An excerpt from ¨An Angels Story¨ by Max Lucado.

IMMANUEL

The King walked over and reached for the book. He turned it toward
Lucifer and commanded, “Come, Deceiver, read the name of the One who
will call your bluff. Read the name of the One who will storm your
gates.”

Satan rose slowly off his haunches. Like a wary wolf, he walked a wide
circle toward the desk until he stood before the volume and read the
word:

“Immanuel?” he muttered to himself, then spoke in a tone of
disbelief. “God with us?” For the first time the hooded head turned
squarely toward the face of the Father. “No. Not even You would do
that. Not even You would go so far.”

“You’ve never believed me, Satan.”

“But Immanuel? The plan is bizarre! You don’t know what it’s
like on Earth! You don’t know how dark I’ve made it. It’s putrid.
It’s evil. It’s…”

“IT IS MINE,” proclaimed the King. “AND I WILL RECLAIM WHAT IS
MINE. I WILL BECOME FLESH. I WILL FEEL WHAT MY CREATURES FEEL. I WILL
SEE WHAT THEY SEE.”

“But what of their sin?”

“I will bring mercy.”

“What of their death?”

“I will give life.”

Satan stood speechless.

God spoke, “I love my children. Love does not take away the
beloved’s freedom. But love takes away fear. And Immanuel will leave behind
a tribe of fearless children. They will not fear you or your hell.”

Satan stepped back at the thought. His retort was childish.
“Th-th-they will too!”

“I will take away all sin. I will take away death. Without sin and
without death, you have no power.”

Around and around in a circle Satan paced, clenching and unclenching
his wiry fingers. When he finally stopped, he asked a question that even
I was thinking. “Why? Why would You do this?”

The Father’s voice was deep and soft. “Because I love them.”

A few words..

Recently a man that some of Elianas family knew died of cancer. But not long ago, Elianas father spoke to him about Christ, and he received Christ into his life. A lot of the family of this man is not Christian, and I think that was an especially difficult time for them, because there was much confusion, anxiety, and fear. They do not understand how this man has received the gift of salvation from Christ, and he has nothing to worry about. This makes me think about people like the apostle Paul in the Bible, or Jim Rittenhouse who recently died. Both were Christians that not only had acknowledged that they had sin in their life, and looked to Jesus Christ for their salvation, but they also really knew Jesus. I think a lot of Christians have received Christ in their heart, but have not grown to really know him, and love him. And I would say that I am one of those. But my desire is to know him more, because I want what Paul and Jim had, and that is to really know Jesus, and I know that can happen in my life. I think that will happen in everyones life if it is something that they really want. Both Paul and Jim were ready to die, because they knew God, and because they knew God, they wanted to leave this world, and be with Him in heaven. I think that is a wonderful thing when that happens to someone. I do not want to be afraid to die, but to have joy in thinking that I finally get to leave this world which is full of sin, and to live forever with God where there is no sin, or hate or suffering, but only joy and peace which goes on forever.
I would like to say to everyone that the gift of salvation is available to them. John 3:16 says:

God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life.

That ¨Son¨ is Jesus Christ, who came here, and died for our sin. He was without sin, but took our sin, and died. He took our punishment, which we deserved. But after 3 days, He rose again, and is now to the side of His father in Heaven.
Here is a good example which shows how we are saved. It is from Luke 23:39-43.

One of the criminals on a cross began to should insults at Jesus: ¨Aren´t you the Christ? Then save yourself and us.¨ But the other criminal stopped him and said, ¨You should fear God! You are getting the same punishment he is. We are punished justly, getting what we deserve for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong. Then he said, ¨Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.¨ Jesus said to him ¨I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.¨

Jesus Christ was crucified with two other men, both who were criminals. One of the criminals acknowledged the sin in his own life, and asked Jesus to remember him. And Jesus said ¨today you will be with me in paradise¨. There is an example of the gift of salvation, it is as easy as that. The criminal knew he was in need of a Savior, and turned to Jesus for his salvation. Salvation is not gained by working for it, or living a good life, but it is a free gift from God, because Jesus died for our sin. All those who believe in Christ, and turn to Him for their salvation will be saved. And then that is the beginning of a new life. Not only do you gain eternal salvation, but the spirit of Christ enters into your heart, and begins to change you. I am so thankful that I do not continue living the life that I once lived, but I have God in my life who helps me, and guides me, and uses me for a special purpose. And someday when I die, and stand before God, I do not have to be in fear or to be worrying, because Jesus Christ took my punishment for me.

