So what's been going on lately?

Well, I'm glad you asked. It has been sometime since I have posted a blog...so I figured I would let all of you know what has been going on here by taking you through a typical week in Chincha (plus the random things that have been thrown in there, too). So, here we go...

Monday

We go to a community called Los Jardines in the morning and in the afternoon to do VBS type stuff (pics from this can be found at nickjones.myphotoalbum.com under the Los Jardines album). This has been by far my most favorite part of this trip. I love those kids so very much and it will be very sad to leave them next Monday for the last time (on this trip at least). Please pray for these children and pray for someone to continue the songs and teaching the Bible to them after we leave. This past Monday we had over 30 kids, and we started with around 10.

TuesdayOur mornings vary on these days because we have never found a consitent ministry to do. Sometimes, the mornings may include digging trenches or moving bricks. We have been going to a community called Balconcita. We usually only have a few women, sometimes with their husbands, attend our weekly Bible study. But God is moving there as well. Please pray for Maria and her family and the others that are coming to the Bible study that God would continue to fuel the desire to study His Word and spread that Good News to others as they are filled with that precious "daily bread."

Wednesday

In the mornings, things are very similar to Tuesdays. In the afternoon and evening, we have started a Bible study in the community of San Ignacio (see the San Ignacio album at nickjones.myphotoalbum.com). I have grown to love the people here very much as well. This Bible study is the first consistent ministry that we began doing here. Pretty much the whole community is one big family. We have prayed over people who are hurting or are sick. We have seen 5 or 6 come to begin to follow Christ. We also have had the great priviledge of repairing their temporary home so that it will last longer until they can afford to build a more permanent home. Every week when we show up, we are greeted by tons of smiling children constantly repeating our names (most of the time getting them mixed up). Then, we see the smiling faces of the adults as we arrive to teach the Bible to them. We only have two more meetings with them before we leave. However, praise the Lord for Carmen and Angelica (two women who attend Iglesia Emanuel, the church where I've been living)! They have accompanied us each week and will continue to go and teach the Bible there every week after we leave. They are incredible women of God who have a fiery passion for spreading God's Word. In the past few weeks, we have also begun to do the VBS stuff with these kids that we do with the kids in Los Jardines. Please pray for the children and adults in this community as they learn about God's love for them and His plan for their lives. Also, pray for Carmen and Angelica as they continue to go. Pray that they would be filled with the words from God and be a blessing to the lives of the people there. There are many kids there and I'm not sure who will continue to go there to teach and love on them....so please pray for that as well.

Thursday/Friday

Every other week, Jason and I go into Lima for these days so our ministry has been limited. Usually there is some sort of manual labor type stuff for us to do around the church. We have also taken these days to work on the home of the family in San Ignacio. It has been an honor and a priviledge to see that place transformed during our short time here.

Saturday

Our mornings are either spent riding the bus back to Chincha or working. We also have a Bible study and play games with the youth on Saturday afternoons. The last Saturday in March and all of them in April held what they call a compaña (or rally). We would go to a different community (Posuelo, Los Jardines, San Ignacio, Balconcita, and Pueblo Nuevo) for 5 weeks in a row. The rallies consisted of worship through song, testimonies, a drama, and a short message followed by an invitation. Jason, Dessy (the pastor's oldest son), and I did the drama each week (I will upload the video of the drama once I return to the States and have a faster internet connection). The past two Saturday mornings (and the one coming up) have held some cool, special events. Two weeks ago, we held the first ever "lock-in" at Iglesia Emanuel. We played games, had a scavenger hunt, and Jason shared the prodigal son story (the clues in the scavenger hunt went along with this Bible story). After we fed them dinner, we watched a movie and went to sleep. After a small breakfast in the morning, they all went home. We expected about 25 kids, but we had almost 40. It was really fun and I believe they enjoyed it and most importantly heard about God's love for them.

Last Saturday, we held a marble tournament with the kids in Los Jardines (and will hold another in Balconcita this Saturday). Before we started, we sang the songs we have been doing on Monday's and acted out the story of David and Goliath. There had to have been 50 or 60 kids there. Praise the Lord for the work He is doing in that beautiful place and in the lives of those beautiful people.

