday is here and, once again, I am joining Alicia at More Than Words, for her Friday meme.



This meme is a great opportunity to go through all the photo albums and bing back memories from past blessings. In this post I am also using digital photos (the last three), I hope Alicia forgive me, but I couldn´t tell the whole Once Upon a Time story without them. :)

So once upon a time, there was young american guy that had just finish college and gone back to his hometown. And there was a young spaniard girl that was going for a short trip to visit her sister that had move the year earlier, with her family, to start a spanish ministry in AL.

They meet and quickly feel in love. Shortly after they were married.

(Oct, 16 1999)

They were blessed, they were happy.

(Dec 4, 2000)

And a couple of years later, they were blessed with beautiful baby Kayla.

(May 6, 02)

They were so happy, and to their surprise, 10 months later they found out that they were expecting again.

(Jun. 2003)

Nicole was a Christmas present, and a baby doll for her older sister.

(Dec.23, 2002)

By this photo, the Lord has called us to Spain, and Matthew had finish Bible College. We were on our survey trip and getting ready to start deputation. Our lives were changing. My husband was an accountant and now we were going to the mission field. We were excited though looking forward seeing what God was going to do.

(Sept. 2004)

But they changes didn´t stop there, and in the middle of all the traveling, we were blessed with yet another beautiful blessing. Our Noelia. I remember I was feeling so sick but I din´t want to do a pregnancy test because I was just so sure it couldn´t be..... but........ it was :)




(July 28, 2006)

I praise God for His goodness. For the wonderful family He has given me.

July 2009

Once upon a time I was lost, but He found me.

Once upon a time I was a sinner, but He saved me.

One upon a time I was undeserving, but He blessed me.

Once upon a time I was empty handed, but He fillled my hands with blessings.

I praise the name of the LORD!

Thankful Thrusday and a cool challenge

Today I am linking up with “Truth 4 the Journey” for first time for her meme “Thankful Thrusday”.

A while back I told you about wanting to start a meme like this, but a couple of weeks ago I found this one so I thought I would just join in.

So here it goes, for the 5 things I am thankful for this week.

1. Since we have been in the field, living by faith is the only thing you can do. There are not extra hours you can put into work, there is not a second job you can get, or extra things you can do. Trusting in God is the only thing you can do.
Still, God has sought us through. Lots of times we have wonder how, and when, but God has not left us. This week, once again, I have seen God meeting our needs right at the time we didn´t know how.

2.- I am so thankful that the girls are happy in school. I was a little concern about Noelia, since she is always with me. She hasn´t had times to get use to being away from me. Still, she loves school, she has a good teacher and she seems to have good friends there.

3.- I am thankful for a husband that is understanding and loves me even though I am not the fun girl I used to be 10 years ago.

4.- And I am so thankful that God has allowed me to be with my husband for 10 years and hasn´t allow the devil to hurt our family. After looking around even to Christian friends, being happily married to a respectful, loving, faithful husband, is certainly something to be thankful for.

5.- We got the thermostat for our heater set up today. Hopefully that will bring more praises in our heat bill this winter that we had last year (what a nightmare it was)







And because I wanted to do more than one meme, I am linking with "Forever in Blue Jeans" for the challenge to post a photo of me with one of more of my children once a week. Usually I am the one behind the camera (just like most moms), but I think this is a great meme because I want my kids to know I was there (and without photo there is no proof ;))

Now, praise the Lord for His blessings to you!

True Heart

Mocha Momma, from Life: Be in It gave me the True Heart Award, and I thank her so much for it.

"Those who receive this award are of the sweetest nature. They are kind, fun, friendly, loving, eager to share their love for Jesus with others, and brave with their effords to reflect Him with this darkened world. They are the kind of folks you are blessed to know, even if it is only in the bloggy- sphere¨--- From Mocha Momma

I am not sure I deserve those worlds. There are people whom those words describe them because of their nature. It comes easy to them. The light of Jesus just shine through them. Those are the ladies we look up to.

