You've Got A Friend In Me.

Please bear with me for a little bit as I shake the rust off my writing skills. As the younger generation would say, “It’s been a minute.” I don’t think that I have written a blog for many years now (aside from our annual family Christmas letter, and shameless plug, let me know if you want added to the list). It’s not that I stopped writing because I didn’t enjoy it, or that I stopped learning and growing in God’s Word. Life just got busy. The last one that I wrote was in March 2019. Now, not that you care to hear my excuses, but here they are anyway… Since March 2019, I got married, changed careers from social work to farming, had not one, not two, but three beautiful baby girls, bought and remodeled a farmhouse, started working part-time at Berean, built and now operate a commercial hog barn. The list goes on and on, but I think you can get the point. I am pretty confident that you get the point because I am sure life has also been busy for you. It’s easy to slip into the busyness of life and not look back. To slowly but surely lose your margins on time. Next thing you know you’ve spent the last five years working, spending time with your family, doing good things, but not really resting. It feels like you do all of that in a rush. Now, there are times for vacations and times to relax, but those often go by too quickly because we’re already thinking, planning, and anticipating what we need to do as soon as we return home. Now, I have to be honest with you because I could continue on this topic of the busyness of life and not having margins in your time and days, but it’s honestly not what I intended to write about (believe it or not). So, I guess I will save that one for the next five-year blog (just kidding, hopefully, it isn’t that long). I think the rust has been knocked off enough to get into what I actually felt led to write about… 

Through the busyness of life recently, God has been impressing on me the importance of community and friendships. (Groundbreaking topic, right?) Community is something that we all have, but I think more often than not, we don’t always get everything out of it that we should. (For that matter, I don’t think we usually put as much into it as we should either.) This idea of community has come up in numerous sermon series, youth lessons, young adult studies, and life experiences lately. It goes without saying, the community that we have around us is important. Now, normally I would have a specific Bible verse or passage that the Lord used to speak to me or to encourage me or challenge me. This time, there are sooo many verses or passages that I could give as examples, it’s hard to choose just one. A main one though, that keeps returning to me is found in Luke 5:17-26. Take a minute to read it. 

Amazing, right?? Picture it. Jesus is packed into this home, full of grown adults, they are listening to every word he has to say. These people have come from all of the local towns, so it wasn’t just a small gathering. There was no room to get in the house, no room to even stand outside the door. It was impossible to get in. Now, imagine a group of guys carrying a friend on a stretcher, trying to get in this house. Obviously, it was not going to happen. Even for one of them to let go of the stretcher and push their way into the home was unlikely. So they gave up, they said sorry, pal, you just wait out here while we try to get as close as we can so we can hear what he has to say… No, they persevered. I would love to be a listening ear on that conversation between the friends. I imagine it would go something like this, “What do we do now? We can’t get inside!” “Well…we could try the roof?” “The roof?? Are you serious? How are we going to get him on the roof? And what are we going to do once we are on the roof? What if we all fall through? Then we are all going to need to be healed!” “I mean, Jesus is kind of known for that…that is why we are here…besides, what’s the worst that could happen?” They knew the man inside had the power to heal, they had heard of the miraculous things that he had already done. So they got creative and took to the roof. Now, try to imagine carrying a stretcher up onto a roof that I am sure did not have the easiest access and then having to make a hole without falling through. Not a simple task! But they did it. They cared for their friend so much that they were willing to put themselves (and everyone in the home for that matter) in danger. They trusted that getting their friend in front of Jesus was so worth it that they did the difficult thing. They were willing to go to extreme lengths for their friend because they knew Jesus was his only hope. 

You can read the rest of the story for yourself, but here’s a spoiler, Jesus heals the man. His buddies are still up on the roof looking down in and Jesus tells him to get up and walk out of the house! What an incredible display of friendship. The company that you keep is so important for your well-being, not just mentally and emotionally, but spiritually. This guy had been paralyzed with no hope to walk again until his friends brought him to Jesus. Are you picking up on what is important here? We need a community that is going to go the extra mile in order to get us closer to Jesus. We need friends who will courageously lay us at the feet of Jesus, with the expectation that He knows what is best for us. We are not meant to do life alone, no matter what season of life you may be in. 

