New Year update

Wow! Time is flying and I find myself getting farther and farther behind on my blog!! As soon as I am able to get Jazmin up here I might just have to hand the reigns over to her, that way it gives her something to do and also she can practice her English! Well she is doing good, helping her mom at work (she is a real estate agent), finishing school, and planning the wedding (the second one) and Im really proud of her for doing all these things. She is really excited to move up here to Alaska but I think she will be happier moving up here in the summer, because lately its been about -30 every day. As far as ministry goes, our preacher Robert was gone most of December taking a much needed break and visiting with family. I was given to chances to preach from the pulpit, a few Weds. night devos, the mens small group and my Sun. morning teen class. During the week I am usually studying, visiting, or resting. I am studying with a 74 year old Serbo Croatian man named Milorod and its going really well, he is already a Christian but he is to old to drive at night (which is when most of the group bible studies take place) so I told him I can bring the bible study to him, we have been studying about prayer and taking lessons from Jesus. He has become a good friend and I enjoy the time we spend together. Anyways just wanted to let everyone know what all is going on, I will try and get pics up soon! God bless - Ben and Jaz

prayers please

hey everyone! its been a while i know, i have been super busy just with everything. well we all know the power of prayer, and right now i really need some. i am trying to get Jazmin a visa from the U.S. Government so that she can come and live in the United States with me. its not an easy process, and its it really frustrating me. there is a lot of paperwork involved, a lot of waiting, and a lot of trusting in other people to allow my wife to come and live with me. i ask for your prayers that the process turns out successful and that soon Jazmin can come up here to Alaska. its really hard putting all of your trust into an immigration officer whom you have never seen or talked to. anyways i would greatly appreciate the prayer, thanks! God bless

making the Gospel a movement; communities for Christ

As the American culture rapidly changes, and as the rest of the world follows, new ways of communication and advertisement are being discovered every day. The world is becoming a highly connected networking society of people who spend much of their time on a phone or on a computer. With websites such as Facebook, Myspace, Youtube, Wikipedia, and the millions of blogs that can be found online, we are not an information deprived society. We are able to get what information we want, when we want it, and the way we want it. As Christians, we need to take this system by storm! As our culture changes to be a society that gets their information from a computer or tv screen and not another person, we must give them that information on a computer or tv screen! But what many of us have seen is that lots of Christians are actually backing away from this opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus! We as Christians can be scared by culture, and we cant make any excuses such as "well Myspace is full of filth, sin, and un-Godly practices"because well, thats the truth! Culture has always been full of those things and unless we get into the culture and drag people out of the muck that they are in, it will always be that way! We as Christians need to be a community, a highly connected, highly mobile community, producing literature, videos, and websites devoted to teaching others about Christ. I recommend websites such as http://www.marshillchurch.org/ or http://www.theresurgence.com/ as two good examples. And for a great example of being IN the culture but not OF the culture, check out the way Paul goes to the most culturally relevant place of his time and preaches Jesus in Acts 17!

Happy Anniversary!

I had to write about this to tell you all about how sweet my fiance is. The 24th of October 2007 is when we began to "date" or whatever you want to call it (its complicated haha). So our one year anniversary was yesterday, and Jazmin sent me these pictures she took. The first one is of the dinner she made us, with one place setting for her, the other one for me. Of course I couldnt be there so I allowed her little brother to eat my porcion. The second photo is of her with the meal she cooked. It still takes my breath away how beautiful she is... not to mention she looks amazing. Thats right, she has such a beautiful heart and personality, I have been truely blessed. So I just wanted to make this blog, even though she wont see it, to let her and you know how much I love her and appreciate what she does for me!

encontre algo!!!

Well to my surprise, I am already finding a Spanish ministry to work in here! I went to a gun show a week ago and was talking to a minister at the DeBarr Church of Christ in Anchorage, Alaska, about 40 miles south of where I am. He was talking about how on every Thursday he runs an emergency pantry where he gives out 6 bags of groceries to every family who needs them. He told me that most of the families are Spanish speaking and understand English but either arent able to communicate or are to shy to reply in English. So I volunteered to help him with that. I will at first be getting to know some of the families, then asking them about the Bible, offering to study with them, then possible a Sunday morning class, and then if the Lord wills that some of them be baptized, a Spanish congregation might need to be started! So please pray for this new ministry that I have become a part of here. The picture is of one of the ladies at the church getting some food for a family.

blogging while you work

Hey everyone. Im at the church office right now, on Thursdays I have a block from 9am to about 2 pm, and so I have decided to put up a little message while Im here studying and answering the phone. Im reading a book right now called "Our God is Awesome" by Tony Evans. In the first chapter he is talking about how much time we choose to spend in school, anywhere from 12-18 years, and says "If we are willing to spend that kind of energy to have a decent career, isnt it more important that you spend time knowing God so you can have a decent life?" Although I am by no means against schooling and having a career, and am actually planning on getting some higher learning myself, I do think that we need to be aware of how much time we are spending on the "study of God" in our own lives. Its easy to lose sight of God when we are studying and working so hard that we have no time to study the One who made us and has given us the ability to have a job. I hope that encourages someone out there to spend some more time in the Word, some more time talking w/ God, and more time worshipping Him. Because when we begin to see God for who He is, we begin to see ourselves for who we are, and the more we understand who we are, the more we understand how much we NEED Him.

family time

I love Alaska and just the whole lifestyle which is the norm here. This weekend we went blueberry picking up at Hatchers Pass to try and find some of the last "trophy" size berries of the season. While we were up there, it began to snow and I realized I was watching two seasons at once, down in the valley it was still autumn w/ the leaves yellow and orange, but up in the mountains it was already winter! I cant wait until Jazmin is up here and is able to experience all of these things, I cant help but think that her relationship with God will grow just from seeing a change of scenery for once!! Just a little update, I am now working part time at my congregation here, I am taking two sunset classes, preaching and teaching when I have the chance, and mainly doing visits with different people from the church and also with the lost. In the early mornings (1a.m. to 5:30a.m.) I deliver the local newspaper, and this is only 3 times a week. My ministry at the church here isnt really a "job" per say, but more of my passion and my life. My job with the paper allows me to be able to preach and serve the Lord full time. Isnt it great how the Lord provides? I know that I will need more money come next June after the wedding, but im in a safe, comfortable place right now and for that I am thankful. I love you all and God bless - Ben