SundaySunday mornings are typically laundry time. Then, we just hang out and read or play cards or something until it is time to get the church ready for the service. Three Sundays ago was the first service held in the church since the earthquake hit over 8 months ago (August 15, 2007). Before that, we would meet outside under a temporary pavillion. I have to say that I do not miss carrying those big speakers each week. This past week was Mother's Day, of course. Even though I was not able to be with my mother (I love you, mom!), Jason and I made Mother's Day cards for our Peruvian mom. She thought they were funny and shared with everyone during church what we had done for her. At the end of the service, they brought us to the front to introduce Jason's friends (Jakob and Blake), but it allowed Jason and me to share our hearts with them a little bit. It hit me really hard that it was my next to last Sunday in Chincha (we will be sightseeing the last Sunday in Peru). I am going to miss this place and these people very much. Please keep Iglesia Emanuel and the Escalante family in your prayers as they seek to bring glory to our Father and make His name known in Chincha and the surrounding cities.

Happy Mother's Day!

On the left is Grandma (or Mama Linda) and on the right is Mama Hilda. These two women have taken care of me and cooked for me while I have been away from my mother and grandmothers. I am so thankful for everything they have done for me and it will be hard leaving them. I would also like to tell my mother that I love her and am so very thankful for all the encouragement and everything else she has given to me and done for me during my life. I love you, Mom! I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!

"Little Deaths"

For the past several months, my desires have been in tension with God's desires. But it was not until yesterday that the full realization of it all hit me. Lately, I have been reading a book by Elisabeth Elliot called Passion and Purity (thanks Charla!). I recently read a chapter called "Little Deaths." In this chapter, she ties waiting on God with dying to ourselves (not really so much tying it together but revealing what is already there). As I was thinking about that and other things that I had read in that book, things started to come together for me in my mind. I'll give you the Nick Jones paraphrase...

"As we wait upon God, we are to be seeking after Him. As we seek after Him, He promises that, if we do so with all of our hearts, we will find Him. When we find Him, we will hear Him speak. When we hear Him speak, we are commanded to be obedient. Many times, that act of obedience will also require a part of us to die."

Elisabeth Elliot goes on to point out that we are not to die simply to die, but as we die to ourselves, we are able to be reborn in God. In America, salvation is seen many times as a one-time event. However, it is something that we are to work out our entire lives (Philippians 2:12-13). Just as we lived for many years in sin, so too will it take many years for all of that to be stripped away.

With all of that said, I realized, as I was reading, that I have been waiting on God and other things in my life. I was trying to listen to God and wait for other things to change at the same time, and neither was happening. For the first time, I believe that I have laid all my desires on the altar of the Lord... And I feel so alive! God is the first thought on my mind. The uncertainty of my future has been replaced with a joy for the present. Through dying to my desires, I have come alive.

Jim Elliot told Elisabeth Elliot when they had to be apart for a time while they were dating, "Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God." The past few months, my mind has dwelt many times in the past wondering why things have happened the way they have and also in the future wondering how my life will go. All of this is futile because the only thing that I can really do is live in the present alone. I must learn from my past, hope for the future, but LIVE in the present. I am in Peru right now. So that is where I am going "be."

The only thing we are given is today. What we do with it is up to us? I want my today's to count for His eternal glory! Each day is a completely new day...nothing like yesterday and totally different from tomorrow. There is no 1-2-3 step process of following Christ, but as we rise each day and wait on Him, seek after Him, hear Him, die to ourselves, and obey His leading, we will become more intimate with Him (which is what He desires so much). As that happens, we will become more like Him, and His desires will be our desires. And our today's will make an eternal impact for His glory that would not be possible on our own!

"God, give us the grace to be obedient servants to you. Give us the strength to endure till the end. Make us instruments to be used by you to complete your purposes. Let us be like the "bread" that Jesus broke to feed the 5,000 that as we are broken we will be used to bless many in your name. Show us your ways and give us the courage to walk in them. May all the glory be yours! In the name of Jesus, Amen and Amen."