It has been neat for me to witness the truth of this message shared in a variety of different settings, in front of people from different walks of life. To the youth and younger generations, this message really emphasizes the importance of having good, Christian friends who will help guide you in the right direction, making decisions based on the truth of the Gospel. For the college-aged generation, it is a very similar lesson but also adds depth to the idea of searching out those friends who can and will carry you when you need it. There is a deeper connection to the idea of having a smaller circle, so to speak, when it comes to friends. For myself, and others in the young adult or young families category, I connect with this message on a different level. I imagine my children as the ones who need to be brought before Jesus. I need the help of my wife and our close friends to come alongside me and pray for them, raise them up in the way they should go, and give me Godly wisdom on how to handle difficult parenting decisions and circumstances. For the church, it looks like bearing one another's burdens, practically meeting the needs of those in the congregation, being the body of Christ. The truth of the message can be applied in so many different facets of life. 

However, as true as it is and in all the numerous ways that it can be applied, there is still a part of it that I feel often gets overlooked. It is the idea that we, as individuals, need to do our part in the lifting and carrying of others as well. We oftentimes relate to the paralyzed man, being the person who needs the help, the prayers, and the healing, but we underemphasize being the friend who diligently, carefully, and boldly prays, encourages, and disciples our friends. We love having the help but are slow to be the help. We should be daily lifting our spouses, children, and friends up in prayer, placing them at the feet of Jesus. We should be quick to lend a helping hand, a warm meal, and an open door to those who need it. If we want to have the type of friendships and community that help meet our needs, then we need to be the type of friend that does those same things for others. 

If you have made it this far, thank you. I mentioned that it has been a while since I have actually sat down and intentionally taken the time to write out what God has laid on my heart. If I am being honest, this short blog has taken me days to complete and even longer to actually post publicly. It has been a process of finding moments in each day to write a little bit at a time. I apologize for some of the rambling and lack of coherence in parts of it, but I hope that it is an encouragement to you. I hope and pray that you have friends in your life who will take you closer to Jesus, and I also hope that you are the friend who is bringing those in your life closer to Jesus as well.

Christmas Letter 2020

Dear Family and Friends,

Even before I moved out and married Miranda, I looked forward to writing these letters. This year, I’m looking forward to it even more than usual because it means that 2020 is almost over! Now hear me out, 2020 hasn’t been all bad, but sure hasn’t been all good either. I know that when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, all the world’s problems aren’t just going to disappear, but I think there is something to be said about “turning the page.”

I mentioned this year hasn’t been all bad, you know, a global pandemic, mandatory shutdowns, quarantines, economic uncertainties, a contested presidential election, March Madness, and college sports being canceled/delayed, and dare I even mention *ichigan canceling “The Game.” Okay, that doesn’t sound all that great, I know. However, hopefully, I speak for most of you when I say that mixed in with the bad, has been a lot of good!

This year has actually been quite an exciting year for Miranda and me. For starters, and part of the reason why we are excited about the new year is that we are going to be having a baby! (I guess you could say that we are two for two with big news in these letters. Last year we got married, this year we are having a baby! What will next year bring?) I came home to eat lunch with Miranda one afternoon (she was very persistent that I come that day), and on the kitchen table were three pregnancy tests (yes, we wiped the table down before eating), a cute little onesie, and a baby’s book! (So much for social distancing!) We went on to find out the gender of Baby C a few months later and after punting a powder-filled football, my croc turned pink, meaning we are going to be having a little girl! Both of our families are so excited, as she will be the first granddaughter on the Young’s side and the first grandchild on the Clemens’ side. 

Aside from growing a little human, Miranda continues to stay pretty busy, mainly working and sleeping (kidding, not kidding). Miranda passed her NCLEX at the beginning of the year and started her career as an ICU Nurse at Avita Hospital Ontario. She works full-time on night shift, which is part of the reason she does a lot of sleeping. No nursing school could have prepared her for what she was entering into in the nursing field this year. COVID-19 has rocked the healthcare world, including our small local hospitals. Miranda is a real hero, especially to me. It has been inspiring to see her work so hard caring for her patients, but also heartbreaking, hearing the stories of loss and depression that are so prevalent during this time in the hospital. On a brighter note, Miranda has enjoyed being able to spend time with her nephews now that she is working three nights a week and doesn’t have homework. She was also able to help her younger sister, Becca, coach Jr. High girl’s volleyball at Mansfield Christian. 

As for me, I made a career change early on in the year. After a handful of discussions and lots of prayer, I resigned from my social worker position at Children’s Services at the end of February to begin a new career, farming (sort of). Starting in March, I began working full-time on the Young’s family farm. This city boy has learned real quick a lot about farm life. I help with the bookwork, tech work, and the grunt work. When I started in March, I began helping pull tile, spread manure, and working ground. During harvest, I would drive a grain cart. I’ve also taken over the day to day responsibilities in the hog barn. So far it has been an enjoyable experience and I am looking forward to continuing to learn and grow (pun intended) in this new adventure. This summer, I also had the privilege of officiating my first wedding, between my best friend Cameron and his now-wife, Lindsay. I was able to become ordained online for a small fee. Unfortunately, we were not able to make the trip to San Diego for it due to COVID, but it was still a wonderful ceremony here in Ohio. 

