Happy 2013 - Serving Christ in my 2nd Semester at El Camino
2013 for me has started off with a much needed visit to the States to see my family for Christmas! It was truly a blessing to be able visit with my parents, sisters, nephews, and all of my wonderful friends from the Orchard Evangelical Free Church. The welcome, love, prayers, and support that I received were overwhelming and a much needed gift from Jesus. They helped me recharge my battery as I prepare for the second half of the school year at El Camino. I can't believe I am halfway through my first year of teaching and serving Christ here in Bogota. What a privilege these past 5 months have been - and the Lord has taught me so much in this time. 
I have been praying about how long God wants me at El Camino Academy and He has been challenging me to offer all of the gifts He has given me to the school. Being home made me realized even more so how much I would be giving up by offering the next few years to teaching here. It was hard to leave my family, especially Sammy. There is nothing better than getting to hold him, to make him smile, and to hear his precious baby sounds. There is nothing better than getting to chase Joshua around church and waking up at my sister's house and getting to eat waffles with her family. There is nothing better than going bowling with my brother-in-law and my Dad. There is nothing better than sitting at Caribou and having a cup of coffee with my mom. There is nothing better than getting to be there for a precious friend and sister in Christ on Sunday morning when she really needed a hug. I ask myself over and over - can I really give up experiencing all of these moments on a daily basis with the people I love?
Since I became a Christian, I have always been tempted to do so many things in life on my own - even living the Christian life. A sweet friend gave me a book for Christmas called Because He Loves Me: How Christ Transforms Our Daily Lives by Elyse Fitzpatrick. I am exited to read this new book. It asks the question, "In your pursuit of godliness, have you left Jesus behind?"
What struck me most when my friend explained how much this book has meant to her was how much I leave the gospel and love of Christ out of my daily life. I try to live the Christian life on my own. I might think back and remember the time when Christ's love spoke into my life, but I go on living without this all-powerful love affecting my daily life.
"It's essential to think about God's love TODAY because it is only his love that can grant us the joy that will strengthen our hearts, the courage that will embolden us in our fight against sin, and the assurance that will enable us to open up our lives to him so that he might deal powerfully with our unbelief and idolatry. If we're not completely convinced that his love is ours RIGHT NOW - fully and unalterably ours - we'll always hide in the shadows, focusing on our performance, fearing his wrath. If we don't consciously live in the light of his love, the gospel will be secondary, virtually meaningless, and Jesus Christ will fade into insignificance. Our faith will become all about us - our performance and how we think we are doing. What must we remember? Simply that God loves us so much that he crushed his Son so that we might be his and that this love isn't based on our worthiness or performance."
Praying that my decisions and my ministry here comes out of my daily relationship with Jesus - that his LOVE would guide me, strengthen me, and encourage my faith to obey and do the will of Him to whom I owe my life.
Ice Skating - The Lord blessed me with a few opportunities to be able to enjoy time back on the ice. I was able to skate with my cousins, twice with my friend Margo, and also with my sister at an outdoor rink (while it snowed). So thankful that I had so many people willing to ice skate with me while I was home!
Prayers/Praises:
For the precious hearts of two new students - Elayne and Brianna! Pray that the Lord would quickly show me their hearts and help me to love them like Christ loves them. Also, pray for their transition to a new school and country.
My Spanish is getting better! I still have work to do, but I spent a day with my two Colombian friends and was able to share my testimony with them in Spanish :-) Please continue to pray that my Spanish would keep improving and that it would be used for developing relationships with my friends here.
For the work team from my church, The Orchard, that is coming down in February. The team is being formed right now. Pray for their preparations, their willing hearts to come and serve Christ here in Bogota, and that God would bless their time while they are here.
Bendiciones,
Carrie
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