I wait.

I wait.
Dear Lord, Thy ways
Are past finding out,
Thy love too high.
O hold me still
Beneath Thy shadow.
It is enough that Thou
Lift up the light
Of Thy countenance.
I wait--
Because I am commanded
So to do. My mind
Is filled with wonderings.
My soul asks "Why?"
But then the quiet word,
"Wait thou only
Upon God."
And so, not even for the light
To show a step ahead,
But for Thee, dear Lord,
I wait.

Elliot, Elisabeth. Passion and Purity, p. 72.

Psalm 103

Of David.

1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-

3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:

8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.

9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;

10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;

12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;

16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.

17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children-

18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.

19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.

21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.

22 Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the LORD, O my soul.

(emphasis mine)

Movin' on up...

Believe it or not this is much better than before (see an earlier blog about our tents). Oh and all the goats are gone... ¡Gloria a Dios!

Wait. PERIOD.

Over the past few months, WAIT has been a constant word that I've heard from God. Most of the time, it is all that I hear Him saying...nothing more. I've struggled a lot with the meaning of this word. Does it mean to sit on my butt and do nothing until God says something else? I don't think so. Am I supposed to wait while serving in another country? Should I be in a different city, at a different job, in a different apartment, etc.? There are so many questions that I don't know the answers to, which involve relationships, future ministry opportunities, and more. But the one thing has remained constant...Wait!

I spent some time this morning looking up Scripture that talked about waiting. I do not claim to have learned the secret to what it means to "wait" (ironically, I think the secret probably involves waiting). As I searched God's Word, I began to see many very cool things. I saw how God has everything under control (Psalm 27). I saw that He desires for us to seek Him with all our heart and place our hope and trust solely in Him (Psalm 130). As we do that, God promises grace, strength, and blessings (Isaiah 30). God also promises that He hears thos who patiently wait upon Him (Psalm 40).

As I got to the New Testament, the question changed from "Why to we wait?" to "What are we waiting for?" We are to be waiting in eager expectation of our restoration (Romans 8), glory of God to be revealed (1 Thessalonians 1), the Holy Spirit to lead us (Acts 1:4), and Christ's return/our ultimate salvation (Titus 2; Hebrews 9). Sometimes suffering and other hardships are included and promised as we wait and follow Christ. But salvation is promised to those who endure to the end (2 Timothy 2).

So, what do I do with all of this? WAIT!!! Haven't you been paying attention? Haha. I will continue to seek after the Lord, wait upon Him, and place my hope in His unfailing promises. I pray that through His grace I will be steadfast in this, and I also pray that God blesses your life as well as you wait upon Him. Share with someone today the reason for the hope you have in Christ?

My Peruvian family

Pictured from left to right:

Jason, Hilda, Pastor Dessy, Dessy (in the back), Caleb, and me.

P.S. I have just realized that one of the most important people has been accidentally left out of this picture... Grandma! I will add a picture of me and her to this post when I take one.

The Power Team

Go to http://emanuelchurchmission1200.slide.com/ to check out a cool slideshow put together by the son of the Pastor we are staying with in Chincha (especially the power team).

The Holy Spirit LIVE in Peru!

Every Wednesday, Jason and I, along with a couple of members of Iglesia Emanuel, lead Bible studies and sing with the people of the community of San Ignacio. The pastor of Iglesia Emanuel hopes this will become a new church in that area. Almost all of the people in that community, or at least the part of the community we go to, are related. Last Wednesday, we did not meet together because it was the anniversary of the death of one of the women's father and everyone was going to the cemetery. But the week before on March 12, God moved in a mighty way.

Jason and I were thinking that day of what we could do or speak about at the service but were not real sure. I had written out something that I had wanted to get traslated into Spanish so that I could speak to them in Spanish with out translation, but I was never able to do it. We ended up deciding that I would talk about what I had written down and get Desi to translate. After I spoke, we did a drama called "Walk the Line" that I had done in the Philippines (I'll try to get a video on here the next time we do it). The skit involves only three people who represent Jesus, Man, and Satan. It uses no words and shows how Satan has us bound in Sin but Jesus came and took our place and defeated Sin once-and-for-all. Jason spoke to the people explaining the skit and giving an invitation for anyone who would like to accept Christ in their heart.

