Holidays Guatemala and Mexico Mission Trips with Jason Maxwell

Dear Friends and Family,

My wife Sarah and our daughters, Hollyn and Emelyn bring me so much joy and happiness, as most of you are well aware. As parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles I know you too can relate to the special place kids hold in our hearts. We are all God’s children and we all hold that same special place in His heart. It is that understanding that continues to drive Sarah and my desire to reach God’s lost and hurting children of the world.
Take a journey with me to a place where automatic weapons and drug cartels are part of everyday life. A place where fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters are killed daily if they cannot pay off the cartels for the “RIGHT” to survive. A place where widows and children are left homeless. Left to become scavengers for survival. Imagine your days spent eating, sleeping, and drinking from the trash heaps in the city dump. You have little to no hope of getting a job, because the rest of the city views you as nothing more than the trash you scavenge. You anxiously await the arrival of the next dump truck, like our kids anxiously await Christmas and the opening of presents. Your world view is so limited that your greatest ambition in life is to be the dump truck driver, so that you can get the best scraps. Your only source of income is the limited money you can make by taking broken things repairing them or repurposing them and then hitting the streets trying to sell your wares. Maybe you’re lucky enough to have a mother and enough brothers and sisters to scavenge the dump, so that you can still attend school while they are digging to find food, clothes, and anything else that the family can use to survive, but even then you spend your nights doing homework and sleeping on the outskirts of the giant trash heap you call home. Maybe you’re all alone and school is not a luxury you can afford, because that time away from the heap means you won’t have enough to eat to survive another day. After all there are 11,000 other people just like you living off the same dump outside Guatemala City. 6,500 of you are children.
Until earlier this year, I had no idea such a place existed. Yes I knew there were hurting and hungry people, but I had never seen such a place with my own eyes. My heart breaks every time I think and pray for the scavengers aka “The Treasures.” We are all so blessed, and God blesses us to be a blessing to others. On November 17th, I will be leaving the comforts of home, with a team from New Life Christian Center to return to the saddest place I’ve ever been. We will spend a week hosting an afternoon Vacation Bible School at The Potter’s House for the children living in the dump. We will spend our mornings helping build basic housing for some of the families lucky enough to be recipients of the Potter’s House project. We will also be revisiting some of the churches that we preached at on our last trip, providing them with strength and encouragement to continue their work spreading the word of God throughout Guatemala.
I will return home on November 25th to spend Thanksgiving with my family and prepare for the next mission trip to visit some of the dumps in Mexico that also have people surviving off the trash. On December 11th I will once again leave for another week. I will be doing this trip with my friend, Brother in Christ, and fellow missionary Justo Chavana, founder of Jordan Ministries in Rockport Texas. Along with other missionaries from around the US, Justo will lead us into the dumps of Mexico to deliver CHRISTmas to these men, woman, and children. Justo has already started several soup kitchens outside various dumps in Mexico to help meet the needs of these hurting people. This will be my first visit to the dumps of Mexico and I have great expectations of the things God will do while we are there. Sarah and I have already purchased approximately 200 pairs of shoes to take, along with 750 glow in the dark bracelets just to bring joy to the faces of these kids. We also have gathered hundreds of items of gently used clothing over the last several months to take as well.
I’m excited about the opportunity and experiences that lie ahead. I hope you see the value in what we will accomplish. As you can imagine, trips like this requires financial support from a number of people. I need to raise about $5,000 to complete these two trips. If you can support me in a financial way, I would be very grateful. And, most importantly, I need your prayer support. Prayer is the fuel that will allow us to be successful as we follow God’s leading in ministry in these countries. Without prayer, nothing will happen. When you sow financially or sow prayers into a mission, you are part of that mission. This is a great way to add to your treasures in heaven. As you decide if, and what to give please remember;
2 Corinthians 9:7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

If you would like to be part of these missions through your financial support, please send a check to:
New Life Christian Center
900 Centerton Blvd Centerton, AR 72719

***PLEASE write “Jason Maxwell Missions” in the memo line of your check***
Contributions are Tax Deductable

Advancing God’s Kingdom One Act of Love at a Time,

Jason Maxwell

P.S. If you are not already, friend me on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/jason.maxwell.904

Follow my blog and mission updates at: http://Flames2Fire.wordpress.com

Guatemala Mission – Tuesday April 30th, 2013

Tuesday Morning

This Morning we visited the Casa Shalom orphanage in San Lucas, Guatemala.  It was a very emotional vist filled with highs and lows. The highs of course being the love we were able to share with these special kids, and the smiles and laughter they gave back to us.

Pastor Kelly had asked several of us to share with the kids. I chose to tell them about my very special friend Jesus, and how no matter where I went Jesus was with me sharing His love.