If you want this gift of salvation, all you have to do is ask. You can use your own words, or maybe you like these:

Jesus, I know I have sin in my life, and I ask that you forgive me. And change me into the person that you want me to be.

the neighbors turtle

When I was here in February, Eliana asked me to look outside, and there was a good sized turtle in the street. It was actually the neighbors pet. I was surprised to see a big turtle on the side walk of a big city like Lima. I asked her about that turtle today, and if they still have it. I guess that turtle got loose, and went for a walk. The police found it, and took it to the police station. I guess they kept it there for several days, and would take it outside, and let it eat the vegetation. The owners finally found out where their turtle was, the police told them that they detained the turtle for not having identification. I thought that was a pretty funny joke. But anyways, I guess they got their turtle back. If they still have it, or if it is away taking another walk, I am not sure.

Gabriel

I have been posting a lot of clips from books. This one I got in my email. I like Max Lucados imagination, and this is how he imagines the birth of Jesus.

“Gabriel.”

Just the sound of my King’s voice stirred my heart. I left my post at the entryway and stepped into the throne room. To my left was the desk on which sat the Book of Life. Ahead of me was the throne of Almighty God. I entered the circle of unceasing Light, folded my wings before me to cover my face, and knelt before Him. “Yes, my Lord?”

“You have served the kingdom well. You are a noble messenger. Never have you flinched in duty. Never have you flagged in zeal.”

I bowed my head, basking in the words. “Whatever You ask, I’ll do a thousand times over, my King,” I promised.“

Of that, I have no doubt, dear messenger.” His voice assumed a solemnity I’d never heard Him use. “But your greatest work lies ahead of you. Your next assignment is to carry a gift to Earth. Behold.”

I lifted my eyes to see a necklace—a clear vial on a golden chain—dangling from His extended hand.

My Father spoke earnestly, “Though empty, this vial will soon contain My greatest gift.” …Handing me the necklace, He explained, “This vial will contain the essence of Myself; a Seed to be placed in the womb of a young girl. Her name is Mary. She lives among My chosen people.

The fruit of the Seed is the Son of God. Take it to her.”

“But how will I know her?” I asked.

“Don’t worry. You will.”

I could not comprehend God’s plan, but my understanding was not essential. My obedience was.

I lowered my head, and He draped the chain around my neck. Amazingly, the vial was no longer empty. It glowed with Light.

“Jesus. Tell her to call My Son Jesus.”

From ¨An Angels Story¨by Max Lucado

From ¨Temptation: Help for Struggling Christians¨by Charles Durham.

A man once found a cocoon of an Emperor moth and kept it with the purpose of watching the beautiful creature emerge. Finally the day came and it began to struggle through the small opening at one end of the cocoon. The struggle continued for hours, but the moth could never force its body beyond a certain point.

Finally believing that something was wrong and that the opening should have been larger, the man took a pair of scissors and carefully clipped the restraining threads. The moth emerged easily, and crawled out onto the windowsill. Its body was large and swollen, its wings small and shriveled. He supposed that in a few hours the wings would develop into the beautiful objects that he had expected. But it did not happen. The moth that should have been a thing of great beauty free to float and fly, spent its short life dragging around the swollen body and shriveled wings.

The constricting threads and the struggle necessary to pass through the tiny opening had been God´s method of forcing fluids from the body into the wings. The ¨merciful¨snip of the threads was the most cruel thing possible.

Often God lets us struggle rather than stepping in like a big brother to do our fighting for us. No doubt he could make it all so easy and very moment of life so pleasant. But as we struggle, becoming exhausted almost beyond endurance, changes occur in us which could not happen otherwise: the ¨fluids¨expand our wings, and in time we can fly. Cut the struggle short at some crucial point and we are crippled forever... or until God gives another opportunity for struggle that will do what the first aborted struggle should have been allowed to do.