For me, it is not like that. I have a daily battle with my flesh to even be close to accomplish one of those things in my life. But I can see God working in me, despise my own self, and it is a blessing to know that maybe someone can caught a glimpse of that work God is doing in me. He is taking my old nature and is making me new. And I thank Him for it. Because I know there is no good in me aside from Him.

Well, I am suppossed to pass this award along. I know many of you have already receive, although you would be the ones I would think of to pass it also. So I am going to try to give it to those that deserve also, but I don´t think they have received it. I also want to give it to those ladies that I follow that are married to the ministry because of the godly man they married.

Nina, from Portugal Bound for sharing the Light of Jesus with the people in Portugal

Rachel from Smith Family of Six for her service as a Pastor´s wife

Nan from Moms The Word. Her blog reflect Jesus and other fun stuff :)

Jill from Jill Boyd Place for her service in the mission field in the past and now as a pastor´s wife

Ingrid from Reaching Brazil for her service in the ministry

I know there are more, but I will stop for now.

Again, Mocha Momma, thanks so much, I feel so honored that among all those godly ladies you thought of me. And to everyone else, have a wonderful blessed day!

Word Filled Wednesday

Word Filled Wednesday is a meme I love to be a part of on wednesdays hosted by 160 Acre Woods .

The purpose is to share God´s Word (not any famous quote) through photo and Bible verse.

Of course I am not one that likes to keep things simple, so I always like to explain why I chose that verse. Usually I pick a verse that God has used recently to talk to my heart. Last week I shared with your 2 Timothy 2:13 and told you how God was using it and the lesson I was learning. Click here if you want to read it, but make sure you come back here again.

Today I wanted to do the same and let you know how God has brought me back to the basics to answer a prayer request. Not the answer I was looking for, but God works in misterious ways and His ways are always wiser than mine.

Eph 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

So many things I could talk about with those verses, but..... I know, I will stick at what brought me to share these verses.

Like you have been reading the last few weeks, and as I was telling you again last week, I have been praying to God to show me something. When we came to Spain as missionaries we were excited, we couldn´t wait to see what God was going to do. Now that we are in Granada, and by ourselves, sometimes that "magic" and excitement of being a missionary, goes away. No, I am not descouraged of working for the Lord, but being human, loneliness and a lack of seeing responses from the people, sometimes takes the best of me.

Now, not too many missionaries or ladies whose husbands are in the ministry will admit to that, after all, aren´t we suppossed to be those strong christians willing to give up our dreams always with the best of the attitudes? Well, sometimes (not too often ;)) we are not like that. Because not too many would admit that, it leaves some of us feeling like we are not made for this, and many would quit because of that. So I want to be as real as I can, even of that means that I need to show my not so perfect self, to help others realize that those feelings are more normal that we care to admit, and that with prayer, human help, and especially God´s help we can look up and make the devil flee from tempting us.

Now, how that Bible verse goes with all this?. Bear with me :)

So sometimes the devil would start wispering in my ear "Maybe you are not doing God´s will". "Maybe this is not the place you need to be". Because I knew it came from the devil, I was praying to God that He would show me with a verse, with something clear enough that I would know without a doubt that it came from Him, that this was the place we needed to be. So then, next time the devil would come to me I could answer back to him with the Word of God.

I would not hear God (not that He wasn´t talking to me, but I guess not the way I was hoping) so I would go and ask my husband if he knew for sure this was the place. He would tell me yes, and tell me once again why (poor him).

Problem, I wanted my own assurance and I wanted it clear!

Problem with my questioning?. God set my husband to be the head of the home. He is to lead and I am to follow. God can give me assurance of this being the place if He wanted to and the same way He gave it to my husband. But He gave assurance to my husband and reminded me that I was just to follow.

He didn´t reveal to me through a Bible verse that this was the place. Instead He gave me Eph. 5:22-24. I mean really, can a Bible verse get more clear than that?

So now I have something to answer myself and the devil when I question where we are to be. My husband believes this is the place God wants us to be, and I follow him.

Have a wonderful wednesday everyone!