I love it when Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:1,4-5:

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

This is exactly what happened that day. After we had spoken and did the drama, the Holy Spirit moved and called five people (their names are listed below so you can pray for them) into a faith relationship with the Father. It was a very beautiful time. One thing that has been difficult for us in San Ignacio and Peru, in general, is that it is very difficult for Jason and me to talk about Biblical things to the people. I can't do it at all in Spanish and Jason is very limited. But the awesome thing about it all is that despite our insufficiency and weakness in certain areas the "demonstration of the Spirit's power" completes the work regardless. I mean it is always God that is doing the work through us, but it is amazing to watch the Holy Spirit work right before your eyes and know there was absolutely nothing you did or could do. I thank you all for your prayers and ask that you continue to pray each week for our meetings at San Ignacio (about 5 pm central time every Wednesday) and for the following people who started to follow the Lord a week and a half ago:

-Maria Julia

-Carmen Tasayco

-Mirtha muñayte

-Carlos Pachas

-Carmen Gutierrez

Flora

Jason and I were walking around with Pastor Nestor in Los Jardines (a community in Chincha) visiting people from his church. The last place we stopped was the home of Flora. As Pastor Nestor spoke with her, she began to cry. She has some sort of paralysis on the right side of her body I think. She can't walk or use her right hand. She wears the glove to hide her contorted hand. My heart broke and tears came down my face as I watched this woman cry and talk about how she can hardly do anything anymore. All three of us laid hands on her and began to pray for her. I was reminded of John 14:12-14. At the time, I could not remember the reference, but I remembered Jesus saying to His disciples that He " will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father." So, I began to remind God of that promise and prayed expectantly for healing for this woman. She was not healed of her ailments right at that moment, but I believe she will be. This blog is to let you know about this beautiful woman, so that you can pray for her as well. Shower her in prayer and I will make an update later. Thank you all so much again for your prayers for me and the ministry going on here.

"God with us"

This is taken largely from my journal entry about the service on Sunday March 9.

The service this afternoon was one of the most powerful that I've ever been a part of. It's been awhile since I've felt the power of God like that. The service had just started when I walked outside and I could literally feel God's presence very strongly. Hilda, the pastor's wife, had asked us earlier if we would share a testimony about how we came to Peru. After Jason shared, I got up to talk, but I felt God leading me to share a special word with them before I shared my testimony of God's provision. I got Desi to read Matthew 1:22-23:

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through

the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth

to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us."

While we were singing, I was noticing so many reminders of that Scripture all around us. The beautiful mountains on one side, Chincha "rising from the ashes" on the other side, and God's children in the middle. Even on the other side of the church building, it said Matt. 1:23 and "...Dios con nosotros" ("God with us"). I believe that many of the people there could sense God's presence as well based on watching their praying and worshiping. I then shared about how God provided for me to come here (see my first blog). It was so incredible because twice the people applauded God for His awesome power (how he provided for the plane ticket and the $400 from the FBC McComb, MS youth group). May all the glory be to go for the testimonies Jason and I shared!

During the prayer and singing times, it was overwhelming to watch the people unashamedly worship and cry out to God. I've never seen wailing out in prayer to God like that before. Pastor Nestor from Los Jardines (pictured above) was even jogging and dancing before His King. Tears came to my eyes from the strong sense of God in that place and from watching others pray and sing with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Even though I could not follow along, I would just raise my hands in praise to the Father. I did not know the words to the songs, but I just let the Holy Spirit translate my yearnings to God. It was a truly wonderful time with the Lord and His bride.

Day by Day

This blog does not have much to with the work going on here as much as it is about how I'm doing. It it a prayer request/thinking outloud.