The hard part is the situations that brought these kids here. Many of them were rescused from abusive situations. Others had been saved from the drug cartels where their parents had sent them to work off the parents drug habits etc… What God is doing for these kids through the work of the missionaries in the orphanage is amazing. I encourage you to visit their website through the link above and support them if you feel called to do so.

 

Tuesday Night

 

We are traveling back to Guatemala City after an amazing time with The Lord at a crusade about 2 hours south of Gautama City. So many things happened.

 From the moment we stepped out of the van to the thunderous  roar of the Guatemalan worship, I knew God was there. When we walked through  the gates of the pavilion where Pastor Curtis was to preach I instantly felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. Unlike many times at home when I come to church with the weight of daily life it takes me time to get into His presence.

Here in Guatemala I have not experienced that at all. I am constantly in His presence. But the moment  we walk into his place of worship I feel Him in ways I rarely get to at home. I pray that when I return home I can continue feeling and getting in His presence in this powerful way.

Tonight when they did the alter call and I came to the front with the other missionaries. I was not afraid. You see typically it makes me very uncomfortable to pray for people, but God has released me from that fear. He has shown me on this trip in a very short time that my words don’t matter, when I lay my hands on them, the Holy Spirit will minister to their heart. It doesn’t matter what I say, it is His power and presence that speaks to their heart.

This Revelation took out all the fear of praying and allowed me to truly open myself up as an empty vessel for Christ. I know that this is why praying in tongues back home can be so important. It allows the Holy Spirit to minister to the need without the giver or receiver focusing on the spoken words.

I began praying for a man in a wheel chair, talk about pressure. He didn’t seem to have any reaction to my prayer physically or emotionally, I felt almost as if he was annoyed I was touching him, yet behind him stood his mother praying desperately. As I laid  my hands on her shoulder tears started pouring out of her. She was in such pain. The struggles of years worth of worry for her wheel chair bound son had weighed her down. As I continued to pray I could see the tears and sobbing increase and I know that with ever tear shed God was providing healing to her bourse bed heart.

I began praying for the next  woman closet to me and within second Gods anointing was flowing through me. I could feel His great power pouring  through my body. The woman probably in her mid to late 40’s began weeping in my arms. Words came out, but my soul was praying for her to be delivered from years of hurt and pain that she had been carrying since childhood from physical and sexual abuse. As I continued to pray she was filled with the spirit and fell limp in my arms as I struggled to guild her to the ground.  Now this is the first time I have laid hands on someone and them gone down, so while I had prayed God would move through me in powerful ways, it still took me back that it happened. As I began questioning it in my own mind, I realized the Devil was trying to take away my anointing. I immediately praised God, smiled and thanked Him for the honor of using me as His empty vessel.

Next I moved on to a man who as soon as I said Jesus Jesus Jesus (in the Spanish enunciation) he hit the ground…again I thanked God and moved on.

This continued on as I prayed for many others, some received from the spirit, some did not, some I could actually feel the resistance. Even though they stood and came forward to receive what God wanted to give them, they were so oppressed and carried with them Spirits of oppression, perversion, rebellion, and disbelief. Without opening themselves up completely to receive what God wanted them too, they lost out. At first I wanted to just stay and keep praying over one personal until we reached a break through, but the Spirit guided me and had to move on. I questioned this and He reminded me everyone has free will. He will never force Himself or His gifts upon someone who is not willing to receive.

I came to a woman in her early to mid thirties. She was dressed nice in business suit jacket over a black shirt. Her long black hair neatly groomed. As I began she smiled and soon I felt the change, I was not praying for her as I was all the others. No in fact I’m not sure you call it praying at all, I was taking authority for her. In the name of Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God I demanded Satin to leave her body, to release her because she was my sister in Christ and the property of the Living God. I remember thinking oh my gosh I am in way over my head. Please Lord let another one of the missionaries or Pastors hear this and come cast out this demonic spirit. Then as if receiving a loving corrective spanking, God spoke to my spirit and reminded me I don’t have to do anything but sit back and let Him do it all. All I have to do is be a willing open and empty vessel. in this moment I was no different than the pastors or missionaries or great healers throughout the ages. I was willing, I was open (although questioning like a young child at every turn), and I was an empty vessel that God was using to pour out His blessings and deliver His children from their hurts and pains. Now all of these thoughts and communication with my Heavenly Father happened in just a blink of an eye. I began screaming at the top of my lungs demanding Satin to leave my sister alone. Her body started to jerk, her head was jerking violently in my hands. Her hair was rubbing so fast under my left hand it felt like sandpaper rubbing off my skin. As I continued to pray, the woman began screaming out in a language  I’ve never heard, it certainly wasn’t Spanish and it wasn’t a heavenly tongue. Whatever it was it was demonic and it was scary. I opened my eyes to see what was going on, and what I saw scared me even more. The well dressed well groomed woman I had initially started praying for no longer was the same, her whole presence was different, her once beautiful long black hair that framed her face was now hanging 360 degrees around her head, covering her face completely. It was a sight I’ve only seen in horror movies, in fact I wasn’t going to be surprised if the next thing I saw was her eyes glowing red from under the black veil of hair that was covering this woman as this demonic spirit was manifesting itself. I again closed my eyes and prayed trying to forget what I had just seen and hand her all over to God so He could work a great work in her life. Moments later it all stopped as her body fell into the legs of the man standing behind her. I looked at her for a moment as she laid there and she looked so peaceful.