He cannot deny Himself

It has been a long time since I have been able to enter my favourite memes. Today, I was looking forward to being a part of Word Filled Wednesday because it is a way to put out what is on my heart.

The Bible verse that I am sharing today has become a very important in my heart, one I remind myself of several times a day, and thankfully, God is giving me victory and every day I have to repeat it less and less.

As you, usual readers, now, I have been going through a little rough time lately. Emotionally I was pretty weary, and lots of times that comes from a spiritual problem. One that was not there in the beginning, but that, like my pastor has mention many times, I have gotten myself in ¨from thinking myself into a depression¨.

What do I mean with that? Sometimes the devil puts a lie before you. The best thing to do is to fight it back as the Bible says in James 4:17 “ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.“

But sometimes you are feeling low, and you start validating that lie. That gives the devil a victory, and a ground to grow in. And more lies come, and more lies you believe.

Believing something and knowing something are two different things, I have come to learn the last few weeks. I know my God, I know who He is and what He promises, but believe….. I believed something different, and I was thinking about it so much that I was getting myself all depress. Do you understand what I mean now? Has anyone been there?

So what were the lies I believed? Well, I was praying about something (That was a fight in itself so I will let you know about that one in a different post), and the answer wasn´t coming. I was frustrated and didn´t understand what was going on. So the devil started whispering in my ear “God doesn´t answer your prayers”. Now, I should have known better, I should have known the devil was the one telling me, but I didn´t. Eventually, I believed it.

“God doesn´t care for you”

“What you are doing here is pointless”

“You have no power of God”

“God doesn´t love you”

Now, if you have told me you were the one feeling that way I would have told you of the verses were God promises all those things to His children. When I felt that way I went looking for those verses, but another lie sneak in “Those are not for you”. Now, I never doubted my salvation. I am one that believes that once you are saved, always saved. But somehow the devil had control over that, and I have believed him.

One night, at our Wednesday service in our home church in Alabama, pastor Allison preached, and that Bible verse stand out so strongly that the devil couldn´t convince me it wasn´t for me.


2Ti 2:13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself

You see, even if I don´t believe God loves me, He does, because He tells us of His love towards us and He cannot deny Himself.

Even if I don´t believe God answers my prayers, He does, because He promises so and He cannot deny Himself.

Even if I believe God cannot do anything trough me, He can, because He promises He would do with those He calls, and He cannot deny Himself.

No matter what I believe, God cannot deny Himself.

Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Maybe this will be a blessing to anyone and a help to many.

Why Spain? -- Part 2

Note: This is the continuation of yesterday´s post, so if you haven´t read that one you may be a little lost.


So, was a thrill when Matthew told me we were going to Spain? I mean, what is not to love? Wouldn´t be going back to you mother country the best scenario? You already know the language, you already understand the culture, even if you move to the other side of the country from your family, at least you are in the same country. You can go buy groceries from day one without translator. You don´t look different and neither do your kids. Why would I not be thrill? Still, I wasn´t.

Because as much as I knew that coming to Spain would make things a lot easier for everyone (of course when Matthew said Spain was the country was after being lead by God and not but all those “positive” things), still I knew lots about Spain. I knew about the apathy of the people towards God. The lack of interest on spiritual things. The hard hearts. The “we don´t want your church here” attitude.

And I always remember seeing the missionary presentations about places like Africa, where 100 people would get saved in one day. Still, I didn´t tell that to Matthew.

On our survey trip, two years later, God gave me a compassion for the people. It wasn’t that I didn´t have it before, it was just that I was being selfish. I look at their eyes, I saw that emptiness and I thought that once before I have had that emptiness in my eyes. Once before I have had that apathy towards spiritual things. But there I was then, and all because of the mercy of God, and because of the surrendering of a missionary. If I wasn´t willing to sacrifice for my people, how could I expect someone to.

And my heart changed, and I am not going to say it is always easy. Sometimes you feel like quitting. Sometimes you feel like there is never going to be a change. But on those times is when God reminds me where I came from.

Following God´s will is not always easy. It may come with difficulties. We may not be able to fully understand it. But who is wiser than God. And who loves us more than God.