Things had been going great with no complaints until the past few days. The lack of Spanish comprehension, much less speaking, is taking a pretty good toll on me. Because of not being able to understand anyone, I feel kinda useless at times and not needed and wonder why I'm even here. Yesterday afternoon, I had to get off by myself for a while and be left to English thoughts only for awhile. I know that it takes time to learn a language, but it's also incredibly tough when you're just thrown into it. I do have to give God some praise though because I have picked up the little I have learned a lot faster than I thought I would've.

Jason, the other guy with me here, was very encouraging last night. Most of you that know me very well know that I'm usually not the first one to bring up things I'm struggling with, and if no one asks, then I may not say anything. Well, I'm glad Jason asked and encouraged me. He said that he had begun to try to change the way he thinks and try to find the good things that happen each day instead of focusing on how much further along he wishes he was, in Spanish or his spiritual life.

I've been reading a book called George Muller of Bristol by A.T. Pierson. I would encouraged everyone to read it. It is the story of a man who sought to be a testimony that it is possible to live by trusting God alone for every little thing in life (the picture above is his tombstone). By the end of his life, he had started a Scriptural Knowledge Institute (a sort of Bible training school) and opened five orphan houses that cared for about ten thousand orphans during his lifetime. Not one time during his ministry did he ask anyone for money or supplies or helpers. He went first and only to His Father to supply all needs for His servant, His children, and His ministry. This account of this man of faith has been a great encouragement to me during my time here, and I believe it is a foreshadowing of the pattern for the rest of my life (referring to seeking God alone to provide personal and ministry needs). The only way that this man could live was day by day placing himself at His father's feet. Jason helped me remember this important lesson last night.

Sometimes in life, things are easy, but sometimes, they are very hard. No matter the circumstances we find ourselves in, we can only live day by day. Whether good or bad, the only thing we can make a difference about is today and pray that God will take care of the troubles of that day (Matthew 6:33-34). God has placed us in the day we are in for a reason. The only way we can know what the reason may be is to daily seek after God, sit a while, and listen.

So that's what I'm going to do. Live my life, whether in Peru or somewhere else, day by day at my Father's feet. May the grace of God be with us!

Pictures! Pictures! Pictures!

I've added a bunch of pictures up to my photo album site. You can check them out by clicking on the link below. Enjoy, leave comments, and I pray that you see the glory of God through them.

http://nickjones.myphotoalbum.com/

I'm back on the web!

This past week has been really good and I thank all of you who sent emails to me. They were very encouraging. I am using the internet again, obviously, but it will not be everyday like I did before. I have a few things I would like to write posts about and some pictures to add but I will get those up during the next week. So many things have been happening and I just wish you all could be here because it is so hard to portray through words or pictures. People are coming to faith in Christ, God is providing for needs, believers are wailing in prayer to their Father, and so much more that words cannot even express. I'm going to post blogs about the people that accepted Christ on this past Wednesday and the powerful service I was able to be a part of last Sunday. Thank you again for all the prayers.

P.S.
I would like to be kept up-to-date on your lives as well. You can click where it says comments below each blog or email me (nd2819@hotmail.com) to let me know how things are in your world or you just want to make a comment about that particular blog.

Until next week...

"To him nothing could compensate for the lack or loss of that fellowship with God and meditation on His word which are the support of all spiritual life."

-a comment about George Muller's habit of secret prayer

(George Muller of Bristol by A.T. Pierson)

Just a few minutes ago, I realized that I have in a sense turned this trip into something about me. Before I came, I was blown away at how God provided for ME to come. Since I've been here, I've thought about what God has planned for ME to do here and for ME to learn. I found myself today waiting to get on the internet when Jason asked if I wanted to talk about some ideas for reaching the youth in Chincha and getting them involved with Iglesia Emanuel. I realized that I was thinking about myself instead of the people I have come to serve and share the hope that I have in Christ. I have come to the conclusion that something has to change.

One of the things that occupied a lot of my time when I was back in the States was tv and internet. Well, I don't have tv here but I do have the internet. Lately, I've found myself occupying myself with the internet when I would get bored...posting blogs, posting pictures, checking my email and Facebook, etc. I have spent time in the Word and in prayer, but I have been convicted about my lack of devotion to it. I read some Scripture and prayer real quick, and I'm done. I have been convicted a lot lately at how I seek after God to find Him and then ask Him for something.