Next I came to an older woman and standing next to a man probably in his thirties, I assume her son. I prayed for her hip, she started moving it in a large circular motion and back and forth in large movements, she had a smile on her face.

I prayed for the man’s back because he had pointed to it and as I prayed I felt his spine popping and straighten, it freaked me out but I continued to give thanks to God. When I stopped he started bending forward to touch his toes, and twisting side to side, all the while with a great big smile, nodding yes, it is better.

I continued on laying my hands and praying for others until there were no more people except for a man with a walker. Pastor Kelly and Brother Isaac and I were all praying for Him.  As Isaac had him try to walk, it was obvious that the man’s tendons and ligaments were so tight he stood on his toes, unable to bend his ankles. As I watched him drag his unprotected toes across the concrete floor of the pavilion, with one ankle locked behind the other, His feet black from the dirt of the streets and the hard life this man has lived. God spoke to my spirit and said wash his feet. I argued with God in my spirit saying but God we are in an outdoor pavilion without water. Anyone who knows me will tell you I do not like to get dirty, or hot. I continued in my flesh for a few more seconds making excuses as to why I was not going to touch this man’s feet. Finally I yielded to God’s will, because after all that is why God sent me to Guatemala to do His will, not mine. I told Pastor Kelly that we needed to wash the man’s feet. She of course said “well then do it.” I of course was hoping someone else would volunteer.

Then God spoke to my spirit…humble yourself before your Lord God, and do my will on earth as it is already done in Heaven.

I asked Isaac to ask the man to sit. Someone ask what we would clean his feet with and God showed me the water bottles that had been given to each of us to drink throughout the night. Each of us was given one bottle, most of them were close to empty, but in the midst of 6 or 7 empty bottle God provided an entire unopened bottle of water. As I took the water I closed my eyes and began to pray and intercede on this man’s behalf. Instantly Gods heart opened to mine and I began to weep in ways I can’t explain. I began to open the water bottle an knew that this was real…God had opened the heavens above us and the Kingdom of God was at hand, God  was about to do something amazing.

As the water flowed out of that bottle the Living Waters from heaven were flowing and as I began to wash this man’s feet I noticed they were like steel rods. There was no movement and as I pushed against them they remained stiff. I have never seen anything like it, no matter what direction I washed or the pressure I applied they remained still. As I continued to intercede and wash the feet of this man, exposing his renewed skin, I was led the place the bottom of foot in the palm of my hand and apply pressure. At first nothing, and I continued praying Over what seemed like 10-20 minutes and his ankle began to release the tendons relaxed and his foot flattened, no longer did his feet hang from his body like that of a fully erect ballerina ready to twirl, but they were flat. For the first time this man’s feet were horizontal to the ground. I asked him to stand, he looked at me with eyes that said I don’t want to stand. I asked him again and move to the side as so he could lean on his walker. He stood as he always had lifting with his arms. As he did I watched as those horizontal feet tightened and became vertically locked once again. My heart breaks as I think of this man. I know God healed him, God told me He healed him. Immediately though the devil came into my heart and doing as  only the devil can, he came to steel, kill and destroy. He laughed at me as we watched the man drag down the aisle walking with his arm strength instead of His healed and flattened feet God had given him just moments before. Satin used his control over that mans mind to steel his blessing, then he turned his attention to me to try and steel my blessing by laughing at me by making me think I was crazy. I prayed instantly for God to protect my mind and heart from Satins attacks.  God then began use the missionaries around me to speak life back into me, as I was drained. I had given to this man all God had given to me leaving nothing back. I walked back to the van in a state of sadness and confusion. Throughout the trip home more was given to me including a new prayer language. I have been asking The Lord for almost two years to give me a new prayer language because my present  one sounded like such baby talk consisting of just a few syllables that remind me of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles saying Calabunga Dude!

As the trip home continued I began to pray using my new pray language. It is a language of worship, of song, and sounds so beautiful even though I don’t understand a word of it. I will thank God for the rest of my life for the blessing I received from Him today by yielding to His will.