His will is perfect.

P.S. Don´t forget to enter my giveaway!!!

First question answer-- Why Spain?

As I promised, here I am. I am doing some better but I am still sick. It is funny thought NOT, that although I have a stomach virus and I can´t eat much, and what I do eat doesn´t stay long, when I weight myself I realize I do not lose weight. I know VANITY but hey! Whatever…..

Last night, I stayed home while my husband took our visit out for some more visits around the city. I asked him to pick up the cards I wanted to include for the giveaway. I can´t show them to you though because he took the camera with him to Malaga. He is taking our visit to a different city where there are no churches (they are missionaries on their survey trip) and we have never been there so the camera is a must. He will be gone all day :)

Anyhow, I thought I would start tackling some of the questions you gals have asked.

A few of you asked about how is it that we ended up being missionaries in Spain, so I figure I would start with that one.

Of course, most of you know that I am from Spain. I didn´t move to the States until I was 22 when I got married, so when I surrendered to be a missionary wife when I was 18, Spain was not what I expected. You know, I always imagine Africa to be the place. When you think of being a missionary, you never think of your own country. Of course, then, I didn´t know He had a wonderful American guy waiting for me, and that He was going to call him back to my country, which is something that now, I am so thankful for. Especially for the great blessing of the wonderful American guy :).

So, when I met Matthew I knew I was looking for someone that had been called to the mission field or that, at least, was open to that calling. It was obvious that we liked each other even from the first “Yo hablo mucho español” (that story I will leave for later :)), so when we were heading for something more than friendship, I told him that my desire was to go on the mission field and asked him how he felt about that. He was very honest and told me that there were people that went to the mission field and people that would support missionaries so they could go to the mission field and that he was the second. He was sure that was it for him (not rebellious or anything, it was just something he was certain of). Of course, I don´t need to tell you that kind of cool me off about a possible relationship with him, but God was making it so clear His will for me to be with him, that I figure I would leave that up to God. I told him though, that God had called me to the mission field and that I was sure that He wanted me to marry him so….. he was going to be call one day.

I waited for 5 years for that to happen, but it happened. About a month before he surrendered (I didn´t know then that God had been dealing with him for a couple of months already) he got a pamphlet from my brother in law, from a missionary in Spain, talking about the need in this country. He told me if God ever called him to the mission field, Spain would be the place. Again, I didn´t know God was already dealing with both of those things and that he wasn´t just “talking”.

During those 5 years I cried and cried every missions conference, feeling the great burden for the souls around the word, and knowing that it was God´s will for me to go. Then I would ask Matthew how he felt, and he would repeat the same thing he did that first time. He wasn´t being called, and he really was telling the truth. I didn´t understand how God was calling me and not calling him. Of course that didn´t make sense, so I battled with that and tried to rest in Him.

In 2004 we had our missions conference in our church. The same thing happened just like every year. But that time I didn´t ask him, I guess I had given up… I don´t know. 4 months later we had the missions conference with the Spanish congregation in our home church. The preacher preached and I told God one more time that I was surrender to Him, but that it was up to Him to call my husband. The very next day Matthew took that same preacher to the airport and God turned a 45 min drive into 2 hours because of traffic. God used that preacher there, in that car, to help Matthew to completely surrender. He came back home and told me. He told me if there was something he knew, it was that He was calling us to Spain. He has given Matthew a love and burden for my country, my family and my people.

Was I excited you think? Or was I not very thrilled about it? That one I will leave for tomorrow. I don´t want to bore you today, somehow I can´t make a story short :).

So, do I see you tomorrow?

And hey, remember to enter my giveaway!! Last day to enter, June 26. Make sure you leave a question for me so it will count.

A giveaway in the making and a little from Spain

Have I ever told you ladies you are a great blessing to me? Your comments are always so encouraging. I love you gals and I have never met most of you!!

I just realized that my blogversary is coming soon. I can´t believe it has been almost a year. I checked back to my first post and it was done right after we have finished moving here to Granada, so I have a doble Anniversary :).

Time sure flies.

