God's answer to prayer...

Just wanted to update everyone and let you know that the Lord answered prayer and I am now working. A friend from my church was in the hospital for around four weeks and after she was released her family hired me to live with her and take care of her. She is doing well now and getting stronger everyday. I am thankful for her health and also for this job/ministry that the Lord has given me for this season of my life.

-Amanda Marie

Pinto Beans, Goats, and Soccer...

Don Victor was the first person to teach me about sorting through pinto beans. We were chosen to be the ones to sit at the small table and go through the pounds of beans for that night's dinner. As we looked for small pebbles and made separate piles, I was able to attempt at using the very little Spanish that I knew. Of course, Don Victor always had patience with me and listened intently. We managed to communicate more or less. :) I can't remember what we talked about exactly, but I do remember the experience and how Don Victor made each person that he encountered feel loved.

My first time meeting Don Victor was in the summer of 2004. He spent time showing me pictures of his family and talking about his soccer team in La Poza. Don Victor had a real love for his family and he and wife were always kind and hospitable when we came to do ministry in his hometown in Mexico. It was so exciting to get the news of the conversion of Don Victor and his wife Andrea in 2005. He was so very generous with his property and resources and always wanted to share God's love with the ministry teams that came through La Poza.

Another memory I have is when Don Victor took our group to see his goats. Upon arriving he asked us to pick out our favorite one and that would be the one we would have for dinner that night! :)

I am thankful to have met such a sweet brother in the Lord, He was a great man and will be missed by many!

In memory of Don Victor Rangel who went to be with his Savior.

-Amanda Marie

This past weekend I had the priviledge of taking a trip over to Grand Rapids to visit some friends at Cornerstone University. It was such a great weekend with time spent enjoying fellowship with my sisters in Christ. While I was there, I was able to make a new spanish speaking friend named Jessica. Her family is Mexican, but she has lived in Michigan her whole life. She is a member at the Iglesia Cristiana Reformada Emmanuel in Wyoming, Michigan. On Sunday morning, Jessica was kind enough to take me with her to church so that I could hear a Spanish service. It was so good to hear the Spanish worship again and to listen to the sermon. I am really thankful for the experience. :)

Also I wanted to share that yesterday I counseled my first hispanic client at the Pregnancy Resource Center. I was really excited to use my Spanish in this ministry! Thank you for your continued prayers!

-Amanda Marie

The Pregnancy Resource Center

Many of you have been asking about my ministry with the Pregnancy Resource Center and I am excited to let you know that I will be working there again starting in February. I spoke with the Client Services Director this morning and have been added to the February schedule, filling in where I was needed. I will be attending a staff meeting tonight to get caught up on what is going on at the Center and what changes have been made since I was last there.

Please pray for my transition back into that ministry and for God's guidance while in the counseling room. Also please be in prayer for the new counselors and staff members that are in training this month and for our Center's Director as she teaches the training sessions.

God Bless!
-Amanda Marie

In the mailbox...

It finally came! I received my graduation certificate from Rio Grande Bible Institute in the mail today and it was really exciting to actually have the real thing! :) Along with it came a letter from the Registrar and my transcripts for the year. I am thankful once again for having been given the opportunity to attend such a great school and to have learned so much.

Thank you to all of my professors, to faculty, and friends!

Thank you also to my grandparents Henry and Muriel Ludwig for making it possible for me to attend!

G is for Glorious

This Sunday morning I was given the opportunity to teach Jr. Church. I was excited to fill in for the week because before moving away to school I used to teach a couple of months a year. This morning I taught the lesson for letter G from the ABC's of God study. G is for Glorious and just like we can't look at the sun because it would hurt our eyes we are unable to look upon the glory of God. However we are able to see God's glory through creation just like we can enjoy the sunset.

Psalm 19:1 "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands."


I find it amazing what they grab onto from the lesson. Even though we were not talking about heaven for more than a few moments, my explanation of the heavens is the one part of the lesson that stuck with the kids the most.

It also amazes me the types of questions that kids can come up with. This for me is one of the best parts about teaching. My favorite one from today was, "Miss Amanda, why do angels wear dresses and not pants?"

Amidst an ever chaotic week of media and politics a familiar name continually rings out, President Barack Obama. The past few days have been an interesting and challenging time for God's people as we watched the 44th President of our Nation take his oath on January 20th. I personally spent the majority of the inauguration day in an almost surreal state as the news I had heard of the elections finally came to life. I watched in disbelief at the numbers of people that had gathered to witness the event and I felt a sudden sadness for the end of President Bush's term. But one word that I believe carries us on is Sovereign. I believe in an all knowing Soveriegn God who has allowed our new President to take office. I believe that he is in complete control and that he loves and cares for his children. I know that because of this, I can trust that even the President is not out of my God's control.

In my family we have discussed over the past few days the need to bring due respect back to the office. I am behind this 100%! I believe that the authorities we have come from God and as such have the right to be respected.

Romans 13:1,2 ESV says, " Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment."

This morning on C.J.Mahaney's blog there was an entry about praying for the President. www.soveriegngraceministries.org/blog
As a result of reading his entry I was impressed with the call to Prayer. We have the responsibility to bring before the Lord not only our President, but also the many other leaders, and our Nation.

1 Timothy 2:1-3 ESV "First of all, then, I urge, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior."

While my initial reaction was not to begin praying for the President, I was challenged and encouraged to do so by these truths and I now encourage you to do so as well.

-Amanda Marie