Guatemala Mission – Monday April 29th, 2013

Monday, April 29th, 2013

Today started off early as I said goodbye to Sarah my wife, our daughter Hollyn, and our now 38 day old baby Emelyn Faith. Excitement was in the air as I joined the other Missionaries from our church and we traveled from Northwest Arkansas to Guatemala City. As this is my first mission trip, I really have no idea what to expect, other than to see God do some amazing things as He transforms lives. I know that this is not like the mission trips I had heard my Grandma talk about. You know, the youth group on a mission to help out by painting houses etc….No, this is very different as our mission is to save hundreds, if not thousands of souls by bringing them to know the love of God. To know what He did for them and the price He paid through His son Jesus Christ.  To give them hope, love, and faith. To preach the Gospel of Truth and minister to the people of Guatemala.

When  arriving in Guatemala, Pastor David and his wife picked us up from the airport and drove us to our hotel in Zona ViVa.  Pastor David is a local Pastor who has worked very hard to set up the events our team will be holding this week. We took a couple of hours to get settled in and rest before go to the evening services. Pastor David drove us to his church, where we split up into three groups, and went to three different churches around the city.Kenny, Kit, Brother Justo and I all went to a church in one of the worst neighborhoods surrounding Guatemala City. A neighborhood known for its cartel activity, where businesses are expected to pay the cartel $200-$500 a week. Keep in mind that in this neighborhood, most people are paying $100-200 a month for the houses they live in.  Failure to pay will result in the business owner’s family members being killed. There are times when entire families are killed. Our driver a local Pastor in that neighborhood told us of mass shootings, and how not long before we arrived the cartel had killed 15 people at once in a local drug/convenience store.

It is hard to imagine that in the small area of maybe 2 miles there are over 200 churches. Within 6 city blocks there were nearly 60 churches according to the pastor that was driving us. The average church has about 100-200 people with a few having 500 member congregations. When I saw the small area that all these churches were contained in, I instantly questioned where do all the people live? I mean take 6 city blocks in a US neighborhood. Most neighborhood contain between 30-40 houses per square city block, multiply that by 6 and you get between 180-240 houses. If the average house has 3-4 people, that leaves you with 960 people, on the high side, in neighborhood of 6 square blocks in the US.  60 churches with each containing 100-200 people equals 6,000-12,000 people attending church in this 6 block area. Now add in the room required for the 60 churches which are much bigger than a house, and logic shows us that the people must be traveling from a long ways to get these churches full.

So of course, I questioned the Pastor about this and asked him where all the people came from? His reply was the same 6 block area. Holy Cow!!! How on earth do you fit 6,000-12,000 people in a 6 block area with 60 churches(granted most of them are just one really large room to our US standards), and stores to supply the needs of those people. The answer seems relatively simple, build skyscrapers right? Wrong! The tallest building I saw in this area was two stories. Hard to imagine how packed and crowded the people’s living quarters really are. I can tell you on one corner I saw a small house, what we in American real estate would consider the size of a small 8×10 storage shed, or a child’s bedroom many would consider too small to house a child’s twin bed and their toys. In the open doorway of that house stood a man, woman and their 3 small children.

Upon arriving at the church, we were warmly welcomed by a couple of members of the congregation and taken to our seats on the front row. The worship part of the service had already began, so we quickly took our places and began worshiping and preparing for what God had called us here to do. Their worship was amazing, the people seemed so hungry for God’s presence, and God wasn’t disappointing those that were desperately seeking Him!

After worship the local Pastor introduced Brother Justo to the church. Brother Justo was going to deliver the message that evening. Each of us said a few words, before he began, thanking the church for allowing us to come. I wish I could tell you more about the service itself, but Brother Justo delivered the message in Spanish, so there was no interpreter for just the three of us. I always knew I needed Rosetta Stone! What I can say is it was a great time with God on a personal basis, and I could tell the congregation was really getting a lot out of the messages being delivered.

The Pastor asked brother Justo to have me come up and say the closing prayer. This is something that would normally terrify me. Not the thought of talking in front of large groups of people, I’ve done that for years, but praying for people and in front of people is something that a year ago would have shut me down. The thought of it still scares me just because it’s one of the ways the devil try’s to hold me back. But the honor God blessed me with by having the Pastor share his podium with me and closing out the service overcame any fear.

After the service the Pastor said they had prepared us a traditional Guatemalan meal, and that we could not leave without eating and sharing a meal with them.  Keep in mind the water in Guatemala is not safe for us to drink, so food outside of a large franchise type restaurant is very risky. Something most the people on our trip seem very worried about. I figure God sent us to this land to serve His people, and in return they have honored us to eat among them. That is a direct reward from God, and He will nourish it to our bodies.  1 Timothy 4:4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving

So we walked out into the street and greeted people. We watched in amazement as the kids crowded around Brother Justo and his impossible to catch American dollar bill. The joy and laughter it brought to not just the kids playing, but to the parents and other adults was amazing.