Temptation: Help for Struggling Christians by Charles Durham.

From A Gentle Thunder, by Max Lucado.

John the Baptist saw a dove and believed. James Whittaker saw a sea gull and believed. Who´s to say the one who sent the first didn´t send the second?
James Whittaker was a member of the handpicked crew that flew the B-17 Flying Fortress captained by Eddie Rickenbacker. Anybody who remembers October of 1942 remembers the day Rickenbacker and his crew were reported lost at sea.
Somewhere over the Pacific, out of radio range, the plane ran out of fuel and crashed into the ocean. The nine men spent the next month floating in three rafts. They battled the heat, the storms, and the water. Sharks, some ten feet long, would ram their nine-foot boats. After only eight days their rations were eaten or destroyed by saltwater. It would take a miracle to survive.
One morning after their daily devotions, Rickenbacker leaned his head back against the raft and pulled his hat over his eyes. A bird landed on his head. He peered out from under his hat. Every eye was on him. He instinctively knew it was a sea gull.
Rickenbacker caught it, and the crew ate it. The bird´s intestines were used for bait to catch fish... and the crew survived to tell the story. A story about a stranded crew with no hope or help in sight. A story about prayers offered and prayers answered. A story about a visitor from an unknown land traveling a great distance to give his life as a sacrifice. A story of salvation.
A story much like our own. Weren´t we, like the crew, stranded? Weren´t we, like the crew, praying? And weren´t we, like the crew, rescued by a visitor we´ve never seen through a sacrifice we´ll never forget?
You may have heard the Rickenbacker story before. You may have even heard it from me. You may have read it in one of my books. Coreen Schwenk did. She was engaged to the only crew member who did not survive, young Sgt. Alex Kacymarcyck. As a result of a 1985 reunion of the crew, Mrs. Schwenk learned that the widow of James Whittaker lived only eighty miles from her house. The two women met and shared their stories.
After reading this story in my book In the Eye of the Storm, Mrs. Schwenk felt compelled to write to me. The real miracle, she informed me, was not a bird on the head of Eddie Rickenbacker but a change in the heart of James Whittaker. The greatest event of that day was not the rescue of a crew but the rescue of a soul.
James Whittaker was an unbeliever. The plane crash didn´t change his unbelief. The days facing death didn´t cause him to reconsider his destiny. In fact, Mrs. Whittaker said her husband grew irritated with John Bartak, a crew member who continually read his Bible privately and aloud.
But his protests didn´t stop Bartak from reading. Nor did Whittaker´s resistance stop the Word from entering his soul. Unknown to Whittaker, the soil of his heart was being plowed. For it was one morning after a Bible reading that the sea gull landed on Captain Rickenbacker´s head.
And at that moment Jim became a believer.
I chuckled when I read the letter. Not at the letter. I believe every word of it. Not at James Whittaker. I have every reason to believe his conversion was real. But I had to chuckle at... please excuse me... I had to chuckle at God.
Isn´t that just like him? Who would go to such extremes to save a soul? Such an effort to get a guy´s attention. The rest of the world is occupied with Germany and Hitler. Every headline is reporting the actions of Roosevelt and Churchill. The globe is locked in a battle for freedom... and the Father is in the Pacific sending a missionary pigeon to save a soul. Oh, the lengths to which God will go to get our attention and win our affection. (From A Gentle Thunder by Max Lucado)