Despite all the bad, we were still able to celebrate some really great things. In addition to those above, we also celebrated Miranda’s parent’s 50th birthdays, my brother Kirby getting engaged to his fiance, Baylee, Kirby becoming a police officer for the city of Ashland, our first anniversary, and many other engagements, marriages, newborns, birthdays, and accomplishments. Now, though, it is time to celebrate the birth of our Risen Savior, Jesus Christ. During this year, we have seen and felt the goodness of God, despite the hardships of this world. I’m reminded of the verse found in the gospel of John, chapter 16, verse 33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” What an encouragement it is to know that our Savior has already overcome not only this year but every year! With faith and hope, we look forward to the day when “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). 

We pray that you have a safe, healthy, merry, and blessed Christmas and new year! And remember, wash your hands, wear a mask, and say your prayers because germs and Jesus are everywhere! (Miranda made me add that). 

With love,

Wyatt, Miranda and Baby Girl C

Wyatt & Miranda Clemens Christmas Letter 2019

 Dear family and friends,

I’m sure you all have been anxiously awaiting this letter, the very first annual Wyatt and Miranda Clemens Christmas Letter! I must say, I have been anxiously awaiting writing this letter, so much so that I put it off until the last minute. In my defense, married life is very busy, if you know what I mean… working, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, making time for friends, oh yeah, and making time for each other. 

Typically, I think I’m supposed to give all of you an update on each of our lives in this letter. So, I’ll start with the obvious, WE GOT MARRIED! August 3rd, 2019 was the highlight of our year. Miranda and I spent that day getting all dressed up, taking a lot of pictures, and kissing in front of some of our closest family and friends. It was a wonderful day and the Lord blessed us immensely with perfect weather and plenty of laughs, just how we imagined it. We are very fortunate to be living in a fourth generation family farmhouse that we are renting off of Miranda’s grandmother. Miranda and I were able to spend a lot of our free time fixing it up with the help of our families and friends. It was a great way to prepare for our marriage and figure out each other’s patience levels. 

Prior to August, I, Wyatt, started a job at the Ashland County Department of Job and Family Services as an ongoing caseworker in the children’s services department. I started working there on May 28th, the day after I passed my state licensure test to become a Licensed Social Worker in the state of Ohio. That test was the culmination of my time at THE Ohio State University Mansfield. I graduated in early May from Ohio State with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. Enough about me though, let’s move on to my gorgeous wife.

Miranda has had just as busy of a year and she has had to share a home with me for the last 4 months now. Needless to say, she could benefit from all of your prayers as she finishes up her last few weeks of nursing school at Ashland University. Miranda has had a busy final year of school. She was planning a wedding, working part time at the Cleveland Clinic, and singing on our church’s praise team, to name a few things. Miranda will be graduating with her Bachelor’s Degree in the Science of Nursing. She has recently taken a step back from working at the Cleveland Clinic to focus on her schooling and turned down a position on their Coronary ICU. However, she did accept an offer from Avita Hospital on their ICU. Miranda will be studying for her NCLEX, the state board test for nursing, after graduating. She is very excited to begin her career in nursing. 

In short, this busy, exciting, whirlwind of a year has been the best one yet. We are so thankful for the family and friends whom the Lord has blessed us with to celebrate these things with. We are also very thankful for the Lord for the reason we celebrate this time of year, the miraculous birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Many of times this year, Miranda and I have both said that we wouldn’t be able to get through this year without Him and the peace that surpasses all understanding that he is able to give us. We encourage you to take time to reflect on the joy, even in the midst of the chaos, that is found in the Lord. 

Well, it is my hope that you enjoy reading this letter as much as I enjoyed writing it. May the Lord bless you with a joy filled year! 

With love,

Wyatt and Miranda Clemens

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭15:13‬

The Lord Provides.

The Lord provides. I can't tell you how many times I said this phrase during the past week and half. We serve such an incredible God, who is able to meet all of our needs and do so in ways that we cannot even begin to understand or comprehend (Ephesians 3:20). 