Soon we were asked to come back into the church room, where to my surprise all the chairs had been stacked and removed, in the center of this Guatemalan church sat  just one table with 6 chairs. Enough for the Pastor of the church, brother Justo, the Pastor that had driven us, Kit, Kenny and myself. I can’t explain the overwhelming feeling of realizing what Honor these people had given to us. God’s love was pouring into me and I was treasuring ever moment. One second I would be thinking how honored I was to be sitting around this table with the Pastor of the church. The next moment I was thinking why would these people give us such honor, we are just three everyday Americans from Arkansas that love God. The next moment my heart would be breaking thinking about how much food was there available for us to eat, more than we could eat if we stayed all week. Why wasn’t the rest of the church eating with us. Why were these people who had so little, giving us so much?  Soon the Pastors wife and son pulled up chairs to the table to fellowship with us…keep in mind, the whole time brother Justo is talking to them in Spanish, I had no clue what was being said. But regardless of the language barrier the universal language of God’s Love was shared and evident among all of us at that table.

As we drove back to the hotel, I couldn’t help but think how blessed we all are. What a blessing it is to allow God to use us to show His love to others.  How blessed I am that God was using these people to bless me with love in return. What an awesome Living God I get the honor to serve!

Why do we need to protect ourselves from TV?

Click Here to Watch This VideoSuperbowl, Beyonce, Sashsa, and Satan

Ughhh my stomach turns in knots as I watched this! I never watched the Super Bowl this year or Beyonce…The downside to being someone who now protects myself and my family from as many of these types of outside influences, is I find myself becoming less and less aware of what the rest of the world is exposing itself too. I can trace things back to my childhood, shows or movies I watched that lite fires on the inside of me. Created ungodly desires toward fame and riches, same sex attractions and more….things that years later manifested themselves in my life. I at times wonder if I go overboard in protecting Hollyn, Sarah and I from these small, seemingly innocent attacks, but seeing this reminds me why we must all be diligent and watchful to protect our families. Heck there are many times even the Disney channel is showing and making suggestions to our kids I feel is inappropriate. To all the parents out there that say, we watched it as a kid…your right! But have you ever stepped back and really looked to see how it has effected you long term? How your life’s desires were inspired by a scene in a movie, or your biggest adulthood fear was first planted in your head through that scary movie? It bothers me to be teaching Awanas on Wednesday nights and to have kids ask us to pray that their nightmares be taken away so they can sleep and not be so tired. When you ask what there nightmares are about…their response….Chucky was chasing me, or a guy with a long white mask and black hood is hiding in my closet. Kids have strong enough imaginations on their own, as parents we really need to be protecting them. At the same time we need to protect ourselves. Sure we know its fake, but the influence and suggestions often times become real. I’m going to get off my soapbox for now because I could go on for hours about the influences TV has had on my life, both positive and negative. The point…be watchful and mindful of what you expose yourself to, it’s ok to turn off a movie or show in the middle, even if you paid good money to watch it. It’s ok to cut off a friend who is planting negative seeds in your life. It’s ok to have the courage and boldness to be the minority who not only knows what is right and wrong in Gods eyes but is strong enough to act on that knowledge and live His will.

In Only 60 Days

Its hard to believe that In only 60 Days I will be in a foreign land fighting the good fight. In only 60 days I will have temporarily left my family behind to follow the instructions God has placed on our hearts. In only 60 days, I will have left my one month old baby, my 8 year old step daughter and my beautiful wife in Arkansas as I venture out into the world of mission work for the very first time. Having traveled many places in the world as a tourist, you would think that this would be no big deal, yet my nerves and excitement, at times overtake me. In only 60 days I will begin going out into all the world not as a tourist but as a missionary. In only 60 days I will be walking the dusty roads of Guatemala, I will join other missionaries as we speak the Truth of the Gospel to men, women, and children who have never had the opportunity to hear the great Love and Sacrifice that occurred when Jesus Christ died on the cross to save the world. In only 60 days I will feel the power of the Holy Spirit ministering to His children through me. In only 60 days I must be completely dead to myself, and present myself as an empty vessel for God to use in a powerful way! In only 60 days my life once again will be changed forever to the Glory of God! IN ONLY 60 DAYS!

Dear friends,
As my family and I continue to pray, listen to God’s instructions for our lives, and do our best to follow His will, we need your help. We need your prayers of protection, strength, encouragement, and an overall building up to prepare Sarah and the kids here at home, and me for whatever might come my way. I am in no way perfect, but I was made righteous through Christ and the cross. It is important that I and all of us continue to be willing for God to prune off our rough edges, or chop off our whole arm if Neccissary to make room for Him and His glory in our lives. So I pray and ask you to join me in praying that God will continue to give me the strength and willingness to be pruned, chopped and molded into the man He desires and needs to accomplish His plan in this earth. That the devil has no authority over me, my wife, or our children and therefore has no business being anywhere near our home, work, friends, or anyone we come in contact with. As we seek to be empty vessels we invite God to move powerfully through our lives and the lives of those around us.