So, since I have more visits coming on thrusday and I am going to be going downtown to all the souveniers shops I am going to be picking up something to give as a blogversary giveaway. I am going to be looking for something very Spanish..... I have a couple of things in my mind. :) So next week I am going to be announcing a new giveaway... so, stay around.

On another note, while going all over Granada walking with the last group we had with us, I saw a couple of things that got my attention. Here, as in many other countries, they use buses or taxis to advertise. This ones though were a little different (in a possitive way) and got my attention because really, those annouce something that are pretty much against popular believe here in Spain.




"The right to kill doesn´t exist. What it exist is the right to live." This is a against abortion campaing that unfortunaly I know very little about (but it is about to change because I am so getting in the web page and see if there is anything I can do to help). Here in Spain young people are living very sinful lives. They think they can do whatever they want and then just turn around and eliminate the consequences of their actions. They don´t obey any authority but their own. It is so hard for me to talk about this and make sense because I feel so strongly against abortion.

They just passed a law in Spain that allows 16 year old minors to go to abortion clinics and get an abortion without parental permission.

They just passed a law in Spain where a pharmacy can sell the "day after" pill without needing medical permission.

How easy is it for teenagers here to be sexually active withouth having to deal with the results of their actions? Very easy.

It is not a wonder why the hearts of the Spaniards are so hard to the Gospel.



Another taxi sticker I found was "God exists and you must know Him". I think many have heard about an iniciative that started in London I believe where atheist groups where putting out signs in buses saying “God doesn´t exist so enjoy life” (or some senseless thing like that). So some evangelical groups (at least that is what I heard in tv) are “attacking” back with signs that say “God exist and you must know Him”.

When I saw the sign I thought that for sure the taxi driver must been a christian. One of the guys from the group went and talk to him, to ask him if he was a Christian. He wasn´t, he was being paid to put the sign in his taxi. We left a tract with him and left. He wasn´t interested he said.

Would you pray for Spain today if you have a chance? God is the only one that can break cold, hard hearts

Tough Love

Last monday I went to God with a little bit of a pity party.

Has it ever happen to you that you saw how your child fall down, and, although she-he verily touched the ground, she-he came crying wanting some simpathy hug or something like that. But instead of giving it to her-him, you decided it wasn´t a big deal and told her-him ¨you are just fine, it is not bleeding or anything. Go on¨. Well, that happend to me the other day. Only I didn´t fall.

Something made me pretty sad, someone´s reaction made me sad, and I went to God wanting a simpathy hug. I wanted some grace, I wanted the hurt to magically go away. I wanted it to feel all better.

God´s reaction was quite different. I read my Bible, listened to some preaching tapes, and prayed. His response was much more biblical but I will put it down in my own words if you allow me (you really got no choice). It was pretty much ¨You are just fine. This is something you are going to have to deal with because you are in the ministry. It is always going to be this way. You can tell them what I want, but you can´t make them do it. People need you and then they don´t want you. Some will give three steps forward and two backwards. You are going to see that a lot.¨ I will add to this ¨so get over it ;)¨.

We all need some tough love sometimes. It Helped me a lot more than a little babying (is that even a word?). We are all in the learning process, ain´t we?

Php 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.

Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Col 3:23-24 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Remember now and don´t forget entering for my first ever giveaway! Ends tomorrow! Don´t miss the blessing!

Monday Ministry

Today I am guest blogging over at KJV blog for their Monday Ministry Highlights. I am posting this entry here in my blog too, but if you would like, you can go there and read the many other post written by many other ladies everyday. I am sure you will come out blessed from that site.

This morning the devil is attacking the work here in Granada, and the Starks household. It is in times like these that the devil wants us to think about how much easier things would be if we were not in the ministry. Being in the mission field it is not just about starting a chuch, going on visitation, inviting people to church and leading people to Christ. That is what people read in the prayer letters. But for the missionaries, on top of that, it is about feeling rejected by the people around us, about being called a cult, about people prohibiting other people come to church. It is about spiritual warfare and about humiliations as well.

