Julie and I send you our love from Rionegro. Finally the rainy season is ending here in Colombia and “Here comes the sun da da da da”! I never imagined there could be so many shades of green. This inspires me to think of the infinite shades of God’s love and grace and the newness of life He brings to our lives. I have always loved this scripture, “Then He who sat on the throne said, behold, I make allthingsnew. And He said to me, write, for these words are true and faithful.”-Revelation 21:5.
I like Him making all things new. We are sensing and seeing Him do exactly that. I just returned from Bogota where we held meetings celebrating the 15th anniversary of Iglesia Semillas de Vida. It’s hard to believe that 15 years have passed since we started working in Colombia. Helping Semillas de Vida get going was our first assignment. Young people in the congregation who were at one time babies, toddlers, and kids, are now so on fire with a true spirit of revival. They have reached out to their world and have reached many friends. On this visit, I encountered a large vibrant group of youth burning with the love of Jesus.
After having ministered in different churches this year, I see and sense the Holy Spirit moving and pouring out in a truly fresh way. It’s all His doing. Kind of like the early nineties yet quite different. Then, it seemed He was imparting and accentuating His Joy as He revived people. Now as He is pouring upon His people, He seems to be emphasizing and imparting love! Which is truly His essence in my opinion. Needless to say I am excited and blessed by this. Above all things Julie and I have experienced and done in ministry, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the resulting revival is our all time favorite.
I truly believe He spoke to me last November. At that time He said, “Charley, Revival is all my idea and when I get ready to do it, I do it. And I am about to do it. You have nothing to do with creating it, making it happen, or even sustaining it.But you can participate with Me if you want? So do you want to participate”? My answer was a resounding yes. With this, I am guarded and cautious and don’t want to be presumptuous. However, I believe we are seeing the early showers of a beautiful outpouring.
As I sit here, I look out the window at all the amazing shades and hues of green and the new leaves of gorgeous flowers on the trees and plants. My heart prays: “Yes Lord. We need Your rain. Yes, You can pour Yourself out like water on my dry and thirsty heart. We do need You to come like the rain. Rain Your love and mercy down upon us like water.” While praying and writing this morning, my heart prays not only for the nations but for you and for our nation.
Holy Spirit reminds me of another favorite scripture: “Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is counted as a forest” Isaiah 32:15. While sitting here, I’m looking at the phenomenal result of necessary natural rain. Saying, “Yes Jesus. I am a candidate. Take this heart and life and use me any way you want and send me anywhere you need.” I want to participate.
In closing, we want to thank you as we were able to fully fund the Soy de Aqui guitar school and summer vacation program.I will be there next weekand hope to get some good photos of the kids enjoying this blessing. The church renovations are wrapping up and the sign is being ordered next week. With only a few tweaks left, thanks for making our mission possible!
May God bless you with revival and a fresh fire of His love burning in your heart,