We also could use any financial support you might be called to give in supporting this journey and future missions. This first 10 day mission to Guatemala presents a need for between $1,700-$2,000. You can send Tax Deductable donations made out to NLCC (New Life Christian Center). Please put Jason Maxwell Mission in the memo section and send the checks to:

Jason Maxwell
400 NW Palomino Street
Bentonville, AR 72712

If you have any questions feel free to email me at Jason@WeSellNWA.com

Thank You for being a blessing to our family, God, and the world!

Our Journey of Faith to Pregnancy!

Yesterday morning I woke up to a pretty awesome experience. Our dog Splenda, was sitting on my chest, not moving, just staring at me. As my eyes opened, I looked my dog in the eyes thinking what are earth are you doing staring at me like that? I rolled over and looked at the alarm clock, it was 3:07 am. Moments later I heard the toilet flush, and I rolled to my other side to ask my wife what she was doing up so early. That is when she told me that she was pregnant! It took a second to register, even though the previous night, we had talked about her taking the test first thing in the morning. It took even longer for me to really comprehend the magnitude of her simple, sweet words. As we laid beside each other in bed, talking, laughing, and even giggling at times with excitement, it all started sinking in.

You see we have been trying for months, well 7 to be more precise. We made the decision to not prevent pregnancy shortly after we got married. I know in the grand scheme of things seven months doesn’t seem like very long at all. It must seem like mere moments to so many who have waited for years, and still not seen the harvest of their Faith. But to you I say, BE STRONG! You serve an amazing and awesome God who is faithful in all things. It is so easy to be overcome with anxiety, which allows satin the in roads to devour you from the inside out.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Truth be told, I have wanted to be a Dad since I was about 12. I will never forget when I found out my brother Mike, and his wife Michelle were pregnant with their first child, my niece Stephanie. It was then, I first learned the excitement of a new baby on the way. I remember standing in the office at school, with a huge smile on my face and joy beaming from my inner most soul, as I told the ladies in the office my exciting news…I was going to be an Uncle! Over the next several years, I got to see my niece and later my nephew on Holidays and long weekends, as they did not live close. At various times in junior high and high school, I worked in a daycare center, and a couple after school programs which seemed to pull out how much I enjoyed being around kids. Everyone always commented on what a great dad I was going to be someday.

All the hopes, and dreams of being a Dad died during the coming out process. It just wasn’t what was meant to be for my life. That was one of the many lies Satan had coaxed me to believe over the 15+ years I lived the gay lifestyle. Throughout the day today, and even as I sit here writing this, I temporarily have allowed myself to remember the loss and suffering I went through during that time, the pain and anguish that led me so close to suicide. It is in that pain that I can experience the true JOY that life today brings! The joy only a Father and Mother can know…yesterday I just began to feel that JOY in a whole new way. God showed me how much He loved me…He also showed me, the great JOY He had, the day I recommitted my life to Him. It has given me an even greater understanding of God’s love for all of us, and how much he wants all of us back, in close relationship with Him!

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

So in true form with everything else God has done in my life, over the last two years, He fulfilled His promise that all things would be made new. Through my marriage to Sarah, and the Joys I’ve already experienced, as a husband, and as a dad to Hollyn, God has breathed fresh life back into my hopes and dreams of family and fatherhood.

4 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.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelations 21:4-5

Before Sarah and I got married, we had gone through pre-marital counseling with Pastor Brian and Pastor Alisha at our church, New Life Christian Center. During those 8 weeks, Sarah and I spent countless hours talking and praying about what we wanted out of life. What we wanted for ourselves, what we wanted for each other, what we wanted for our family, and even what we expected from each other. It was then that God began revealing the beginnings of what our family life is to become. Some things to me, some things to Sarah, and together He completed the picture. He laid different things on our hearts at different times, but as for where we are today, the following are the relevant issues of our combined hearts desires. We have placed our lives in God’s loving hands, and through it, we have seen His revealed plan for our lives unfold.

1. We wanted to be joined as husband and wife, and united as a family with Hollyn.

Our wedding took place on December 10th, 2011

2. We wanted to have at least one biological child together. Before having a child, we felt we needed a bigger house and better jobs. Our parents had also recommended we wait at least six months after getting married to have a baby. We are not the most patient couple when it comes to waiting for a baby. 🙂

1. A bigger home as Sarah’s 1,300 square foot home did not seem like an adequate space to raise our family. The problem with moving was we owed more on the home then it seemed possible to sell it for. With not much money in savings, after the wedding and honeymoon, it seemed an impossible task. We placed it in God’s hands and timing. One morning in April, Sarah and I were talking, and she felt that it was time we looked hard into moving. We found a house that we wanted to buy, spent the whole weekend Staging our house, put our house on the market, it went under contract in only 4 days. We put in an offer on the house we wanted with the contingency of our house closing. God blessed us along every turn.

