Sorry the posts are coming slower now since I’ve gotten into the thick of the semester. Greek is kicking my butt so far, though I am managing to keep my head above water. I am definitely doing better than I was doing last year at this time. When I get the chance I hope to continue to post my thoughts on here. Right now I think I will kind of be going back and forth between some memories and thoughts that are still lingering from my mission trip to Paraguay and my thoughts on some of the sacraments and maybe a random rant or thought occasionally.
While I was in Paraguay I was given the privilege to preach to the people at Mission Betania during their Sunday evening service (they do not have a Sunday morning service). It was my second time ever preaching, the first was about 2 weeks previous and it was definitely my first time ever preaching through an interpreter. I wrote my sermon in my note taking/journaling notebook. The text for the sermon was Ephesians 6:10-17. I talked especially about how we are called to stand (the word stand is used 4 times in a very small portion of this passage). I encouraged those who were in the midst of the battle to take heart and continue standing and I challenged those who had never had the courage to put the armor on and join the battle to reinforce those already on the battlefield.
Like I mentioned I spoke through an interpreter named Vivian. She was very patient with my nervousness and fumbling around. During one part of the sermon I said almost in passing that “We are more than Conquerors.” Vivian thought for a second and told me she didn’t know how to translate conquerors into Spanish. I panicked. I thought and thought to try to find another word for conqueror, but I couldn’t think of anything. One of the guys in my group who had given his testimony earlier in the service whispered up to me “winners” So I told Vivian we are more than winners in Christ and she translated that into Spanish. I think the congregation understood the mix-up because I saw a lot of smiles when she translated that.
At the end of my sermon I prayed for them, that God would strengthen them and continue to work through them and give them vision. Then when I finished and had sat down they surprised me by having me come back up and a couple of other people who were on the team and they extended their arms and prayed over me. I don’t really have any profound thoughts to share with you about this. It is just a very fond memory for me.
2 comments:
Greek is nuts! But we can do it! It's going to get better. I just need to start studying more on the weekends.
I mentioned you in my latest blog post sir.
Daniel I have been praying very frequently for the people of Paraguay. It was cool I got to hear an Alliance Missionary to Brazil yesterday at Bible Study and their work with the street children. I thought of the little children you mentioned that are in Paraguay. I also thought of Annalu and said a prayer for her. I've always loved missions and now it seems God has renewed a spirit of missions in my heart.
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