Exciting news and a great resource!

            Just when we need it most the Lord gives us what we need. Since returning from language school we spent a lot of time at home while Donovan recovered from Dengue fever. Then in November my mom came to Costa Rica to visit and we had an adventure travelling around the country and getting to know other parts of Costa Rica.

            We are so excited to announce that we will have a new family joining us here in mission in January! The Geerlings just finished Intake 2015 and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit are being sent to Costa Rica. We are so happy to be welcoming another missionary family and look forward to sharing the mission and living in community with them. Please pray for the Geerling family as they prepare to leave it all behind and move to Costa Rica.

John and Penny have been married for 12 years. They have been blessed with three beautiful daughters who are all 7 years old. Mary, Teresa and Catherine are currently in second grade.

            In January we will start two new mission opportunities here in Coopevega. We will be showing the Catholicism series once a month at church. We are also starting a monthly walking rosary around the town, with a mystery at 5 different houses. We hope that both of these opportunities will give people a chance to join us on this journey towards God. We are not here because we are perfect and have everything figured out. We are all broken and need the love of God to show us the way. We hope that our own witness to the mercy and love of God in our own lives will draw others closer to Him in their lives.

             It has been challenging at times, and especially so recently, to be the first family here "starting from scratch." We have questioned if we are "doing enough" and forget, at times, that laying a solid foundation takes time. I was reminded today by a beautiful friend that God loves me always no matter what. Those times that I am struggling and thinking that I am not good enough, worthy enough, a good enough missionary/mom/wife, I am reminded that these thoughts don't come from God. He doesn't put us down and give discouragement. God builds us up and encourages us. He loves us out of our own short comings and failures, out of our sins, and forgives with the greatest of mercy. It's funny how much I forget that truth while I am in the middle of beating myself up!

            And then this evening I received another reminder through a video in a great series on the Holy Spirit. Our friend Jonathan Weiss edited these videos and sent them to all the missionaries. The first episode is about God's love and a great place to start. Please take the time to watch this series. Watch it, spend time in silence, pray with it. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you during this Advent season. Click the website below and start with the first video: God is Love.
enjoy!

            http://thewildgooseisloose.com/