There were several times that it did not look good, but we left it in God’s hands, to do His will for our lives. You see, we figured that if God could sell our house that fast for close to what we needed out of it, get the new house for a good enough deal we could still afford the new payments, and make it all work together for our good, then we would just have to not worry and let Him handle all the details.

That Faith was tested several times, once when the contract fell out on our house we were selling…we put it back on the market, and it went under contract in less than 24 hours. A few other times, things were not looking good when it came to the loan. In fact we had to sell and move out of our old house, without knowing 100%, if we were going to be able to close on the new house. But we pressed through and maintained our faith.

We kept telling each other and believing that God would make it all work, even though the visible circumstances were looking very scary. One day, things were looking terrible, but it was too late to back out of the sale of our house. I had to take action to claim our faith and keep things moving forward. With my stomach in knots from nerves, I went to the new house and began painting it, with the owner’s permission of course. As I began to paint our new home, peace came over me, and God allowed me to just enjoy what was about to be our new home. I continued painting for days until the whole house was done, all the while not having confirmation that the house was going to be ours. We moved out of our old house and into the new house without 100% certainty that the loan was approved. God lined up all these details, there is no way without God that the sellers would have agreed to let me paint and move in before closing if God had not been in control. I really believe that it was these actions of stepping out in faith that got me through, and got us closed.

 

In May of 2012, we moved into our new 2,200 square foot home. with a payment only $100 per month higher than what we were paying for Sarah’s old house. Praise God!!!

2. Jobs to support our family plan and lifestyle

A. Sarah felt she needed a promotion that would help support part B. of this goal. She did not think she would want to be a stay at home mom.

The week we moved into our new home Sarah received a promotion to a Replenishment Analyst for Wal-Mart Corporate. This included a pay increase of over 20% from her previous position. PRAISE GOD!

B. I needed a flexible position that would allow me to spend as much time as possible with our kids, while still helping provide for our family. We decided that real estate was the best place for me at the moment. God has continued to bring me real estate clients to support our needs.

I had no desire to bring a child into this world, just to send them off to be raised by strangers. I know it is a necessity for many, and I do not have a problem with that for others. I just pray that we won’t be in that position, and if we find ourselves there, I have Faith that God would pull use out quickly. My reasoning for wanting to be such an active part of my kids lives is based partly on the following scriptures, and largely on my hearts desires;

The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him! Proverbs 20:7

Train up a child in the way he should go; so that even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” Genesis 18:19

He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God. Psalms 78:5-8

3. Our parents recommended we wait at least 6 months to have a baby. They felt it would be best, to get settled and get used to life as a married couple. Well like most rebellious children, Sarah and I didn’t have the patience for this recommendation. After all, that reduced our chances of having a baby before I turned 35. We did however agree, with each other, that we would not actually be focused on trying, just not preventing. Well that didn’t last long either, because we soon moved to trying. You’ll see as you read, that God required us to honor our parent’s wishes, as that is what is right with the Lord.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Ephesians 6:1-3

So as I said in the beginning of this blog, we stopped preventing shortly after we got married. As the months went by, I at times would question rather having a baby was going to be in the cards for us. Maybe I was to selfish to be a good father, maybe my sexual sins had caused such corruption that the devil was allowed to take our baby? THAT IS SUCH A LIE! Another lie told by the Devil to get me and my family off course. My past has nothing to do with my future, except when it comes to glorifying God. God made me a complete, and total new person when I truly started abiding in Him.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

You see, the devil is always throwing up our past as a way to regain control. It is important, that as a Christian, we know who we are in Christ. That way we can identify when the devil is lying to us. As soon as we identify those lies we have to fight back. We have to let the devil know he no longer has authority in our lives, and we have to believe that! If we fall into the devils lies, we will lose faith.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

Sarah and I’s faith has continued to be tested, as all Christians faith continues to be regularly tested. It is not the test that lets you know rather your on the right track or not, it’s the way you deal with the test. For many, when they are tested, they get discouraged and they stay discouraged, or they get angry and stay angry. They never learn to depend on God’s Word, the bible. The bible tells us everything about who God is, was, and always will be. God does not change His mind. He is the one constant in our ever changing world.

So, when you are being tested, use God’s authority to kick the devil’s strongholds out of your life. Stand fast on His word and have strong faith that every word is truth. Look to the bible, and see what it says you should do in a particular situation, or what God promises He will do for all of His children. The faster you do this, the faster your test is over.

Sometimes it requires you to actively kick the devils strongholds out of other parts of your life. The hardest test are the ones that you don’t realize the Devil has a stronghold. Those require such dedication, to look at yourself through other people’s eyes, and see the things you don’t want to see, or hear. I think that is why communication and marriage are so important. Sarah can help me identify things about myself, that I couldn’t find on my own, and vice versa. The only way that works though is when the messages are delivered through LOVE, and received through LOVE, the way God intended everything to be done. Without love, the messages will fall on death ears, and the devil will use them to divide and concur.