It all started last Friday, the hours before we were scheduled to fly to Haiti. We get a text from Pastor Steve saying that our flights have been cancelled and to pray. This was already after we had debated even going on the trip because of the civil unrest that had been going on in the country. However, it had seemed that the Lord had provided, in numerous ways, for us to go. So needless to say, this came as a curveball to us all. My immediate thoughts and prayers were, "Lord, if this is you slamming the door close on us going, please let us humbly accept that. Give us the discernment to make a wise choice that is not our seeking to please our selfish desires." Within hours, the Lord provided. We got another text saying that we were able to get new flights and to report to the church a couple hours later than originally scheduled. Come to find out, these new flights were cheaper, left later in the morning (meaning more sleep, praise the Lord), and would get us to Haiti at the same time. We were also refunded in full for the flights that were canceled! Wow, God! Thank you for making it clear that You still wanted us to go to Haiti! It was almost like he was rewarding us for our faith and for seeking to be his hands and feet in Haiti (Hebrews 11:6). This was just the beginning of the Lord's provision. 

Throughout the week, the Lord provided for us more times than I can count. He was (and is) so, so good to us. I would have to write a book in order to tell you about everything that he did, so I will just tell you about a couple that really touched my heart. After we all made it safely to Pignon, along with all of our luggage and supplies (the Lord provided), we were able to get to work on Sunday after church. Initially, we were planning on only having to demo the roof of the church in Savanette, as well as one or two walls. However, as is custom in Haiti, plans changed. After that first demo day, we learned that the church now wanted to have all of the interior walls knocked down as well. This meant demoing seven to eight concrete block walls, along with a two-foot tall stage/platform area. Again, after the first couple days now, I was thinking, "No way. No way can we get all of this done. We have to take down all these walls AND get the new roof on? Not happening." I should really stop doubting God and the plans that he has. These thoughts that I was having were really, honestly probably true. WE couldn't do all of that, not by ourselves and in our own strength at least. But again, the Lord provides. We had some of the best Haitian workers working with us this year that we have ever had. We hired seven Haitians to work alongside of us for the first three days. After that, we kept four of them on the work site to help us the following couple days. I have always seen good work ethic in the Haitians that we work alongside, but this year, I witnessed them work harder than ever. The Lord provided us with the manpower, energy, strength, and tools we needed to get the job done. Not only that, but He provided us with safety while on the worksite. Even with all of the demolition going on at one time, no one got hit with flying debris or anything of the sort. He kept us safe on all of the ladders we used and all the boards we sat on and walked on putting the roof up. He gave us strength to raise the tresses without any hitches. He gave us energy to work long days in the beautiful, hot, and sunny Haitian weather. The Lord provided. 

On the medical side of things, the Lord also provided. For the first time ever, we had a surgeon come on the trip with us. He was able to make some good connections at the hospital in Pignon early in the week. On Thursday, they did not take as many people with them to the medical clinic as they usually did. That left them with a couple extra seats in the pickup on the way home. So, for the first time ever, the team decided to take a couple women back with them from the clinic, to the hospital for an x-ray for one and eye drops for the other. The Lord provided those extra seats and the connections that had been made earlier in the week. While at the hospital, the x-ray took hours longer than expected, but guess what, that was the Lord providing because as they were finally about to leave, they heard some commotion in the courtyard. Two motos had collided head on, each with three passengers on board. One man had already died and they were pulling the others out of the back of this pickup truck. Immediately, those medical professionals that were there from our team jumped into action to help in any way they could. After multiple hours, they had helped saved the life of one of the young man and had stitched up multiple head lacerations on the others. Although this was very traumatic and emotionally straining, it was still the Lord providing. 

Now, as I am writing this, I am sitting in the hospital with the love of my life. I would be lying to you if I said that it was easy for me to believe that the Lord will provide for this situation. I know that sounds foolish, right? After everything that He has done for us this past week, why would He not provide through this now? He cares for the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, how much more does he care for his children (Luke 6)? Now hear me out, I know that He is going to provide, but I have to choose to believe that. I have to consciously make that choice to have faith in His promises, to have faith in His goodness, to have faith in His planning, His timing, and His purpose. I believe that He will provide. I have to look past the current situation, the pain that Miranda is in, the tears that are being shed because there doesn't seem to be much that brings relief, and the discouragement of not knowing what is wrong. I have to look past that and believe that God sees the big picture, not just the snapshot of now. I have to remind myself that the Lord will provide. I know this, I believe this, but God also has his own way of reminding me. 