My desire is to seek after God with all my heart to find Him (Jeremiah 29:13), and then simply BE with Him. God has been teaching me some about trusting completely in Him and being totally abandoned to Him, and I can't do that if I am not spending unhindered and unrushed time with Him. How will I know what God has for the day, much less the rest of my life, if I don't spend time with Him getting to know His character and His vision for the world? As a disciple of Christ, I have spent little time sitting at His feet, feasting on His Word, and drinking in His Spirit. I want to know my Lord and be able to hear my Shepherd's voice. It is not something that can happen over night. I know that I will not have perfected it in a week, but I know that God has taken me out of my normal environment to grow me to be more like Him. And I have not allowed much of a chance for Him to work in me. Therefore, I will not be posting any blogs or pictures or sending any emails until me and Jason go to Lima for a couple of days at the end of next week. So, until next week...Adios!

My photo album

This is the site I will use to upload my pictures so you can SEE more of what I'm doing and other things going on here.

http://nickjones.myphotoalbum.com

Let's go walking, Chincha!

Desi, on the right is the son of the pastor we are staying with, took us around a community called Tambo de Mora. This community is still pretty much in ruins. Desi told us there was a Catholic church here that was having mass when the earthquake hit, and all 300 people died when the old building collapsed.

This is what used to be several homes in Tambo de Mora. Most of Tambo de Mora lives in small homes made of tarps like these.A wall that was split down the middle by the earthquake

Hotel de Misionero en Chincha

This is my house for the next three months. It is cool at night but by 8 am, it turns into an oven.

Jason sleeps in the gray and red tent next to mine. Past his tent are our lovely neighbors...las cabras (the goats).

Fernando of San Ignacio

We met a man yesterday who has a small tumor above his left eye. Because of the tumor, he has not been able to work for the past three weeks and his money is running out. He is a fisherman and he would come into town to sell what he caught. Jason and I gave him $70 USD to help out but more importantly we and the pastor's wife prayed over him. I prayed that God would heal him so that he will be able to work again and provide for his family...also, so that the glory of God would be revealed in a mighty way. I don't write this to ask you for money but to beg you for prayer. Prayer is more powerful than the almighty dollar...believe it or not! I do not know if he is a Christian but I can see that he has a kind and loving heart. I can also see how not being able to work is hard for him since he is not able to provide for his family like he was. But the Great Provider blessed me and Jason with more money than we needed so we were able to help meet a tangible need but he needs your prayers to meet his physical and spiritual needs. We will see him again this afternoon around 5 pm eastern time. Bring on the showers of prayer as we are with him and others in his community teaching the Bible.

Believing in miracles,
Nick

P.S.
I will post a pic of him on here when I get to a computer that'll read my camera.

Do you really know God?

This was written to me in response to my last blog. I wanted to post it on here to encourage and challenge you to look deep and ask yoursel:
1. Do you know God enough to be madly in love with Him?
2. If you really think about it, do you really want that kind of relationship?

Isaiah 53:5

But, He was pierced for my transgressions (my infringement, my violation of His laws, His commands and my duty to Him)

He was crushed for my iniquities (my gross immoralities and my wickedness, my time on the computer, my times alone, my times thinking of things and watching things and doing things).

The punishment that brought me peace was on Him and by His wounds I am healed.

This is the Christ I want to know more about.

This is the Christ I need to know more about.

The One who took all my crap, my darkest, grossest moments of immorality and was crushed for them…

The One who has taken on my daily disobedience to Him…

The One who has taken the shirking of my duties to Him…

The One whose punishment for my wickedness has given me peace…

The One whose wounds have healed me and cleaned me up in front of His Father…

This is the Christ I want to know more about.

And He will be called Immanuel which means "God with us"

Throughout the past month, God has shown me the meaning of Immanuel in greater and greater ways. I needed a lot of money to come and God was with me, but He didn't stay in America.

