Growing in Knowledge and Grace... the marks of our growth. I was asked the question "What does it mean to grow 'up' in the LORD?" and was directed to 2 Peter 3:18 for the answer. There I read "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the honor and glory both now and forever. Amen."
What struck me by this was just how much I lacked in these areas. March has been a month of self examination. We are marked as not just a believer but a disciple by our knowledge and grace in Jesus. I have found myself in a challenging place spiritually, physically, mentally... and the thing I desire most is not to be a good missionary, or a good person, but to be a true disciple of our LORD, that he may be glorified in and through me. This is however, an easy thing to desire, and less easily attained. It is not something ruled by emotions, but rather a discipline. To worship Jesus in spirit and truth- there is little to be said about our "feelings." We must learn the discipline to put on the armor of God every day, in order that, when (not if) we are at war, we are like trained soldiers both in our knowledge of the LORD, holding deep in our hearts the promises he has laid out for us in his word, and in the abundance of grace we must extend to others. Not because we are good people, but because he first extended that to us, commanding us to do the same.
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
Psalm 73: 25-26
"You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God... Thanks be to God for his indiscribable gift!"
2 Corinthians 9:11-12, 15
In March we hosted four teams who came to the Dominican Republic to serve. Each of these teams helped build the future site our of new Hub in Hato del Yaque. Each one of our ministry hubs serves as a dormitory to host short-term teams. There is a local church, nutrition center, and we to have a medical clinic in each of these locations. We currently have two hubs open in Santiago, D.R. and one in the Southwest part of the country in Batey Nueve (a rural sugar-cane farming community). We are excited to announce that through the hard work of short-term teams we will be finishing the bottom floor of our third hub (dormitory and nutrition center) in time for teams to stay there for the summer.
The Hub in Hato del Yaque is special to me because on my first short-term trip to the Dominican Republic we laid the perimiter block for this project and now 4 years later, what once was simply a grassy field will serve as house of worship for the LORD. 100's of kids will recieve a hot meal. A special thank you to Eastview, Lincoln Christian College, Crosspoint Church, and Discovery Church for serving the LORD through constructing the Hub in Hato del Yaque.
Last month I posted a few pictures of my friend Mary Luz, who is the wife of Bienvo (a very skilled maestro on our construction team), who was going to have baby Wilson any day. She had a healthy baby boy and I was able to visit her in the hospital.
I am at the hospital with Baby Wilson and Mary Luz 
Sweet Baby Wilson just 1 day old!
In just three weeks I will be leaving my home in the D.R. to visit the United States. In four weeks I will visit Louisville, KY, Chatanooga, TN, San Francisco, CA and Las Vegas, NV. I would love to see you while I am in town and if you would like me to come and speak at your Bible Study, small group, children's ministry class... etc. please email me soon, as I am finalizing my travel schedule and speaking dates. You can find my tentative travel dates at the top left side bar of my blog!
Thank you for each one of you who continue to support my work through prayer and finances. May God bless your generous sacrifices!
In grace,
Jackie
