Life in Santa Marta
What an interesting month it has been! The biggest change has been building a “new” life in Santa Marta since November 6. I continue to be stretched, used, and challenged in ways I never expected – culturally, emotionally, spiritually, and personally. I also got to celebrate my 30th birthday here recently. Things here have been moving a lot slower than I would like and many times I have felt restless with no clear purpose or vision. But through it God is teaching me to be patient and not rush things and to submit to His direction, timing, control, and plan for me. My main goal is to focus on receiving and growing in God’s love.
I am living with a family, and God has already been using me a lot while staying at the house. It is quite clear that I am supposed to be here. I am attending Centro Biblico Internacional Emanuel church just a few blocks from where I live. I will be helping with a Sunday school class for ages 9-12 and will be teaching my first lesson this coming Sunday about the Great Commission. I have also been able to visit a few Christian schools in the city to know the schools and talk about helping next year. I having been volunteering last week and a few days this week at a school in the mornings doing devotionals, English activities, and physical education. Next week I will be helping with a VBS at my church.
It has been a huge blessing being able to live closer to Maria as we have gotten the chance to really get to know each other and spend a lot more time together. She has been a huge blessing in my life and God has used her greatly to grow and challenge me in so many ways. She is a wonderful reflection of God’s love and grace in my life. I have been getting to know more and more of her family and relatives as she has a huge extended family. A few weeks ago we got to do a United States presentation together at a missions night at the church. We continue to wait on the Lord and let Him guide and prepare us for the next step.
Spiritual Discernment
It has been a great opportunity for me here in Santa Marta to experience and learn more about the spiritual world and spiritual warfare. The battle is very real here in this city. I have been able to feel a lot more. I have made some mistakes in my discernment and am also growing in it. I have been learning more about intercession and tongues. I have been covering myself with Christ’s blood each time that I go out and before I sleep and other times. I trust God to protect me as the street where I live is kind of dangerous. I am learning to fight spiritually. I had been experiencing many spiritual attacks (mostly before I came to Santa Marta) trying to suppress me and trying to discourage me from going to Santa Marta. God gave me a “vision” a few days before I moved to Santa Marta of a great spiritual battle in the city and a great army of people fighting. I was in the front leading. This scares me a bit, but I seek to be the man God has designed for me.
God Is Doing Amazing Things!
I know that God is doing great things here in Santa Marta, in Bogotá, in Colombia, and the world. He is raising up an army of believers with a passion to make His name known. Christ is coming soon and the time is short. It is so easy to get lulled to sleep and lose the heart for evangelism and discipleship, but we have to rise up and fight and pray. God really is so good, worthy of praise, and gracious. May all we do stem from receiving His amazing love for us and our love for Him in return. He loves us so much and is so proud. Believe it!
En Cristo,
Jonathan
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come.” – 2 Cor. 5:17
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Heb. 12:1-2
What an interesting month it has been! The biggest change has been building a “new” life in Santa Marta since November 6. I continue to be stretched, used, and challenged in ways I never expected – culturally, emotionally, spiritually, and personally. I also got to celebrate my 30th birthday here recently. Things here have been moving a lot slower than I would like and many times I have felt restless with no clear purpose or vision. But through it God is teaching me to be patient and not rush things and to submit to His direction, timing, control, and plan for me. My main goal is to focus on receiving and growing in God’s love.
I am living with a family, and God has already been using me a lot while staying at the house. It is quite clear that I am supposed to be here. I am attending Centro Biblico Internacional Emanuel church just a few blocks from where I live. I will be helping with a Sunday school class for ages 9-12 and will be teaching my first lesson this coming Sunday about the Great Commission. I have also been able to visit a few Christian schools in the city to know the schools and talk about helping next year. I having been volunteering last week and a few days this week at a school in the mornings doing devotionals, English activities, and physical education. Next week I will be helping with a VBS at my church.
It has been a huge blessing being able to live closer to Maria as we have gotten the chance to really get to know each other and spend a lot more time together. She has been a huge blessing in my life and God has used her greatly to grow and challenge me in so many ways. She is a wonderful reflection of God’s love and grace in my life. I have been getting to know more and more of her family and relatives as she has a huge extended family. A few weeks ago we got to do a United States presentation together at a missions night at the church. We continue to wait on the Lord and let Him guide and prepare us for the next step.
Spiritual Discernment
It has been a great opportunity for me here in Santa Marta to experience and learn more about the spiritual world and spiritual warfare. The battle is very real here in this city. I have been able to feel a lot more. I have made some mistakes in my discernment and am also growing in it. I have been learning more about intercession and tongues. I have been covering myself with Christ’s blood each time that I go out and before I sleep and other times. I trust God to protect me as the street where I live is kind of dangerous. I am learning to fight spiritually. I had been experiencing many spiritual attacks (mostly before I came to Santa Marta) trying to suppress me and trying to discourage me from going to Santa Marta. God gave me a “vision” a few days before I moved to Santa Marta of a great spiritual battle in the city and a great army of people fighting. I was in the front leading. This scares me a bit, but I seek to be the man God has designed for me.
God Is Doing Amazing Things!
I know that God is doing great things here in Santa Marta, in Bogotá, in Colombia, and the world. He is raising up an army of believers with a passion to make His name known. Christ is coming soon and the time is short. It is so easy to get lulled to sleep and lose the heart for evangelism and discipleship, but we have to rise up and fight and pray. God really is so good, worthy of praise, and gracious. May all we do stem from receiving His amazing love for us and our love for Him in return. He loves us so much and is so proud. Believe it!
En Cristo,
Jonathan
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come.” – 2 Cor. 5:17
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Heb. 12:1-2