We have found that with each test, God has taught us something, or pruned us. Most of the time, that lessen included dying more to ourselves, to make room for Him and His blessings in our lives. Rather it was to be more patient (again, this is still a struggle for us), to stop drinking, to stop smoking, to have better communication, to build stronger relationships within our church and daily lives, or to spend more time with God reading the word and praying, the faster we got out of the way and let God do His will, thefaster we received the blessings of His will.

This hurry up and get out of God’s way mentality, has really helped us.

People around have actually said slow down, what is the next big thing, why are you moving so fast? To them my heart answers, I have no idea the great things God has in store for my family and I, but I can’t wait to find out! I know it will surpass anything I could come up with on my own! I know that He promises things above all my heart can desire, and my head can comprehend.

For this reason, you will not find Sarah and I sitting idly by, ignoring what God is trying to do in and through our lives. That is the one thing that I would say is a blessing in our lack of patience, it has motivated us to seek God, answer His callings quickly, and do what He asks without hesitation. All that being said, we are not perfect, we will make mistakes, we will fall to our rebellious nature and fall short of the Glory of God, but we will get back up and strive to be all God has called us to be!

As our faith and patience continued to be tested, we kept saying to each other well God is just holding us to the plan that the three of us (Sarah, myself, and God) agreed to before we got married. Remember we had agreed we did not want a baby until we had a bigger house, better jobs, and (if it worked out) we should honor our parents advice of waiting 6 months. With each lesson learned, with each pruning that took place, with each part of that plan that came to be, with each month that would pass, we grew more anxious, saying that would be the month we would find out that Sarah was pregnant. Each month that it didn’t happen, our faith and patience was again tested.

When I found out in June, that she was not pregnant again, I knew I could take action. The bible says that thieves can be taken to court, and through the laws of retribution they must pay. In the book, “The Good Fight of Faith” by Alan Vincent, he talks about how the devil is the Father of all thieves, and that when he steals from us we can take Him to the heavenly court seeking retribution.

Well the devil was stealing, through the use of delay tactics, our gift that God had promised us in the bible. The bible says to be fruitful and multiply, that means God promised us all the ability to multiply, not just to multiply other Christians, but also to multiply our family. Assuming we were abiding in God’s word, and living in right standing with Him, as we had made every change He had asked us to make, I had the right as a Joint Heir with Jesus to take satin to court. Especially now that we had honored our parents advice.

So, that’s what I did! In mid June 2012, when I received word that we were not pregnant, I appealed to God and let Him know what the devil was doing, and that by the laws of retribution I was seeking a payment of a 7 time return for what had been stolen. I was specific to claim a child for myself and Sarah, our friends Kenny and Melissa, Perry and Michelle, Pastor Brian and Pastor Alisa, and three other children for people who had be travailing to become parents. I let God and Satin know that I would be back to court every month, that the devil used His deceitful tactics in delaying our pregnancy, to claim 7 more babies for more travailing parents. a couple days later, as my wife Sarah laid in the hospital bed at the ER, I told her what I had done. You see she was in the ER because she was having such horrible pains and cramps. Pain like she had never experienced before. I told her that it would all turn out ok, because God had promised us a baby. I told her of the court appeal I had made, and that it was going to get very costly for the devil if he kept messing with us. Hours later she was released with nothing that could be found wrong…PRAISE GOD!!!

I guess satin really doesn’t like to pay for his theft, because the very next month after taking Him to court and making him pay, Sarah is pregnant!!! So back to the beginning of this post, as Sarah and I laid in bed talking and giggling with excitement, making plans of everyone we needed to text and call with the news, satin through doubt in my mind again. Should we really call and tell everyone so early? I mean after all, it is just two at home pregnancy tests that have confirmed the pregnancy. You see Sarah had previously had a miscarriage, so the devil was planting in my head all the things that could go wrong. Almost immediately as these thoughts entered my head, I had a peace come over me as God revealed that as of the moment we were pregnant. So I closed my eyes, I entered the heavenly court room again and I put the devil on notice. This is our child, our gift from God, and as of this moment they are alive, healthy and perfect. If he does anything to attack or kill our child, I will see him back in this courtroom to claim 7 people’s lives. I informed him that God would use me as His vessel to raise 7 people from the dead in the name of His Son Jesus Christ. He would do this to His Glory so that the whole world could see that He is a Powerful and Awesome God! With that Sarah and I immediately moved forward with our excitement of telling the world our news. This may seem extreme, and even silly to some, but it is biblical and it is truth. As for me and my family we will serve the Lord and with that comes believing His every word and relying on it as absolute truth.

Have a blessed day, and thank you for sharing in our journey!

Love Jason and Sarah