I have seen God reminding me that He will provide (because He always provides) in one very specific way while here. On Tuesday, Miranda came into the ER and after a few hours, the medical staff here thought best to admit her for the night. Originally, she was going to be in room 302. However, as they were taking her up, we were told it had been changed to 316. Now, you can't tell me that God doesn't have a sense of humor because who else would just change her room number to 316? In case you aren't aware or are missing the connection, 316 is a reference to the Lord providing. In fact, it's in reference to the Lord's ultimate provision, His provision for us for eternity. 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

I couldn't help but to be reminded of this every time I walked into this room. It was a constant reminder that God has already provided for us for all of eternity, not just in this life! Those who believe in Him will have eternal life! No death, no life, no angels, no demons, no sickness, nothing on this earth can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). Needless to say, it was a gracious reminder from the Lord that He will provide. Always. Forever. No matter what. Trust in Him. Trust in His promises. The Lord provides. 

Update: Guess what y'all? The Lord provides. We now have answers as to what has been causing all of the pain! Miranda has some tiny ulcers in her stomach, but the main source of her pain is coming from an ulcer that has formed a ring in the lining of her esophagus. Now, the doctors have a more targeted approach to combatting the pain and discomfort. After four long days and three long nights, we should finally be taking her back home tomorrow afternoon! Thank you all for your prayers, love and words of encouragement! 

 

It's Reality.

This week I did something that I don't normally do, I replied to a random comment that I saw on Facebook. The comment was on an article published by Fox News, "U.S. Embassy in Haiti warns Americans to 'shelter in place' as violent protests continue." The comment had this to say, "Dont send your kids to places like this! They can do missionary work right here in their own country." I read that comment and immediately a rage of emotion over took me. There were so many things I wanted to say, but I took a moment to relax and think about it. After reading some of the other comments, I gathered that this person seemed to claim to be a Christian. Interesting, but who am I to judge? Anyways, I began to articulate a response. Here is what I said,

I’m in Haiti right now. The Bible tells us, “‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”- ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:19-20‬
This is exactly where I am to be right now. Yes, children can do missions work in their own country, and I think that they should! But it is our duty to go. To go to the people in our own country and to go to the people in other countries. As Christians, we aren’t called to life of safety and security, but to a life of obedience and disciple-making. If we aren’t supposed to come to places like Haiti, then who is going to do it? Did Jesus stay in one country? Did Jesus live a life of safety? Did Jesus promise us that we would never face persecution and hardships? No. But He did promise us that he will always be with us. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He will go before us. And ultimately, His will will be done. My worst fear, if I have children of my own, is that I could hinder them from pursing God’s will for their lives by wanting to control their safety. I’m thankful that my parents have been faithful to pray for me and for my safety, but that they have relinquished that desire to control my safety, and give it over to God.

I just couldn't believe that someone who claims to be a Christian would say that we shouldn't travel to these types of countries because they are unsafe. We are never called to safety. Should we be wise and discerning in when and where we choose to go? Absolutely, but we should not just base our decision on whether or not we will be safe wherever we go. If that was the case, I'm not sure there would be anywhere we could go, even staying in our own city or neighborhood could even be dangerous. Ultimately, we aren't in control. Your house could be broken into, you could be hit by a car, someone could bring a gun into your school or church or another gun free zone, you could have a heart attack at work. In my opinion, we live in a fallen world which means that there is no safe place because sin runs ramped. If we, as Christians, are scared to go, who will? Does our love for nonbelievers outweigh our own fear? Our do we love ourselves and our safety more than we love them?

The current situation in Haiti is scary, but it has also brought me so much perspective. This is reality for the people here. Unlike me, they can't just get on a plane when something like this happens and escape it. They have to live it, each and every day it goes on. Each day they have to live with a corrupt government that only looks out for their own pockets. Each day they have to live with the possibility of something happening that disrupts their daily life. Perhaps the worst part about it all, no one knows when it will end. When will the rioting stop? The protests? The roadblocks? The looting? The demonstrations? No one knows. One can only assume. One can only pray and plead with God that it stops. That something changes. This is the world they live in. It is heartbreaking to see a country that I love so much burn itself to the ground. I realize that I can't change it. I can't solve all the problems of this country. I can't change the government. I can't change the reality that they live in.

But that doesn't stop me from coming. The fact that I may not always be safe doesn't stop me. The lack of comforts doesn't stop me. Even though I can't change any of those things mentioned above, I still come. Why? Because even though I can't change the whole country, I can change the life of one or two people. I can bring encouragement to a pastor that is struggling. I can bring hope to a child that feels forgotten. I can bring the good news of Jesus Christ to someone that hasn't heard it before. I choose to believe that my God can work in and through me to change the life of the people that I come into contact with here. I often times am reminded of the starfish story while I am here. There was a boy walking along a beach full of washed up starfish. He was walking along throwing them back into the water and an older man stopped and said, "You can't save them all, kid." The kid looked down, picked one up, threw it back into the ocean and said, "I just saved that one." I see all the bad things in this country and I know that I can't change it all. I can't help every single child, every single pastor and every single person. But I can help some. I can do my part that God has called me to. I can be faithful to the work that I have been given, allowing God to present me the opportunities to help those that I am able to. I realize that it is only God who can change this country and that I can't do it by myself. But with God's help, I can help some.