Things are going well for us and we are both enjoying being married. I forgot about Thanksgiving until it was the day before. And when I told Eliana, she wanted to spend the day with me, and for us to cook something special for supper. We thought about a lot of things, like cream corn, turkey, apple pie, and stuffing. But we ended up having a regular supper, I think it was chicken and rice, but then Eliana and I made corn bread (which is now a family favorite), and also chocolate chip cookies. Eliana and her family had never eaten chocolate chip cookies, but they really liked them. Eliana could not believe how much sugar went into the recipe. And then we made banana strawberry milk shakes, and that is always good.
Now that Eliana and I are married, we wish to now go through the process of getting me my resident visa. But I think it is actually less complicated than our civil marriage process. So that is good news. I hope to have my resident visa soon.
I hope everything is going well for everyone. I have a Bible that has a lot of side notes and stuff like that, and I think those are mostly written by Max Lucado. Before the gospel of John, I read a story that someone had written about John, and wanted to write it in our blog. I think it is written by Max Lucado, but not completely for sure. But whoever wrote it, it is how they imagined John. This story is not actually in the Bible. Hope you enjoy it. By the way, John was one of Jesus´s disciples.

He´s an old man, this one who sits on the stool and leans against the wall. Eyes closed and face soft, were it not for his hand stroking his beard, you´d think he was asleep.

Some in the room assume he is. He does this often during worship. As the people sing, his eyes will close and his chin will fall until it rests on his chest, and there he will remain motionless. Silent.

Those who know him well know better. They know he is not resting. He is traveling. Atop the music he journeys back, back, back, until he is young again. Strong again. There again. There on the seashore with James and the apostles. There on the trail with the disciples and the women. There in the Temple with Caiaphas and the accusers.

It´s be sixty years, but John sees him still. The decades took John´s strength, but they didn´t take his memory. The years dulled his sight, but they didn´t dull his vision. The seasons may have wrinkled his face, but they didn´t soften his love.

He had been with God. God had been with him. How could he forget?

The wine that moments before had been water, John could still taste it.

The mud placed on the eyes of the blind man in Jerusalem, John could still remember it.

The aroma of Mary´s perfume as it filled the room, John could still smell it.

And the voice. Oh, the voice. His voice. John could still hear it.

I am the light of the world, it rang...I am the door...I am the way, the truth, the life.

I will come back, it promised, and take you to be with me.

Those who believe in me, it assured, will have life even if they die.

John could hear him. John could see him. Scenes branded on his heart. Words seared into his soul. John would never forget. How could he? He had been there.

He opens his eyes and blinks. The singing has stopped. The teaching has begun. John looks at the listeners and listens to the teacher.

If only you could have been there, he thinks.

But he wasn´t. Most weren´t. Most weren´t even born. And most who were there are dead. Peter is. So is James. Nathanael, Martha, Philip. They are all gone. Even Paul, the apostle who came late, is dead.

Only John remains.

He looks again at the church. Small but earnest. They lean forward to hear the teacher. John listens to him. What a task. Speaking of one he never saw. Explaining words he never heard. John is there if the teacher needs him.

But what will happen when John is gone? What will the teacher do then? When John´s voice is silent and his tongue stilled? Who will tell them how Jesus silenced the waves? Will they hear how he fed the thousands? Will they remember how he prayed for unity?

How will they know? If only they could have been there.

Suddenly, in his heart he knows what to do.

Later, under the light of a sunlit shaft, the old fisherman unfolds the scroll and begins to write the story of his life.

In the beginning there was the Word...

Our honeymoon in Arequipa, Peru.

Our favorite restaurant in Arequipa.

The ¨Plaza de Armas¨. I think almost all Peru cities has one, and is like a downtown square. They say that Arequipas is one of the prettiest.

Me and my new friend.

They don´t call it the city of white for nothing. After the city was destroyed by an earthquake, people started building with the white volcanic rock.

Had to get a picture of that.

While we were on a guided tour, we ate at this restaurant, and we got to see some local dances.

At the Colca Canyon, and waiting for the condors to fly. Unfortunately we didn´t get any close up shots of them.

Beautiful.

A village.

Tunnel through the mountain.

What kind of bird is this?

Eliana getting a llama kiss.

Photo with some locals. I imagine they live in the nearby mountains.

These are related to the llama, but are quite a bit smaller.

Photo of the sun setting right before we got on the plane to return to Lima.

Wedding Pictures

Picture with Elianas parents, sisters, and brother.

Picture with my Dad and Aunt Warene.

Elianas beautiful smile.

At the reception.

Picture with the cake.

Getting ready to light the center candle.

Picture with our nephew Gabriel.

