(Timothy)
Three weeks ago we wrote to you and said something along the lines of "... what we want and feel called to do with our lives. Which is to love people, disciple them, to be a Father and Mother, to care for the spiritually orphaned and bring them into THE FAMILY..."
GUESS WHAT?!
That's exactly what we are starting to do here in Guatemala... here's how it all happened.
The President, Seth Barnes, and the Long Term Mission's Director, Clint Bokelman, of AIM came down for a couple days last week to cast vision and direction for our base. One night while Seth and Clint and the Guatemala leadership team were working on the focus of the base God gave them a revelation. God's dream is for the orphans of the world to be brought into The Family. For them to grieve, to heal, to receive their identity, to be equipped and established and then to be sent out into the Nations to do the same for others! This is incredible! And it just so happens...
During our 72hr prayer time a couple weeks ago, God spoke to Noe and told him that he needed to go visit this orphanage that he had heard about earlier, and that he needed to visit it NOW. So he went and found something crazy. There is an orphanage just outside of Antigua with over 320 kids in it right now. (At times they've had over 500!)
On Saturday Seth and Clint and our whole Antigua team headed to the orphanage together to see if there could be some kind of partnership between us. We were able to meet and talk to the founder, Mike, who is now in his 70s. He told us that they house, feed, clothe and even teach the children (k-12), but when it comes to discipleship and spiritual formation they don't have enough people to do it well. The founder told us that for the last few months he had been praying that God would make a way for his children to get the spiritual training they all need. He said his dream was for them to be discipled and sent out to be missionaries!! WHAT!!?? The same vision God had just given to us! So we asked him if we could help and he told us that he will take all the help he can get.
This is amazing and very confirming for Allie and I. Three weeks ago we were asking God questions like 'Why are we here? What do you want us to do with our lives?' He told us that we are called to be a Father and a Mother. To bring people into our family to walk with them through healing, equip them, and then send them out after their dreams. We thought we were in training to learn how to do that but now God has said "You're ready." so we're diving in!
(Allie)
I said it before we got to Guatemala, this is the year I will become a mother. I didn't ever imagine it happening in this sort of context. I've always felt somewhat guilty about my dream in life, to be a mom, to raise up children well and send them in the way they should go. I put this dream on the back burner during our time here. I began to see how God was calling us into a longer commitment so I figured motherhood would be much farther off. I told myself it was ok, and that I'm not ready for it anyways. That is one way I tend to cope with things, I minimize my desire for something just in case God says no or it doesn't happen. Afraid to dream big, afraid to believe in the fact that God actually does want to fulfill the desires that He originally placed in my heart. In some ways I'm not ready, I never imagined God would call me to be a mother in this capacity. But I trust in Him enough to know He is the one doing all the work. He is the one who is going to teach and show me how to do this as we go.
So as God was revealing His vision to us this past week I became so overwhelmed by His heart for both the literal and spiritual orphans. He doesn't call them that though, each one of them has a name, and He sees them. This thing that God is doing is so Holy I don't even want to touch it. I am so unworthy, but it is Christ in me who is worthy, and He is capable. I can't rob Him of that honor to use me as His vessel. So I give Him my yes. This is 100% God's plan for the Kingdom and nothing is going to stop it. His heart is truly and completely to bring His children back to Himself. There's no greater honor or joy than to be involved in His plan.
Now this is why I invite you all to consider how the Lord may be asking you to take part in what He is doing. Two huge ways you can do this are through prayer and financial giving, and we need both. Like Paul says in Philippians 4:17, "Not that I’m looking for handouts, but I do want you to experience the blessing that issues from generosity." This isn't about giving to us, it's about sowing in to the Kingdom and what God is doing, and He is the one who will return to you the blessing and favor.
As Tim and I step in to this long term vision we are going to need to raise about $36,000 a year. Woah, I know. But let me break it down for you, that looks like 15 people willing to give $200 a month, 30 people willing to donate $100 a month or 60 people giving $50 a month. It's totally possible!
Please pray for this ministry and what God wants to do here. Pray for the teams to be strengthened and encouraged, especially when things get hard. Pray for the Sons and Daughters that God is going to be bringing in to the family. Pray for the nation of Guatemala to be unified and restored.
Thank you so much. Just thank you for your obedience. Thank you for being involved in what He is doing.
From the bottom of our hearts we love you and bless you.
Tim and Allie Carlson
Three weeks ago we wrote to you and said something along the lines of "... what we want and feel called to do with our lives. Which is to love people, disciple them, to be a Father and Mother, to care for the spiritually orphaned and bring them into THE FAMILY..."
GUESS WHAT?!