See, last Friday our little group met for first time for our prayer service. We were there for 3 hours. Fellowshipping? Nop, we were singing, listening about prayer, and praying. On Saturday, our little group came over to our house, we had a Mexican meal and we had a great time. The ladies came at 11:30 am and didn’t leave until 9:00 pm. Eating, fellowshipping, watching the first movie of the Left Behind series and talking about the things to come and the need to work for the Lord NOW. We also had David coming for the meal, and although he is being used by the devil today to attack our little group, he had a great time on Saturday with us. On Sunday we had a great S.S and great morning service talking about “Hope in times of discouragement” and “Getting to know our enemy”. And see, the devil is just not happy. He is so not happy.

But this is not the thought I want to leave you with, because although the devil try to discourage us, we are not discouraged. We are rejoicing in the Lord because we know that the devil may win fights, but he won’t win the battle. We are on the winning side praise the Lord!!!

These photos are from the good time we had on Saturday.

Now, don't forget to enter for your chance to win my first giveaway ever! All you have to do is leave a comment with a song that God has used to touch your heart and why.. just that easy.But don't leave it here, go to the actual post. You have until friday. You'll snoze, you'll lose :)!

A little revelation and a link for missionary wives

I am so proud of myself (wow, you don’t hear often things like that coming out of my mouth). Yesterday, after I wrote my time management post I decided to start working at it. I got tons of stuff done. Got to clean the whole house, do laundry, got my devotionals done, a little rest watching the girls play in the patio, got my grocery list and meal plan done, grocery shopping done, sit with the girls and watch a movie, updated the church’s blog, got to chat in the messenger with Dani and Nina, got to talk in the phone with my friend Deanna…. a few more things….. so it was great….. until it came time to go asleep and I turned and turned until 3am…. Don’t really know why. At 7 am Noelia was up. Praise the Lord for my wonderful husband that needed to work in the house today and kept an eye on Noelia so I could sleep longer today….. Thanks babe. But that is another story.

I have come to realize that I spend a lot of time in the computer. A lot of times I don’t intent to, but my home page is my blog, so sometimes I am looking for something and I notice that someone that I follow has updated their blog, so I go on and check it and then I get caught up in it. Sometimes it could happen a couple times a day. Of course, that took a lot of my time.

So, yesterday I left it to once a day, and it made a huge difference. I even got to mark a couple of things off my long list I posted the other day :).

My husband was telling me (he is a business major so he always things numbers) that when you are trying to set up a budget, you write your every expense for a month and then make the budget with that info. That sounds similar to what I was going to do. So my plan is to write what I do every day and how much time that takes me for a week. Then I will set my schedule out of that and review it every week in case anything needs to be change. When I come up with it I will post it in case anyone can find use of it. I will try to stick to it as much as I can, and will let you know how all evolves. I do need to check flylady because I already had a couple of ladies telling me about it. I think if I do that I can still keep up with my blog and yours everyday.

Now this is for you especially, missionary wives. I am going to share a link that a missionary friend shared with me. It was pretty interesting. It is called “The missionary “supermom”” written by Karla Hawkins from Abilene, Texas. To read it just click here and it will take you to the article. Let me know what you think about it. What do you agree with and what you don’t; If you have seen in your life some of those unrealistic expectations occurring, some of the problems that they talk about here. I Would love to hear your comments.

Let me share a little bit from the article to give you a little taste:

"Many missionary wives and mothers try to please everyone. These "super moms" are under great pressure to satisfy expectations from all sides. They try to balance their family and their call to ministry under difficult circumstances overseas. These women not only give of themselves but they sacrifice themselves for the cause. An important question becomes: What is the difference between giving and sacrificing in the role of missionary wife and mother?"

Some photos from our ministry

Last Sunday we had our first "Comida Fraternal" (Fellowship meal) at the church. The Contreras were over with us from the north of Spain, and my smart husband thought it would be nice to get some food an invite everyone to stay.

