6 Weeks In A Nutshell

I wanted to do another blog summing up the past month and a half that I have been here in Guatemala. I am so grateful for my team here and I am very sad to be leaving. I am just so thankful that the Lord has blessed us with unity and a strong love for one another. This was one of my greatest concerns, and still is for the future. Our enemy works so heavily against the mighty work of God not only through the evil temptations and distractions of this world but with in the body itself. The church, the family of God, is the target of his aim and the one way he destroys what God is doing all over the world it is to create dissention among the believers.

I was asking some of my missionary friends what is the biggest threat to the spreading of the gospel, and the response I got astounded me. It is dissention among the missionaries or different teams that come. That is so sad! The Lord is moving among the hearts of people all over the world but it’s when we get there, the supposed good Christians or missionaries that they began to second guess when they can’t see the difference between our lives and theirs. If we can’t even love one another and get along, how is the world going to see a difference and want what we have.

I have never experienced such strong accountability before, which is so refreshing. This just reminds me of what the church should look like. Believe it or not we are supposed to be different and look different but so often it is the “church goers” who are known to be so judgmental or hateful toward others, or who restaurants dread the most on Sunday. Let’s not forget the greatest command is LOVE. What has happened to us? This is how the enemy is working the strongest against the move of God. It’s through us. Don’t be fooled believers he is just as much in a bar as he is the church.

I don’t know why the Lord laid it on my heart to write this blog but while I have been here, it has been made evident how believers are supposed to look and treat one another; unconditional love, continuing to forgive as God has forgiven you, continually lifting one another up in prayer and encouragement, holding one another accountable in love, and striving to protect the unity of the body.

Please also remember to lift up you pastor and men in leadership in prayer. They are the targets of a lot of the attacks because they lead the flock. Being the daughter of a pastor I know all to well the incredible attacks from the enemy against anyone who has surrendered their life to ministry. You will never know what these men of God face. It reminds me of a battle scene in Lord of the Rings. Our pastors are fighting in the front lines leading us against the enemy, taking on the bunt of the blow as we all fight for our King Jesus and the freedom of so many from the chains of bondage. That might sound cheesy but it is true.
I say all this to say God has been so good in keeping our team unified. I feel I am leaving family and my heart is broken yet my heart breaks even more for the blind people in the jungles. It is very bitter sweet. Please continue to lift up my team as well as be so sensitive and aware of the enemy’s tactics. What is more important, that you get your way or you prove yourself right in the middle of an argument, or that you strive to protect the unity of the body and in doing so shield the body not letting Satan have any foot hold. Let me just challenge you to read some of Jesus’ last words in the Garden of Gethsemane found in Matthew. Hopefully it will open your eyes like it did mine and move you to think more about the church as a family a body that is continually under the attack of the enemy and the importance of swallowing our pride humbling ourselves before one another and forgiving or asking for it. Thank you so much for all of your prayers they are truly felt, please don’t stop. I won’t be able to contact anyone or blog for at least a month if not three. I fly to Peru in one hour for jungle training and I will try to blog as soon as I get back. Love ya’ll so Much!
-Wholly His-
Amy Givens

Last Minute Updates

I first want to say a big thank you to everyone who has been keeping up with my blogs and praying for me. I have never felt the power of prayer over me like I have here. It brings me such comfort knowing that I am constantly being brought before the throne of God by so many believers.

The Lord has been teaching me so much about the power of praying specifically, and what it means to be a missionary. I have to admit the majority of my time here in guatemala I have been confused and discouraged about my role here. Before coming here I had some black and white views on what a missionary looks like and is supposed to do. I thought I was supposed to be uncomfortable plowing some field building some house or cleaning some one toothed mans mouth. But lets just say God has shattered that lie.

Although missionaries at times will find themselves in uncomfortble living situations in order to reach the lost it is not always the case. The Lord is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him! Yes I am leaving for the jungle tom, and I will most def. find myself miserable at times, God is not more glorified in us when we are uncomfortable or overworking ourselves in ministry. He simply wants us to be satisfied in him and be content in any and every situation knowing that He is enough.