Entering the reception.

We are married!

I imagine everyone has already heard, but we are now married. Our wedding and reception was so beautiful. I hope everyone has already seen some pictures. Eliana was so beautiful. Warene walked me down the aisle, and then I stood and waited for Eliana to arrive. And then a car drove up to the front of the church, and I could see Eliana inside, and she was stunning. We were both really nervous, but were able to soon calm down at the reception. A Pastor from Miami flew in just for our wedding, and to marry us. I was his roommate at a conference here in Lima, and he is a friend of Elianas father, and all her family. He said everyone in both Spanish and English. Before he married us, he wanted to say a lot about marriage, and how it is important that God is first in our lives. He said that we can not look to each other for happiness, but we have to look at God. He said that we are being united for a special purpose, and to accomplish the will that God has for us. Really was very special. The pastor is such a nice person. After the reception, we went with a professional photographer, and he took a lot of photos and video of us at a pretty place. It was cold though, because we were outside, and a wedding dress is not very warm, and so Eliana was glad to get back into the car. But I know the pictures will be beautiful. Our wedding and reception were videotaped, and when we get the DVDs, I want to send one to my parents.
Eliana and I are now in Arequipa, and really is a pretty city, and a good place for a honeymoon. We really like our hotel, and I think we will be going on a tour. We will post more when we get back to Lima, and also post pictures. Have a good week.

Good morning. I wanted to post, and tell everything that Warene and my Dad made it to Peru, and they are good. Their plane landed at about 12:10 a.m., and we got to the house about 2:00 a.m. Warene is getting ready to start taking pictures. Today is a big day for all of us. It is incredible that our wedding day has finally arrived. Sorry not to write much, but will post more later. Have a good day!

They´re almost here!

We will soon be leaving to go to the airport to pick up my dad and aunt, and we are all excited that they are soon here. I really hope they enjoy their time here. I will post again tomorrow morning. Good night!

Only one more step until our wedding

Lacking just one day and then our day is here. The days passed very quickly, and thank God who helped us that everything is ready for our wedding, even though there are some minor things to finish, but the hardest things are coordinated and that really is a great relief. Yesterday, Thursday, I had to do some things and not be able to go to the university, I had to make some decisions and the time was not enough because I went to a place that is just for brides and there they prepare the brides for the wedding. There were many things they did to me and some were a bit painful, but they treated my face, hair and nails, they said I should have a small change in the color of my hair so that the hair can be showcased on the day of marriage, but I did not want a change in color. But they said it would be very good and I would look nice, then I said: "Yes" and began to change a little color in my hair and it became a little lighter. When they finished, and I looked in the mirror, I didn´t like it. I started to feel bad because I thought that my family and especially Tim would not like my hair, and when I finished everything in that place I went to the house much afraid of what my family would say to me, and when I was near the door I saw that it was my parents and my two sisters at the table. I entered with a lot of fear and my sisters were surprised and I thought immediately that they do not like my new change and then my parents looked at me, and suddenly one of my sisters smiled and said ¨pretty¨, then my other sister also said it was beautiful and it makes me look that much better, and my parents said nothing. Tim was not there, and so I went to where he was, and when he saw me was surprised and said "my love, I like it," That really was a relief and I started to feel better. On Saturday I will return to that place, because I will have my makeup and hair done and make a treatment to my feet and then I will be ready for the wedding. Actually I did not think that I would go to that place to do many things, but I think it's a good place. Yesterday Tim also went to get his hair cut, my father had a friend who always cut his hair, and my father told Tim that his friend could give him a haircut, and he would be ready for Saturday, and I saw that Tim looked very nice in his new haircut, and he was happy because he likes getting his hair cut.Today Friday, we have some things to do, and in the evening after my time in the university Tim and I we go to the airport to receive his father Randall and also Tims Aunt Warene. We are praying that God will take care of them and that their Peru trip to be good and quiet. We also asked that Tims Mom Janet soon is better and although it is sad to know that she will not be with us on Saturday, we know that in God's time we will have a time where we can be together and we know it will be a very special time.

Dear Janet, We love you very much.