Yesterday, we had two baptisms and a wedding. The first baptism was just one man, who was the same man to be married later that afternoon. After he came up out of the water, the pastor's wife started a song. When the song finished, she pointed up to the sun and there was a ring around it like a halo. I thought that was a very beautiful symbol of the day that included a marraige and six people being baptized.

As I thought about the things that symbol could mean, I thought about the sybolism of Christ and the Church as a bride and groom. I thought about a wedding band and how it sybolizes two becoming one. Then I thought about how if we accept Christ into our hearts, we are in a sense entering into a marraige relationship with Him. We become one with Christ. I am not married myself, but when you enter into marraige, your life in a sense revolves around that person. You love them and want to do all that you can for them. As I looked at the picture I took of the ring around the sun, I thought about how if we are in a relationship with Christ our lives should revolve around Him. I have never seen anything like that before. I am not sure if I have ever seen my life go a complete revolution around the Son before I take a detour in sin or selfish desires (which are not always sins). Have you? Even though we constantly choose our way over God's way, He is faithful to always be "with us." Last night, Jason and I read Matthew 1:18-25. In verse 23, it says that Jesus will be called Immanuel which means "God with us." As I read that verse, I remembered that the name of the church where we are staying is called Iglesia Emmanuel, which means Immanuel Church or if I may throw a Nick Jones translation in, "Christ with His bride." Ask God to help you to fall madly in love with Him today and to help you to remember, no matter your present situation, "Immanuel."

With faith as small as a mustard seed...

I apologize that I've not been able to get any pictures up but Jason's computer is having issues right now. So I will try to get some up as soon as I can but I did want to give you a quick update on how things are going here.

Things have been going great. I have adjusted well. We've spent the last two days going around Lima and seeing the city and the beach and I've started to feel more at home here. Today, I received a letter in the mail for $300 from a Peruvian woman that my mother works with and her brother who lives in Lima. I wanted them to know that money will strictly be used for the people of Chincha. I praise God again for His awesome provision because I already had $200 more than I needed (see my first blog)! God never ceases to amaze me! Completely trusting God and having blind faith that He is going to provide all your needs when you seem to need so much is very hard but I'm seeing now how rewarding and amazing it is. I never want to slide back into the weak faith that I have. Nick Jones is a very weak and worthless person alone but in God's hands, He promises to use the weak things of this world to confound the wise. He is definitely using me and I am honored to be placed here by God so that through me He will receive glory among the people of Chincha, Peru, but also among those in the States who read this blog. My most favorite movie clip that demostrates faith is in Idiana Jones and the Last Crusade where he has to leap from the lion's mouth. I like that picture of faith because he did not receive the blessing until he made that first step. Sometimes God doesn't show you anything further than where you are at this very moment but He calls out for you to step into something you don't know. May God bless your life as you trust that very life completely over to Him!

My address in Lima, Peru

Nick Jones
Calle San Carlos del Pinar 228 Dpto 401
UR Villa Jardin. San Luis. Lima. 30 Peru

Beard blog: Week 1

As you follow me along during my time in Peru, my new beard would also like to keep you posted of his time here as well. He will be posting a photo blog each week while he is in Peru to let all of you follow along on his progress. He hopes that it touches your heart in a very special way each time. Here is what he's got so far:

I made it!

Well, I made it safe and sound to Lima, Peru. I did have my first spanish test on the flight to Lima. With about two hours left in the flight, the older man (who only spoke Spanish) looked at me and said, "Ahora?" I got excited because I knew that he was asking me what time is was, but then I was sad because I didn't know how to tell him what time is was in Spanish...so I just showed him my watch and that was that. Haha. Jason and I got to his apartment here about two in the morning due to delayed flights, but all was well and I got a great nights sleep.

It is strange to be here in Peru and it be summertime. On the way to fly out of Atlanta, I saw snow flurries (not sure how to spell flurries haha), and a little over three weeks ago, I had no plans really to leave the country...and yet here I am. God has blown me away over the past three weeks at revealing to me His power and glory through providing for this trip and through the encouragement from friends. I'm a little nervous right now but I'm also very excited to see what the next three months have in store.
Not too much has happened so far, but don't worry there will be much to update about over the next many weeks. I am currently at the home of a missionary couple here in Lima. Jason and I spent the morning hanging out with them and talking a little about the current situation in Chincha, where we'll be heading to in a few days. There is much to be done there and we will do what we can through God's grace and power. Today, Jason is just going to show me around Lima, and we will head for Chincha sometime this weekend most likely.