That's exactly what we are starting to do here in Guatemala... here's how it all happened.
The President, Seth Barnes, and the Long Term Mission's Director, Clint Bokelman, of AIM came down for a couple days last week to cast vision and direction for our base. One night while Seth and Clint and the Guatemala leadership team were working on the focus of the base God gave them a revelation. God's dream is for the orphans of the world to be brought into The Family. For them to grieve, to heal, to receive their identity, to be equipped and established and then to be sent out into the Nations to do the same for others! This is incredible! And it just so happens...
During our 72hr prayer time a couple weeks ago, God spoke to Noe and told him that he needed to go visit this orphanage that he had heard about earlier, and that he needed to visit it NOW. So he went and found something crazy. There is an orphanage just outside of Antigua with over 320 kids in it right now. (At times they've had over 500!)
On Saturday Seth and Clint and our whole Antigua team headed to the orphanage together to see if there could be some kind of partnership between us. We were able to meet and talk to the founder, Mike, who is now in his 70s. He told us that they house, feed, clothe and even teach the children (k-12), but when it comes to discipleship and spiritual formation they don't have enough people to do it well. The founder told us that for the last few months he had been praying that God would make a way for his children to get the spiritual training they all need. He said his dream was for them to be discipled and sent out to be missionaries!! WHAT!!?? The same vision God had just given to us! So we asked him if we could help and he told us that he will take all the help he can get.
This is amazing and very confirming for Allie and I. Three weeks ago we were asking God questions like 'Why are we here? What do you want us to do with our lives?' He told us that we are called to be a Father and a Mother. To bring people into our family to walk with them through healing, equip them, and then send them out after their dreams. We thought we were in training to learn how to do that but now God has said "You're ready." so we're diving in!
(Allie)
I said it before we got to Guatemala, this is the year I will become a mother. I didn't ever imagine it happening in this sort of context. I've always felt somewhat guilty about my dream in life, to be a mom, to raise up children well and send them in the way they should go. I put this dream on the back burner during our time here. I began to see how God was calling us into a longer commitment so I figured motherhood would be much farther off. I told myself it was ok, and that I'm not ready for it anyways. That is one way I tend to cope with things, I minimize my desire for something just in case God says no or it doesn't happen. Afraid to dream big, afraid to believe in the fact that God actually does want to fulfill the desires that He originally placed in my heart. In some ways I'm not ready, I never imagined God would call me to be a mother in this capacity. But I trust in Him enough to know He is the one doing all the work. He is the one who is going to teach and show me how to do this as we go.
So as God was revealing His vision to us this past week I became so overwhelmed by His heart for both the literal and spiritual orphans. He doesn't call them that though, each one of them has a name, and He sees them. This thing that God is doing is so Holy I don't even want to touch it. I am so unworthy, but it is Christ in me who is worthy, and He is capable. I can't rob Him of that honor to use me as His vessel. So I give Him my yes. This is 100% God's plan for the Kingdom and nothing is going to stop it. His heart is truly and completely to bring His children back to Himself. There's no greater honor or joy than to be involved in His plan.
Now this is why I invite you all to consider how the Lord may be asking you to take part in what He is doing. Two huge ways you can do this are through prayer and financial giving, and we need both. Like Paul says in Philippians 4:17, "Not that I’m looking for handouts, but I do want you to experience the blessing that issues from generosity." This isn't about giving to us, it's about sowing in to the Kingdom and what God is doing, and He is the one who will return to you the blessing and favor.
As Tim and I step in to this long term vision we are going to need to raise about $36,000 a year. Woah, I know. But let me break it down for you, that looks like 15 people willing to give $200 a month, 30 people willing to donate $100 a month or 60 people giving $50 a month. It's totally possible!
Please pray for this ministry and what God wants to do here. Pray for the teams to be strengthened and encouraged, especially when things get hard. Pray for the Sons and Daughters that God is going to be bringing in to the family. Pray for the nation of Guatemala to be unified and restored.
Thank you so much. Just thank you for your obedience. Thank you for being involved in what He is doing.
From the bottom of our hearts we love you and bless you.
Tim and Allie Carlson
well that wasn't very nice to title your blog "we are going to be parents" for your mom to read initially.:):):) Love your blog. God is good and all will come to pass. Love you guys so much and so happy you are where you are.
ReplyDeleteWe love and miss you guys! So proud of you guys as a couple and individually! The Lord has a huge call on your lives. Tim, you are going to be an amazing father, and Allie, you are going to be such a loving mother. The Lord redeems, he heals, he brings joy, he brings life, and the Lord is doing to show all of this through your lives, and your obedience. Praying for you and the team!
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