This took a while to grasp because I was finding myself feeling guilty because I have been having such a great time here with my team and the people. But the truth is I am no different than any of you. We are all called to be missionaries. We are all called to live our lives in such a way that others see a difference and are drawn to that (or some cases are irritated). I think the reason it was so hard for me is because I felt I had to be apart of something bigger like building a house or doing some kind of street evangelism and although these are very affective methods and ones I am used to they are not the only way.
I have learned that just through living out my life and sharing my faith with whomever God puts in my life is one of the most powerful things you can do. I truly belive that there is a difference in my life and that God has absolutley changed my life and others see that. Our host families, teachers, and other random people God has allowed us to share with have all said that they have noticed a clear difference in us than the other groups of students who have come here. So just through living our lives there has been many questions raised and opportunities to share the gospel.
There has been alot of fruit from the relationships we have built here. A bible study has started with our teachers, bibles given, some recived for the first time, testimonies shared and lives changed. Some have rejected which is expected. I was on a bus talking with this girl from Ireland and we were having a good time talking utnil she asked me about what I was doing here and of course I see an open door I am gonna walk through it. I began sharing my testimony with her and her whole demeanor immediately changed. She became very irritated and angry. She told me she was the same faith as the people I was going to minister to in the jungle. She tried to explain to me how powerful it is to call on satan and speak to the different spirits. Her eyes didn't change colors and she didn't foam at the mouth, but I sure wouldn't have been surprised. I don't know if she was possessed at the time but you can imagine my eyes got real big and all the sudden my watch became really interesting.
I know I had some of the best training at the ILC but how can you be prepared for that? My mind just went back to the scripture in matthew where Jesus says; "don't be surprised when people reject you, they are not rejecting you but me." My heart broke for her as she continued to go on about how crazy I was.
I wasn't mad or upset just sad knowing that she is so BLINDED. It is so sad how many people are rejecting this awesome life changing relationship with Jesus, because they see it just as religion and nothing more. That is the saddest thing to me. Knowing that not only are people are dying and going into a eternity with out God but also that people are living with out this peace and joy that only comes from God.

Please pray for the peoples eyes to be opened and hearts softened. Although many reject some have been open to the gospel. I got to share with this guy form Denmark who is an atheist and was hard core against religion of any sort. He said it would take me a long time to talk him into believing in God. I shared my testimony with him and he was shocked with the passion I had in my life from God and listened intently to every word. He has been hanging out with us and said he was surprised at how much fun we had without having to get drunk or do anything crazy. We gave him a bible and he was really excited about reading it. And was dead set on reading it from beginning to end to see what the big deal is. The other week we passed by him in the market and he was reading it and told me he was going to stay home and just read it. God is GOOD! God is obviously working in his heart and that is just a testimony of the power of righteous prayers, a small group of eight believers simply living, loving and sharing Jesus.
Well I enter the jungle tom. the 17th and I will be training for one month with just my team. Then we will go to the city drop of our luggage and enter the jungle for three months at a time. There is still a great chance we will go to Bolivia at some point. Please pray for us. My team is Kelly, Leah, Lori, and Misty. Pray for us as we are about to go through really intense jungle fitness and survival training. I love you all and appreciate all the prayers the sweet cards I received for my birthday and the sweet comments on my blogs. I love you all! Special shout out to Aunt Gail, Gill, Nancy, Mary, Grandma Bowen, Mary, Uncle Joe, Tommy, Gary, Fred, Aunt Marsha, Tina, Grandma and Grandpa Givens! I pray for you all! I love you!

There´s Nothin Like Makin S´MORES Over Lava

Two weeks ago was one of my teammates birthday and we decided to hike up a volcanoe for her birthday. We hiked up Volcan Pikaya which is an active volcanoe in Guatemala. It was truly an amazing experience. I have never seen a prettier view than on the top of that volcanoe. The last half hour was so difficult because it was almost a straight vertical climb through dry crumbled lava. It was like climbing up mountain of sand. I would take three steps and still be in the same spot. It took so much just to get five feet. Our calves were killing us and we had to take several breathers just to get rested up for the next five steps.

As we were getting closer to the top we saw lava coming down near us.It scared us a little but it gave us the burst of energy we needed to get to the top. Once I finally made it to the top I was speechless, and if you know me that is very rare,haha. The wind was so viloent and the heat from the lava was burning my eyes.There aren´t words to describe what I saw. It was truly a spiritual moment. It reminded me of when I was in elementary school learning about volcanoes and looking at pictures of them in my textbook. Never would I have thought that I would be on top of one, let alone roasting marshmallows in the lava!
I like my marshmallows burnt (ppp girls) so I put mine in the lava to get it crispy like I would a fire. Yeah, they immediately went up in fames. Thankfully I had a little black crispy left for my cookie, and if you squint really hard you could see a little white left from the marshmallow.

I have to admit my highlight of the trip was when we began treking down the volcanoe and Lori and I let the group get way ahead of us so we could surf down the dry lava. We were going pretty fast and we got a couple cuts from the sharp lava but it was worth it. Arfter a couple spills we stopped and looked out at the sunsetting over some mountains and we just began singing and praising God. It was truly amazing.

Overall the trip was awesome and it wasn´t until the end that we found out that a week prior to our hike the volcanoe erupted while a another group was climbing up and they were all sent to the hospital. Yeah, I won´t be hiking up any more active volcanoes. One is enough, but it was worth it. Thankyo so much for all of your prayers. As you can see now they are beign answered.