It is also important to note that what is going on in Port-au-Prince is not a reflection of the whole country. It is not a reflection of every Haitian. As with any group of people, there are some bad apples, but those bad apples don't define the whole bunch. In my time here while the protests and riots have been going on, I have never once felt like I was in physical danger. I knew that the Haitians that I was with would give their lives to keep us safe if it came down to it. Fortunately, that hasn't been the case. After arriving back in Pignon, we have not experienced anything like what was going on in Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien, thankfully.

I ask that you would continue to pray with me for the country of Haiti. Pray for the government, the people, the missionaries and other foreigners who are here, and for the situation in general, that God would somehow bring glory to Himself through it. You can also pray that the situation is cleared up by Monday because Miranda is supposed to travel here through Port-au-Prince then. Finally, be in prayer that the team from Berean is also able to still make the trip here as well; they are due to arrive on the 20th.

As always, we can praise the Lord. We can praise Him for his protection and provision. We can praise Him for the good times and during the bad times. We can praise them that we made it back to Pignon. We can praise Him because he is sovereign and always in control.

Trust.

Trust. It's a simple thing, right? You either trust someone, or something, or you don't. Seems simple. So what makes it so difficult sometimes?

Here in Haiti, I have to trust a lot! I have to trust people, vehicles, roads, goat paths, bridges, and many other things. Most importantly though, I have to trust God. This is one thing that God has really been teaching me during my time down here, especially this past week. Allow me to walk you through what it has been like.

Wednesday - On Wednesday, Wilguens and I were supposed to go to Hinche on the moto. We had talked the night before and planned to leave at 7:00am Haitian time (meaning more like 7:15 or 7:30). Anyways, 7:00am came and went and around 7:30 Wilguens showed up and told me, "I forgot, I can't go to Hinche. We need to go to Cap." There's no such thing as a quick trip to Cap, either. So we get in the Dodge pickup, which requires trust in and of itself because everyone knows that thing could break down at any moment. (This is the truck that just the week before, the tail end of the drive shaft just fell off as we were turning into the orphanage at La Coste, if that tells you anything). We finally leave and as we are leaving Pignon, we stop at a church and like 15 women all get into the bed of the truck, to which Wilguens says, "I forgot." Alrighty then, on to Cap we go. Thankfully, we made it to Cap without any problems. Once we got there, we dropped the women off at hotel like place (come to find out, they're all getting married and went to try on wedding dresses). Wilguens and I then took a tap-tap into the heart of Cap. Tap-taps require trust. After the tap-tap driver took us as far as he would go into the market, we got out and began to walk. So now, I'm just following this guy that I just met when I came down here through the busy, overcrowded, trash littered streets of Cap-Haitien. After about 20 minutes, we finally get to the bank. Once inside, a security guard took us to the front of the line to exchange money. As the bank teller was handing me my gourds, Wilguens took a $50 gourd bill and rolled it up. Then as we were walking out he handed it to me and told me to give it to the security guard. Nothing like a little bribe for good service. After the bank, I had to buy some supplies for the American team that was here that week. When we had bought what we needed, Wilguens hailed a taxi to take us back to the hotel where the truck was. Another trusting moment, but we made it back. After waiting for a couple hours for all the women to be done, we were finally on our way back to Pignon. Remember how I said that the Dodge could break down at any time? Well, that time was about 45 minutes into the 2ish hour drive. Something went out on the transmission and we were stopped dead in our tracks. We spent an hour or so trying to fix it but to no avail. But wouldn't you know it, God gave me an answer to prayer and another opportunity to trust him. While we were just standing there by the truck, another truck pulled up with a few people inside. Wilguens talked with the man driving and then looked at me and said, "You should probably go, right?" Apparently, this man lived in Pignon and offered to take me the rest of the way. So I put my stuff in the back and hopped in, praying and trusting God that I would make it back to Jephthe's. The man, Val, works for an organization here in Pignon called Haiti Outreach and was very nice. He dropped me off at Jephthe's and I couldn't thank him enough.