To those that do not know. We are missionaries in Spain (I am also an spaniard). We started this church last December. We have had someone with us, praise the Lord, for every service since then. That is a victory in itself. We had our first getting saved before we even started the church and has been with us since January when he had to move because of work. We have had american students coming too since and before because we have a big college here where foreigners students come. But these ladies that you are about to see are ones that we can build a church with because they are not just passing by, so that is a great blessing.

Works in Spain/Europe are slow, so every person that comes to visit turns into a great reason to praise God. Things that we may take from granted in the States. Pray for these ladies if you will.

The next photos is of me and M.L. She just got saved 2 weeks ago. She is such a blessing to me and so sweet.

This is N and R. They are both from Mexico. R is here visiting her daugther N, but has been coming with me on visitation the last two weeks. And intents to come with me until she returns to Mexico in May.

These are all the ladies (yeah pray for guys to come for my husband's sake :) ha). We already have an international church. From left to right: me (Spain), M.L. (Spain), N (Mexico), S (El Salvador), R (Mexico), Dani Joy (USA but she was just visiting-missionaries in the north of Spain).

Our auditorium. Can't wait to see it full.

After church we moved all the chairs and set up the tables. We really had a great time in unity. It was really a time that glorified the Lord.

Pastor Joseph (Gijon) on the left of the photo and Pastor Matthew (my handsome husband) were the only guys there (other than the Contreras boys). They were really outnumber :)

God, give us wisdom, we pray, to lead this work for your honor and glory. The help this ladies grow and be a blessing and encouragement to them. Bring more people that we may build a church that will honor you, that we may be a bright light to this city. I ask you God for your blessings upon Bible Baptist Church of Granada. In Jesus precious name, AMEN

Rare Blessings

Most any missionary in Europe would understand what a rare blessing it is to lead someone to Christ. Not the kind of rare that never happens, but the kind of rare that happens every now and then. So when it happens it becomes the highlight of the week (as it should be even if you get to lead someone to Christ daily).

Sometimes we pick the fruit after much work and personal investment. Those times are so rewarding knowing that every second you spent with that person was used by the Holy Spirit to work in her/his heart to lead them to that point.
Other times are a surprise, for you are picking up the labor of others. This is the blessing I received last Sunday. I was able to lead to the Lord a Spaniard lady whose son has talked about the Lord in several occasions. Let me share her story with you.

In 2002, M.L’s son died without any warning from a strange illness. He was a Christian, and at the time of death was doing a personal Bible study in “Things to come”. We know that because for 6 years she was wondering what that little paper inside her son’s Bible meant. It had a few letters and lots of numbers. There were Bible references from Revelation, Daniel…
He was young. He must have been an amazing Christian because, although his mom had never gone to church, she knows lots about the Bible. He must shared a lot with her. When he died, he left a mother searching for God. What she found though was a different thing. She found a “church” where, as she told me yesterday, didn’t use the Bible. Some people's eyes were in blank and moving in strange ways, and they brought her to the middle and told her to tell God to “accept her”. No Bible verse, no conviction, nothing. She left the church and never returned. After her son died though she fell into a great depression, missing her son much, and needing to take strong sedative daily to help her with anxiety attacks.

About a month ago, a young Christian lady, friend’s with her son (a different son) came to Spain and told M.L. she was looking for a church. M.L. told her about her pass experience. The young lady looked for a church in the web and found us, PRAISE THE LORD! Both of them came to church yesterday, the young Christian lady and M.L.

As soon as they came in, M.L. started telling me about what happened with the “church”, her son… She wanted to hear, she was so soft. She showed me her son’s Bible. I listened to her for a while and then started telling her how God was the only one that could heal her. How her son was now in heaven, with no sorrow, no pain… really in the best place he could be. She didn’t know that, she was so relieved. I told her one day she could be with him in heaven. I gave her the plan of salvation. She believed it, she wanted it. She prayed. And praise God, she got saved. She gave me a great hug.

Afterwards she told me that the day before she was so excited she forgot to take her medicine. God knew she needed a clear mind and that medicine takes that from her. She wants Bible studies.

I told her that when one person gets saved there is joy in heaven. I told her that her son must be jumping up and down.

