Hey from Eagle Lake, TX aka the "Goose Hunting Capital of the World"

back to Our Walk of Faith

Friday: Walter & Maria have been collecting clothes, school supplies & other needed items in their spare bedroom. It's their yearly routine, so by February there's no room in the spare bedroom. It's filled nearly to the brim with items just waiting to be taken to those who can use them. We were able to get

boxes on Thursday, so we started packing up the stuff for Honduras!! Levi & Sydney of course wanted to help & we were able to make some headway in the packing!
Saturday: We were able to visit Walter's work and learn a little more about what he does...It takes several hours to load a piece of heavy equipment the size that he hauls daily! This particular crane weighs over 200,000 lbs, and it's placement on the trailor can't even be an inch off-center. So there was quite a bit of backing up and inching forward because it wasn't perfect the first time. Watching the men manuver and work to get the crane in place made me think about the power and precision that God has. He set the whole world in place and then put it in motion. Yet He intricately weaves together every single baby in every single mother's womb! AND it's perfect the first time He does anything!! Pretty amazing, huh? We also met one of Walter's co-workers, Samuel Herrera. He sings with a Christian group, so he gave us a CD to listen to on the road. He's also from Ecuador, so he told us of some cities to visit where his family still lives!

After Walter got off work, we all got cleaned up...including haircuts for Maria, Chris & me! Then we went to Lakewood Church. The praise music was really good...there was a time for prayer for those who are hurting...they had a baby dedication service...Victoria Osteen encouraged parents to begin praying for their children & their children's children for their relationship with the Lord. Joel Osteen shared from Isaiah 61 and from Joseph's life--a continuation from his message last week. He encouraged us to let your life do the talking when people criticize you because time will answer their criticism. Don't let your critics keep you from stepping out on faith nor steal your God-given dream. Joseph's brothers were jealous of the dream God gave him, but that didn't stop Joseph from dreaming. He just followed the Lord faithfully and eventually (in a way he never could have) God gave life to the dream He had given Joseph. After the service, we wanted to meet Joel Osteen. While we were waiting, we met 3 ladies (l to r) Maria Luisa, Pam, and Deloris. All three of them are involved with the public schools, so we were pretty pumped up to talk with them. Maria Luisa teaches Spanish in the elementary school. (She taught English as a second language initally, so both Chris & I could relate to her teaching experiences.) Pam was a 2nd-grade teacher, but she had to quit because she cared for parents as they were dying. (She's looking for a job now...please pray that she will find one!) Deloris is a school librarian (which made us think of our dear friend, Lorene Cuthrell). Deloris also cared for her mother as she was dying, so she and Pam were a great support for one another during such a difficult season in their lives. All three of the ladies go to different churches, but every now and then they visit Lakewood. It was really great talking to them and hearing their stories1!! We finally met Joel Osteen...I think we baffled him with our story, but his message was right on target with what God has called us to. Some people may think we are crazy, but that's okay...2 Corinthians 5:13-15 says: "If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all. and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."!!

Sunday: We went to Lakewood again, but this time to the Spanish service. Marcos Witt was there! He's been away for 6 weeks, so I got an early birthday present by getting to hear him preach and sing!! He spoke from Mark 16...our homework is to take the good news to all people...to love God and to love people. The way we can share the good news is through love...that's how God won us, by His love!! We really enjoyed the service! (especially me because he's from Northern Mexico which is where I spent the majority of 7 summers, so his humor and sayings were very familiar. It reminded me of lots of good times with my Mexican family! So much so that I had to call them to tell them about the service!!)

After the service, I wanted to meet Marcos Witt. I didn't know it, but only a limited number of people who could meet Marcos Witt that day, and I was in the bathroom when they closed off the line. Chris was waiting for me and saw what happened. He went up to Arturo de Leon and explained how much I wanted to meet Marcos Witt. He also told him that we were missionaries, and we couldn't come back another day. Mr. Arturo let us in...I was so excited. We started talking to him, and we learned that he and his family started coming to church at Lakewood just 4 years ago. His 21-year-old son was addicted to alcohol and had a lot of problems, but one day the son was watching TV. He heard a message by Joel Osteen and just started crying. His father had no idea what was wrong with him, so his son asked him to watch the service with him. After that day, they decided that they wanted to visit the church as a family. The first Sunday they were there, Mr. Arturo, his wife, and their son accepted the Lord and began serving Him!! One year after they accepted Christ as their Savior, the son was killed in a car accident. Mr. Arturo explained that it had been difficult at times over the last 3 years , but the Lord kept them close to Him. They know one day they will see their son again!!

We fellowshipped a little more with Mr. Arturo, and then Chris & I got to meet Marcos Witt and get a few pictures!! I was so excited! He even gave us the name of a pastor and a church in Peru! He got a kick out of my explaining how I learned of him and his music in Mexico!

We knew it was time to move on from Houston...it had been wonderful staying with Walter & Maria, but we wanted to say good-bye slowly. So we decided that we should go on on Sunday afternoon. Walter insisted that they take us to Eagle Lake, TX because the shoulder is wide and the traffic is less hectic. Pretty cool how he's a truck driver, so he knows those kind of things!! They took us to eat and then dropped us off at a hotel. (Walter has also driven to Honduras about 4 times, so while we waited for our food to come, he gave us some travel tips as well. Four different people have now showed us the same route through Mexico. I guess God wants to make sure we are listening!! ha, ha, ha!!) They have taken such good care of us this week--as if we were their own children. Before they left, Maria gave me a bracelet that tells the story of salvation...another early birthday present!! I always love to have tools to share the Gospel! We prayed together--Walter prayed over us and Chris prayed over them! Then we said hasta luego--until later because we really believe that we will be working with them one day in Honduras on short-term missions trips with high school students!!

Of course, we had to watch a little of the Super Bowl...I'm not sure how many of you watched the trophy presentation, but the owner of the Colts and Tony Dungee both gave all the glory and credit to God! It was awesome to witness!
Monday: It's my birthday! I'm 28 today...who knows what's going to happen? I'll let you know soon! God bless you and keep you! We love you!

Here are some pictures to give you an idea of the size of the equipment that Walter moves...