Thursday - On Thursday, I went to visit a handful of churches. I have to trust Pastor Metys that he knows where he is going. Again, another man whom I just met when I came here this summer, leading me way out into the country, through winding trails, rivers, mountains, and on this particular day, over bridges. We were on our way back to Pignon and just came down a steep hill when I see this bridge come into site. I just figured we would be going down below it and crossing the river at a low point, but I was wrong. This bridge was probably five feet wide, 150-200 feet long, made with wooden planks and had wire on the sides for rails. It was like something out of an Indiana Jones movie! Needless to say I made Pastor Metys go first. After he made, it was my turn. "Jesus take the wheel, here goes nothing." I slowly eased my moto on to and made my way across. Thankfully, the Lord helped keep me straight and I made it without any problems. Talk about trust, though. Come to find out, Metys had never crossed that before that day and just a couple months ago, someone had fallen off. I'm glad I didn't know either of those things prior to crossing. What an adventure that was. Trusting in the Lord that the bridge would hold and that I wouldn't stray left or right.

Friday - Friday was a relatively chill day, but still, each day here presents the opportunity to trust in the Lord for basic things. For example, it's never for certain that we will have electricity to charge phones, backup batteries, have the fan on at night, etc... Also, although the cooks do very well and the food is always great, there is always that chance that something could not sit well with you and upset your stomach. Each meal is an opportunity to give thanks and to trust God.

Saturday and Sunday - On Saturday morning, Jephthe, a leader from the other group, Kristin, Elisee and I left for Port-au-Prince early in the morning. We knew that Jephthe's car had been having problems and that was one of the reasons why we left earlier, so that we could take his car to the dealership to be worked on. Thankfully, we made it without any problems. Jephthe dropped Elisee, Kristin and I off at the hotel and he and the other leader went to have his car looked at. A couple hours later, he was back. He said that they didn't have time to work on his car, so now he was working on a few things and needed to prepare a message for Sunday morning. Half-jokingly, I told him I would do the message for him. Lesson learned, because he jumped on the idea and now I was to preach tomorrow. Lord, I'm trusting you. I've never prepared a message, let alone preached a message. The rest of the afternoon I spent praying and preparing a message to share the next day. I enjoyed some time in the pool and just relaxing after I had finished preparing. Sunday morning came quick and we got to church around 8:45. Then, after about an hour of worship, it was time for me to preach. Lord, I need you. I'm trusting you, that you will speak through me and they will hear your words, not my own. In my own opinion, I would say that it went fairly well for my first time! I'm thankful that God is able to use my story and the things that he has been teaching me to help encourage others. Stepping outside of my comfort zone, trusting God to provide and sustain, has never felt better. I'm so thankful for the opportunities that he is giving me here in Haiti.

Monday - It was back to work on Monday. I visited seven more churches with Pastor Metys and Elisee. This time, we went all the way to Thomonde, which is about 30 minutes or so past Hinche. I was a little nervous about driving through Hinche because it can be very busy and hectic in the city, especially with all of the roundabouts. I kept praying and trusting God that it would not be busy while we drove through and He answered. We got through the city with no problems and very unusually light traffic. Later on, after visiting six churches, we began our hour and a half long search for the final church. Pastor Metys had never been to this church before and it was obvious. We were driving through the mountains, along goat paths, over hills and through valleys, stopping to ask everyone we saw if they could point us in the right direction. I was trusting Pastor Metys and he was trusting these strangers to be honest and help us out. Finally, we arrived. I use my phone to take notes at all of the interviews with the pastors and when we made it to this church, I was at 5% battery. It would have been a problem if my phone died because I wouldn't have had a good way to record the pastor's answers. I found myself trusting that God would not allow my phone to die during the interview. We finished the interview and I had 1% left. Another new way to trust God to provide and another answer to prayer.

Trust, although it is a simple concept, can be hard. It can be hard to relinquish control of a situation, an outcome, a person, or a plan, but if you are handing over control to the almighty, all-knowing, creating, sustaining, and providing God, then there is nothing to fear. That is one of the most important lessons I am learning.

Proverbs 3:5 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

Romans 8:28 - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

We can praise the Lord for answered prayers, continued health and safety, and exceeded goals. However, I ask that you also pray with me for continued provision, motivation, and more opportunities to learn and grow by stepping out of my comfort zone.

Woah, We're Halfway There.

First of all, if you didn't sing the title of this blog in your head, I'm a little disappointed. Go ahead and look up Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi. 

