Thankful for Reunions!

I love reunions! I love reconnecting.  I love sharing stories that make me laugh and cry!

I'm thankful for our Costa Rica Reunion tonight as we were reminded that we are all "sent"  and we have to ask to where and whom.  I'm so thankful for the Windhorst Family and the many other families & students who have ventured with us to Costa Rica.

Tonight we laughed as we shared stories and the reasons why we journey back to Costa Rica.  One of the many reasons I love journeying to Costa Rica is that I learn to read the Bible with a new perspective.

Here's a paraphrase of Colossians 1 from The Message

I, Tomara, have been sent on special assignment by Christ as part of God's master plan. Together with my family (Wally, Elliott & Max) and friends/students (Windhorsts, Boswells, Baughmans, Powells, Halls, Curnuttes & Meghan, Sheridan & many more), I greet the Christians (Lalo, Pastor Angel, Ernesto, Glenn Roddy,...) and stalwart followers of Christ who live in San Jose - particularly La Carpio and Los Pinos. May everything good from God our Father be yours! Our prayers for you are always spilling over into thanksgivings.  We can't quit thanking God our Father and Jesus our Messiah for you!  We keep getting reports of your steady faith in Christ, our Jesus, and the love you continuously extend to all Christians.  The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept by hope.  The Message is true among you today as when you first heard it. It doesn't diminish or weaken over time. It's the same all over the world.  The Message bears fruit and gets larger and stronger, just as it has in you. From the very first day you heard and recognized the truth of what God is doing, you've been hungry for more.

Prayer:  May we all be hungry of more of what only God can do!

Additional Reasons why we return to Costa Rica: 

1.  Serve out of obedience and expect nothing in return

2. Learn about Sacrifice and not just Generosity.  Generosity gives out of abundance but Sacrifice costs us something.

3.  Learn about those who are "rich in faith."  Build reciprocal kingdom building relationships across cultures.  We need to learn to give and receive.  Our materialism and our achievement orientation influences us into thinking that we (the rich) go to help you (the poor) or that we (the educated) go to help you the illiterate.  We think the word resource means money.  Reciprocity teaches us that our brothers and sisters are rich in many other ways. 
4.  Continue to bring Good News of Great Joy to All People