Prayer concerns:
-that we go to God in prayer for everything
-that God alone leads for us
-that I would be able to pick up some Spanish quickly

Just to give you a little idea of what I'm going into...

The link below is from a man on The World Race (a one-year around-the-world trip through an organization called Adventures in Missions) who was recently in Chincha, Peru. It should give you an idea of the situation down there and some of the possible ministry that I'll be doing.

http://rustyjackson.theworldrace.org/index.asp?filename=video-tour-of-earthquake-damage

God is GOOD!

"...See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept My Word and have not denied My name."
Revelation 3:8

"...I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Matthew 17:20

I want to thank all of you for the prayers you have lifted up for me during this journey of faith of going to Peru. I wanted to share with all of you how God has shown up mightily in all this lately. Throughout the entire process, my friend, Chuck McBryde, has told me on many occasions that he prayed that God would provide for the trip in a way that no one besides Him can take credit for. Well, this past weekend that prayer was answered in such a way that I still haven't been able to wrap my mind completely around it.

My flight leaves tomorrow, but as of Friday morning, all I had was literally a plane ticket and $25 from my Maw Maw for the entire three months in Peru. The strange thing about it was that I wasn't freaking out about it as I thought I should've been. There have been times during this whole thing that I wasn't sure when, where, or if the money would come. I prayed and believed that God would provide if it was in His will for me to go. There were those around me that question me about this trip because it was sudden and I needed a lot of money. I'm glad they did ask (whether they believed in me or not on this) because it caused me to seek God even harder. The more I seeked Him, the stronger I felt more than ever that this was His will for me. God has shown me through stories in the Bible and about old missionaries that in times like these is when God's glory is shown the greatest. This weekend, God showed His glory in a mighty way and provided in a way that I believe no one can take credit for. I would like to list it out to show you how God provided and to hopefully bless and encourage you as well:
1. Friday evening, I got $50 that a friend of my grandmother's dropped off at her house earlier that day.
2. Later that night, my dad gave me $85 that he had saved up.
3. Saturday afternoon, I got $50 from Raynor and another $100 from a good friend of hers and that friends family.
4. Around that same time, I received $100 from a friend from college/his church in Crystal Springs, MS.
5. Sunday after church, my sister sent me a text message telling me that the youth group from my church in McComb, MS, had taken up $400 in a love offering for me.

Just to recap, I went from a plane ticket and $25 to a plane ticket and $810 in less than 48 hours! I don't share this with all of you to say "Hey, look at what God did for ME!" but I tell you to say "Hey look at what GOD did!" There have been moments in my life where I have been blown away at how truly powerful and faithful God is. It is so strange how we so quickly forget how faithful God is to us and yet He still provides for us time and time again. How amazing would things be if we always remembered what God has done for us and continually sought after Him to see more and more of His glory? I have had to remind myself to not just sit back and relax since God has provided because I haven't even gone to Peru yet. Trusting for God to provide for this trip has been a big test of my faith, but there are going to be many many more tests of faith over the next three months. I can't slack up on the race that God has put me on but I need each one of you to do one thing for me...PRAY! Prayer and the faithfulness of God is what allowed me to go to Peru, and it's the only thing that is going to help me be the face of Christ while I'm there. I don't know what is going to happen when I'm there, but I know that I am going to need God's power and strength while I'm there. I will be sending updates periodically from time to time so that you will be able to share in God's faithfulness as result of your prayers and to be blessed and encouraged as God reveals Himself to me and the people of Chincha, Peru. Thank you so much again!

Running through open doors,
Nick

P.S.
I would like to give a special thanks to my parents, Amie, Nannie, Raynor, Sara Beth Pritchard, Lane Beasley, Ian McAnally, and the youth group of FBC McComb, MS.