He shared much with her before he died. His death gave her the need to search God. I was able to lead her to the Lord with his Bible. I think he was jumping up and down.
He will see his mom again in heaven.

Life turns into ministry, Ministry turns into life

We found a park close to our house. It’s only about 5 min. walking and we have taken advantage of it in the last beautiful spring days.
Parks are always full of people here in Spain. For us, there is more than one reason why those parks are so great.

#1.- We have three growing girls are that very active (just like any other kid). The older ones go to school, so they already get some out time. But my little one is 2, and doesn’t go to school yet. So she has all that energy that she needs to use, or all she does is jumping up and down at the house.

#2.- A lot of the girls friends from school go to that same park. So the girls have so much fun when we go. Noelia of course does better with older kids since it is what she is used to anyway; so it is fun for the three of them

#3.-The parents of these kids are also there, so it has given us the opportunity of meeting a couple of those parents. With time those people may became friends.

#4.- There are also other children, with other parents, that we may not know anything at all about them, but in Spain, people are very friendly, and soon enough will start talking with each other.

#5.- As missionaries anything turns into a possibility for the ministry. With time we may be close enough to them where we’ll be able to share the full gospel with them. Right now you can drop things here and there, but we have come to realize that you get a lot more done if you wait until they ask. Then you have the chance to give it all. It is different when you just meet someone and you know, most likely, it will be the only time. Then you tell them, because you never know what is going to happen. But then there are others, to whom you minister in a different way. You are nice, you talk to them, and with time, the question will come. We pray God will use this that someone may come to know Him.

It was 2 years ago...

Two years ago we were trying to pack our last things. We have sent a container a couple of weeks earlier, but there were some last things to deal with. We were moving to Spain. I was nervous, I have been there before, after all I am a Spaniard and lived in Spain for the first 20 years of my life. But now it was different, I was going back as a missionary with all of the responsibilities that entitles. So excited though to start working for the souls in Spain, and helping the Contreras with their new church. There was much to do before we could start all that.

We had our home already and just needed to sign the rent papers. Daniella helped us so much with that, going to see apartments and taking pictures for us so we could pick the one we liked the best. God had been so wonderful giving me every single desire that I had with that house. Still we needed to find a car, take care of Matthew’s resident card, find the school for the girls, buy some furniture…. We were in a new place we didn’t really know, we have been there once for maybe 2 hours, that was it….. so many mixed feelings. The Contreras Family was great with us. Gijon was beautiful. There was so much to do. We were praising God for His goodness.

Two years later we are in a new place. Gijon is now 12 hours away from us. But we are still excited, looking forward seeing God working in us and with us. I can’t wait to see what God is going to do in the next years to come, here in Granada. Happy 2 years ministry anniversary to us!

This was our last Sunday at church in AL. Matthew passed the ordanation councel the day before, and there they were ordaining him to the ministry.

This is some of the family we were leaving behind. My side of he family anyway. I have a photo of the day in the airport with Matthew's family also but I have it in paper... :( sorry

Some of the kids from the Spanish ministry in our church in the States made a little party for the girls. They got a piñata and it was very special for the girls and us.

There were a group of ladies that would meet every Monday night for prayer. We were an international group; american, spaniards, korean, mexican, puertorican, venezuelans. I was one of them and this is a photo of the rest of them. Before we left the States they took me to a Korean restaurant that I just love.... I miss korean food :(. We would meet, sing, pray, and fellowship. I miss this times dearly, but can't wait to get a group here in Granada to do the same.

Bye, bye America.

The Contreras were a great blessing and helped us so much, and in so many ways.

One of my sisters made "flamenco" dresses for the girls and bought all the accesories. She brought it to the girls the day we arrived in Spain. The girls were so excited... So cute, my little Spanish girls :)

Before our container arrived we had to do this for a couple of months. It shouldn't had taken so long but, you know..... All of our furniture was inside :)

A photo from our first service in Gijon.

A photo of us in a beautiful park in Gijon from where you can see the ocean shortly after we arrived. Gijon has such beautiful places to see.