Anyways, it's true, I am at the halfway point of my summer in Haiti. Technically, I'm at the halfway point of my time here by myself before Berean's youth team arrives, but I'm not going to ruin a good title. Time has gone by so quick! Some of the days have been slow, but the weeks have been fast. I have been to a total of 48 churches so far, which is just two short of how many I planned on visiting altogether! At this rate, I'm visiting 12 churches a week. I am aiming to make it to another 30-40, although Jephthe believes I can make it to all 121 churches. I hope that he is right! The visits have been going so great. Personally, they are very humbling for me and I have been so appreciative of the opportunity that God has blessed me with to do His work. At each visit, I take pictures of the church and the leader. Then, I have a list of questions that I ask them, with the help of Elisee, a friend of mine who I hired to translate for me. At the end, I ask them for three ways that I can be praying for their church and three ways that I can be praying for them personally. It has been a joy for me to see how encouraged the leader is after the interview because they know that they aren’t forgotten. Almost every leader has asked that I pray for the financial situation of the church, but also for their family as well, because they don’t make enough to support themselves through the ministry. Many of the leaders also do not have their own housing and ask that I pray about that as well. Jephthe’s ministry here in Haiti is such an encouragement to me because I see the impact that these churches are having for the kingdom. The churches have anywhere from 50 to 400 people in attendance each Sunday, with the largest church having 10,000-15,000 people!

This past week, I was extremely humbled and heartbroken at the same time. As I was finishing up an interview with a pastor, I asked him how I could be praying for him. Pastor Metys spoke up and said that we need to see his house because he lives in a hen house. So we got up and went out the back of the church to his "house." My jaw dropped. He literally lived in a 12ft x 6ft shack that had chicken wire covered with cardboard for walls. There were two mattresses, separated by sheets hanging from the tin roof. I couldn't believe it. Oh, did I mention that he has a pregnant wife and six children that also live there with them? I was at a loss for words. I was afraid to start praying because I knew that I would get emotional. But I prayed. I'm thankful that God is omniscient and knows what we need before we say it, or even think it. I'm thankful that he knows the desires of my heart and that he knows how I felt for that family. I'm thankful that even though I didn't know how to pray for them, he still knew what they needed. That was a tough visit, but I am thankful for it because of how God met me in that moment and I knew that even if I didn't have all the words to say in my prayer, he would still know all that was on my heart and mind. What a sweet, sweet thing it is to feel the presence of God in such a moment.

I'm thankful that God is allowing me to experience moments like that. Moments that break my heart for his people. Moments that make me realize how fortunate I am. Moments that make me see what true dependence on God looks like. Moments that allow me to see just how important this work is. God has blessed me to be a blessing to others. In that moment, I was able to show that family that God sees them, he hears our prayers, they aren't forgotten, they aren't abandon. I could encourage them with truth. God is not finished with them yet! Better days are coming! I pray that they know that. That they are encouraged. I pray that God continues to break my heart for what breaks his. I pray that he continues to show me how good he is, how faithful he is.

Today was encouraging because Kristin, the other American here who has been working at the orphanage in La Coste for Jephthe, and I were able to bring all the boys from La Coste to the clinic to be seen by the doctor. He was super sweet with them all and really did a good job. I was reminded of how much God cares for the orphans and the widows today. I got to hold a sweet little boy in my arms for hours as he slept. I picked him up because he had been crying and almost immediately his cry turned to a little whimper and then stopped completely. He just wanted to be seen, to be held, to be cared for. Sometimes, I feel like that's how I can be with God. I just want him to hold me, to reassure me that he is bigger than all of my problems, all of my failures, all of my doubts. I want to be reminded that I'm not alone in this, I have a Heavenly Father who loves me, cares for me, who hears me and is in control. Children are such a great reminder of how gentle God can be, how compassionate he can be, and how comforting he can be. Matthew 19:14, "Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" What a perfect thing to be reminded of in a country full of young children running around. 

This trip has been such a learning experience for me. I cannot say thank you enough to all of you who have been praying for me, who supported me financially, and who have sent me words of encouragement. I am so thankful the time that I am getting to spend here. God has been deepening my relationship with him, growing my relationship with my friends here, and revealing to me so many new things. I am excited for the second half! 

So far, I have felt very healthy and have not had many problems at all. Praise God! You can also thank God with me that I have not had any problems or accidents on the moto! But, if you would, please continue to pray for strength, energy, health, and safety for this second half of the trip. As the number of churches I visit continues to grow, so does the distance to travel to get to them. Pray that God would continue to bless me with stability and control on the moto. Finally, I ask that you would continue to pray for my spiritual growth, that God would continue to show me new things and teach me new lessons through His Word and through my experiences here. I think that it is only appropriate to end with this, I'm livin' on a prayer!